International Place, the twin-tower complex that helps define Boston’s waterfront skyline, is trying a new way to keep desks filled: turn the office into an experience. The property has rolled out a rooftop terrace and Formula 1-style driving simulators as the splashiest pieces of a multi-year overhaul, part of roughly $100 million in reinvestment by The Chiofaro Company that reworks lobbies, retail and a large shared amenity floor across the two buildings. Landlords and brokers say these hospitality-inspired upgrades are meant to keep older downtown towers in the ring with glossier competitors in the Seaport and Back Bay.
What’s included in the renovation
According to the Boston Business Journal, The Chiofaro Company has invested about $100 million over roughly three years to reshape International Place’s public spaces and tenant amenities. The outlet reports that the overhaul features a roughly 23,000-square-foot amenity floor that includes a rooftop terrace and Formula 1-style simulators, alongside refreshed ground-floor retail and tenant lounges. It is all part of a broader repositioning that developers say is aimed at keeping the twin towers competitive with newer office product on the waterfront and in Back Bay.
Inside the Aries Club and tech-forward perks
International Place describes the Aries Club as a tenant-only hub that includes a bar, outdoor terrace and flexible event rooms, while a case study from Smart Spaces highlights immersive touches such as a golf simulator and F1 driving experiences. Taken together, the materials sketch a work-meets-wellness-meets-play setup that can host private events, casual competitions and everyday breakout time away from the desk. The marketing push also calls out rooftop decks, expanded EV charging and an upgraded fitness offering as key pieces of the new package.
Why landlords are betting on amenities
The amenity spree at International Place lands as Boston landlords increasingly double down on hotel-style perks to keep office space leased, a trend spotlighted by KKR’s 132,529-square-foot commitment to Two International Place last year. In a Business Wire press release announcing the lease, the firms linked the signing to the property’s multimillion-dollar reinvestment and called out the private roof deck as a selling point. Industry coverage, including reporting by Bisnow, has framed the project as part of a broader wave of mega amenity floors and experience-heavy upgrades in older downtown towers.
“KKR’s decision to plant a substantial flag at International Place is a major milestone for both the building and Boston’s business community,” Don Chiofaro Jr. said in the press release. The developer has leaned on that message in its marketing, pitching the amenity package as a core reason tenants should choose a downtown address over newer campus-style sites. For now, building managers say the Aries Club is expected to remain largely tenant-exclusive, with programming layered in for networking sessions and other tenant-focused events.
The redo also gives International Place a fresher public face that developers say is meant to better connect the towers to the Rose Kennedy Greenway and the downtown waterfront. The Chiofaro Company notes that the campus totals roughly 1.8 million square feet and supports thousands of employees each day, so the project is effectively a bet on preserving the complex’s role in Boston’s office ecosystem. If the rooftop deck and race-car simulators help keep tenants renewing, International Place could become a case study in how to retool legacy office buildings around the overall experience instead of tearing them down and starting from scratch.
