Construction firm and global education company celebrate structural milestone on one of the most high-profile construction projects in Massachusetts.
Cambridge, Mass. –Skanska USA, a leading provider of construction management, preconstruction, and design-build services, and EF Education First, the world leader in international education, ceremoniously “topped out” EF’s new 300,000-square-foot, 10-story North American headquarters in Cambridge, Mass. earlier today.
Cambridge officials and EF executives joined Skanska’s project team, construction crew and local tradesmen and women at the event as iron workers placed the final steel beam on top of the building’s frame, completing the project’s structural milestone.
“This milestone is extremely significant for Skanska and EF as we move closer to delivering one of the most original and prominent construction projects in the region,” said Paul Hewins, executive vice president and general manager for Skanska USA Building’s New England region. “We look forward to completing our work on this state-of-the-art building, which truly reflects EF’s growth as a company and the area’s leading role in education, design and innovation.”
“Since we broke ground in September, we’ve watched this project come to life,” said Martha Doyle, chief administrative officer for EF Education First. “We would like to thank Skanska and Local 7 for helping us reach this important milestone.”
Skanska is constructing the 300,000-square-foot building to include office and academic space for EF. Upon completion, the building’s entrance will showcase a glass curtainwall resembling a waterfall running down the south and east facades of the building. The ground floor will include mezzanine space to be used for dining, building services and other purposes. In addition, Skanska will build three levels of above-ground parking with approximately 125 parking spaces for EF’s employees and visitors. Skanska is building the headquarters to LEED Silver standards.
Last September, Governor Deval Patrick joined Skanska and EF Education First among many dignitaries, State and City Officials to celebrate the project’s groundbreaking in a spectacular visual event available here.
EF’s new headquarters building is conveniently located in the NorthPoint section of Cambridge, just steps away from EF’s current headquarters and adjacent to the NorthPoint Park. The new headquarters will accommodate for EF’s rapid growth in the last several years, and result in the immediate hiring of hundreds of permanent EF employees.
So far, 33 percent of the building’s core and shell is complete, and Skanska is on track to finish all phases of construction by fall 2014 as scheduled. To date, the project team has dedicated 28,000 work-hours to the building’s construction.
The building’s steel structure is a total of 389,385 square feet and weighs 2,355 tons (4,705,955 pounds). It is comprised of 4,305 fabricated pieces of steel connected by 53,374 bolts, which would amount to 2.5 miles in length if extended along the ground.
Skanska has completed a diverse portfolio of projects for the variety of thriving industries that call Massachusetts home, including education, healthcare, and pharmaceutical. Skanska is dedicated to providing these industries with state-of-the-art facilities that offer space and resources essential for their advancements, discoveries, and innovations. For example, Skanska is currently renovating Boston University’s (BU) existing 180,000-square-foot School of Law, as well as building BU’s second 93,000-square-foot Law building. Skanska is also currently performing a number of renovation projects for Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC). In addition, Skanska USA Commercial Development recently completed a 100% self-financed Class-A laboratory and office building in Cambridge’s Kendall Square at 150 Second Street.
For further information, please contact:
Beth Miller, Northeast Communications Manager, Skanska USA, 917-438-4523,
This and previous releases can also be found at www.skanska.com