ADD Inc celebrates historic rehabilitation and green design of its $14.4 million, 67,500 s/f new headquarters

Nationally recognized architecture and design firm ADD Inc was joined by city officials, members of the project team, and community and advocacy organizations, including Preservation Mass., for a ribbon cutting to celebrate the completion of the firm's rehabilitation of 311 Summer St. as its new headquarters. The building is comprised of 67,500 s/f and the construction cost for the rehabilitation was $14.4 million.  ADD Inc has sensitively preserved the historic character of the building, while also implementing several green design initiatives in order to achieve a sustainable environment.  The firm is pursuing LEED Gold certification by the US Green Building Council and when certified, 311 Summer St. will only be one of very few LEED Gold commercial interiors in the city. "We are excited to celebrate the completion of our new headquarters at 311 Summer St., which embodies many of the principles we advocate when designing for our clients, including strategic sustainable design and thoughtful repositionings.  It has truly been a labor of love," said Frederick Kramer, president of ADD Inc "We are also thrilled to be a part of the revitalization of the Fort Point Channel Historic District and return 311 Summer St. to full occupancy." Dating back to the early 1900s, 311 Summer St. was one of the first buildings in the city's Wharf District and the home of the Dwinell-Wright Coffee Co. - one of America's largest coffee producers of its time. ADD has preserved and re-used materials from the Dwinell-Wright Co., including lumber from the old elevator shafts which were used to construct the firm's reception desk.   In addition to selective material re-use, ADD Inc has incorporated a variety of design systems to reduce environmental impact, including dual flush toilets, a white roof to lessen the heat island effect, operable windows for ventilation, and a range of daylighting strategies.