Allston Labworks is a mixed-use development in Boston’s Allston neighborhood that combines life science research space with residential, retail and community-focused public areas. The campus includes advanced laboratory facilities, housing and more than an acre of publicly accessible open space designed to support tenant collaboration.
The development includes street-level retail occupied by local businesses, including FiDO, Park Bagelry and Molly’s Bookstore. Studio and gallery spaces along Artists’ Way provide space for exhibitions, events and community programs.
The project features 133 tons of cold-formed steel (CFS) framing, installed by specialty contractor and Steel Framing Industry Association (SFIA) member T.J. McCartney, Inc. T.J. McCartney is the 2025 SFIA Industry Project and Product Awards winner for the project, winning in the High Rise category. Jesse Vaillancourt of T.J. McCartney submitted the SFIA Awards entry.
Featured image: Construction of Allston Labworks in Boston featured cold-formed steel (CFS) framing. Images courtesy of T.J. McCartney.
At Level 5 on the southeast elevation, cold-formed steel (CFS) framing supports both the Aluminum Composite Material panel facade and the unitized curtainwall system.
T.J. McCartney’s win was announced at the 2025 SFIA Awards ceremony held live recently and posted online. The SFIA 2025 Industry Project and Product Awards, an annual awards competition, focuses on CFS manufacturing and construction. Designers, manufacturers, distributors and contractors entered a variety of projects in the 2025 competition.
Design Quality
Did this project make efficient use of metal framing products?
Allston Labworks project used CFS framing products efficiently, Vaillancourt said in the T.J. McCartney SFIA Awards competition entry submission. CFS Framing eliminated the need for heavy — and more costly — Hollow Structural Sections (welded steel tubes cross-sections) support for the curtainwall.
A secondary cold-formed steel (CFS) stud wall braces the exterior fly-by stud wall from Level 3 and above.
T.J. McCartney crews installed multi-story box jambs using cold-formed steel (CFS) framing and tower crane placement. Several assemblies weighed more than 600 pounds.
Installation Complexity
What difficulties existed on the project?
The project used numerous fly-by box jambs, which spanned a few stories. T.J. McCartney fabricated the jambs on site. The firm used a tower crane to install them. Some of the fly-by box jambs weighed over 600 pounds.
Manufacturing Complexity
Were special materials involved?
T.J. McCartney partnered with a curved-track manufacturer to produce custom track and box beam sections to frame the building’s curved corners. A separate stud manufacturer fabricated custom angle clips to support the building’s sloped framing conditions. The remainder of the structure used standard cold-formed metal framing in a range of web sizes and gauges.
Cold-formed steel (CFS) framing installation progresses along the exterior wall at Alliston Labworks, including hoist infill framing during staged enclosure construction.
At the north elevation, cold-formed steel (CFS) framing supports Level 2 fly-by conditions that create the building slope, with secondary interior stud walls providing additional structural support.
Cold-formed steel (CFS) framing fly-by assemblies at the south elevation are shown before capping top track installation. T.J. McCartney crews field-cut extended jamb studs to achieve the required slope.
Conversion to Steel
How was conversion to metal framing achieved?
Cold-formed steel was used in lieu of structural steel to support the unitized and metal panel curtainwalls. Using CFS instead of structural steel provided a cost savings to the project.
Overall Job Quality
How did the completed system turn out?
The project team executed detailed Building Information Modeling coordination during preconstruction to validate design intent and eliminate conflicts before installation began. Crews laid out walls to maintain the exterior sheathing plane while shifting cold-formed metal framing buildup to the building interior, helping maintain envelope tolerances and finish continuity.
The team used a laser layout system to project horizontal and vertical control points directly from the coordinated BIM to the field, increasing layout accuracy and installation consistency.
T.J. McCartney is the 2025 SFIA Industry Project and Product Awards winner for the project, winning in the High Rise category.
Allston Labworks, Boston
Allston Labworks
Boston, Massachusetts
Details: 133 tons of cold-formed steel (CFS), 263,000 square feet, high rise
PEOPLE
Owner
King Street PropertiesArchitect
Dimella SchaefferGeneral Contractor
Consigli Construction CompanyCFS Engineer
McClureCFS Interior Contractor
T.J. McCartney, Inc.
SFIA Industry Project and Product Awards
The 2025 SFIA Industry Project and Product Awards focus on cold-formed steel (CFS) manufacturing and construction. A panel of industry representatives judged all 2025 SFIA Awards entries based on the following criteria:
- Design Quality, such as the efficient and sustainable use of CFS products
- Installation Complexity, focusing on conflict resolution, timeframe challenges, etc.
- Manufacturing Complexity, including custom orders, panelization, special material sourcing and more
- Overall Job Quality, including the quality of alignments, finishes and other attention to detail
- Conversion from Alternative Framing Material, reflecting how steel framing lowered a structure’s weight, or added stories, or helped lower the project’s builders’ risk insurance, etc.
About SFIA
The Steel Framing Industry Association (SFIA), a unique organization representing steel mills, coil coaters, stud and connector manufacturers, component fabricators, Cold-Formed Steel Engineers Institute (CFSEI) members, suppliers/distributors, contractors and others, provides members with exclusive access to technical cold-formed steel (CFS) framing services, including CFS certification, environmental product declarations, market data and analysis, technical design guides, specification review services, architectural services, the Steel Framing Learning Portal , the SFIA Awards and more. SFIA is an accredited ANSI Standards Development Organization. Follow SFIA on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Additional Resources
- The Steel Framing Industry Association (SFIA) Names 13 Recipients of the 2025 Industry Awards
- SFIA Unveils 9 Winners of the 2024 Industry Project Awards
- SFIA Reveals 7 Winners of the 2023 Industry Project Awards in Online Ceremony