WALTHAM, MA–Executives from Hobbs Brook Management joined representatives from Gilbane Building Company, Gensler and JLL in celebrating the topping out of the 225 Wyman Street project, located in the Hobbs Brook Office Park in Waltham, MA.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions on large gatherings, the team was able to stream the ceremonial ceremony to a virtual audience, commemorating the important milestone while maintaining the safety of job site personnel and the surrounding community.
Designed by Gensler, the new, 500,000 square foot five-story building will meet LEED Silver certification at a minimum and be lab-capable to satisfy both laboratory/research and development and traditional office needs. The new 225 Wyman Street will be a highly engineered, sustainably designed, and amenity-rich building, designed to support the most progressive and sophisticated life science and office user.
The project includes the demolition of Hobbs Brook’s longtime Waltham headquarters on Wyman Street and on-site amenities including a green space with walking trails, a 3-acre landscaped courtyard, a fitness center, conference center, dining facility and new 1,500-space covered parking garage with electric vehicle charging stations. The project also includes a new parking garage within the Hobbs Brook Office Park to accommodate parking needs for the complex.
“To our friends and partners at Gilbane, this project is a point of pride for all of us,” remarked Sam Schaefer, president and chief executive officer at Hobbs Brook Management. “Despite being confronted with an unprecedented challenge, a global health pandemic, under Gilbane’s leadership, this team has really pulled together, kept the project moving forward with minimal impact on schedule, and has continued to employ over 350 workers—it’s a remarkable achievement.”
During ceremonial remarks, Mike O’Brien, vice president and business unit leader for Gilbane in Massachusetts noted, “Through all the impediments brought forth by COVID-19, the Gilbane team, along with our subcontractor partners and the hard working men and woman of the trades, persevered to get the job done. These folks did not have the choice to work from home, but instead came to the job site every day to ensure that this project stayed on schedule. And I’m pleased to say we’re on track to complete this facility by March of 2022.”
