Junior League Selects Local Architecture Firm for $1 Million Renovation Project (5/17/11)

Staff, The Back Bay Sun
17 May 2011

The Junior League of Boston announced Friday that it has selected Linea 5, Inc. to provide architectural and engineering services for the renovation of the league’s headquarters at 117 Newbury St.

The project will include the construction of a demonstration kitchen for JL Boston’s Kids In The Kitchen project that teaches nutrition to young girls, the creation of a community center that will offer daytime meeting space to outside nonprofit organizations and improvements in the building’s infrastructure and life safety systems. Construction is expected to begin in late summer 2011 and be completed by fall of 2012.

The building was purchased by the Junior League of Boston in 1958.

“We are delighted to partner with Linea 5 in our effort to create a center that promotes voluntarism and the improvement of the nutrition and wellness of girls,” said Beth Llewellyn, president of the Junior League of Boston. “Principal Holly Darzen and Vice President of Engineering Robert Cotta share our passion for giving back to the community and the importance of connecting our Newbury Street to the needs of greater Boston.”

Llewellyn added, “This is a perfect fit. We purchased this building in 1958, and since, it has had no major renovation and Linea 5 excels in designing thoughtful updates of Boston’s Back Bay historic buildings.”

Cotta said, “We are thrilled to be working on the rejuvenation of this historic Back Bay building to preserve and enhance its historic features and update it into a functionally vibrant facility supporting the Junior League’s many fine programs.”

Founded in 1985, Linea 5, Inc. is a full-service architecture firm based in Boston and Miami Beach, Fla., that is dedicated to improving the relationship between the built environment and society.

Linea 5 takes pride in the design of their renovation projects, where new design elements complement the existing architecture with contemporary design that is not a carbon copy of the historic style. Its portfolio includes the East Boston YMCA, Devlin Hall and Lyons Hall at Boston College and other historic buildings, including private residences.

“A top priority for the project is ensuring that the Kate Spade and Jack Spade retail stores, which are located in the bottom two floors of the 117 Newbury St. building, remain open with their retail business unaffected by the construction,” Llewellyn said. “We are also working so that improvements to the building benefit not only the league members and the public but our valued tenant as well.”

Read the article on The Back Bay Sun website