Moderna Science Center | 325 Binney Street | Kendall Square

Equilibria

Equilibria

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Surprised this isn't a thread already. Alexandria drops renders in my Facebook ads now:

courbanize.com

325 Binney Street

Join the conversation about this project.
courbanize.com courbanize.com

The project includes the Grand Junction path from Binney to Cambridge Street.

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Was this the development that was going to bring the first large scale use of structural CLT (cross laminated timber) to the Boston region? Theres been a couple proposals here n there, but nothing built so far. If it is CLT this will be a pretty cool one to watch. Who knows it could be the very start of a game changing construction tech for the region and hopefully a new generation is opening aesthetically.
 
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stick n move said:
Was this the development that was going to bring the first large scale use of structural CLT (cross laminated timber) to the Boston region? Theres been a couple proposals here n there, but nothing built so far. If it is CLT this will be a pretty cool one to watch. Who knows it could be the very start of a game changing construction tech for the region and hopefully a new generation is opening aesthetically.
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Thanks for the heads up on this, Stick! I didnt' know about CLT, so I just did some Googling now and found this:


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I was wondering if we had a thread for this, as construction is now full-out on this one with the two story underground foundation substantively dug. Sorry, no photos as I walked by after sundown.

Anyway, design packages are posted here; see the October 2020 versions:
https://www.cambridgema.gov/specialpermits/pb367

From link above just to add some more context to what's been posted:
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325 Binney Street excavation underway. Tons of beach sand in the top layer and then a bowl of muck (originally marsh land) at the bottom. I don't see piles going in so I assume the foundation / footings are going to be huge so they can float the building on this mud! The sheathing around the site started last October and they have been slowly digging since.
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Thanks dhawkins! I walk by semi-frequently; I can attest that hole is freaking enormous relative to what it's possible to capture in a photo.
 
After the Met Pipe demolition, I think they were surcharging the lot with a big pile of dirt, to consolidate the muck.
 
Thanks for the new terminology. I did not know about this earthwork method. I found a video on surcharging; not exactly the same method of what this site is doing, but similar using the weight of the sand to squeeze the water out of the muck to dry it out. So there could potentially still be piles, they are just drying out the lot first.

RandomWalk said:
After the Met Pipe demolition, I think they were surcharging the lot with a big pile of dirt, to consolidate the muck.
Click to expand...
 
bigpicture7 said:
I was wondering if we had a thread for this, as construction is now full-out on this one with the two story underground foundation substantively dug. Sorry, no photos as I walked by after sundown.

Anyway, design packages are posted here; see the October 2020 versions:
https://www.cambridgema.gov/specialpermits/pb367

From link above just to add some more context to what's been posted:
View attachment 9826


View attachment 9827
Click to expand...

Sadly, I'm seeing nothing in that link, nor in the developer's website (https://courbanize.com/projects/325binneystreet/information) that mentions anything about Cross Laminated Timber as a material (discussed above). It would've been cool.

That being said, there are some truly great benes to this project, not the least is the GeoThermal energy system and the 1,800 linear feet + $11.25 million being dedicated to the Grand Junction multi-use pathway which is aimed to someday connect the future West Station to Somerville.
 
Beeline, BP7 and Randomwalk do as good a job as possible capturing the sheer size of this foundation in their photos - - but, until one actually is there in person, it's hard to convey exactly how MASSIVE this footprint is. It's stunningly massive. It's like a shipyard. When I rounded the corner and saw this I was stunned.
 
shmessy said:
Beeline, BP7 and Randomwalk do as good a job as possible capturing the sheer size of this foundation in their photos - - but, until one actually is there in person, it's hard to convey exactly how MASSIVE this footprint is. It's stunningly massive. It's like a shipyard. When I rounded the corner and saw this I was stunned.
Click to expand...

I agree with shmessy, this thing is freaking massive in a way these photos aren't capturing. I tried to grab a different perspective during my morning walk, standing back a bit and positioning the One Kendall Garage behind it for reference. Gotta be one of the bigger bathtubs built recently:

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I drove by this the other day and I think it's the biggest plot I have ever seen! It seemed to go on forever.
 
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