A Clinic Designed for the Community
When NeighborHealth initiated its fourth-floor renovation at 20 Maverick Square, the goal was clear: create a space that could meet the growing needs of Adult Medicine while investing directly in the East Boston community. For Wise Construction, that meant more than building exam rooms—it meant approaching the project as both a healthcare initiative and a community-first collaboration. From planning to closeout, the team focused on delivering a complex, high-finish clinical space that prioritized safety, inclusion, and long-term impact.
The 6,500 SF renovation delivered 18 new exam rooms on time and in alignment with an ambitious set of diversity and workforce goals. The project took place in a fully operational facility, demanding thoughtful coordination and precise execution every step of the way.
Construction in an Active Healthcare Facility
From the start, Wise approached the job with both logistical expertise and a people-first mindset. Building within an active healthcare facility meant navigating some constraints. With no loading dock or freight elevator available, all materials had to be delivered through the main entrance—used daily by patients—and transported via standard passenger elevators. To mitigate disruption, the team developed a precise choreography of early-morning deliveries and off-hours trash removal. In some cases, windows were removed just to bring in construction materials safely.
Inside the space, dust mitigation was paramount. Negative air pressure zones and sealed anterooms were constructed to keep the fourth floor isolated from the patient care areas below. The team coordinated their loud work schedules during off-hours and patient flows by holding weekly meetings with NeighborHealth and its staff.
Elevating the Space Through Design
The renovation featured high-quality finishes such as recessed soffits with integrated linear lighting, full-height glazed team rooms, wood fins, and complex acoustic ceiling systems. The planning and installation for these finishes required thoughtful coordination with the design team. Many of the design elements evolved mid-construction, including a major shift in the team room glazing from partial-height pony walls to full-height panels, requiring framing and finish work to swiftly adapt to the new design. The comprehensive millwork package—revised and refined through multiple rounds of shop drawings—served as a visual turning point for the space, transforming it from shell to clinic.
Workforce Development and Community Investment
Beyond the physical build, the project team worked closely with NeighborHealth and our design partners—including isgenuity LLC, NV5 Engineers, and Jensen Hughes—to meet the hospital’s diversity participation goals. Those goals encouraged hiring workers of color for at least half of the project’s hours and urged more than a third of all construction funds go to minority-owned businesses—among the highest targets for any project in Boston. NeighborHealth leadership felt strongly that the new space be “built by the community, in order to serve the community.”
Rather than treat these goals as check-the-box requirements, Wise Construction saw them as essential to the project’s success. Trade partners were selected not just for their quality of work, but for their alignment with the mission. Progress was monitored and tracked monthly. And most importantly, the project team helped ensure that these benchmarks were not just met—they were exceeded.
The project also prioritized collaborative care. COO Dr. Ryan Boxill described the clinic’s team-based layout, where patient rooms surround shared spaces for nurses, doctors, and psychologists to coordinate directly. This design supports connection and elevates the patient experience.
Wise also deepened its impact through workforce development. In partnership with YouthBuild Boston, the team welcomed two local pre-apprentices to the site, giving them hands-on exposure to healthcare construction while working alongside Superintendent James Murnane and Project Manager Gustavo Costa. The initiative offered a front-row view of the technical coordination, safety protocols, and teamwork required on a live jobsite—and provided the students with an inspired path toward a career in the trades.
The team’s commitment to social impact extended even beyond workforce development. While wrapping up demolition, Project Executive Andrew Cacciola and Senior Project Manager Chris Schena learned that Build Health International—a nonprofit that develops healthcare infrastructure in underserved communities—was seeking construction materials for a global health project. Rather than discard these materials, Wise organized a donation of 42 doors and 20 cabinets from the Maverick Square site. These items were transported to BHI’s Gloucester warehouse, where they would be repurposed for health clinics in need around the world.
Building with Care, for Care
This project was not about building walls and installing finishes. It was about building trust, equity, and opportunity. By embracing NeighborHealth’s bold diversity, equity, and inclusion goals, our team showed what it means to build with intention. From hiring practices to on-site mentorship, from design collaboration to sustainable reuse of materials, every decision reinforced the intention that construction projects like this can uplift communities. With this project, Wise helped create more than a clinic. We helped to build a place where patients feel seen, workers feel empowered, and a community sees itself in every square foot.
Thank you to our Project Partners:
NeighborHealth
Isgenuity, LLC
NV5 Engineers
Jensen Hughes
Wise Project Team:
Andrew Cacciola
Chris Schena
Gustavo Costa
James Murnane
James Sebastian
Photography: Richard Gayle Photography
