BOSTON– Shawmut Design and Construction celebrated a milestone in its Herb Chambers Jaguar Land Rover project, which is expected to open April 2021.
The project team safely and successfully installed some of the largest single span glass panels in the city of Boston on the four-story, nearly 200,000-square-foot building.
Partnering closely with Salem Glass Company, the Shawmut team installed 20 insulated glass units—each 8 feet wide, 27 feet tall, and more than 1.5 inches thick—over the course of five days. Working on a tight urban site, the team utilized a combination of both crane and ergonomic suction cups to seamlessly install the units. Serving as the glass structural storefront for modern showrooms, the insulated panels will help with energy efficiency.
Collaborating with architect Regent Associates, Inc., Shawmut is completing the ground-up construction of the state-of-the-art dealership for Herb Chambers at its current location on Commonwealth Avenue. The new space will include showrooms, office space, service bays, vehicle storage, and customer amenity space including lounges.
“We were thrilled that Herb Chambers chose to partner with us on their new, state-of-the-art dealership, recognizing our commitment to providing the best in client service, safety, and work quality,” said Kevin Sullivan, executive vice president of the New England region at Shawmut. “Our team is adept at navigating the challenges that come with working in a tight urban environment, setting us up for success as we bring this Herb Chambers Jaguar Land Rover across the finish line.”
An organized approach to construction processes and constant communication are critical components of this project, which is located on the heavily-trafficked Commonwealth Avenue near the Harvard Street intersection. The dealership will also be supported by approximately 322 off-street parking spaces located within the building and approximately 54 surface spaces.
Shawmut has deployed enhanced safety protocols to mitigate the risk of infectious disease spread across all jobsites, rolling out new procedures, jobsite innovation, and an exhaustive COVID-19 risk assessment and response plan nationwide. A range of these protocols were implemented at the Herb Chambers Jaguar Land Rover site, including Shawmut Vitals — a custom technology platform which allows team members to self-certify daily health screenings by scanning a job-specific QR code and completing a health survey. Additionally, workers are issued personal protective equipment, including facemasks, while adhering to social distancing requirements.
The Herb Chambers Jaguar Land Rover dealership represents the latest in a series of high-profile projects in Shawmut’s Greater Boston portfolio, including The Shed at Cambridge Crossing and 101 South at Boynton Yards.
