Cambridge, MA Building a bridge between Cambridge and Hong Kong was made a little bit easier with the historic donation of $118 million by Sam Tak Lee. The gift, which led to the renaming of the building, now affectionately called STL9, and perhaps more significantly to fund the new Real Estate Entrepreneurship Lab, is the largest in MIT’s history.

Preconstruction planning for the project began just after the first of the year, when Elaine Construction was hired to partner with Utile of Boston, and the MIT team to renovate 21,000 s/f of new classrooms, offices, and workshops, including the STL Lab, which would promote social responsibility among entrepreneurs and thought leaders around the world, and in particular - China.

Constructing the euphemistic bridge got a little more challenging when just months before the project, start the team nearly doubled the scope to include a major infrastructure upgrade. The replacement of over 600 windows, the removal and replacement of the HVAC system from the basement to the roof, the installation of a LULA Lift for ADA access to the tower, and the addition and renovation of bathrooms on all six floors, comprised the additional scope.

“The decision to combine the interior renovations with the infrastructure upgrades, which were scheduled to take place in the next few years, was both aggressive and advantageous. It saved the institute money, and limited the disruption that building occupants would face at a later date. We are incredibly proud to have worked with a team whose commitment never wavered, and whose creativity and problem solving capabilities led to the building’s opening in late August,” said Lisa Wexler, Elaine Construction, president.

The renovated facility showcased the success Utile achieved in eradicating the challenge presented by the 1960s practice of designing classrooms with minimal windows. Now flooded with natural light, and accompanied by open public spaces with sofas and seating for socializing and collaborative work, the building has a renewed energy.

Elaine is currently underway on a major infrastructure upgrade and renovation of the basement of Memorial Church on Harvard Yard for expanded programs, the renovation of MIT’s Center for Transportation in Building E40, and enabling work at Suffolk University.