Restoration/Renovation

Hobbs Brook Updates Two Conference Centers

Norwood, MA – Hobbs Brook Management LLC announced that it is tailoring its conference centers to today’s high tech business world with a full renovation to its Four Points Conference Center in Norwood and recently completed improvements to its Forefront Conference Center in Waltham. The refurbishment projects transform the functional and easily accessible conference centers into high performance and amenity-rich spaces for company conferences, training, and corporate meetings.

Forefront Lobby / Warren Jagger Photography, Inc.

Both conference centers offer on-site technicians to help presenters prepare for the meeting and to assist with any technical issues that may arise during the presentation. A full-service business center is available to both speakers and attendees, offering amenities such as concierge and secretarial services.

The 30,000sf  Four Points Conference Center is undergoing renovations slated for completion in the fall of 2017. The 30-room redesigned center will feature a modern, visually clean look in all meeting spaces, including the eight large conference rooms each equipped to hold 200 guests theater style or 96 seated in a classroom formation.

Forefront round table conference room / Warren Jagger Photography, Inc.

The Boston-based project team includes Columbia Construction as general contractor, Gensler Associates as interior designer, and Acentech as acoustical consultant. Steelcase assisted with the selection of furniture and audiovisual equipment.

 Guests will enjoy easy access to the redesigned and centralized food service/lounge areas set around the perimeter. These areas allow natural light to filter into the building and are conveniently located in close proximity to meeting rooms and restrooms and provide relaxed settings for breaks and networking.

Inside the meeting spaces, the installation of LED lighting, high reflectance materials, and smart sensors controlling lighting schemes will provide even lighting to prevent eye fatigue.

Raised floors will allow for easy connection to power and data ports and prevent falls from dangling cords. HVAC equipment will be removed from the conference room interiors into hallway ceiling boxes to improve sound quality. All spaces will be fully outfitted with updated audiovisual equipment and a bright and simple décor scheme to allow uninterrupted focus on the learning materials.

Despite the all-encompassing renovation project, guests continue to receive seamless service thanks to a carefully phased construction schedule and continuous communication and coordination between the conference center management team and the general contractor.

Four Points is a Founding Member of the International Association of Conference Centers (IACC), the only global professional association representing small- to medium- sized venues focused on meetings, training courses and conferences. All members conform to a comprehensive global set of criteria and standards in physical meeting room design, food and beverage, and service-related standards, designed to give meeting planners complete confidence to book their next meeting, knowing the venue and staff are focused on delivering exceptional meeting experiences.

 “Outstanding customer service, sophisticated yet flexible meeting room configurations, and updated high-tech equipment are the hallmarks of the Forefront and Four Points Conference Centers. Both are popular choices for area meeting planners, who depend on our superb service and extensive amenities for their off-site meetings and conferences,” said Ray Prescottano, general manager of hotel and conference center operations at Hobbs Brook Management. “To maintain this reputation, we wanted to revitalize with physical and technological improvements to demonstrate our continued commitment to excelling as a provider of premier conference space.”

The 10,000sf  Forefront Conference Center in Waltham received a facelift inspired by the Four Points by Sheraton Norwood’s recent hotel lobby renovation.

Designed to integrate with Hobbs Brook Management’s brand, the meeting spaces were refreshed with a palette of sustainable materials, including LED lighting and updated paint, carpet, and tigerwood furniture that comply with 404 Wyman’s LEED certification. 

The high-tech conference rooms are equipped with the latest audiovisual technology, including high-lumen LCD/data projectors; wireless high-speed T-1 internet access; LAN connected DVD, VHS, and laptop video sources; high-fidelity speakers, and intuitive touchpad controls. The Forefront Conference Center can accommodate meetings ranging from 12 to 150 people, with a variety of customizable rooming options to meet the needs of any organization.

Titan Construction of Chelsea. was the general contractor, and Sheehans Office Interiors of Portsmouth, R.I. was responsible for furniture specifications.