Built originally in 1970 as the headquarters for The Middlesex News, the single-storied industrial building functioned as a corporate office and printing press facility throughout much of its existence until it went vastly underutilized as the newspaper printing business declined. However, the area surrounding the building has seen a rebirth in response to the current needs of a booming life sciences industry. Major players such as Sanofi Genzyme and Bose have considerable presence in the area. The site’s location at the juncture of Route 9 and the Mass Turnpike makes it an ideal destination for companies with R&D and manufacturing space needs.

King Street Properties acquired the building in 2018 and hired VIVO and BW Kennedy Co., as project architects and construction managers respectively, to reposition the building and serve the current growing market. The building was re-designed to support four separate tenants, each with its own control area for chemical and waste storage. This layout maximized access to the existing high-bay space, allowing all tenants to combine office, research, and manufacturing needs under one roof. The existing exterior façade was removed and re-designed to maximize the availability of natural light and thereby facilitate energy efficiency.

VIVO sought inspiration from the Bauhaus vernacular for the exterior. We maintained a traditional note while complying with the architectural style of the surrounding buildings. An analog clock gracing the main entrance is one of the many striking features of the building. VIVO further added an additional 17,000 SF area, re-designed the loading docks, and performed a complete exterior overhaul by creating new landscaping and parking spaces and a shared tenant terrace that overlooks the adjoining protected wetlands.