BOSTON—SGA, a national, multi-disciplinary firm whose work spans architecture, interior design and master planning for life sciences, academic, mixed-use and commercial clients, today announced that Boston’s first purpose-built life sciences development, designed by the firm, broke ground recently.
Representatives from co-developers Lendlease and Ivanhoé Cambridge joined elected officials and project partners on Sept. 22, 2022 at the ceremonial groundbreaking for the development, which will deliver in 2024.
Known as FORUM, the $500 million life sciences development is located at 60 Guest St. in Boston. Upon completion, the nine-story, 350,000-square-foot life science building will rise on one of the last available sites in Boston Landing, a 15-acre mixed-use community along the Massachusetts Pike in Boston’s Allston-Brighton neighborhood.
Designed by SGA for LEED Platinum, WiredScore Platinum and Fitwel certification, FORUM will have net zero operational carbon upon completion, aligning with Lendlease’s Mission Zero initiative and Ivanhoé Cambridge’s commitment to achieve net zero carbon by 2040.
“FORUM will be an ultramodern life sciences building in an area that has such robust demand for specialized life sciences and research facilities, considering its close proximity to Kendall Square, the epicenter of Greater Boston’s life sciences sector,” said John Sullivan, AIA, President of Architecture at SGA.
The building will include office/lab space and a robust amenity program featuring a multi-purpose ground floor and outdoor spaces at key locations throughout the building. Features that set 60 Guest St. apart from the rest of Boston Landing include a spacious 2-dock loading area, a 5,000-lb. service elevator, parking within the building and eclectic amenities at street level. Boston Landing is home to New Balance’s global headquarters, the Boston Celtics’ Auerbach Center and Bruins’ Warrior Ice Arena, as well as an indoor track and entertainment venue, lab/office and residential uses, and a planned 175-room hotel.
The vision of Ivanhoé Cambridge and Lendlease is to deliver their tenant partners not only exceptional state-of-the-art lab/offices, but also curated spaces, experiences and accessible services that will propel their human potential. From easy transit access to sustainable
infrastructure and indoor-outdoor experiences on multiple floors, FORUM will be the perfect environment from which to do this important work in Boston.
“Upon completion, FORUM will establish Boston Landing as the leader of Allston-Brighton’s emerging life sciences cluster, offering a highly amenitized environment and industry-leading lab infrastructure that will attract and retain top biotech talent,” said Nick Iselin, Executive General Manager of Development in Boston for Lendlease. “With inviting and engaging public spaces, FORUM will also be the neighborhood gathering spot within the vibrant, urban mixed-use district.”
Tenant amenities on the third floor include a shared kitchen and eating area, as well as a 7,000-square-foot terrace with cabanas, seating areas, grilling stations and high-speed Wi-Fi. Meeting and collaboration spaces with A/V capabilities are also offered in a variety of configurations to accommodate conferences and meetings. In addition to a 288-stall parking garage with electric vehicle charging stations, the building will offer storage for 146 bicycles and on-site locker rooms.
The leasing agent for the building is JLL. Consigli Construction Company is serving as general contractor and BR+A Consulting Engineers as project engineer. McNamara • Salvia is structural engineer.
A full gallery of FORUM renderings is available here.
