While excavating for Skanska USA’s 17-story 121 Seaport development in Boston’s Seaport District, a Skanska employee noticed an unexpected structure believed to be the outline of a boat hull. Recognizing its potential significance, the company halted construction and contacted the City of Boston archaeologist, Joe Bagley, the Massachusetts Historic Commission and The Public Archaeology Laboratory to investigate the ship’s history.
A team of seven archaeologists including the Public Archaeology Laboratory, City Archaeology Program, nautical archaeologists, and archaeologists with the State of Massachusetts convened at the site to document the shipwreck.
“We are so thankful to Skanska for voluntarily stopping construction to investigate this amazing find. We truly appreciate the opportunity to study the ship’s historical significance,” said Joe Bagley, the City of Boston archaeologist. “We almost never get this kind of opportunity.”
The team found:
- The 121 Seaport ship was wooden, about 50 feet long, with at least two masts
- Its cargo was wooden barrels of lime, possibly from the Rockland area of Maine
- It sunk between 1850 and 1880
- Most of the wood is charred, suggesting that the ship burned (lime reacts with water to produce heat, which can cause fires)
- Age and severe deterioration of the wood due to fire makes removing the ship’s remains highly unlikely
“We’ve enjoyed working closely with the talented team of archaeologists in their search for more information about the ship,” said Shawn Hurley, president and CEO of Skanska USA Commercial Development. “Skanska strives to be open and transparent, and we want to respect the communities where we develop and build. That means respecting their history. We are highly invested in Boston and believe its history is part of what makes it so special. It is fascinating to unlock some of that history while building the city’s future.”
With completion of the archaeological investigation and excavation, Skanska will resume construction activities. The company is committed to preserving as much of the deteriorated ship in its ongoing construction excavation process. The company hired an independent consultant, The Public Archaeology Laboratory, which will continue to work with the city to conduct additional research on the ship and compile a report expected later this summer.
121 Seaport joins Skanska’s two additional Seaport developments - 101 Seaport, a 17-story, 440,000-square-foot office tower with 20,000-square-feet of ground floor retail which is home to PwC’s new headquarters, and Watermark Seaport, a 300,000-square-foot residential building with ground floor retail that opened in early 2016 and is currently leasing. The three towers make up Boston’s most sustainable block and will connect Boston’s historic Fort Point neighborhood to its contemporary Seaport District.
Skanska USA Commercial Development invests in and develops sustainable office and multi-family properties in Boston, Houston, Seattle and Washington, D.C. Since 2009, Skanska has invested approximately $1.5 billion in nearly a dozen projects in its select markets. Skanska self-finances the majority of its projects and serves as the construction manager. Each Skanska USA Commercial Development project aims to achieve a minimum LEED Gold certification.
