Skanska USA Commercial Development Inc. ceremoniously broke ground on Seaport Square's first office tower, 101 Seaport, a $126 million, 17-story, 440,000 s/f office tower with 20,000 s/f of ground floor retail targeting LEED Gold certification. The tower is located at the southeast corner of Seaport Blvd. and Boston Wharf Rd. in the city's Innovation District.
101 Seaport will also be the Boston headquarters for PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), a global company staking its future growth in the Innovation District. PwC will occupy 75% of the tower. Construction is scheduled for completion in October 2015, when 101 Seaport will add to the city skyline while providing its occupants with views of Boston Harbor and the Financial District, which 101 Seaport's tenants as well as the public will be able to enjoy from the building's fifth floor roof terrace.
At the groundbreaking ceremony, Skanska's entire development team joined Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino and 101 Seaport anchor tenant, PwC, with hardhats and shovels to launch the tower's construction, and to celebrate the future of the Innovation District with the development of this up and coming, vibrant city block.
"Today's groundbreaking for Skanska's 101 Seaport is one more substantial stride forward for the Innovation District," mayor Menino said. "This project secures the neighborhood's reputation as a hub for entrepreneurs and forward-thinking companies to expand, and for our residents to enjoy. 101 Seaport, and its anchor tenant in PwC, represents the leadership in innovation, sustainability, and business that have become synonymous with the city of Boston and our business community."
"We are beyond excited to start construction on 101 Seaport, a building that will provide the Innovation District with both an energy efficient, convenient, and comfortable workplace, as well as a destination for prime retail opportunities," said Shawn Hurley, executive vice president of Skanska USA. "Skanska is honored to add to South Boston's transformation. With its elegant design and highly sustainable features, 101 Seaport will not only enrich Seaport Boulevard's streetscape, but also create a strong connection among South Boston's economy, environment and community that will benefit the neighborhood for years to come."
101 Seaport illustrates Skanska's company-wide commitment to creating inventive and sustainable spaces for employees that also add value to communities. For example, the building systems and floor plates Skanska incorporated into 101 Seaport design will yield a predicted 40% water use reduction and 30% energy use reduction, as well as allow PwC to decrease its ecological footprint by 12%.
101 Seaport's amenities encourage a healthy work-life balance to boost employee morale and productivity. For instance, the office tower includes an on-site gym equipped with advanced exercise machines and locker rooms, and an open garden space, formally named Harbor Way, which is an expansive 70-foot-wide tree-lined retail corridor, in addition to the tower's multiple surrounding parks in Seaport Square.
101 Seaport illustrates Skanska's commitment to improving local commerce and urban landscapes through responsible development that creates space to live, work and play.
To balance Seaport Blvd. with space for an energized working environment and a comfortable living setting, Skanska is also developing Watermark Seaport with Twining Properties adjacent to 101 Seaport. Both 101 Seaport and Watermark Seaport are part of the 6.35 million s/f of residential, commercial, hotel, retail and civic/cultural space planned in Seaport Square by MS Boston Seaport, L.L.C., a partnership between Morgan Stanley and Boston Global Investors. Construction on Watermark Seaport is scheduled to begin later this fall.