Mathworks Begins Expansion
Mathworks plans to purchase a building within its complex, then construct a new separate office and accompanying parking facility.
Officials with Natick-based The Mathworks are beginning the long-awaited expansion of their Route 9 complex, which they say will add about 600 jobs at the complex.
The expansion has two major aspects. One is that Mathworks is set to purchase the third building in their headquarter's three-building complex. Mathworks already owns the other two buildings on Appple Hill Drive.
The company is also in the final design phases of a new, 166,000 square-foot office building and adjoining parking garage at their site. Light construction work has already begun on that project, including erecting large trees to shield the construction from neighbors.
"We're really looking to the future with this work," said Mathworks spokesperson David Smith. "We want to stay in Natick, it's a great place for our headquarters, and we're expecting growth in the future. So this is going to keep up here and allow us to grow for a long time."
Smith estimates the new construction and purchase of the Apple Hill Drive Three office building will total about $100 million.
According to state land records, Atlantic-Philadelphia Realty LLC, which is based in Framingham, owns the building. Smith said the building is shared with other tenants and has some vacant space, but it is mostly used for Mathworks.
Mathworks officials have been working on the planning and design of the project for years, including through an approval process with the town. The company had to apply for a special permit from the town to increase the density of construction that is allowed on the parcel.
Mathworks has been working with general contractor Cranshaw Construction of Newtown, exterior architect Spagnolo Gisness & Associates of Boston, and interior architect Gensler, which has offices in Boston.
Natick Community Development Director Patrick Reffett said some residents who live in the area had concerns about increased traffic and what the construction would look like. He said there was a small but vocal group of community members who were active during the approval process during the past two years.
To block some of the construction work from view Mathworks has already begun to erect large trees, and has agreed to reduce the height of the parking facility. Two floors of the garage will now be underground.
And, to relieve worries from some residents of the added traffic on Route 9 with 600 new employees, Mathworks has agreed to pay for the creation of a new U-turn break in the road near the facility. That will allow workers who want to travel westbound to turn around near the complex instead of driving through residential neighborhoods to access the westbound portion of the road.
Reffett said he's happy to see the company make expansion plans.
"This is a great thing for the town, it's 600 high-tech, well paying jobs that have been committed to by Mathworks," he said. "It's an important job creation project for the state, and certainly for the town of Natick."
Reffett said as part of the expansion by Mathworks, the town has applied for and received a $1.6 million grant to study other nearby intersections, including the intersection of Route 9 and Oak Street, and the intersection of Route 9 and Route 27. The Mathworks complex lies between those two intersections.
WBJ Web Partners
Most Recent
Most Recent
0 Comments