Project of the Month: Connolly Brothers finishes work on new 26,000 s/f corporate headquarters for Bio-Techne Corp.

Devens, MA Connolly Brothers, Inc., a construction management firm serving private commercial, industrial, and institutional clients, has completed a 26,000 s/f addition to the corporate headquarters of Bio-Techne Corp., a leading developer and manufacturer of high-quality purified proteins and reagent solutions. Located at 7 Jackson Rd., the construction of the new, single story addition provides a combination of manufacturing and warehouse space for the life sciences company.

Bio-Techne products are integral components of scientific investigations into biological processes and molecular diagnostics, revealing the nature, diagnosis, etiology, and progression of specific diseases. They aid in drug discovery efforts and provide the means for accurate clinical tests and diagnoses.

Designed by Maugel Architects, the new space is broken into three areas: An extended shipping area, storage and warehouse, and manufacturing. Before construction could begin Connolly had to relocate gas and fiber optic lines to secure the footprint. Due to COVID-19, the plant providing the brick veneer for the exterior of the building shut down and never reopened. Connolly had to find another product to match the existing brick building. Connolly took extra precautions throughout the project due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Extra hand-washing stations were installed on the site and employees closely followed the company’s COVID protocol.

“I had worked with Connolly Brothers on another project and brought them on board for this project,” said Bill Jackson, president at William Jackson Associates, “Their ability to turn over a project on time and on budget while delivering a good final product is the grand slam of construction.”

Located in Central Mass., the town is a 4,400 acre mixed-use community and an award-winning model for military base reuse. After serving as the U.S. Army’s New England headquarters for 79 years, Fort Devens was closed in 1996. MassDevelopment purchased the property and, with financial support from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, redeveloped Devens into a sustainable and diverse mixed-use community. Due to being located on Devens, the project team had to go through unexploded ordinance (UXO) training. Fortunately, no UXOs were uncovered during construction. In addition, the project generated a surplus of fill material which could not be transported off Devens. Connolly worked with the local building commission to relocate the material on Devens before putting loam and grass seed on top to create a grassy area.

Bio-Techne Corp. HQ project team:
Owner - 8 Jackson Road LLC

Construction Manager - Connolly Brothers

Architect - Maugel Architects

Structural Engineer - TFM Structural Engineers

Electrical - Leonard Electric

Site Work - Anchor Excavating

HVAC - Tech Mechanical

Roofing - NorthStar Construction Services Corp.

Masonry - Desiderio Company Inc.

Structural Steel - D. Cronin’s Welding Service, Inc.

Epoxy Coating/Concrete Coating - New England Surface Preparation, Inc.

Metal Framing, Sheathing,Drywall, AVB - Matrix Interior Construction Inc.