THE NAVY YARD'S ENERGY BOOST

Thanks to a US Department of Energy grant, Building 661 at the Navy Yard in South Philly is about to undergo a $30M full-spectrum retrofit to become the new HQ of the EEE Hub. (In civilian-speak, that's an Energy Innovation Hub for Energy-Efficient Buildings.) Formerly known as the Greater Philadelphia Innovation Cluster, it's one of only three such hubs in the nation.
A team of Balfour Beatty companies has been awarded the integrated construction management contract. With KieranTimberlake and PIDC holding the reins, construction is expected to begin this December on the retrofit, transforming the Navy Yard's long-vacant gymnasium and rec center into the 32k SF HQ. (And maybe they can finally get rid of all those muscular, exercise-crazy ghosts.) As a regional economic development driver, the EEE Hub has a critical mission that should interest any owner or developer in the local market's CRE space: Through market-proven technologies and old-fashioned word-of-mouth, it aims to reduce energy use in the nation's commercial buildings sector by 20% within the next eight years.
Building 661, we're told, will act as a so-called "living laboratory," where some of the Hub's employees will be housed. There, the tools and methods that move the construction industry toward energy independence will be forged. According to Balfour Beatty's Amanda Goolsby, the HQ building will act as a best practices showroom for owners. (You can do some window shopping for something green, it'sall the rage.) "It'll serve as a place for them to see how different mechanical systems and applications might look and interact with one another," she says. It's scheduled for a Dec. '13 delivery.

Continue reading this story with a free account

Log in or register
Sign up for more articles like this
Subscribe to Bisnow's Phoenix Newsletters
Related Stories

Netflix House Building In King Of Prussia Sells For $60M: The Philadelphia Deal Sheet

Philly's Busy Summer Created Momentum. Can The City Turn It Into Long-Term Growth?

Mesa City Council Greenlights $3B Mixed-Use Project

Navigating The Phoenix Student Housing Boom At Bisnow's Event On Sept. 29

Downtown Atlanta Improvement Group Picks Food Bank Chief As Next Leader

Bucks County Mall Closing As Owners Prepare Redevelopment Plans

Sales Of Lower-End Apartments Surge In Philly As Landlords Face Financial Issues

Trump's DEI Crackdown Is Creating New Risks For Landlords That Lease To The Government

Philly Has The Fundamentals. Now It Has To Reduce The Risk Of Building

Brandon Johnson Seeks Second Term Amid Strained CRE Relationship

Apartments Kick Off New Era Of Mixed-Use Activity In Philly Navy Yard

Former CBRE Exec Suing Brokerage Giant Over Age Discrimination, Whistleblower Complaint