Kaplan Const. provides services for Powder House development

Somerville, MA Kaplan Construction is providing construction management services to Powder House, a new mixed-use development. The 91,000 s/f Powder House Community School in Teele Sq. will consist of 48 residential apartments, over 23,000 s/f of commercial space, and more than 52,000 s/f of open green space.

A community driven project, Powder House  is designed as an inclusive, inter-generational urban village. 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 on-site.

The Powder House project includes the addition of concrete and steel structure to the existing precast concrete building. The additional structure will bring the building to meet today’s seismic code. The entire exterior envelope has been removed and 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 throughout the building as well as all new MEP/FP systems.

An abundance of public space and community space, including a shared recreation room with kitchen, a patio, and a covered outdoor plaza, a courtyard and a park, will be available for everyone to enjoy. A garden will sit atop the newly enclosed parking garage roof. Additionally, 48 vehicle parking spaces will be located on-site, as well as large bicycle storage.

“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.”

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

The project team members for Powder House for Somerville 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: GroundView.

With over 40 years of multifamily experience in its portfolio, Kaplan has worked on both new construction and renovation projects for apartment complexes and condominiums of all sizes and styles throughout Greater Boston. Most recently, Kaplan provided construction management services at 40 Berkeley St. for The Mount Vernon Company; 839 Beacon St. for WaypointKLA; Nine Williams St. for Madison Park Development Corp.; Lyman School Apartments for East Boston Community Development Corp.; Tilia in Jamaica Plain for Luzern Associates and Urbanica; and various renovations for Equity Residential.