Boston’s Art Deco tower –once the home of New England Telephone—is undergoing a $35 million renovation. The renovation of the historic building will include the addition of a glass lobby and space for outdoor seating and retail on Post Office Square. New England Telephone’s successor, Verizon Communications moved out of the building in November.

SEE RELATED STORIES FROM THE WDM CONTENT NETWORK

• Adventures in Renovating
• The Future of Cities
• London: The Renewal of One of the World’s Oldest Cities
• Read the latest edition of Construction Digital

“Our goal is to reintroduce a building that has been closed off for 50 years,’’ said Richard Galvin, president of Commonwealth Ventures, told the Boston Globe last month. “Its front door is on one of the greatest public parks in America, and we want to celebrate that.’’

The Art Deco tower features over 400,000 square feet of office space. Its historic mural, which filled the lobby and depicts telephone workers, has been removed and will be displayed elsewhere. “It’s one of the best examples of Art Deco that we have in the city,’’ Tony Fusco, president of the Art Deco Society of Boston, told the Boston Globe last month. “It was built as a corporate headquarters for a historically important business in the region.’’

Although the majority of the art deco features of the building will remain untouched, the ground floor, which includes the Franklin Street entrance, will have large glass windows, restaurants and retail space. Additionally, a parking garage—a necessity in Boston where parking is a nightmare…and then winter comes—will be built in the basement of the building.

Overview
Project: Art Deco Tower, Boston, Massachusetts
Cost: $35 million renovation
Building claim to fame: Example of Art Deco
Developer: Commonwealth Ventures
Architect:Elkus Manfredi Architects