Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
Takeda and architect defend rooftop energy‑recovery units at 3 23rd Street; planning board reluctant to require bulky screening
Loading...
Summary
Tenant Takeda and architect Payette told the Planning Board that large energy‑recovery units needed for lab fume exhaust are essential to meet aggressive sustainability goals; the board generally favored exposing the equipment with subdued finishes rather than adding a bulky screen that would be more visible from long views such as the Longfellow Bridge.
Kelly Flynn, head of real estate and facilities for Takeda Pharmaceuticals’ U.S. region, told the Cambridge Planning Board that the tenant fit‑out at 3 23rd Street will include energy‑recovery units and rooftop equipment central to the company’s sustainability goals, and that the tenant expects significant energy and embodied‑carbon reductions from those systems.
Charles Klee of Payette presented a visibility and screening study showing where base‑building stacks and the tenant’s energy‑recovery unit may be seen from vantage points around Kendall Square and along the Charles River corridor. He explained that the energy‑recovery device is large because it must handle dedicated fume‑hood exhaust and that, while the unit sits within a recessed penthouse area, its fan and discharge elements protrude above surrounding stacks.
Payette modeled ‘‘before and after’’ views and a theoretical screening option; the study showed that a screen enclosing the full unit would create a larger rooftop box that becomes more prominent from long views (for example, across the Longfellow Bridge). Payette and the base‑building architects recommended against a heavy penthouse because it would alter the sculptural form of the approved building and could be more visually impactful than the unit itself.
Board members broadly supported the proponent’s approach to minimize visual impact through color, placement and limited visibility rather than adding a tall, solid screen. Ted Cohen, Tom Sinevich and others praised the sustainability trade‑off — tolerating modest rooftop elements in exchange for substantial energy performance. Urban‑design staff said they will continue to review color and finish choices during continuing review.
After discussion the board voted unanimously at the meeting to conclude the design update; no screening decision was adopted and CDD will continue design and finish coordination with the project team.
