24 Drydock Avenue, Boston

DHK’s design for a proposed life sciences development project at 24 Drydock Avenue, Boston, was recently approved by the Boston Planning Development Agency (BPDA). The project site is located in the Raymond L. Flynn Marine Park ("RLFMP") of the South Boston Waterfront.

The eight-story development was planned as a cutting-edge life sciences research and development center as well as a support for the marine industrial economy on the South Boston Waterfront. To sustain the marine industry’s future, the project included 4,000 square feet of training and classroom space for workforce training provided by both the Boston Ship Repair (BSR) business, which is located in an adjacent building, and local non-profit organizations. The building design also included a ground floor restaurant to serve the local employees and visitors to the area.

Speaking at the BPDA meeting U.S. Congressman Stephen F. Lynch enthusiastically endorsed the project’s role in helping to preserve the ship repair industry for future generations.

The building was designed planned to meet LEED Gold certification. Some of the key sustainability features in the project’s program included a four-foot raised first floor and above-ground building utilities -- both intended to meet Boston’s 2070 projected sea level rise. Site improvements in the plan included a publicly accessible landscaped plaza and a pedestrian-oriented public realm around the building to create a safe and welcoming environment.

After the BPDA’s approval, the developer took on a new majority partner who intends to make changes in the project.