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For George Clements, the aforementioned developer of The Residences at Hawthorn Preserve, it's even more than that. It's personal. "This is a legacy project for me," says Clements, whose company, Clements Investments, is a well-known name in local development circles responsible for recent projects as diverse as the 2016 repurposing of Braintree's historic Cochato Club into part of the Riverwalk Condominiums, and the new Goddard School in 2021. "I've lived in Braintree a long time, raised a family here, and done all kinds of commercial, industrial and residential development in the town. But this one is special and our entire team is committed to doing it right. It's really the first—and most likely will be the last–development of this type and scale in Braintree." The primary reason that Clements characterizes the project as "something of a unicorn" is the land on which The Residences at Hawthorn Preserve are being built. The approximately 12-acre parcel is the site of the former St. Thomas More Church and an adjacent parish school. Once the Archdiocese of Boston sought to sell the property, Clements was quick to act. He realized its potential as a catalyst for something Braintree had long lacked. "A lot of our older residents were looking to downsize from larger homes and the idea of 55-plus housing appealed to them. Unfortunately, they were forced to move out of town to find it," Clements says. "So we knew there would be interest. The property was the last large tract of land in the town suitable for this kind of residential development and we had the experience and expertise to deliver something that, honestly, would set a new standard for development in Braintree." From the outset, the Clements Investments team—which includes his 26-year-old son—engaged with the town, paying particular attention to those residents whose homes abut the former church property in order to assure a thorough understanding of the vision and how it would be executed. "We asked people what they'd want in a project like this. We recognize that we're creating a community within a community here, and we knew there'd be concerns, so we were up front about our plans while also getting their input," he says, expressing particular appreciation for the role that district Town Councilor Joseph Reynolds played in the process. "And I'd like to think the fact that I have deep roots in the town and a good professional reputation helped. It's a privilege and a little bit of a burden," Clements adds with a smile, "that people hold us to a higher standard because we're local–but we definitely embrace it." The one-time church property bordered by Elm and Hawthorn Streets, just a short walk from Braintree Square, is now being 9 TheSouthShoreMagazine.com