3rd Party Consulting

Reservoir Woods

850-920 Winter Street

Waltham, Massachusetts

590,000 SF Class ‘AA’ Corporate Office/Research Campus – phased renovation & new construction at former Polaroid Headquarters

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This 590,000 square foot corporate campus, formerly the Global Research Headquarters of Polaroid Corporation, is located on 56 acres of wooded land in Waltham, Massachusetts (just west of Boston). It is located within the mid-portion of Boston’s Route 128 Technology Corridor and the campus faces the Cambridge Reservoir.

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GDHarley & Associates represented the equity investor – Prudential Real Estate Investors providing due diligence services and review of the proposed architectural designs prior to the loan closing; during following construction phase we provided monthly construction inspections, attendance at selected construction coordination meetings, review of monthly DRAW Package and project close-out reviews.

All existing Polaroid buildings in the Phase One portion of the property received internal environmental abatement and demolition of all existing internal building mechanical systems and walls, etc. as well as all facades and roof coverings. All buildings were ‘stripped’ down to their basic structural components prior to total new renovation.

 

One building received a new top floor and all buildings received all new building MEP and fire protection systems, new elevators, new public toilets and egress stairs, new roof membranes, glazing and curtain wall facades as well as new building entrances at each of the three wings in the new complex.

 

The former truck dock was demolished and a new main atrium entrance to serve the entire Phase One complex was created (see architectural video) including new employees cafeteria, reflecting water feature and views to a new rear landscaped courtyard. This atrium ties all three former Polaroid buildings into one new corporate complex. One office wing features enclosed executive parking within the lower level and a new six story parking garage structure was constructed to the rear of the property featuring covered walkways connecting to two of the three renovated office wings.

 

For the Phase Two redevelopment an existing Polaroid manufacturing building was demolished to make room for the new office building.

 

Project Status: The property was purchased in partnership between Davis Marcus Partners (Developer) and Prudential Real Estate Investors (Equity Partner) to create a world-class $387 million (2020 dollars) office/research campus. The first phase of redevelopment consisted of a 451,000 square foot office complex and new six-story parking garage structure was occupied in the Fall of 2006. The second phase, an new 185,000 square foot office (850 Winter Street) is now completed and occupied by office and light laboratory tenants.

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Project Design-Construction-Credits:

 

Office-Research Redevelopment – Phase One:

 

Developer: Davis Marcus Partners

Owner: PD Winter Street LLC

Equity Partner: Prudential Real Estate Investors

3rd Party Equity Consultant:  GDHarley & Associates, Inc.

Lender: Wachovia Bank, NA

Contractor: John Moriarty & Associates

Architect: Spagnolo / Gisness & Associates, Inc.-Base Building Architects 

Atrium Architect: Elkus / Manfredi Architects  

   Geotechnical Engineer: McPhail Associates, Inc.

   Telephone/Data: The Cavan Group, Inc.

   Structural Engineer: McNamara / Salvia, Inc.

   MEP Engineer: AHA Consulting Engineers

   Specifications: Kalin Associates, Inc.

   Civil Engineers: John Crowe Associates

   Landscape Architect: Geller Devellis Associates

   Owner’s Materials Testing Consultant UTS of Massachusetts

   Code Consultant: WBA Associates & R.W. Sullivan, Inc.

   Marketing Video: Produced by Neoscape

 

Additional Consultants for New Parking Garage:

 

   Structural Engineer: Capobianco & Associates

 

Brief Project Technical Description – Phase One:

 

• New Parking Garage was constructed of precast concrete components, total parking is 871 spaces, garage façade features expanded stainless steel fabric mesh as part of design

 

• Garage is connected to office complex by two covered bridges

 

• Office campus has three 3 & 4 story wings

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• Garage footings – foundations excavations required some rock blasting of existing outcroppings & ledge

 

• South Wing received new steel framed top floor, old structure was poured in place concrete, North Wing was steel framed, East Wing was poured-in-placed concrete, all three wings were combined into in entrance atrium

 

• New three story entrance atrium includes new fitness room, protected enclosed executive parking, cafeteria and water feature, views to new landscaped rear courtyard, adjacent Cambridge reservoir and wooded property, walking and running trails are available

 

• Site work improvements include renovated and new parking lots connected by sidewalks to entrance atrium, new storm drainage system including controlled retention structures, renovated fire protection system, supplemental new driveways and plazas, new electrical services and site lighting and extensive supplemental landscaping