Despite fears about the fiscal cliff and an influx of new development in the Seaport District, a number of capital improvement programs have been recently completed or are under way in Downtown Boston and Cambridge.

Among them are Lafayette City Center, 185 Franklin St., and 99 High in Boston’s Financial District, and One Rogers St. in Cambridge. Here’s an inside look at 99 High and One Rogers:

99 High St.

As construction manager/general contractor, Jones Lang LaSalle Construction has completed construction on behalf of building owner TIAA-CREF of a far-reaching, $30 million project at 99 High. Improvements have turned the iconic 730,000-square-foot office and retail tower into virtually a new building inside and out. The current repositioning and branding program has taken the asset up market, positioning it among Boston’s premier towers.

Designed by the Boston office of international architectural firm Gensler, the 99 High lobby repositioning and improvements are nothing short of transformative. A boutique experience was created by adding a new rear-lit feature wall, modernizing security and access points, providing new furniture, finishes, custom flooring, and using efficient lighting to complement existing architecture. Removal of a second set of doors and side walls has enhanced the lobby’s connectivity to the outside. The use of bronze metal complements and extends the entry portico’s architecture.

Society on High, a new farm-to-fork themed restaurant, is coming to 99 High at street level. As the general contractor, Jones Lang LaSalle’s construction team has begun replacing the existing storefront with a glass vestibule entry and French doors. All new finishes and materials, custom millwork, a ceramic tile bar, a library/meeting room, and a portable outdoor bar with grilling on High Street will help to expand the Financial District as an after-hours work and living destination. The $2 million project is scheduled to open in early 2013.

Building envelope renovations at 99 High include: façade upgrades on the first two floors with Colonial Gold granite-faced columns imported from India, repair of the entire travertine façade, new awnings highlighted by down lighting, replacement of the sidewalks along High Street, installation of up-lighting around the second-floor building perimeter, a new mirrored glass canopy and iconic entrance with mirrored glass, and a new energy-efficient, white PVC roofing system.

All building systems have been completely updated to significantly increase energy efficiency for tenants. Energy costs have decreased by 10 percent, and both steam and water/sewer costs have been reduced by 8 percent. We have aggressively managed electric supply to reduce cost here as well. The painstaking replacement and resealing of 3,033 windows on all 32 floors is now complete, resulting in a further reduction in energy costs by 18 percent. With these finishing touches TIAA-CREF’s vision for 99 High is being realized as advanced technology meets elegant design.

One Rogers St.

In today’s challenging leasing market, the  goal of the 1 Rogers St. project team is to adapt to the needs of today’s tenant and differentiate by infusing new energy into the asset.

Jones Lang LaSalle‘s construction team – headed by Construction Manager John Thomas, with CBT Architects in Boston – is completely renovating the building’s two-story glass atrium lobby and courtyard. The new lobby is inspired by an urban garden concept. Design changes include: an all new vinyl woven flooring system complemented by a terrazzo floor, new energy -efficient lighting, glass walls, wood veneer column wraps, upgrades to the elevator lobby and a new main reception area.

The courtyard, directly across from the CambridgeSide Galleria, is not only an amenity enjoyed by the tenants, over half of which look down on the courtyard from their offices. It will also be a respite for the evolving East Cambridge neighborhood, and a clear advantage for the building, compared with the competition. It will feature the removal of all existing landscaping to allow for new sidewalks and plantings, custom steel trellises, new wood and precast stone benches, new ambient lighting and irrigation.

The renovations, scheduled for completion by year end, are consistent with Principal Real Estate’s position as long-term investors. The multi-million dollar project has been instrumental in attracting Pegasystems to the building. The company continued its commitment to Cambridge by recently opening its new corporate headquarters here, moving from 101 Main St.

At 99 High and 1 Rogers Street, the construction team partnered with the building owner, our leasing agents, property managers, architects and engineers before the design phase. This has driven marketing strategies, resulting in attracting and retaining quality tenants. The owners’ return on their investment is being maximized as the assets are being transformed. The downtown and Cambridge experience is being elevated in the process.

Steve Wassersug is managing director and Barrie Ferraro is senior vice president of Jones Lang LaSalle in Boston.