The Greater Boston Food Bank
Yawkey Distribution Center
Project Overview
- Fixed budget that required creative value engineering to identify affordable LEED points
- Preserving schedule and budget while abating hazardous materials on site
- Coordinating deliveries within a crowded business district, working with neighbors to minimize interruptions
Greater Boston Food Bank elected to double the size of its existing warehouse by creating a new, sustainable headquarters in Boston’s South End. The new facility effectively doubles the capacity of the Food Bank’s former home, accommodating a total of 50 million pounds of food, representing a 67% increase over the old facility.
Built on an extremely tight site with adjacent buildings and Interstate 93 nearby, the team implemented a zero export plan, reusing existing pile caps and cleaning contaminated soil to save the client $1 million. A solar wall, polycarbonate panels, natural ventilation and daylighting helped the building achieve LEED Silver certification, and a state-of-the-art conveyor system enhances building efficiency.
