News: Construction Design & Engineering

Nauset completes 907 Main - a boutique hotel in Central Sq.

Cambridge, MA Nauset Construction completed the transformation of the historic 1870 Whitney, Lucretia and Henry Building into a 67-key boutique luxury hotel located in Central Sq. 907 Main developers Sean Casey, LLC and Hay Creek Hotels hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony on September 23rd to celebrate its opening with city, neighborhood and business representatives in attendance, including city manager Louie De Pasquale, police commissioner Branville Bard, and Mike Monestime, executive director of the Central Sq. BID. 

“This is my love letter to Central Square. I’m all in on Central Square and I always have been,” said Patrick Barrett of Sean Casey, LLC, owner/manager of 907 Main. Barrett told the gathering that he met his wife in Central Sq. and now lives there with his family. 

907 Main is situated in Lafayette Sq. within the Central Sq. District of the National Register of Historic Places. Nauset and the design team worked closely with the Cambridge Historical Commission to preserve the building’s historic character, including the restoration of the original concrete and masonry building façade. Nauset and its team of skilled subcontractors also constructed a four-story addition that blends seamlessly with the existing historic 1870 structure. The addition, clad with metal panels and fly-ash composite trims, houses a two-bedroom penthouse suite as well as the Blue Owl rooftop restaurant, which features a 150 s/f rooftop terrace with skyline views of the city, due to open this spring. The hotel also features a 2,000 s/f ground-level floor patio (also coming in spring of 2021) that includes a boozy milkshake shack. The historic, adaptive reuse project is designed to meet LEED-certifiable requirements. 

The hotel features a blend of gastronomic delights. In addition to the Blue Owl, 907 Main is home to The Dial restaurant and bar, complete with a walkout patio and private dining as well as the soon-to-be opened French bakery Praliné,and the iconic Toscanini’s Ice Cream, scheduled to open next year. The brand identity and interiors were created with direction from Hay Creek Hotels and designed by Gensler Boston (with Boyes-Watson as the architect of record). Each venue within 907 Main was created to reflect the freewheeling culture and art of the Central Sq. neighborhood. 

Guest rooms were designed to pay homage to the original architecture, showcasing original brick walls and bay windows. 

Located near the MBTA Red Line Central Sq. stop, this transit-oriented development is within walking distance to both Harvard Sq. and Kendall Sq.

“This is the second Cambridge hotel Nauset has worked with in the last year and is reflective of the diversification of our construction capabilities,” said Nauset Construction president Anthony Papantonis. “The successful completion of 907 Main is also indicative of our greatest strengths – working with tight, zero-lot line urban infill sites, and the thoughtful restoration and repurposing of historically significant structures.” 

Nauset has been working extensively in Cambridge for many years, completing projects across the property type spectrum. Recent projects include 121 First St., a 60,000 s/f mixed-use office building fully leased to CarGurus; Point 262, a sold-out 55-unit condominium complex near Lechmere Station; and nearly a dozen multifamily and mixed-use projects. 

MORE FROM Construction Design & Engineering

Timberline Construction Corp. completes renovations for Neurology and Infusion Center of New England

Foxborough, MA Timberline Construction Corp. (Timberline) has completed a 20,000 s/f healthcare construction project for the Neurology and Infusion Center of New England at 18 Washington St. The full interior renovation transforms an existing two-story medical office building into a purpose-built outpatient care environment that doubles the center’s clinical footprint, expands services and positions the growing practice for its next chapter.
READ ON THE GO
DIGITAL EDITIONS
Subscribe
Columns and Thought Leadership
It’s time to lead: Confronting mental health in construction - by David Watts

It’s time to lead: Confronting mental health in construction - by David Watts

As we close Mental Health Awareness Month, we must be clear: May isn’t just about ribbons, hashtags, or lunchtime mindfulness apps. It’s about responsibility to confront hard truths that linger in silence, and to challenge ourselves, as leaders in our industry, to do more.
Navigating tariffs and material  uncertainty in today’s construction market - by Karl Ginand and Tiffany Gallo

Navigating tariffs and material uncertainty in today’s construction market - by Karl Ginand and Tiffany Gallo

As headlines around tariffs seem to dominate the news daily, many considering construction projects have anticipated major cost escalations and widespread supply issues. While tariffs haven’t driven pricing spikes to the extent once feared, the lasting impact has been a new layer of uncertainty, affecting more than just budgets.
ABC-Mass. chairman’s message:  Rent control isn’t the answer to our housing crisis - by Luiza Mills

ABC-Mass. chairman’s message: Rent control isn’t the answer to our housing crisis - by Luiza Mills

As you may know, Massachusetts voters will be weighing in on a number of ballot initiatives in November. Among them is a proposal to impose the nation’s strictest statewide rent control policy. I’d like to tell you why the ABC MA Board
Greenwood Credit Union City Hall Plaza nears completion - by Frank Picozzi

Greenwood Credit Union City Hall Plaza nears completion - by Frank Picozzi

After several years of planning, construction, and anticipation, the community is eagerly awaiting the opening of the Greenwood Credit Union City Hall Plaza and outdoor skating rink later this month.