Beacon Surety Consulting Profile: MBTA's Assembly Station Helps Accelerate Smart Growth & Revitalization in Somerville, MA
Early last year, Beacon completed a construction consulting engagement at MBTA's Assembly Station, located in Somerville, MA. The new train station is located approximately 4 miles Northwest of downtown Boston, on MBTA's Orange Line (one of MBTA's four major commuter rail lines serving the area).
Beacon was originally retained by a leading Surety company to help assess the status of the project, estimate the reserve required (and cash flow) for its completion, and assist the General Contractor in working through outstanding claims and the completion of the contracted work. Beacon provided a variety of surety / construction consulting services on the project, including:
- Prepared the cost to complete summary
- Helped resolve subcontractor liens, and disputes
- Coordinated the completion of the Project with the Owner and Surety
Most recently, Beacon provided contruction consulting and project management services related to the completion of approximately $2M in electrical remedial work. During the course of the work, Beacon's team worked closely with the MBTA's project team to provide constant communication regarding all aspects of the project.
The MBTA Assembly Station is a very important part of the economic development taking place in Somerville, MA and Boston. The station makes it possible (and easy) for many commuters and shoppers to reach the recently developed Assembly Row Office / Retail / Residential complex.
Assembly Row includes more than 1.5-Million Class A office space, a major retail shopping center (outlets & big box stores), residential buildings (condos and apartments), restaurants, entertainment (such as LegoLand and an AMC multiplex), fitness centers, medical services and a large riverfront park along the Mystic River. Among the major employers who have located offices next to Assembly Station is Partners HealthCare (the largest private employer in Massachusetts). The company reportedly plans to have more than 4000 employees located at its Assembly Row office space.
The name "Assembly Row" (and Assembly Station) derives from the fact that the location was once the home of a Ford Motor Company assembly plant for the "Ford Edsel." However, the auto plant closed in 1958 having a major ecomonic impact on Somerville. In a nod to the site's history, benches located in Assembly Station are designed to match the shape of the back-end of an Edsel.
Today, just a few short years after ground-breaking occurred at Assembly Row (and the new Assembly Station), the "Smart Growth" development taking place there has truly revitalized the area—both in terms of economic activity and quality of life. Residents, workers and visitors now enjoy many new leisure, shopping, dining, recreation and entertainment options, with easy access to Boston and other towns via the MBTA Orange line. Beacon's team is proud to have played an important role in this transformation.
Contact Beacon Consulting Group, Inc. to learn more about our capabilities and services or to request a project consultation.
