Originally published in the New England Real Estate Journal. By Dan Perruzzi.
September 30, 2016 – In 2015, The Davis Companies acquired One Cabot Rd. in Medford, with a vision to transform the office building into a highly attractive amenity-rich environment for tenants seeking a valuable alternative to buildings in Boston and Cambridge. The property’s outstanding location adjacent to the recreational Wellington Greenway path, the Wellington Circle MBTA Station, and close to the dynamic and growing retail and restaurant base of both Assembly Row and Station Landing, positions the building as one of the most convenient and desirable large floorplate office buildings within a ten-minute drive into downtown Boston or Kendall Sq.
In order to reposition One Cabot as a high quality, amenity-rich, and value alternative, The Davis Cos. sought to dramatically revitalize the property – with specific emphasis placed on transforming the cavernous lobby into a better-used and more welcoming space. One Cabot features a full-service cafeteria, fitness facility, abundant power and emergency systems, and a generous parking ratio including 170 executive spaces inside the building.
The Davis Cos. engaged Margulies Perruzzi Architects (MPA) to revitalize the main entrance and 176,000 s/f of core amenities, including the lobby, café/lounge and adjoining outdoor courtyard, fitness center, and elevator lobbies, in this five-story, 300,000 s/f Class A office building. Constructed by Bowdoin Construction, the interior building upgrades to One Cabot were completed in spring 2016 and the exterior façade renovations will be complete in fall/winter 2016. A collaborative spirit among the project team has been key to sequencing construction in an occupied building.
To enhance the modern and urban feel of the building, the redesigned exterior main entrance will include a new glass curtainwall, canopy and paving. New exterior signage, bollards, lighting, tiered planters, and visitor parking will also grace the revamped entry. Inside, MPA transformed the two-story atrium lobby with a dramatically backlit glass feature wall draped behind a wood and metal trimmed reception/security desk, shielding the elevator lobbies and defining seating areas. Product selection was key to create the backlit glass wrapping behind and above the reception desk. A ceiling installation had not been attempted before with the product, and required a commitment by the manufacturer to create a custom support system to fulfill the design intent.
Lobby columns were also re-clad in illuminated and back-painted glass panels, and an electronic central directory at reception provides wayfinding and allows for easy updating. Interior flooring color coordinates with the exterior pavers to create a cohesive transition from exterior to interior. In the elevator lobby, the elevator doors and frames have been re-clad, and the lobby wall surfaces feature back-painted glass and wood. The fitness center also received new finishes.
The renovated café/lounge creates an exciting space for networking and socializing, and features new flooring, accent walls, and energy efficient lighting and upgraded finishes to all islands and counters. New counter seating along the windows captures the invigorated outdoor space. The outdoor patio adjoining the café/lounge will be enlivened with lighting, re-tiling, a fire pit, and colorful furnishings when the project is complete.
Sited on a fully landscaped campus, One Cabot offers flexible layouts and abundant natural light on 80,000 s/f floor plates. “MPA recognizes what tenants require in order to attract great talent and retain key employees,” said Duncan Gilkey, senior vice president of The Davis Cos. “Their design for new and exciting common area amenities creates spaces for networking and collaborating, making tenant office spaces more efficient.” The building is 96% leased, with 90,000 s/f for lease and becoming available in early and mid-2017. With its revitalized atrium lobby, modern amenities, and strategic location adjacent to the Wellington Station T-station, One Cabot Rd. conveys a powerful impression to tenants and visitors.
Dan Perruzzi, AIA, LEED AP, is a principal and senior partner at Margulies Perruzzi Architects, Boston.
Interior fit-out for tenant Cimpress and its brand Vistaprint is one of only 31 LEED Platinum office projects in Massachusetts
BOSTON – September 6, 2016 – Margulies Perruzzi Architects and Hobbs Brook Management LLC are proud to announce that the interior fit-out for the North American office of Cimpress, the world leader in mass customization and its well-known brand Vistaprint, has earned LEED® Platinum certification, an achievement made possible by the base building at 275 Wyman Street in Waltham, Mass. receiving LEED Gold certification. Currently, there are 166 LEED Platinum certified projects in Massachusetts, of which only 31 projects are office or mixed-use/office space. The 275 Wyman Street project was also honored with a bronze award from the Building Design + Construction Magazine 2016 Building Team Awards.
As both owner and operator of its properties, Hobbs Brook Management is committed to delivering high-quality, productive office environments for its tenants, and designs all of its projects to the highest standards for LEED certification. This high standard of excellence contributes to tenants’ sustainability requirements already being in place in the base building, greatly facilitating the tenants’ own LEED certification goals. For this project, Cimpress requested carpool spaces, electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, and other sustainable features that 275 Wyman Street was already designed to accommodate.
“When we decided to move to 275 Wyman Street, we were drawn to the sustainable and tenant-focused aspects of a Hobbs Brook Management property, and with MPA’s help, envisioned great potential for innovation in our workspace design,” said Albert Plans, senior director of corporate real estate at Cimpress. “The collaborative efforts of this dynamic project team and their steadfast commitment to achieving the highest level of LEED certification possible for the project, have rewarded us with a superbly designed, environmentally conscious workplace for our team members.”
The new 275 Wyman Street office building in the Hobbs Brook Office Park is a dramatically designed 315,000 SF Class A office building featuring a full-service dining facility, landscaped green roof courtyard, and a 1,025-car parking garage in an office campus setting. The building’s five floors offer 60,000 SF floorplates that are nearly column free, providing maximum flexibility and space efficiency. A large living “green wall” with lush plant life enlivens the dining facility, and an amphitheater and table seating in the landscaped courtyard plaza provide an outdoor room for dining and meetings.
Achieving LEED Gold for Building Design and Construction (BD+C), the base building project features a 40% reduction in water from plumbing fixtures, 30% reduction in energy usage via LED lighting and control panels, 30% reduction in ventilation exceeding code standards, and 75% diversion of construction materials. The common spaces use an all-LED light fixture package to minimize maintenance and maximize energy efficiency, and a networked digital lighting control system monitors and regulates energy usage. A unitized metal and glass curtain wall system for the building’s envelope provides high thermal efficiency and allows daylight to filter deep into the building’s interior. A 561 KW solar array installation on the covered parking structure will generate about 673,000kWh of power per year.
By designing the interior fit-out of Cimpress’ office concurrently with design of the 275 Wyman Street base building, MPA was able to leverage its understanding of the project to allow for greater creativity in design and sustainable solutions. A two-story lobby was designed to maximize branding opportunities. To promote greater intra-floor circulation, MPA designed an expanded egress staircase in the lobby, adding glass and upgraded finishes to make it a compelling way to circulate between every floor. Using a collaborative design process for this build-to-suit project, MPA created for Cimpress an open and energetic workplace that inspires creativity and collaboration amongst team members. Cimpress’ office was awarded LEED Platinum for Interior Design and Construction (ID+C).
The 275 Wyman Street project was recently honored with a bronze award from the Building Design + Construction Magazine 2016 Building Team Awards, which recognize newly built projects that best exemplify the collaboration between owner, architect, engineer, and contractor to produce buildings that exhibit architectural and construction excellence. Selected as one of 12 building projects that represent the best in A/E/C team collaboration, the project team, including general contractor Commodore Builders, was praised for maintaining the project’s aggressive 14-month schedule through an exceptionally brutal New England winter. The team employed Lean construction techniques and creatively scheduled fit-out activities around the completed phased construction of the base building. The project profile in the May 2016 issue may be found at: http://www.bdcnetwork.com/cimpress-office-complex-built-during-historically-brutal-massachusetts-winter.
Hobbs Brook Management has been incorporating energy efficiency and sound green building practices in the construction and renovation of its properties for more than three decades. This approach to sustainability greatly reduces negative environmental impacts, and as an added benefit, green operations and management mitigate operating costs, enhance building marketability, increase worker productivity, and improve indoor air quality for a more healthful workplace. Hobbs Brook Management’s devotion to sustainability is evident through project aspects that include an integrated green cleaning program, mature landscaping, high-reflection roofing, and preferred parking for hybrid-vehicles. With this announcement, Hobbs Brook and MPA have completed five LEED Gold projects together, including 175-185 Wyman Street in Waltham, Mass., 610 Lincoln Street North in Waltham, Mass., 1175 Boston Providence Turnpike in Norwood, Mass., and 1301 Atwood Avenue in Johnston, R.I.
The 275 Wyman/Cimpress project team also included structural/building envelope engineers Simpson Gumpertz & Heger; civil engineers H.W. Moore; landscape architects Studio 2112; M/E/P engineers AHA Consulting Engineers; mechanical noise consulting/acoustical design consultants Acentech; lighting designers (275 Wyman Street) Horton Lees Brogden Lighting Design; lighting designers (Cimpress) Sladen Feinstein Integrated Lighting; LEED consultants (275 Wyman) Entegra Development and Investment, LLC; and LEED consultants (Cimpress) Cushman & Wakefield.
About Hobbs Brook Management LLC
Because the most valuable thing they develop is a relationship, Hobbs Brook Management focuses its efforts on satisfying the individual needs of customers that lease within their parks. A service-oriented provider of Class A business solutions to companies large and small, Hobbs Brook builds sustainably, maintains an on-site facilities management staff, and develops or renovates projects for energy efficiency, LEED certification, and the preservation of the local environment. With portfolios in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Georgia and Illinois, Hobbs Brook offers competitive amenities, on-site catering and dining facilities, fitness centers, and a full-service conference center available to tenants and the public. Hobbs Brook enjoys a steady occupancy rate in the 90th percentile, and holds firm to the belief that tenants should feel secure, well-balanced and prevalent at work. For leasing options or additional information, please visit http://www.hobbsbrook.com.
About Margulies Perruzzi Architects
Consistently ranked as one of Boston’s top architectural and interior design firms, Margulies Perruzzi Architects creates buildings and interiors for clients who value the quality of their workplace. The firm services the corporate, professional services, healthcare, science/technology, and real estate communities with a focus on sustainable design. MPA has designed high performance workspace for Iron Mountain, Zipcar, Boston Scientific, Philips, Cimpress/Vistaprint, Forrester Research, Hobbs Brook Management, and Reliant Medical Group. For more information, please visit http://www.mp-architects.com.
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