Skanska, a leading global development and construction firm, today announced that it has signed a 114,620-square-foot lease with Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG) subsidiaries MullenLowe and Mediahub at Two Drydock, the firm’s sixth commercial development in Boston. MullenLowe and Mediahub are a full-service creative, media and PR agency with approximately 550 Boston-based employees. The agency will move from 40 Broad Street in the Financial District to Two Drydock in July 2020, establishing Skanska’s latest development as its new U.S. headquarters.
Once completed, Two Drydock will be a 13-story, 230,000-square-foot, Class-A office building that includes 9,000 square feet of retail space. The building, targeting LEED® Gold and Fitwel certifications, will offer tenants access to an 8,000-square-foot rooftop terrace with a 5,500-square-foot interior amenity space that features a state-of-the-art fitness center and conference and lounge space with panoramic views of Boston Harbor and the city skyline. It will also include bike storage and 150 above-ground parking spaces strategically placed on floors two through four for potential repositioning given the expected increase in driverless cars and ride-sharing services.
“We strategically designed Two Drydock at this prime location, the gateway into the Drydock area, to inspire and attract firms like MullenLowe and Mediahub,” said Russ DeMartino, Executive Vice President of Skanska USA Commercial Development in Boston. “There is a contagious energy built on innovation and creativity found throughout this neighborhood that makes firms like MullenLowe and Mediahub a perfect fit. We look forward to providing a space for them to continue their original work.”
Located at 2 Drydock Avenue in Boston’s Seaport District, the building is proximate to the MBTA’s Silver Line that travels to and from South Station in nearly 10 minutes; and a short drive from I-90, I-93, and Logan International Airport. There will also be a shuttle that provides direct access to North Station.
“The vision for our move is to create a working space that will foster unity, authenticity and curiosity,” said Kelly Fredrickson, President of MullenLowe. We searched throughout the city to find a location that will deliver on these goals, inspire our creative teams and provide enough space to accommodate our dramatic growth. As soon as we met with Skanska’s team, we knew Two Drydock was the best place for our new headquarters – the location and design coupled with the firm’s commitment to sustainability and healthy environments sealed the deal for us.”
MullenLowe and Mediahub are working with Elkus Manfredi on the architectural design of the agency’s future space. JLL is the agency’s commercial real estate representative.
Two Drydock broke ground in June 2018 and will be completed in the first quarter of 2020. To commemorate the project start, Skanska joined Mayor Martin J. Walsh to present a $100,000 donation to The Martin Richard Foundation for the creation of Martin’s Park, a public green space steps from the Boston Children’s Museum that was completed in June 2019. The foundation provides opportunities for young people to learn, grow, and lead through volunteerism and community engagement. It was established in honor of the late Martin W. Richard, the youngest victim of the Boston Marathon bombings, who enjoyed playing in Boston’s fields and playgrounds while growing up in Dorchester, MA.
Skanska’s other developments in Greater Boston include 121 Seaport, the first and only LEED Platinum elliptical tower in the city with 400,000 square feet of Class-A, flexible office space that is home to PTC and Alexion; 101 Seaport, the North American headquarters for PwC; Harbor Way, a 70-foot-wide pedestrian promenade with 20,000-square-feet of tree-lined open space and retail between 101 and 121 Seaport; Watermark Seaport, a 300,000-square-foot, LEED Gold residential building with ground-floor retail; The Harlo, a 17-story, 183,000-square-foot residential tower with 212 apartments and approximately 7,000-square-feet of ground-floor retail; and, 150 Second Street, a lab and office building in Cambridge.
Skanska has developed, built and restored New England’s landmarks for more than 70 years, from its developments in the Seaport and Gillette Stadium, to the Novartis Institute for Biomedical Research and the Longfellow Bridge. Skanska continues to leverage its local knowledge and global expertise to shape the region's commercial real estate and healthcare and life science facilities, as well as enhancing and expanding essential transportation and energy infrastructure.