Watertown, MA – The Davis Companies and Boston Development Group have broken ground on 66 Galen Street in Watertown, a 224,000rsf, purpose-built, Class A life science building designed by Elkus Manfredi Architects.
The project marks phase one of a two-part campus plan which will encompass more than five acres of land, 40% of which will be dedicated to open space. Substantial transportation infrastructure improvements, including traffic signalization, lane widenings, dedicated bus lanes and sidewalks, will also be constructed.
The Galen Street campus will address the growing need for high-quality life science space in the dynamically growing life science cluster in Watertown, a prime location for firms desiring to stay in proximity to key institutions in Boston and Cambridge and to be part of the emerging ecosystem of lab users who have chosen to make Watertown their home. Upon final buildout, the campus will include over 450,000rsf of dedicated lab space across two new Class A life science buildings.
“We’ve collaborated with the Town of Watertown and Elkus Manfredi to ensure that the buildings are strategically designed to provide everything needed for the next generation of lab users, while also integrating a strong health and wellness-focused amenity program to benefit those who will use it day-in and day-out,” said Mike Cantalupa, chief development officer at The Davis Companies.
Located on the highly accessible Galen Street corridor, connecting Watertown Square to the Massachusetts Turnpike/I-90, 66 Galen Street provides 10-minute access to downtown Boston and easy access to Kendall Square via I-90 or Soldiers Field Road. The site is located immediately adjacent to the MBTA’s Watertown bus terminal and is easily accessible from a variety of residential communities, including Boston’s urban core and its western suburbs.
The building will offer six private tenant outdoor spaces and a common rooftop balcony with panoramic views of the Charles River. Additional amenities include a fitness center, locker rooms with showers, a 45-space bike room, on-site retail/cafe space, a hotel-style building lobby, and ample indoor parking accessible directly beneath the building. A 25,000sf rooftop solar array will provide a significant portion of the building’s power.
“We’re excited to bring this lab campus to the market, with its first offering being a truly top-quality LEED Gold building,” said Jodie Zussman, president and CEO of Boston Development Group.
The project team also includes John Moriarty & Associates, WSP, Ground, VHB, and McNamara Salvia. The facility is slated for completion in mid-2023.
