Brookline, MA According to Kaplan Construction, its work on the Boston University (BU) Children’s Center has earned a national Excellence in Construction Pyramid Award, presented during the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Convention 2021 in Grapevine, Texas, on March 10^th. The EIC awards program is the industry’s leading competition that honors both general and specialty contractors for world-class, safe, and innovative construction projects.

“The BU Children’s Center involved a complicated renovation of a 115-year-old historic mansion and construction of a new addition in a dense residential neighborhood. The project was technically demanding and there was no shortage of surprises along the way. We are honored to be recognized for our work with this Excellence in Construction Award,” said Nathan Peck, president of Kaplan Construction. “When the COVID-19 pandemic emerged in March, we worked closely with BU, the town of Brookline, and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to implement a site-specific safety plan to comply with ever-changing regulations. Despite these challenges, our team pulled together with no major impact to the original schedule.”

Kaplan completed renovations to an existing 17,000 s/f Tudor revival house and the construction of a 3,000 s/f addition to create an expanded Children’s Center for BU at 10 Lenox St. Designed by studioMLA Architects, the project integrated 21^st century technology and sustainability through high-performance building systems, healthy materials, and indoor environments, while at the same time respecting the historical integrity of the original mansion. Targeting LEED Gold certification, the full-time early childhood education program can now accommodate 92 children across seven classrooms and began welcoming families in August 2020.

“For more than 30 years, ABC has honored award-winning construction projects like the BU Children’s Center because the work by the team at Kaplan Construction exemplifies excellence in our industry,” said 2021 ABC National chair of the board of directors Steve Klessig, vice president of architecture and engineering at Keller Inc. “This world-class construction project is a vital part of our economic engine, built safely, on time and under budget, and it is an honor to congratulate Kaplan for its commitment to setting the standard for excellence in construction.”

The EIC award honors all construction team members, including the contractor, owner, architect, and engineer. The winning projects, selected from entries across the nation, were judged on complexity, attractiveness, unique challenges overcome, completion time, workmanship, innovation, safety, and cost.

This year’s panel included representatives from Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International, Smithsonian Facilities Construction Division, Construction Management Association of America, Engineering News-Record (ENR), Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA), and various construction-related firms nationwide. PeopleReady Skilled Trades was the presenting sponsor of the Excellence in Construction® Awards.

The project team members for the Children’s Center project include:

Owner: Boston University

Owner’s Representative: Stantec

Construction Manager: Kaplan Construction

Architect/Landscape Architect: studioMLA Architects

Structural Engineer: Foley Buhl Roberts & Associates, Inc.

Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, and Fire Protection Engineer: Garcia Galuska Desousa Consulting Engineers

Civil Engineer: Nitsch Engineering