Resolving Challenges

In Boston’s Chinatown, Corcoran Jennison embarked on a $40 million rehabilitation project to preserve a piece of neighborhood history. The former Catholic high school was transformed into the 268-room Doubletree Hotel Downtown and the 45,000 square foot Wang YMCA. For years, the Chinatown YMCA had been operating out of a temporary structure, while a nearby Catholic boy’s school with an Olympic size swimming pool and full court basketball was closing down. CJ’s innovative plan involved allocating part of the school site for the Wang YMCA, which preserved the historic court, while the remaining part of the building became the upscale Doubletree hotel. To incorporate the community’s Asian culture into the interior design, Corcoran Jennison used Feng Shui design principles. This project not only created a new and attractive destination for visitors but also provided a much-needed facility for the local community.