Wise Construction has been collaborating with Dana-Farber Cancer Institute for well over a decade, and our extensive knowledge of their historic campus in Boston, MA has been instrumental to the success of our projects there. This experience proved invaluable during the recent renovation of the Jimmy Fund Building’s fourth floor, where we transformed outdated lab and office areas into a more modern, state-of-the-art research environment.
The project involved a complete overhaul of the existing lab space, requiring all new infrastructure and equipment to modernize the facility. A full gut demolition was required of the entire fourth floor that now includes new wet labs with fume hoods, tissue culture rooms, a freezer farm, and a cold room. New administrative spaces were also added, including offices, a conference room, a staff lounge and kitchen, and new bathrooms. This wasn’t just a refresh—it was a strategic redesign focused on improving functionality and enhancing research efficiency.
One of the more complex elements of the project was reworking the floor’s existing MEP services to maximize space within the existing footprint—a priority set by Dana-Farber from the start. To achieve this, we needed to remove several column enclosures that jutted out from the walls. These columns housed 10 to 15 vertical pipe stacks each, running from the basement to the top floor of the building. Removing the columns allowed us to reclaim valuable square footage by relocating those services back into the wall.
Successfully executing this effort relied heavily on the expertise of our field team, Brendan Cary and Jeremy Holbrook. Their extensive knowledge of the building—and the strong relationships they built with staff—allowed them to navigate the complexities of the task. With limited documentation of the building’s infrastructure, our team conducted a thorough investigation to trace and identify each pipe. Brendan, Jeremy, and our in-house VDC/MEP team carefully tracked these lines floor by floor, ensuring each system’s function was maintained before rerouting them. This detailed planning minimized the risk of disruptions to active lab operations above and the pharmacy storage area below, ensuring the project progressed smoothly and safely.
Navigating an occupied building added further challenges, but off-hours work helped minimize disruptions during demolition, track shooting, and coring. Additional steps included coordinating temporary RO water tanks to protect sensitive research environments like the zebrafish lab, which relies on a consistent water supply.
New building code requirements also required an upgrade to the entire exterior envelope of the fourth floor with closed-cell spray foam insulation to improve thermal efficiency. Adding this to our scope provided the Institute with long-term performance benefits for the building.
Success was made possible thanks to a dedicated team who embraced creative solutions. Brendan Cary, Superintendent and Jeremy Holbrook, Field Personnel worked closely with Dana-Farber’s project team, Scott Shannon and Cathy Michalowicz, and our project partners—Miller Dyer Spears, BR+A Consulting Engineers, RPM Engineering, and Simon Design Engineering—to ensure clear communication with building users. Their ability to think outside the box and adapt to changing circumstances kept the project on track.
Wise’s long-standing relationship with Dana-Farber Cancer Institute allowed us to anticipate challenges, develop effective solutions, and execute the project efficiently. The renovated space is now positioned to support Dana-Farber’s vital research efforts for years to come—another example of how Wise Construction’s experience and collaborative mindset deliver impactful results for our clients.
Project Collaborators:
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
MDS/Miller Dyer Spears
BR+A Consulting Engineers
Simon Design Engineering
RPM Engineering
Wise Project Team:
Eric Libby
Nick Fanjoy
Nick Gore
Brendan Cary
Jeremy Holbrook
Photography:
Richard Gayle Photography
