Vantage Builders, Inc. constructs new cleanroom and office space for Persimmon Technologies Corp. at 178 Albion Street

Vantage Builders, Inc. has constructed a new cleanroom and office for Persimmon Technologies Corp. at 178 Albion St. The architects on the project were Saccoccio Associates Architects and the engineers were A.D.A. Engineering, Inc. The project required particular experience and ingenuity on behalf of the general contracting firm because the location is on the ground level of a renovated mill building. Part of the Harvard Mills complex, 178 Albion St. is a brick-and-beam office building that was originally constructed as a textile mill in the early 1900s. "The challenging part of this project was not only constructing to the exacting requirements of a cleanroom environment, which we have successfully done in previous projects," said Mike Thayer, senior project manager, Vantage Builders. "But we also needed to contend with the ground floor setting of the original mill building, which added certain complications, such as connecting systems with the rooftop units." The 10-week, $500,000 project yielded Persimmon a new, sizeable cleanroom and office space. The cleanroom has a variety of new systems, including positive pressure HEPA filtration, new HVAC, and process piping for compressed air and nitrogen. There is new electrostatic discharge controlling flooring, gasket ceiling systems, and specially designed wall treatments. The office fit-out - including new ceiling, wall, and floor finishes - is seamlessly integrated with Persimmon's existing space. Persimmon Technologies, a technology company and provider of robotics for the semiconductor, data storage, LED, OLED, solar, and flat panel display equipment markets, had to expand its footprint to keep up with recent growth. The company determined that it needed an additional cleanroom, as well as office space. Vantage Builders offers contracting services to corporations, developers, property managers, retailers and private institutions throughout New England.