Boston – NEI General Contracting announced that two of its projects have been recognized by the Massachusetts Historical Commission’s (MHC) 41st Annual Preservation Awards, including the Paul & Niki Tsongas Award, the Robert H. Kuehn Award, and a People’s Choice Award.
In addition, a third project constructed by NEI, the Lenox Schoolhouse, was nominated for an award this year.
Maple Commons
Maple Commons, which received the Paul & Niki Tsongas Award and People’s Choice Award, consists of 11 separate buildings, including 173 apartments and a community building. The project spreads across two city blocks in the downtown Springfield Lower Maple Historic District.
Built between 1910 and 1917, the four-story buildings were primarily brick with craftsman-style ornamentation. This past year, Maple Commons underwent a substantial renovation of all the buildings, including extensive site work. This is NEI’s seventh project with First Resource Development Company, Inc.
Project team members include: owner, First Resource Development Company, Inc.; general contractor, NEI General Contracting; architect, The Architectural Team, Inc.; structural engineer, Waterman Consulting; civil engineer, Heritage Survey; mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protecting (MEP/FP); engineer, South Shore Construction Consultants; historic consultant, Tremont Preservation Service, LLC; and environmental consultant, Axiom Partners and Harvard environmental.
Bethany Apartments
NEI received the Robert H. Kuehn Award for Bethany Apartments. In its fourth project for the Planning Office for Urban Affairs, Inc., a non-profit housing developer affiliated with the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston, NEI oversaw the historic adaptive re-use of the 56,000sf Kennedy Hall at Cardinal Cushing Center in Hanover into 37 affordable and workforce housing units, now known as Bethany Apartments.
Project team members include: general contractor, NEI General Contracting; architect, The Architectural Team (TAT); civil engineer and landscape architect, Horsley Witten Group; mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protecting (MEP/FP); engineer, Wozny Barbar & Associates; historic consultant, MacRostie Historic Advisors, LLC; and owner’s rep, WaypointKLA, Inc.
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“We are very proud that three of our projects were nominated this year – more than any other construction firm,” said Josef Rettman, principal of NEI General Contracting. “We are dedicated to the preservation of historic and landmark properties. These projects require both a thorough understanding of preservation techniques as well as careful planning for the integration of new elements into existing structures. We would like to congratulate all of the firms associated with projects nominated this year.”
The MHC founded the Preservation Awards program in recognition of the challenge of preserving our national legacy, and a cultural heritage rich in historic resources. Awards are presented annually to preservation projects or individuals that have displayed an outstanding commitment to historic preservation in Massachusetts.
