Cambridge, MA – Skanska USA announced that its building business unit has been awarded a $23.5 million contract for the comprehensive modernization of the Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ) Apartments, a 180-unit senior housing development owned by the Cambridge Housing Authority (CHA).
CHA was awarded a $10 million competitive grant for LBJ Apartments as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. As one of only 36 projects in the nation funded under this grant program, CHA committed to a “transformative change” in the approach to energy use at the property. The project is on track for a 50% reduction in energy use at the property, as well as onsite renewable energy generation in excess of 10 percent of the projected post retrofit energy needs. This will be achieved through a combination of roof-top solar PV, co-generation and energy recovery units. The property renovations will also provide for a sustainable, “greener” future for the residents, as the project is meeting the standards of HUD’s Green Communities Program for Substantial Renovations.
Other energy-efficient components of this renovation include replacement of all windows, a complete re-cladding of the building with an added layer of insulation, and a rainwater storage system to be used for irrigation.
The five and 12-story high-rise, cast-concrete building opened in 1973 and has received limited improvements since. The project will include the enclosure of existing balconies in approximately 50% of the building’s studio apartments to increase the unit’s square footage. Interior improvements include the conversion of electric baseboard heating to gas-fired hydronic heating and implementation of other sustainable systems including low-flow fixtures and energy-efficient lighting. Upon completion, there will be an additional five handicapped-accessible units and four units will be accessible to sensory-impaired residents.
