20 Somerset Street - Boston, MA

Boston, MA September 9 saw the ribbon cutting of the $50 million Suffolk University 20 Somerset St. campus. The site, previously the home of the Metropolitan District Commission, is a 10-story 110,000 s/f facility that is the new home of the Communications and Journalism Department. The upper floors are devoted to science and feature laboratory space.

The new building includes a cafeteria, space for functions, and indoor and outdoor lounging areas.

RDK Engineers worked with the architect, NBBJ, and provided the mechanical, plumbing and fire protection engineering services. Suffolk Construction served as the general contractor.

Mechanical design included new classrooms, labs, fume hoods, and office space control systems that were tied in with the new central heating and cooling plant as well as the central energy management system.

Plumbing design included domestic hot and cold water, waste and vent system for toilet rooms, kitchens and art classrooms, and a specialized acid neutralization system. A water pressure and natural gas pressure booster pumps were also included.

Fire protection design included a system of automatic sprinklers throughout the building with a fire pump to support the system.

John Nucci, senior vice president of government relations and community affairs said, “It is a big day for the city of Boston, downtown neighbors and, most importantly, a big day for the students.” Suffolk’s new campus marks its commitment to providing the best possible learning environment for its students.

Mayor Walsh described the campus as an essential part of downtown that would also provide the students with a wealth of opportunities and internships for their careers. This site is “preserving a part of history” and advancing the future.

RDK Engineers has specialized in providing high-quality HVAC, electrical, plumbing, Tel Data, and fire protection engineering services for over 100 years. Today, RDK has a staff of 200 multi-disciplined engineers and administrative professionals located in Boston, Andover and Amherst, Mass., as well as Durham and Charlotte, NC.