Suffolk Construction holds topping off of Boston Tea Party Museum

On the 238th anniversary of the original Boston Tea Party, Mark DiNapoli, president and general manager of Suffolk Construction's Northeast region, joined officials from the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum to celebrate the raising and placement of the cupola on the roof of the museum structure. This milestone event marked the topping off of the $27 million, 18,700 s/f project. "Suffolk Construction is extremely honored to be building such a prominent and historically significant project in the City of Boston," said DiNapoli. "We know that on this day, December 16th, a pivotal event occurred in the history of our country. Today, we celebrate the boldness of a group of present-day entrepreneurs, visionaries, and advocates who persevered to bring the vision of the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum to reality." DiNapoli was joined by Shawn Ford, executive director and vice president of the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum; Chris Belland, CEO of Historic Tours of America; and Michael Cantalupa, senior vice president of development of Boston Properties. Following the topping off, period actors representing the patriots of 1773 threw replica tea crates into Boston Harbor as a reenactment of the actions 238 years ago. The Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum project was designed by Margulies Perruzzi Architects. As construction manager, Suffolk is using virtual models and collaboration tools to build this structure that will pay tribute to this seismic event in American history. Building Information Modeling (BIM) helped the team coordinate the installation of extensive mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems throughout the project, which will consist of a two-story bridge house pier structure supported by 47 steel piles and a 350-ton, 200-foot floating barge. The pier building will contain a retail store, two re-enactment meeting rooms, and offices. Three historic replica ships will surround the floating barge, which will house a museum on the first floor and a Tavern/Tea Room on the second level. More than 50% of construction will take place off barges on the water. The Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum will offer a unique museum experience for visitors. There will be interactive tours, actors dressed in period clothing, cutting edge exhibits, and living history programs that allow anyone at any age the chance to reenact history from 1773. Another special feature of the museum will be the display of the Robinson Tea Chest, one of only two known tea chests that still exist from the original Boston Tea Party event. The ground breaking for the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum took place on April 19, 2011. After eight months of building the museum barge, it was launched on November 11, 2011. The raising of the cupola on December 16, 2011 is another milestone toward the opening of the Museum in June 2012. Suffolk Construction Company Suffolk Construction is one of the most successful privately held building contractors in the country, providing preconstruction, construction management, design-build, and general contracting services to clients in the healthcare, science and technology, education, federal government, and commercial sectors. Suffolk is based in Boston, Massachusetts and has a strong national presence with main offices throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, and West Coast. Suffolk is committed to delivering its "build smart" approach to construction management on every project. The company's project teams provide clients comprehensive planning services, innovative solutions and technologies, and proven processes, such as Building Information Modeling (BIM), to deliver the most complex building construction projects on schedule and on budget, with minimal risk. Suffolk is a community-conscious organization dedicated to environmentally friendly and sustainable business practices, and is committed to making a positive impact in its local communities through grassroots volunteer work, employee fundraising, and corporate giving. About The Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum The Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum is dedicated to accurately reliving the historic night of December 16, 1773, in Boston Harbor that was the catalyst to the American Revolution. Established in 1973, the museum is owned by Historic Tours of America who is restoring and expanding the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum to open in June 2012. The new museum and the three ships involved, the Dartmouth, the Beaver, and the Eleanor, will allow visitors to travel back in time to learn about the courageous acts of those who forever changed our history.