South Boston, MA According to Kaplan Construction, a WBE general contractor and construction management firm providing comprehensive building programs across Greater Boston, their work on Castle Island Brewery has earned the company a national Excellence in Construction Eagle Award, presented during the annual Associated Builders and Contractors National Convention in Las Vegas on February 26. The EIC awards recognized 96 of the nation’s top construction projects from 2024, honoring the most outstanding construction projects, such as upgrades and renovations to hospitals and constructing hydraulic stations, sports complexes, government buildings, and airports. Kaplan won in the commercial category for projects up to $10 million.
Located within an existing industrial building, Castle Island Brewery South Boston features a 4,000 s/f main tasting room with seating for 220 people, a retail area, and a 1,900 s/f private event space which can accommodate up to 140 people. A quarter of Castle Island’s new space accommodates the brewing operations, including a brewhouse and seven 10-barrel tanks. During construction, Kaplan uncovered unexpected conditions in the century-old building, including an unusually thick concrete slab, underground obstructions, and deteriorated plumbing. These findings required collaboration with the structural engineer and significant adjustments, including replacing plumbing and rebuilding several walls. Other key challenges included working within the building’s compact footprint and overcoming the impacts of COVID-19.
“Our team overcame unexpected site conditions and contaminated soil in South Boston’s dense urban landscape,” said Nathan Peck, president of Kaplan Construction. “This project has always stood out to us for those reasons, and we are delighted to see it receive national recognition. It is especially gratifying to be honored for a project with Castle Island Brewing Company, a valued repeat client.”
“This project is the epitome of excellence, demonstrating quality, health, safety and innovation in our industry,” said 2025 Chair of the ABC National Board of Directors David Pugh, partner, Bradley, Birmingham, Alabama. “The teams at Kaplan Construction are the best of the best in merit shop construction. Castle Island Brewery South Boston is an industry-leading construction project, showing how members of ABC build projects safely, on time and on budget. It is an honor to congratulate Kaplan for showcasing the pinnacle of construction excellence.”
A panel of industry experts served as the competition’s judges. This year’s judges included representatives from Dick’s Sporting Goods, the Design-Build Institute of America, Engineering News-Record, Construction Owners Association of America, the National Institutes of Health, the National Institute of Building Sciences, the Smithsonian Institution, and other select construction-related organizations nationwide.
The project team members for this award-winning project include:
- Client: Castle Island Brewing Company
- Developer: National Development
- Construction Manager: Kaplan Construction
- Architect: Joe the Architect
- MEP/FP Engineer: BLW Engineers
- Structural Engineer: Souza True & Partners
