Boston – Kaplan Construction has begun work at Congregation Kehillath Israel on Harvard Street in Brookline. Kaplan will provide construction management services for the complete interior renovation to the existing buildings and a 10,000sf addition. The work, designed to improve the facilities and make them ADA-compliant, is scheduled to be complete in 2018.
Architectural rendering by Handlin, Garrahan & Associates
Kaplan played a critical role in the five-year preconstruction phase that consisted of numerous design concepts, budget analyses, and brainstorming to craft the temple’s new mission and identity and balance the congregation’s vision with their fundraising efforts.
Project team members include: Handlin, Garrahan & Associates, project architect; WaypointKLA, owner’s rep; Stantec of Boston, landscape architect/civil engineer; Energy Economics, MEP engineer; Foley Buhl Roberts & Associates, Inc., structural engineer; and Building Envelope Technology, waterproof engineer.
The interior renovations will require heavy structural modifications and the installation of new bathrooms and modern HVAC, mechanical, and lighting systems. An elevator will be installed to create an accessible means of travel between the original historic structure and its subsequent additions.
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The new addition will create a spectacular social hall with a catering kitchen and direct access from the sanctuary for hosting wedding receptions, bar and bat mitzvahs, and other special events.
In 2016, Kaplan completed the exterior restoration to the congregation’s sanctuary and school, which were originally constructed in 1924. The project featured a new terra cotta tile roof, gutters, and main staircase to the sanctuary, and required the production of cast stone pieces to match the original texture, color and architectural design to restore the masonry.
