Image courtesy of Margulies Perruzzi

What: 69 A St.
Where: South Boston
Built: 2019-2021
Owner: CIEE Inc. 

Commodore Builders is nearing completion of Boston’s first cross-laminated timber building, a redevelopment of a former rivet factory into office and retail space at 69 A. St. in South Boston. 

Designed by Margulies Perruzzi, the project adds two stories to a 1920s-era brick-and-beam building, creating a 5-story, 45,000-square-foot blend of old and new construction. The project used 11,600 cubic feet of lightweight wood, enabling the existing structure to be retained without replacing or reinforcing foundations. 

Construction began in July 2019 and is set to be complete in early 2021. Members of the project team include structural engineer McNamara Salva and MEP engineer WB Engineers. 

They Said It:  

“Cross-laminated timber offers a lightweight, environmentally-friendly option that retrofits easily into the post-and-beam construction in older buildings. CLT is rapidly becoming a popular option for construction due to its versatility, appearance, ease of construction, and sustainability.” 

— Dan Hudd, senior project manager, Commodore Builders