J&M Brown Co. installing core and shell electrical at One Seaport Sq.

Seaport Square, Boston

Boston, MA J&M Brown Company (JMB) is well underway with electrical construction of One Seaport Sq., the Seaport district’s most new mixed-use project. The Seaport Sq. parcels B&C project features two 22-story towers that will house 850 apartments and over 300,000 s/f of retail and entertainment space, with three levels of below-ground parking.

JMB’s scope entails the installation of primary and emergency power for One Seaport Sq., as well as a complete fire alarm system throughout the complex. In addition, JMB is furnishing and installing lighting in the lobby, rooftop terraces and in exterior public realm areas including street and catenary lighting. Spectrum Integrated Technologies, the low-voltage division of J&M Brown, is furnishing and installing a complete security system and a design-build A/V system.

The project has a phased turnover schedule with many unique challenges. Building B, levels P3 through floor 10, comprise the first turnover. Retail suites and residential units will be occupied on these floors, while construction will be ongoing on floors 11 through 22, and in all of Building C. In providing installation the fire alarm system, JMB must ensure the main fire alarm control panels for both buildings are fully operational and tested, along with all system devices that are required to cover areas open to the public or maintenance personnel.

J&M Brown senior  project manager Michael Booker commented on meeting the logistical challenges. “The location of the emergency life safety generators makes their installation and tie-in demanding. The design team is utilizing the roof areas of the complex as amenity space for the residents. To reduce the overall footprint of the emergency life safety generators, the design team positioned both generators on the 9th floor roof of building C. The only connection between the towers is the underground parking garage. In order to provide emergency life safety power, the JMB crew must run two-hour fire-rated cable over 1,000 feet  – from the 9th floor of Building C, across the parking garage and up to the 4th floor of Building B.”

The location of the generators also adds to the project scheduling challenges that must be met by the NECA contractor. The first phase of building B is to be turned over six months before the first turnover of building C. To achieve this, J&M Brown must make some temporary provisions for egress so that our team can install the facility’s permanent two-hour life safety cable and meet the project’s overall schedule.” 

Booker and J&M Brown vice president Bryan Greene are heading the project team with an electrical crew upwards of 50 IBEW Local 103 electricians at peak construction.

The Seaport Sq.  project is on schedule for 100% completion in the summer of 2017.