M & J Wilkow, along with Shannon Construction Company and Strada Architecture, LLC are proud to announce the Waterfront Tech Center Shell and Commonwealth Charter Academy project is a finalist in the 2020 MBA Building Excellence Award for Renovation Construction over $10 million.

The new state-of-the-art Waterfront Tech Center emerged from the existing shell building of a former Macy’s Department Store. The future tenants, Commonwealth Charter Academy (CCA) and Siemens, were both looking for a locat

ion that had a flexible footprint, ample parking, community connections, easy access to highways, great visibility for branding and nearby retail amenities.

Repurposing this big box retail store into a state-of-the-art technology building is a testament to the shift in the retail market, a challenge that many will continue to face as we embrace a new normal on the heels of a global pandemic. Our team was able to plan, design and execute this transformational project in a way that would work within the mixed-use context of the current Waterfront design. The Technology Center plays off the industrial nature of the historic Waterfront, integrating an open office and learning environment, using an exposed structure.