Boston – BOND, a 107-year-old construction management firm, recently announced that it is a recipient of a Preservation Achievement Award from the Boston Preservation Alliance for its work revitalizing and restoring two historic buildings — the city of Boston’s former print shop and the North End Police Station — for use as the North Bennet Street School’s (NBSS) new home. The project brings all of the school’s educational programs under the same roof for the first time in history.
The NBSS relocation included the renovation and interconnection of two separate structures, totaling more than 60,000sf, into a comprehensive facility housing classroom space, craft and carpentry workshops, and ground-floor public and gallery spaces. As both buildings are listed in the National Register of Historic Places, exterior restoration work required approval from both the City of Boston Redevelopment Authority and the National Parks Commission.
BOND worked closely with NBSS and the design team at Kennedy & Violich Architecture to complete the preconstruction and construction services for his major effort.
Bestowed annually since 1988, the Preservation Achievement Awards honor outstanding achievements in historic preservation and compatible new construction in Boston. Celebrated for their positive impact on the city’s built environment, winning projects are regarded as models for future preservation work.
“BOND has a long history of preserving some of the city of Boston’s most prominent buildings. We are honored to accept this prestigious award from the Boston Preservation Alliance,” said BOND President Robert Murray. “The North Bennet Street School provides wonderful educational opportunities to its student body, now situated under one roof. We are extremely proud to have been involved in this project.”
Located in Boston’s North End for the past 125 years, NBSS offers a remarkable environment where master craftsmen from eight time-honored trades can share their educational knowledge, talent, and enthusiasm. The move provided much-needed space for the main facility and for growing education programs and further collaborations with the community.
The school, which officially opened its doors on September 9, 2013 to welcome 164 students, the largest enrollment in the school’s history, offers renewed programs teaching the arts of furniture-making, carpentry, locksmithing, bookbinding, and jewelry making and repair to students.
Previous Preservation Achievement Award winners include The Lenox Hotel, Fenway Park, The Boston Athenaeum, Trinity Church, The Liberty Hotel, The Paramount Center, Atlantic Wharf, and The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.
BOND received its 2014 Preservation Achievement Award on October 21 at a celebration held at Faneuil Hall, attended by prominent architects, developers, and preservationists from throughout the greater Boston area.
