Erland Construction, Inc. has won a Gold Medal Building of America Award for the Cadet Residence Hall expansion project at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy (MMA). Standing out from hundreds of submissions, the project was rated as one of the most imaginative, unique, innovative and dynamic projects in New England. The award was given by Construction Communications and was featured in the Real Estate & Contruction Review-New England edition.
Teaming with architect Prellwitz/Chilinski Associates of Cambridge, Erland completed the MMA dormitory expansion in August of 2007. The project consisted adding two floors to two of the existing dormitories while they remained in use, thereby increasing capacity by 150 beds without taking away sites for future development needs. A one-story connector building that united the area on the first floor was demolished and then rebuilt into a 6-story structure to house a new elevator.
In order to complete this project successfully, the project team, in conjunction with MMA personnel, mapped out a detailed site utilization plan that determined the minute details of the project - including the proper phasing of work, where to place the cranes to ensure safety when swinging steel, and an evacuation plan for cadets and the construction crew.