William H. Conant Community Health Center
Building 114 | William H. Conant Community Health Center
Teresian House | Wingate at Andover | Wingate Brighton
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Project
Adaptive reuse of a saw mill, originally used as the Navy's joinery shop, located in the historic Charlestown Navy Yard, into a state-of-the-art biomedical research facility

Client
Keen Development Corporation Cambridge, Massachusetts
and
Partners HealthCare Boston, Massachusetts

Budget
$25,000,000

Design Challenge
To adapt the existing building to allow a new laboratory program, complete with its extensive mechanical and electrical systems, while meeting the requirements of Chapter 91 for development on the waterfront

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Awards Received:
  • Massachusetts Historical Commission
    Preservation Award
  • Boston Preservation Alliance
    Preservation Award

Building 114 is an historic building located within the Charlestown Navy Yard in Charlestown, Massachusetts. Built in 1903, the building originally served as the Navy's joinery shop, which produced wooden rescue boats. The building remained vacant for several years after the Boston Redevelopment Authority removed a portion of the building to allow a street to pass through, as well as after a fire claimed a large portion of the building's exterior and structure.

The development of the building into a state-of-the-art biomedical research laboratory serves as an extension of the research community already located in the Navy Yard. The majority of the building's 100,000 square feet consists of open laboratories, which were designed to encourage interaction between the numerous separate research groups, including the Center for Aging, Genetics, and Neurodegeneration, as well as Pediatric Gastroenterolgy. Other programs, such as the Center for Engineering in Medicine, include a self-contained clean room, as well as its own dedicated laboratory and office support areas.

Located on Boston's waterfront, the adaptation was designed to accommodate the future extension of the Boston Harborwalk to pass through a public lobby. This passageway contains historic exhibits, including photos, boat models, and a display of boat-making tools. The focal point of the exhibit is the massive band saw, which originally was used inside the building. This informative display is located outside on a beautifully landscaped public patio. The passageway also serves as a link to other public amenities such as restrooms, a bicycle storage room, a café, and a conference center.

Photos by Bruce T. Martin