Cambridge Mission-critical Telecommunication Center Undergoes 100,000 SF Renovation

​Cambridge — Nauset Construction recently completed the third and final phase of renovations for 300 Bent Street. The 100,000-square-foot, three-story building, owned by Paul Lohnes and managed through The Lohnes Company, serves as a mission-critical telecommunications and data infrastructure facility for the New England operations of Verizon, Lumen Technologies, Lightpath Technologies, and other telecommunications carriers. The project required structural upgrades, as well as surgical precision demolition and excavation of the existing lobby. This work supports the new construction of a re-envisioned, modern, and accessible lobby, including a new freight elevator and a stairwell extending from the basement to the roof.

“Working in any occupied building always presents a degree of difficulty, but working in an occupied data center required an extraordinary level of coordination and attention to safety during construction, and Nauset delivered,” said Ken McClure, VP of Development for The DeNunzio Group, acting as Owner’s Representative on behalf of Paul Lohnes and The Lohnes Company, which has worked closely with Nauset throughout the project.

Nauset collaborated with Khalsa Design Inc. (KDI), which served as the architect for all three phases of the renovation. The design team also included Allied Engineering (MEP/FP engineering) and Roome & Guarracino (structural engineering), both of which played critical roles in supporting the complex infrastructure upgrades required for the facility. Phase One included the demolition and reconstruction of a new loading dock, the installation of an underground fuel tank, and a new EPDM roof. Phase Two focused on the renovation of the building’s 200’ x 48’ exterior front façade. The original concrete exterior skin was reinforced and clad with modern Nichiha panels in varying shades of gray and blue, and the original ribbon windows were replaced with new custom-fabricated storefront windows. The re-imagination of the façade included bold signage for the principal tenant, Lumen.

Phase III renovations involved demolishing and excavating the first-floor lobby, including the existing elevator and shaft, to construct a below-grade elevator mechanical equipment room. This subsurface work required the team to develop a creative dewatering solution before foundation work could proceed. Construction for the new lobby included a new elevator pit, masonry shaft, and elevator as well as a new curtainwall system, lighting, tile flooring, paint, and finishes. Accessibility to the facility was improved by removing the existing ramp, lowering the grade to ground level, and extending and replacing the recessed storefront. Additional work included mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection system upgrades throughout the building.

“In addition to the challenges inherent to working on a highly sensitive, fully occupied data center, there was the added complexity of working on a zero-lot line site adjacent to a busy police headquarters,” said Anthony Papantonis, president of Nauset Construction. “Our experience working with tight urban infill projects served us well with this project.”