Cabot, Cabot & Forbes breaks ground on The Bolt - 180,000 s/f center for innovation in Woburn

Woburn, MA Cabot, Cabot & Forbes (CC&F), a leader in transit-oriented development, broke ground on The Bolt, a 180,000 s/f center for innovation along the New Boston Corridor - one of the nation’s leading markets for technology, energy, life sciences, and manufacturing.

Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, mayor Mike Concannon, rep. Richard Haggerty (D-Woburn), city council president Jeff Dillon, along with CC&F CEO Jay Doherty and representatives from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency were there to celebrate the start of construction.

“The Bolt” exemplifies CC&F’s vision for future development, embracing an entrepreneurial, dynamic and fast-paced culture that requires innovative and detailed thinking for creative solutions in real estate, development, management and investment,” Doherty said. “We are bullish on this Corridor. The versatility of the space, proximity to Boston and major highways, and the adjacent growing commercial, retail and residential transit hub will attract the next group of innovative companies.”

The Bolt, which is being built on spec by John Moriarty & Associates, will be versatile enough to accommodate the needs of innovative companies in a wide spectrum of industries, including energy, manufacturing, life sciences, and technology, and is expected to create 300 new jobs. Located north of Boston, along Rtes. 93 and 95 (128) and adjacent to the Anderson/Woburn MBTA station, which travels to Boston’s downtown and other regional destinations via the MBTA Commuter Rail and Amtrak Downeaster rail lines. The building is expected to be ready for occupancy in the second quarter of 2027.

The project continues CC&F’s $400 million investment in the redevelopment of the former Superfund site that includes Emblem 120, a 289-unit luxury multifamily housing/retail development and Zero New Boston, a proposed multifamily project that will include 250 apartment units, garaged parking spaces, and 1,200 s/f of retail.

“The Bolt is a clear example of the benefits of transit-oriented commercial and residential spaces. This development will provide job opportunities and reasonably-priced housing near transportation hubs – which is good for workers, businesses and our economy,” said lieutenant governor Driscoll. “We look forward to coming back when these developments are completed.”

Local officials praised the project as a continuation of the city’s and the state’s efforts to redevelop the former Superfund site into a major transit-oriented hub for residential life and the Commonwealth’s new generation of innovative companies. 

“Today’s ground breaking is a celebration of what can be accomplished when forward-looking developers, state transportation initiatives, a thriving community and city representatives work together to create a strategic vision,” mayor Concannon said. “Every step we take together to realize the potential created by the New Boston St. Bridge is a win for Woburn.” 

CC&F would like to thank its many partners in this project. 

The Bolt was designed by Jacobs, a premier architectural and engineering firm that operates in 40 countries.

Cushman & Wakefield will be the exclusive leasing agent for The Bolt.

Kawa, a nationwide lender specializing in commercial real estate financing, with over $1 billion in originations across all asset types, provided $79 million in construction financing for the project. “The Bolt reflects Kawa’s strategy of partnering with best-in-class sponsors like CC&F to deliver assets in markets with strong fundamentals,” said Jeremy Lash, director at Kawa Capital Management. “Kawa is excited to help bring this transformative project to fruition and support the continued growth of Greater Boston’s innovation economy.” 

Aries Capital, a diversified commercial real estate investment and boutique capital advisory firm, served as an advisor in structuring a bespoke financing solution for The Bolt. 

The Commerce Way area is already one of the more significant hubs of both residential and commercial transit-oriented development in the region. Major employers include Raytheon, Ultragenyx, and Amazon Robotics. They are joined by an array of smaller firms and startups such as Covaris, Boston Metal and Continuus Pharmaceuticals.