Asset Manager Signs for 524 KSF in Boston

Atlantic Wharf

Wellington Management, a private asset management firm, has signed a 10-year lease renewal and extension with landlords Boston Properties and Norges Bank Investment Management for 524,000 square feet at Atlantic Wharf, a mixed-use high-rise in Boston’s Waterfront District. 

Wellington Management has been the anchor tenant at 280 Congress St. since the building’s completion a decade ago. Following the 66,000-square-foot expansion scheduled for next year, the company will occupy 22 of the tower’s 31 stories. The lease renewal will come into effect in 2026. 

Designed by CBT architects, the property incorporates three of Boston’s historical commercial buildings formerly known as the Russia Wharf buildings. The property totals 840,913 square feet and includes 89 residential units on the 530 Atlantic Ave. front, an art gallery and both indoor and outdoor public-use spaces. The office component is the most significant, adding up to more than 790,000 square feet.  

The tenant roster also includes Boston Society of Architects’ non-profit organisation BSA Space, architects Payette, financial consultant firms Ameriprise Financial and McKinsey & Co., as well as C Space, a customer care agency. The retail spaces are leased to several restaurants: Nebo, Sorelle, Trade and Smith&Wollensky. 

Located on the edge of the Fort Point Channel, the property is a short distance from Boston’s South Station, one of the busiest transit hubs in New England, and within walking distance of most parks and landmarks in central Boston.

Sustainability goals

At the time of completion, Atlantic Wharf was considered Boston’s first “green” skyscraper and received LEED Platinum certification for Building Design and Construction in 2012. The owners reapplied for a 2021 recertification with the U.S. Green Building Council, the organization’s website shows.

The property’s sustainability features include a rain harvesting system that saves some 12.5 million gallons of water yearly and more efficient heating and ventilation system which helps reduce water and energy consumption. According to the property’s website, Atlantic Warf is one-third more energy-efficient than comparable office buildings. In 2018, the tower was upgraded with portable storm barriers to protect against flooding.

Furthermore, several of Wellington’s office suites received LEED Gold certification for Interior Design and Construction, most recently in 2019 for a 19,791-square-foot suite.

Sustainability seems to be a goal not only in Boston, but across the state. Last year, Massachusetts topped U.S. Green Building Council’s annual list for most gross square feet of certified space per person. The state boasted 79 LEED-certified projects in 2020, amounting to 19 million square feet of space.