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Click here for a rendering of the completed site
Rising gracefully from the rocky base of Mission Hill, the new building at One Brigham Circle is revealing a stately brick exterior, anchored by a central glass atrium. Work is now underway to finish the interior, and by July approximately 500 BWH faculty and administrative staff will begin moving in.
“The site is an uncommon blend of geography, architecture and community collaboration,” said Stephen Dempsey, director of planning and construction for BWH. “It is the culmination of many years of planning, resulting in a unique joint venture between a neighborhood group and real estate developers.” Owners of the four-story, 170,000-square-foot building (Cont. on p.4) (Cont. from p.1) are Mission Hill Neighborhood Housing Services, NDC Development Associates, Inc., and New Boston Fund, Inc.
“Brigham and Women’s Hospital will be the largest tenant, occupying 120,000 square feet on the second, third and fourth floors,” said Arthur Mombourquette, vice president of Support Services, which will manage all services provided to BWH staff. “Securing a prominent tenant was pivotal to making this site a reality, for which a lot of credit goes to Kathy West.” As vice president of real estate and facilities at Partners HealthCare, West helped guide decisions to find much-needed space for BWH offices while also providing services beneficial to Mission Hill residents.
Among key tenants located on the street level will be a Stop & Shop Supermarket, which will substantially improve grocery services in the neighborhood. A restaurant will be added, along with Walgreens Pharmacy and two banks, Fleet and Citizens, which now occupy a small strip building on the corner. “This older building will come down in the final stage to make room for a spacious open plaza at the main entrance,” said Joe O’Farrell, project manager and the liaison between BWH and the architectural firm Jung Brannen, Inc., and contractor Payton Construction. Approximately 200 underground parking spaces for the building’s occupants will be available.
The building occupies only one-third of the site’s total area, preserving much of the natural Boston pudding stone. Adding to the outdoor appeal is a large landscaped park, which will emerge from the building’s upper edge along the rocky ledge. “The park will overlook the city of Boston,” said Dempsey. “BWH staff and our community neighbors will enjoy exceptional views.”