Elizabeth on Seventh

Breaking the mold of traditional office design, this project is crafted to merge seamlessly with the area’s history of vibrant energy, while incorporating a modern twist in the architecture. It was important during the design and preconstruction phases to create a building that complements the traditional feel of the surrounding neighborhood while enhancing the area’s offerings for residents and guests.

The project is centered around a pedestrian-friendly focus that incorporates visually stunning art pieces, including two murals by local artists that pay tribute to the Elizabeth community; attractive landscaping; road and sidewalk improvements; and three outdoor terrace areas for the community to gather. To address the desire for more parking in the area – a consideration amplified by the additional retail and corporate office space – the newly constructed parking deck is aesthetically layered with attractive screening, manicured landscaping, and other eye-catching architectural elements.

Logistic Considerations and Community Communications

As Elizabeth on Seventh sits right next door to a daycare center, the project team was dutiful in prioritizing the safety and security of this mixed-use construction project. Throughout the process, the team worked closely with the Elizabeth community to provide frequent updates on project progress and manage the expectations of the neighborhood. Specifically, the team worked in conjunction with the Elizabeth Community Association (ECA) to provide weekly updates on the project’s construction and ensure transparency to keep everyone in sync.

Calling upon Choate’s experience that incorporating the latest in health and wellness certifications, Elizabeth on Seventh achieves a Fitwel 1-Star Certification, which showcases the prioritization of wellness throughout the building’s design, development, and operations processes. The project is also awarded the LEED Silver and WiredScore Platinum certifications.

Some of the notable sustainable features of this mixed-use construction project include heat island reduction driven by a minimum of 75% of under-cover parking spaces, reduction in outdoor water use by 50%, storage and collection of recyclables, and access to quality transit options on this high-priority site.

Additionally, the construction of this project incorporated the U.S. Green Building Council’s Daylighting Credit Option 2 Simulation for illuminance calculations to determine the intensity of direct daylight and assess glare- and energy-reduction components. Quality views were also taken into consideration to connect tenants with the outdoors, reinforce circadian rhythms, and reduce the energy used for lighting, resulting in 92% of occupied floor area featuring a direct line of sight outside via vision glazing.