Developers Break Ground On Somerville's Boynton Yards

SOMERVILLE, MA — Developers and city officials broke ground on the first building of the Boynton Yards redevelopment Monday. The nine-story, 289,000-square-foot Class-A lab building at 101 South St. will be the first structure built as part of the largest state-of-the-art lab development in the city's life science market.

"Today we celebrated the start of the first phase of a project that aligns with so many of Somerville’s goals," Mayor Joseph Curtatone said in a statement. "When 101 South Street is complete it will be home to jobs in the life sciences, retail, and the arts; include new residential units; and add more open space that residents can enjoy. As we continue to develop neighborhoods like Boynton Yards, I hope we’re able to work with partners like DLJ, Leggatt McCall Properties, and Shawmut that want to build projects that move our community forward."

The building is the first phase of a planned work-live-play neighborhood that will feature over 1 million square feet of commercial, residential, retail, arts and performance spaces, along with public green areas, on 6.54 acres of land.

Shawmut Design and Construction, the general contractor, and architects Spagnolo Gisness & Associates (SGA) and Hashim Sarkis Studios (HSS) are executing the ground-up building now under construction at 101 South Street. The mixed-use facility will match the quality and specifications of other Class-A buildings while providing state-of-the-art lab space, including advanced wet and dry R&D labs in column-free space geared toward emerging tech and life sciences companies. In addition, it will offer open public space, engaging first floor retail, dedicated areas for community arts uses and four levels of underground parking.

"We are tremendously proud to bring the vision of Boynton Yards to life, helping lead the future of Somerville with a transformative project that reflects the historic fabric of the community while creating a modern and innovative work-live-play neighborhood," Kevin Sullivan, vice president at Shawmut Design and Construction, said in a statement. "101 South Street will mark a pivotal point in the transformation of the area into a vibrant, mixed-use district that will fuel innovation and growth. Our team is expertly navigating the challenges that come with working in an urban environment to deliver a true state-of-the-art space that will serve both the city and surrounding communities."

Boynton Yards is located adjacent to Union Square and Cambridge's Inman Square, and is less than one mile from Kendall Square, the epicenter of the biotech and life science industry. The lab building is expected to be completed by late spring 2021.