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| MAYOR MENINO WELCOMES FIRST WIND HEADQUARTERS TO DOWNTOWN BOSTON |
| Leading wind power developer to occupy space in historic Leather District—First Wind signs new 35,877 SF office lease with Millennium Partners at 179 Lincoln Street |
| 10/28/2009 |
| Boston, MA – October 28, 2009 – Mayor Thomas M. Menino joined with developer Millennium Partners to welcome new tenant First Wind to its headquarters at 179 Lincoln Street in Downtown Boston. First Wind is a North American wind energy company focused exclusively on the development, ownership and operation of wind energy projects. It is the largest supplier of wind-generated electricity in New England, with working wind farms in Maine, New York, Hawaii and one in construction in Utah. First Wind will locate its 70 member headquarter staff to the Lincoln Street property in mid-October. Under the leadership of Mayor Menino, Boston has made extensive commitments to the environment and to energy conservation, not only by modernizing its own buildings but also by encouraging private development that is environmentally responsible. In June, Fast Company ranked Boston the best city for clean tech companies. The Mayor praised the decision of First Wind to locate its new facilities in Downtown Boston and in selecting a LEED Silver Certified building that was also a Historic Renovation completed pursuant to the U.S. Secretary of Interior’s Standards for Preservation. The project proceeded under the oversight of the Boston Redevelopment Authority. Mayor Menino said, “The City of Boston welcomes First Wind, an innovative company that is well positioned for success in our growing green economy. It is only fitting that this renewable energy company has come to Boston and selected an energy efficient award winning historic building to call home. Whether it’s through green building construction, historic preservation, or renewable energy development, Boston remains on the cutting edge of sustainability and today First Wind becomes an integral part of our story.” Initially constructed at the end of the nineteenth century, 179 Lincoln Street occupies a full city block overlooking the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway. It contains 220,000 square feet in its five stories and is situated approximately two blocks from South Station. Since being acquired by Millennium Partners-Boston in 2006, the building has undergone a dramatic transformation and is now equipped with modern interiors, upgraded building systems, a new entrance and lobby, and below-grade parking. In addition to having been awarded the LEED Silver Rating, it was recently honored by the Boston Preservation Alliance with its 2009 Preservation Achievement Award for the Best Adaptive Use of Historic Industrial Space. “As the largest wind energy producer in New England, moving our corporate headquarters to Boston is a perfect fit,” said Paul Gaynor, CEO of First Wind. “As First Wind continues to expand as a company, we need room to grow. This move to Boston demonstrates our commitment to the Commonwealth and to the region. It also allows us to reduce our carbon footprint, by having so many accessible public transportation options nearby for our employees. With its LEED-certification, the Lincoln Street building further signifies our strong belief in preserving our natural resources and protecting the environment. We are also targeting LEED Gold Certification for our office interiors to provide a healthy and productive work space for our employees. We’re looking forward to moving in.” “We are very pleased that First Wind has chosen 179 Lincoln Street as the base from which to continue its clean energy initiatives that are so important to our future,” said Anthony Pangaro, Principal of Millennium Partners-Boston. “The building stands as a symbol of historic preservation, environmental innovation and energy efficiency, and is exemplary of the concept of transit-oriented development—a perfect fit for the mission of First Wind.” CB Richard Ellis/New England, a joint venture partner with CB Richard Ellis, brokered the 35,877 square foot lease with First Wind. The CBRE team of Tim Lyne, Executive Vice President/Partner, and Tim Howe, Vice President, represented Millennium Partners – Boston in the transaction; David Fitzgerald, Executive Vice President/Partner, and Jon Freni, Associate, represented First Wind. ### LEED is a third party certification program and the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council in 2000 through a consensus based process, LEED serves as a tool for buildings of all types and sizes. LEED certification offers third party validation of a project’s green features and verifies that the building is operating in the way it was designed. Founded in 1991, Millennium Partners owns and operates a national real estate portfolio valued in excess of $4 billion. The firm has developed over 1,600 luxury condominiums, eight five-star hotels, two extended-stay luxury hotels, approximately 1 million square feet of office space and 1.2 million square feet of retail space. Among the firm’s most prominent Boston developments are The Ritz-Carlton Hotel and Towers, the One Charles condominium and the 10 Saint James Avenue office complex. First Wind is an independent North American wind energy company focused exclusively on the development, ownership and operation of wind energy projects. First Wind is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. For more information on First Wind, please visit www.firstwind.com or follow us on Twitter @FirstWind. Media Contacts John Lamontagne First Wind 617-960-9521 jlamontagne@firstwind.com City of Boston Susan Elsbree Boston Redevelopment Authority 617-918-4426 susan.elsbree.bra@cityofboston.gov Developer Anthony Pangaro Millennium Partners-Boston 617-451-0300 apangaro@mdaboston.com Brokerage Shannon Falvey CB Richard Ellis/New England 617-912-7082 shannon.falvey@cbre-ne.com |
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