Education

Boston GC Begins BU Expansion & Renovation

BU Children’s Center / Rendering courtesy of studioMLA Architects

Boston –  Kaplan Construction, a WBE general contractor and construction management firm, announced it has started work on two projects for Boston University (BU). The company is providing construction management services at the BU Children’s Center and the Case Athletic Center.

After a full demolition in May, Kaplan began construction on an expanded facility for BU Children’s Center, a full-time early childhood education program for children of BU faculty and students.

An existing historic 17,000sf house at 10 Lenox St. in Brookline, Mass. will be fully renovated, and Kaplan will build a new 3,000sf building in the demolished space that will connect to the main facility. The house will undergo a complete rehabilitation with structural updates, new stairs and elevator, new utility services, and all new mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems.

The outdoor area will feature a combination of natural and manufactured play spaces, and several mature trees will be preserved to achieve a backyard-like atmosphere.

Once completed, the Children’s Center will have the necessary space to accommodate separate infant, toddler, pre-K, and preschool classrooms; free play areas; and indoor gross-motor areas. The building is being designed to meet LEED certification and will be ADA accessible.

Working with the Brookline Preservation Commission and the town of Brookline, the goal of architecture firm studioMLA was to adapt the Tudor revival style house into a modern childcare center while maintaining the residential character of the site.

The Children’s Center is expected to be completed in the spring of 2020.

On Babcock Street, Kaplan is performing exterior and interior renovations to BU’s Case Athletic Center. Kaplan is installing a new entry staircase and ramp with an overhead canopy as well as new landscaping, site work, and the replacement of 6,500sf of sidewalk.

Interior updates include new finishes such as ceilings, flooring, and lighting, and a full upgrade to the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems. Included in the renovation is a new ticketing office and lobby bathrooms.

The project is slated to be complete this fall.