1.40/1.401 - Woburn

1.40/1.401 Project Management

Fall 1997

Professor Sarah Slaughter

Woburn Industri-Plex site

Description of the Woburn Industri-plex Site

The Industri-Plex site is a 280 acre industrial park located near the interchange of Route 128 and Interstate 93 in the town of Woburn in eastern Massachusetts. From 1853 to 1931, the site was used for manufacturing chemicals, specifically textiles, leather and paper manufacturing using chemicals such as arsenic, acetic acid, and sulfuric acid. For the next 35 years, it became a site for manufacturing glue from raw and chrome-tanned animal hides. The byproducts from over 100 years of manufacturing on the site using toxic chemicals contaminated the soils on the site with elevated levels of heavy metals, including arsenic, lead, and chromium. When the site was being developed for an industrial park in the 1970s, the high levels of contamination were identified, including large piles of buried animal hides and other waste.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) obtained a court order to halt the development of the site in 1979, and initiated a set of clean up and remediation activities. The site was described as one of the nation's most hazardous toxic waste sites, and was included among the Federal Superfund sites. The remediation program cost $70 million, and took 7 years. Although 22 previous and current property owners were identified as "potentially responsible parties," most of the cost of the clean was born by Monsanto Company (which had not actually occupied the site) and Stauffer Management Company.

Remediation Program

The remediation of the Industri-Plex site consists of a synthetic and impermeable membrane (geotextile) covered by 16 inches of clean dirt fill, or 13 inches of fill and 3 inches of crushed stone. The areas of heaviest contamination were at the location of the hide piles, which are concentrated in a relatively small area. The rest of the 280 acres were either uncontaminated or only had minor concentrations of toxic materials. The remediation of the site was completed in 1996.

Redevelopment Program

The location of the site near two major highways in the Boston metropolitan area gives it a high value for retail, commercial, and transportation development. During 1997, the vacancy rates for commercial office space has been on average below 5% for the Cities of Boston and Cambridge, and below 10% for nearby surrounding towns. Therefore, the demand for additional retail and commercial space currently exists.

In addition, the Central Artery Project/Third Harbor Tunnel project is currently underway, and is expected to cost over $12 billion when it is completed in approximately 2010, making it the largest transportation project ever undertaken in the U.S. Transportation demand and loads are heavily increasing, especially in Boston during the construction, and public transportation offers a means through which to significantly reduce traffic loads.

The development of the site has been proceeding in several stages.

In Fall 1996, several Massachusetts transportation agencies announced that they will build a major Regional Transportation Center on the site. The Massachusetts Port Authority (MassPort), Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), and the Massachusetts Highway Department (MHD) are collaborating on the multi-modal facility that will provide links for car, subway, commuter rail, and Logan Airport bus connections. The Center will include several rail platforms, a commuter rail station, and 2400 long-term parking spaces. Construction started on the Center in the Spring 1997.

The Massachusetts Highway Department of the Federal Highway Department will create a new exit off Interstate 93 for the site, the first new major highway exit in 25 years in Massachusetts. The off-ramp will cost $15 million, and started mid-August 1997.

Construction of office, retail, and hotel facilities is expected to begin next year. A development company, National Development, has purchased the rest of the Industri-Plex site and some adjacent properties for $100 million.

DESIGN PROJECT FOR THE CLASS

General Objectives of the Development of the Site

The current development plans for the Industri-Plex site focus on creating a coherent set of facilities and activities that can complement each other, and take advantage of the proximity to Boston and to the major transportation nodes.

The major design principles for each of the facilities on the site are to incorporate state-of-the-art communications systems into high value facilities. The high value facilities include energy conservation systems, design for indoor air quality and comfort, and responsiveness to changing office configurations and other use flows.

No facility will be allowed to use extensive below grade excavation, to protect the remediation cover layer for the site. Deep foundations (e.g., piles, caissons), should be avoided, as well as below grade facilities (e.g., garages, basements).

Green spaces among the buildings should be created, especially areas that be maintained as parks. Access among the buildings should consider the often severe winter conditions of the Boston area.

Alternatives for the Development of the Site

The design project for this class will focus on the office and hotel portions of the development. The alternatives to consider in the feasibility analysis include:

An office building, approximately 100,000 SF;
A hotel, with 150 rooms;
An office/hotel complex; and
A set of 6 to 7 office buildings, totaling 650,000 SF.

Specific Objectives of the Office Development

To create a campus-like setting for the site, the office buildings should be no more than 5 stories (60 feet) high for 90% of their mass. The depth of each building section should be no more than 50 feet (15 meters) to provide adequate ventilation, and workers should be no more than 25 feet (7.5 meters) from a natural light source.

Passive solar design to reduce heating and cooling loads can be explicitly incorporated. Active solar systems (such as building integrated photovoltaics) can be considered if evaluated with detailed cost, installation, and operations information. Active building controls for electrical and mechanical systems could also be considered.

Specific Objectives of the Hotel Development

The hotel should serve not only the newly developed site, but also attract short-term visitors to the Woburn and adjacent areas. In particular, the hotel will be directed at business travelers, and will provide full business service facilities. These services include computer access in each room, a centralized fax facility, and meeting rooms which can accommodate multi-media presentations. Approximately 6 meeting rooms will be available, with capacity of 20-60 people.

For the Industri-Plex site, the hotel can provide restaurant facilities for casual and formal breakfasts and lunches for hotel guests and for workers in the surrounding office buildings. The evening meal is expected to serve primarily hotel guests, and should be sized and oriented towards them.

Supplementary facilities, such as athletic and sports facilities, could be considered, funded through annual subscriptions for membership, and additional charges for hotel guests.

The height of the hotel is not limited. However, each hotel room should have an external window, and must meet safety and fire codes on distances to exits. Rooms should also meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements.

DATA FOR THE CASE STUDY

Data for the Case Study on the Industri-plex site is in two forms:

1) Hardcopy plans and reports; and

2) CAD files on the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering server.

Access to the hardcopy plans and reports will be available at the Rotch Library Reserve desk.

Reports include

1. Environmental Notification Form (June 1995);

2. Feasibility Study (August 1995).

Drawings include

1. Location of work;

2. Existing conditions;

3. Details of soil cap;