by Laureen Poulakis
The Port of Boston is not only the largest in New England but is also a thriving international and maritime harbor and one of the principal seaports on the East Coast of the United States. After $22 billion invested thus far and decades of planning, the Seaport District of South Boston has become home to a growing community of culture, global leaders, and residential mixed-use neighborhoods.
1942 aerial view – Boston Naval District / Photo courtesy of National Archives
Comprised of a network of landlocked, filled and flowed Commonwealth tidelands and mudflats, and a Designated Port Area, the Raymond L. Flynn Marine Park at the eastern end of the Seaport is undergoing the latest phase of transformation. Historically housing the South Boston Army Base and Naval Annex and various shipping and industrial commerce, the park is set to see immense job growth in maritime, high-tech, manufacturing, and life science sectors. The Masterplan Update for Marine Park (FMPU) outlines thoughtful strategies for attracting new industrial, commercial, water, and non-water dependent uses.
1921 photo of USS Tennessee in Dry Dock No. 3 / Photo courtesy of Boston Public Library
Bordered by Tide Street to the east and Northern Avenue to the north, 20 and 22 Drydock Avenue are Boston-owned Parcels G, H and H1, under a 99-year lease for the Related Beal premier development Innovation Square III. The joint venture of Related Beal, the Boston Real Estate Inclusion Fund, and Kavanaugh Advisory Group is developing a 7-story, 319,750sf R&D facility with ground level space reserved for an educational non-profit, and the remainder is build-to-suit flex-space pre-leased by Vertex Pharmaceuticals. The Economic Development and Industrial Corporation (EDIC) selected the joint venture in 2022 after a competitive bid process and pre-excavation began in March of 2024.
Innovation Square III boasts Net Zero, shell and core LEED Platinum, rooftop solar, and high-performance MEP sustainability features. On-site training facilities, a cafe, gym, conference and event spaces, roof deck, and outdoor seating are also included in the $400 million programming. According to Vertex, with the late-2025 completion of Innovation Square III, their total occupancy across the Seaport will be 1.9 million sq. ft. at five locations.
Seaport’s development boom is pushing Boston’s envelope for accelerated timelines in filled tidelands construction and speed-to-market, and at Innovation Square III, Brennan Consulting Inc. is providing state-of-the-art construction survey services for its client TREVIICOS. Brennan’s long-standing experience in survey, engineering, and construction layout continues to aid in minimizing risk by integrating technology in construction, reducing unnecessary capital costs. Seaport projects at Brennan include Black Falcon Terminal, Commonwealth Pier Harborwalk, 2 Harbor Street, Parcel O, Parcel P, Massport Haul Road Vehicle and Equipment Storage Building, and just across the channels to the west and south, the former GE Headquarters and Conley Terminal.
Laureen Poulakis
Laureen Poulakis is president of Brennan Consulting, Inc.
