WOBURN, Mass. — Construction has begun on a $125 million office, lab, and manufacturing complex at 216 New Boston Street in Woburn, according to a report by the Boston Business Journal (BBJ).
The project, called The Bolt, is being built on spec—meaning without tenants secured in advance—at a time when office and lab vacancies across Greater Boston remain high.
As reported by BBJ, Cabot, Cabot & Forbes (CC&F) is developing the 300,000-square-foot complex on a 14-acre site just off the I-93/Route 128 interchange, near Woburn’s Anderson Regional Transportation Center. The Bolt is part of a larger $400 million redevelopment initiative that also includes the Emblem 120 apartment community, completed in 2022, and a proposed 250-unit residential project known as Zero New Boston.
According to BBJ, the land—once home to landscaping and stone fabrication businesses—was purchased last year for $16 million by a Boston-based limited liability company. The new complex is expected to be ready for occupancy in the second quarter of 2027, with a groundbreaking ceremony scheduled for November 6 featuring Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, Woburn Mayor Mike Concannon, and other local officials.
The development site has a complicated history. As reported by BBJ, it was once part of a federally designated Superfund site, where chemical and glue manufacturing operations introduced contaminants such as lead, arsenic, and sulfuric acid into the soil and groundwater. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency oversaw a decades-long cleanup effort that began in the 1980s and was completed in 2008, paving the way for new development in the area.
Since the cleanup, Woburn’s New Boston Street corridor has undergone significant transformation. According to BBJ, nearby projects include the Emery Flats apartments, completed in 2019, and Station 316, a 445-unit residential development by Fairfield Residential.
The Anderson Regional Transportation Center—served by MBTA commuter rail and Amtrak Downeaster trains—could also see additional growth. As BBJ reported, state agencies recently invited proposals from developers to build on 17 acres of surface parking lots surrounding the station.
Despite the region’s elevated office vacancy rates, CC&F is betting on long-term demand for flexible, high-quality space along the busy I-93 corridor. “The Bolt” will feature two buildings designed for office, lab, and advanced manufacturing uses, with completion targeted for 2027, according to BBJ.
