Suffolk Construction selected by Bentall Kennedy to renovate 50 Post Office Square

Suffolk Construction has been selected by institutional investment advisor, Bentall Kennedy, as construction manager on the renovation of 50 Post Office Sq. Formerly 185 Franklin St, the art deco high-rise building located in the city's Financial District will be open to the public for the first time in 60 years upon completion. The renovation will feature extensive updates to the building's lobby, common areas, and commercial space, including the addition of 21,000 s/f of retail space, 110 new below-grade parking spaces, and a rehabilitated streetscape. A new public entrance will be built on High St., and the Franklin St. entrance will be redesigned. The first phase of the redevelopment will incorporate street-level retail space and updates to the surrounding landscaping, while the second phase will focus on the building's infrastructure and the lobby. The project will include sustainable design elements to achieve LEED certification. As a high-profile building situated in a busy public square, 50 Post Office Square will require extensive coordination of all construction activity. The building will remain occupied throughout construction, which is scheduled to be completed in 2013. Additional work will take place as lease agreements are executed. Bentall Kennedy has also retained Commonwealth Ventures as the project developer and Elkus Manfredi Architects as the project design firm. Bentall Kennedy is one of North America's largest real estate investment advisors and one of its foremost providers of real estate services, serving the interests of more than 400 clients across the U.S. and Canada. 50 Post Office Sq., formerly 185 Franklin St., was originally constructed in 1947 as the headquarters for the New England Telephone & Telegraph Company, the regional outpost of the American Telegraph & Telephone Company (AT&T). Suffolk Construction is one of the most successful privately held building contractors in the country, providing preconstruction, construction management, design-build, and general contracting services to clients in the healthcare, science and technology, education, federal government, and commercial sectors. Suffolk is based in Boston and has a strong national presence with main offices throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic,Southeast, and West Coast. Suffolk is committed to delivering its "build smart" approach to construction management on every project. The company's project teams provide clients comprehensive planning services, innovative solutions and technologies, and proven processes, such as Building Information Modeling (BIM), to deliver the most complex building construction projects on schedule and on budget, with minimal risk. Suffolk is a community-conscious organization dedicated to environmentally friendly and sustainable business practices, and is committed to making a positive impact in its local communities through grassroots volunteer work,employee fundraising, and corporate giving.