The Construction Management Association of America's New England Region has awarded BOND the Project Achievement Award in the Renovation/Modernization category for their work on the Wentworth Institute of Technology's Center for Sciences and Biomedical Engineering.
As part of the Wentworth's Institutional Master Plan, the existing Ira Allen Building was transformed into the new Center for Sciences and Biomedical Engineering. An elementary school prior to Wentworth's acquisition of the building in 1980, Ira Allen required a major overhaul to better accommodate the Institute's science department and make way for a new biomedical engineering program.
The three-story structure underwent an 18,000 s/f renovation, while an 18,000 s/f steel and concrete addition doubled the facility's size, creating necessary space for 12 new, research laboratories, classrooms, and 36 faculty offices. The expansion's façade is composed of brick, granite, metal panels and cedar. Construction also included the installation of all new mechanical systems, including a new elevator, lab exhaust system, air handlers, boilers, and a PH neutralization system.
A large open space called the Forum joins the renovation with the new construction, providing an area for students to meet and share ideas. A new entrance opening into the Forum bridges the old with the new, while also making the building fully accessible. Prior to its renovation, the Ira Allen building had no on-grade entry. Interior finishes in the Forum include a polished concrete floor, acoustical wood ceiling, and a marble and travertine tile donor wall.
David Shrestinian, BOND senior vice president and principal in charge on the project, said, "BOND was thrilled to be part of this innovative project with Wentworth Institute of Technology. Working with Wentworth is always exciting for us both personally and professionally."
The renovation and expansion of Wentworth's existing Ira Allen Building plays an integral part in meeting the Institute's goals for the future. The building provides a unified home for the Institute's Science and Biomedical Engineering programs, fostering collaboration between areas of study that were previously learned and researched in disjointed locations. Completed four months ahead of the original schedule with strong neighborhood involvement, the construction of Wentworth's Center for Sciences and Biomedical Engineering was a huge success for all stakeholders.
Since 1907 BOND has been involved in some of the region's most complex vertical and horizontal construction projects. With two distinct groups, operating as construction managers for academic and healthcare clients, and self-performing general contractors for the power and energy industry, BOND is well known for delivering reliable, safe, and high quality work. The building division has completed high profile projects such as Harvard University's Northwest Science Labs and MIT's famed Media Lab in Cambridge, and the AstraZeneca Hope Lodge for the American Cancer Society in Boston; while the civil & utility division has successfully completed two of the largest regional underground high-voltage electrical transmission line projects in New England's history.