The new Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Iron Horse Park Operations Control Center (Figure 1) is designed to house dispatching and administrative operations for the MBTA north-side commuter rail system and the dispatching operations of the system for a commercial freight rail operator. The new 24/7 mission-critical facility features a clerestory that allows abundant natural light into the primary dispatching area, a state-of-the-art video wall, and doubly redundant MEP systems to protect against single points of failure. The challenges associated with constructing this essential facility on a site that could liquefy in an earthquake were identified early and drove several decisions regarding the ground floor level and foundation system. The MBTA selected Simpson Gumpertz & Heger, Inc. (SGH) to lead a multi-disciplinary design team for the design of the new facility. SGH served as the project’s Structural Engineer of Record (SEOR).