Arsenal on the Charles West Parking Structure

The new, 1,400-space, 7-level parking structure at athenahealth’s Arsenal on the Charles campus addresses the parking demand needs and supports the Campus’s master plan, a former arsenal for the U.S. Army converted to office and retail space. Walker provided functional, architectural, and structural design to accommodate the construction of a new commercial/retail building along the north façade, with a direct pedestrian link between the parking structure and the new building. The project site in Brownfield required significant soil remediation to be performed for the construction of the garage.

Looking Ahead

The lowest level of the facility was designed with high headroom to accommodate mechanical vehicle stackers if additional parking capacity is needed in the future. This will also allow for adaptive reuse if future demand decreases. Approximately 10,700 perennials, 70 trees, and 630 shrubs and three levels of irrigated planters along the façade energize the campus environment. Sustainability initiatives include stormwater capture from the parking structure for irrigation, permeable pavers, a high-efficiency LED lighting system, EV charging stations, and a photovoltaic (PV) ready design for the entire parking structure footprint. The park links to bike paths and sections of boardwalks above the site’s stormwater management system. These features enhance the experience of the campus employees, the surrounding retail and commercial space users and the community.