Wise Construction, Nan Fung Life Sciences Real Estate, and partners successfully lifted and installed critical rooftop mechanical systems for the 470 Atlantic Avenue building’s 175,000 SF repositioning. Senior Project Manager Chris Schena shared insight into the 24-hour operation:
Q: What equipment was picked, and why was this pick crucial to the next steps in the construction schedule?
Chris: Courtesy of Shaughnessy’s 550-ton crane, crews lifted two energy recovery air handling units (EAHU-1 and EAHU-3), two cooling towers, elevator machine room cooling equipment, and several other components. This installation enables significant infrastructure work, including power and mechanical rough-ins and tie-ins to support the building’s future BSL-2 lab spaces.
Q: How will this equipment support the finished space?
Chris: The EAHUs will provide lab exhaust systems for the newly fitted-out floors.
Q: How big was the crane and how long did it take to assemble/take down?
Chris: We used a 550-ton crane that took about seven hours to assemble and six to break down.
Q: How far in advance was this planned?
Chris: Planning for this pick started more than three years ago at project inception. We filed for the crane permit through MassDOT over four months before the pick due to coordination with the I-93 tunnel. The operation was supported by Boston Transportation, MassDOT, and Boston Police, and we implemented a Temporary Site Management plan to ensure safety and maintain traffic flow.
Q: Who played a key role in making this a success?
Chris: This was a true team effort from the first planning discussions to the crane’s final breakdown. Everyone involved deserves recognition for the countless hours of coordination and real-time problem solving on site. A few standouts include:
- Ryan Simoneau, Superintendent: This was his operation from start to finish. He was on site at 4:00 a.m., before the crane was fully assembled, and stayed nearly 12 hours until it was dismantled. Ryan spent weeks coordinating with trades to ensure everything was prepared, and—like he has throughout this project—he gave 200%.
- Luigi Reyes, Wise Self-Performing Laborer: Luigi helped keep pedestrians safe overnight by directing traffic when our detail was stretched. His hustle and willingness to step in wherever needed made a huge impact.
- Marty Leik and Sean Keaney: Both stepped up throughout the day to support the team and keep things running smoothly.
We also want to thank Phitted Media for capturing drone and media coverage of this milestone.
