Boston – Suffolk Construction recently wrapped up work on 2 Harbor, a core and shell life science project in Boston’s Seaport District, for Beacon Capital Partners.
The 418,000sf, Class A lab/office building includes commercial space, associated amenities, parking, and open space designed to attract employers, employees, and the surrounding community. Building amenities for office tenants include a lobby, market hall, bike room, gym, lounge, conference center, exterior terrace and indoor/outdoor yoga room.
Sean Nelligan, vice president and project executive from Suffolk, says the facade is designed to reflect the character of the marine industrial surrounding buildings, with corrugated metal paneling and torqued copper-color horizontal and vertical metal bands, while also providing large triple-glazed windows to allow for natural daylight and a quiet working environment. Handel Architects was the architect on the project.
Yoga room
Mike Loring, senior vice president at Beacon Capital Partners, says, “2 Harbor is a first in class, purpose-built life science building highlighted in its structural, sustainable and lab infrastructure attributes. This LEED and WELL platinum project has focused on prospective tenant needs from high end amenities, vast floor plates with 360 degrees of harbor views and the base building core which maximizes flexibility for lab/office layouts. Our team is extremely proud of the high-quality design and construction shown in 2 Harbor’s finished product.”
The project presented a number of challenges including those associated with its South Boston Waterfront location. “This project was uniquely positioned adjacent to the Ted Williams Tunnel. Because of this, communication and coordination was required with Massport, MassDOT, and the BPDA’s Economic Development and Industrial Corporation (EDIC),” says Nelligan. “The building was designed to minimize the impact on the Ted Williams Tunnel, including modifying the design of some of the driven piles that support the building to minimize vibration.”
Other challenges during construction included industry delays in receiving some materials and equipment and the coordination of logistics when working on top of and adjacent to the tunnel. Additionally, design enhancements were implemented while the building was coming out of the ground which forced the project team to work hand in hand to ensure the schedule wasn’t impacted.
Nelligan says maintaining open lines of communication and a focus on collaboration were paramount in overcoming these challenges and delivering the project successfully. “This is probably the best example of a project having great synergy between the owner, the design team, and the trade partners. The stage was set by Beacon from day one that everyone’s going to roll up their sleeves to work together and focus on the big things that are driving the project, clear out any obstructions, and get the job done. We’re all extremely proud to be a part of this project and excited to see it flourish.”
