Mixed-use

Old School Redesigned as Urban Village

Powder House rendering / Sebastian Mariscal Studio

Somerville, MAKaplan Construction is providing construction management services to Powder House, a new mixed-use development in Somerville.

The 91,000sf Powder House decommissioned community school in Teele Square will consist of 48 residential apartments, over 23,000sf of commercial space, and more than 52,000sf of open green space.

A community-driven project, Powder House for Somerville is designed as an inclusive, intergenerational urban village.

The project team members include owner: Powder House Living, LLC; architect: Sebastian Mariscal Studio; construction manager: Kaplan Construction; structural engineer: Foley Buhl Roberts; MEP/FP engineer: Wozny/Barbar & Associates; and landscape architect: Ground View.

Residentially, the campus-style environment will include 28 market-rate units, eight artist live/work units, and 12 senior housing units.

Public space elements of the project will include a flexible community hub with an outdoor amphitheater, commercial space, and a public park. A large solar farm will be built onsite.

The Powder House project includes the addition of concrete and steel structure to an existing precast concrete building that will bring the building to meet today’s seismic code. The entire exterior envelope  will be replaced with new framing and sheathing that will bring a modern look but also be respectful to the building’s past. New windows will be installed as well as all new MEP/FP systems.

A shared recreation room with kitchen, a patio, and a covered outdoor plaza, a courtyard and a park, all will be available for everyone to enjoy. A garden will sit atop the newly enclosed parking garage roof, and 48 vehicle parking spaces will be located onsite, as well as large bicycle storage.

The project reaches 29 of the 39 goals set by SomerVision, Somerville’s 20-year citywide plan for smart growth, open space development, public transit expansion, and sustainability.

“Choosing Kaplan was a natural decision to lead us in this highly innovative, collaborative project inspired by the diversity and vibrancy of the community,” said Sebastian Mariscal, developer and lead designer at PowderHouse Living, LLC. “Powder House for Somerville is revolutionizing the way public and private developments can work together to create a cohesive environment that increases the quality of life for everyone through community, architecture, landscape and art.”