Boston, MA

776 Summer Street

Scope/Solutions
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Project Summary

Scope/Solutions

The site at 776 Summer Street included several unoccupied buildings that were previously part of Boston Edison’s decommissioned L Street power plant. The development team of Redgate and Hilco acquired the fifteen-acre property and sought to create a multibuilding, mixed-use community with residential, retail, commercial, and outside gathering spaces. The redevelopment incorporated the adaptive reuse of the plant’s historic structures—including the original 1898 building, the 1902 turbine halls, and the seawater intake platforms—and the demolition of the remaining buildings. SGH provided structural and building enclosure engineering services related to the demolition, including protecting and preserving the historic buildings.

SGH partnered with Stantec to develop a demolition plan and provide engineering support during demolition. Highlights of our work include:

Existing conditions. SGH reviewed decades of historical drawings to understand the existing structures. We surveyed the buildings to be demolished and those slated to remain, and documented subsurface structures and utilities.
Planning. Our team collaborated with Stantec to understand the intended demolition and the components to remain. We developed a phased plan, including an approach and sequencing to maintain structural stability and safely demolish each building.
Construction documents. SGH prepared structural demolition drawings for each building, noting significant structural elements, unknown areas of the structure, and locations that may require shoring or bracing during the work. We included repair and stabilization details for interior and exterior conditions and instructions for protecting architectural elements to be preserved.
Bidding and construction. We provided bid and construction phase services, including answering bidders’ questions and helping evaluate bids, reviewing contractor submittals, visiting the site to observe the progress, helping address field conditions, and evaluating sequencing changes.