West View of Hotel Commonwealth -Rendering by Group One Partners
Boston – Hotel Commonwealth, located at 500 Commonwealth Ave. in Boston’s Back Bay, began construction recently to add 96 hotel rooms and more than 12,000sf of indoor/outdoor event space.
The expansion features a grand ballroom, an outdoor terrace overlooking Fenway Park’s ‘Green Monster,’ five meeting rooms, a boardroom, three floors of valet parking, and a private event entry and pre-function space.
The new facility is expected to open mid-2015
Currently the existing property is comprised of 149 hotel rooms and 30,000sf of restaurant and retail space. Construction for the hotel expansion is co-managed by Columbia Construction and Mortenson Development with Group One as architect. It is funded by investment partners Sage Hospitality and Fundamental Advisors.
The build-out is taking place on the open air parking site at the rear of the existing hotel, facing Fenway Park and the Mass. Turnpike. Hotel operations will continue as usual during the expansion.
Harry Wheeler AIA, LEED, NCARB, principal of Group One Partners, Inc., the project architect, said, “With this expansion, the property is better able to accommodate the community’s booming tourism industry while providing more spacious rooms and first-rate event space for guests.”
