ABC MA member Kaplan Construction has been busy completing its ninth renovation project at Northeastern University, reconfiguring the Office of Student Orientation and Frost Lounge at Ell Hall on the school’s Boston campus, and also renovating St. Paul's Episcopal Church by overseeing interior and exterior renovations to the existing church, including reconstructing the Children's Education space to accommodate additional Sunday School and youth programming. 

Kaplan Construction Completes Ninth Renovation Project at Northeastern University
 
Construction management firm provided fast-tracked services to accommodate academic calendar
 
BOSTON – April 26, 2018 – Kaplan Construction, a WBE general contractor and construction management firm providing comprehensive building programs across Greater Boston, announced today that it has completed renovations at Northeastern University. This marks Kaplan’s ninth project for the University.

“We approached this project with the needs of the school as a top priority. Academic institutions face unique challenges during construction, particularly when it comes to accommodating student schedules,” said Nate Peck, president of Kaplan Construction. “We are proud to have delivered this fast-tracked renovation project on time and with minimal disruption.”

Kaplan reconfigured the Office of Student Orientation and Frost Lounge at Ell Hall on the school’s Boston campus. The 2,000 SF renovation, designed by Boston-based Dyer Brown, was commissioned to increase the lounge’s existing footprint and provide a central reception area surrounded by private offices for student orientation. The entire space was refreshed with the installation of all new mechanical and electrical systems as well as new lighting, interior finishes, windows, glass walls and doors, wood ceilings, flooring, and millwork. RDK Engineers provided mechanical and electrical engineering services.
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Founded in 1898, Northeastern is a global, experiential, research university built on a tradition of engagement with the world, creating a distinctive approach to education and research. The university offers a comprehensive range of undergraduate and graduate programs leading to degrees through the doctorate in nine colleges and schools, and select advanced degrees at graduate campuses in Charlotte, North Carolina, Seattle, Silicon Valley, and Toronto. 

Kaplan Construction Renovating St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
 
Construction firm brings child care construction expertise to Brookline Parish

BOSTON – June 13, 2018 – Kaplan Construction, a WBE general contractor and construction management firm providing comprehensive building programs across Greater Boston, announced today it is renovating St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Brookline, Mass., a family-oriented church founded in 1849. Serving as construction manager, Kaplan will oversee interior and exterior renovations to the existing church, including reconstructing the Children's Education space to accommodate additional Sunday School and youth programming.

Designed by the architectural team of studioMLA, Brookline, Mass. and David L. King Architects, Boston, Mass., most of the project involves the transformation of 2,500 SF located on the lower level of the Parish Hall. The reconfigured space will include the addition of new bathrooms, multiple classrooms equipped with kitchenettes, and a dedicated office for child care staff. David L. King Architects helped to develop the exterior in a manner that was complementary to the original building, and studioMLA’s interiors team integrated fun light fixtures, colorful accent walls, and new flooring to modernize the space while protecting its historic character.

Exterior improvements include creating an outdoor play area, garden terraces, and a new storm water management system. Providing direct access to a new outdoor play area, studioMLA’s landscape architecture group designed a separate entrance for the lower level and a new paved pathway that connects the vestibule with a classroom. New, larger windows will be installed in the lower level to welcome more natural light. Improvements to other areas of the Church and Parish Hall include a new accessible ramp per ADA standards, mechanical system upgrades throughout all offices, and new finishes to rejuvenate the building.

“Kaplan’s expertise and impressive resume of building both houses of worship and child care centers throughout Greater Boston were key factors in their selection,” said Reverend Jeffrey Mello, rector at St. Paul's. “They were instrumental in helping us refine the project scope and prioritize budget allocations and have thoughtfully and thoroughly developed a strategic plan to guide the renovations.”
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Additional project team members include Garcia, Galuska & DeSousa for MEP engineering and Roome & Guarracino for structural engineering. The project is expected to be complete in Summer of 2018.  

About Kaplan Construction
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Kaplan Construction is a WBE general contractor and construction management company that provides comprehensive building programs including preconstruction planning, construction management, design-build services, and general construction for commercial, healthcare, multi-family, worship, and institutional clients. Serving Greater Boston since 1976, Kaplan is dedicated to building trusted, long-lasting relationships with its staff and clients based on professional teamwork, personal service, and quality craftsmanship. The company’s proactive approach features lean building techniques and integrated project delivery (IPD) that often realize substantial cost savings and earlier completion dates for its clients, while its dedication to safety far surpasses industry standards. Kaplan has earned its reputation for excellent customer service and superb workmanship, and the company’s highly successful projects have garnered a long list of industry awards and repeat clients. For more information, please visit www.kaplanconstructs.com. 

Worcester Telegram (June 10, 2018) - The Worcester City Council is flirting with illegal and discriminatory hiring mandates on public school projects. Masquerading as job-creation policies, the real purpose is to create a monopoly for organized labor.

City councilors floated the idea last month to require a percentage of workers on school construction projects to live in Worcester. They also suggested hiring only union workers by entering a project labor agreement with organized labor.

The moves came in support of a request by the mayor for a report on whether a percentage of local workers could be negotiated in contracts for construction of the new South High Community School, and on whether the South High and Doherty Memorial High school replacement projects would qualify for project labor agreements, also known as PLAs. These pre-bid agreements between a project owner and one or more unions require that only union labor be used in exchange for provisions that include a no-strike clause.

Residency requirements and PLAs have been heavily litigated and there is considerable case law against them. The wiser course is for the city to follow state public bidding laws.

Read more Here...

We are excited to announce the ABC MA Hockey Challenge. Our ABC membership companies can enter a team of 10 skaters and a goalie, or individuals from our member companies can play on the ABC MA team and the winning company will take home the ABC MA Hockey Challenge Trophy!

Proceeds from the event will be awarded in the form of scholarships to vocational school students who attend classes at the Gould Construction Institute.

There are sponsorship opportunities available. Please consider being a sponsor of this exciting family event:

To enter a team or become a sponsor please contact Steve Sullivan at steve@abcma.org or 781-273-0123. This will be a great experience for those who want to compete or cheer them on!  The Warrior Ice Arena is the new practice facility of the Boston Bruins.  Watch for more information on the ABC Hockey Challenge as the teams develop and we get closer to the exciting competition.    ​

​On Thursday, June 14th, over 80 ABC members gathered at ABC MA's headquarters in Woburn, MA for the 5th Annual Spring Fling. Those in attendance enjoyed several food and beverage vendors, including the Beer Mobile, the Whoo(pie) Wagon from Topsfield Bakeshop, and Pennypackers, who provided attendees with fantastic barbecue. Members mingled, enjoyed delicious food and refreshing drinks, and battled it out on the cornhole court until sundown. The Unicorn Park pond backdrop and festive atmosphere provided a great start to the summer! We would like to thank all of you that attended and our generous sponsors, Denron Plumbing and HVAC as well as our Drink Sponsor EnviroVantage.

Last week, over twenty ABC MA members attended the second installment of ABC MA's Legal Roundtable. Attorneys Robert Rudolph and Adam Shafran, from the law firm Rudolph Friedmann, provided information on new developments in employment law including the Massachusetts Earned Sick Time Law, Pay Equity Law, Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, issues surrounding discrimination and harassment, and an update on the potential impacts of medical and recreational marijuana on employers. We thank Robert and Adam, and everyone else who attended this informative event. 

ABC MA's Legal Roundtable was established to provide an opportunity for ABC members to gather and hear from our expert member attorneys on current legal topics and trends impacting the construction industry and ask questions on these and other legal matters. 
 
We will be hosting two additional Legal Roundtables this year, tentatively scheduled for Tuesday September 11th and Tuesday December 11th. 

If you would like to join ABC MA's Legal Roundtable, have a topic you would wish to hear more about, or are an ABC associate member attorney that would like to present at an upcoming ABC MA Legal Roundtable, please contact Rob McGovern at Rob@abcma.org. 

BOSTON – May 9, 2018  – Kaplan Construction, a WBE general contractor and construction management firm providing comprehensive building programs across Greater Boston, announced today that its president, Nate Peck, has been named one of the 2018 Top Young Professionals by the editorial board of Engineering News-Record (ENR) Magazine. Nate was one of 11 honorees from across the New England region selected by independent juries of industry leaders based on the candidate's industry experience, leadership skills and community service.

“Kaplan has formed deep roots after more than four decades of commitment to Brookline and the Greater Boston area, and as president I am fully devoted to continuing and furthering the level of quality, service and professionalism that has become Kaplan’s signature,” said Nate. “I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute positively to my industry and utilize my skills to the benefit of my community. It is an honor to be recognized for this prestigious honor and listed alongside so many successful and impressive individuals in my field.” 

Each year, ENR Magazine recognizes individuals under the age of 40 who represent the industry’s top rising leaders. Winners are chosen from each region across the United States based on their impact in their respective fields or within their company as well as for exhibiting leadership and community involvement demonstrated by donating time and expertise to serve their communities.

ABC MA is excited to welcome H&K Insurance, a commercial insurance agency that has specialized in construction risk management since 1961. John Quinn, Sales Associate at H&K Insurance, specializes in creating custom insurance policies for construction clients. This includes builder’s risk, cyber liability, property insurance, bond insurance, commercial umbrella, commercial auto, group health & group life, employment practices liability (EPL), and business interruption/time element coverage.

H&K Insurance is a family-owned and operated agency that represents over 10,000 clients. They have the expertise and knowledge to create a top-notch insurance plan custom to your construction business. Imagine running your business feeling comfortable and assured that your business is financially backed by a strong insurance policy.

Contact John Quinn at 617-612-6533 or email him at jquinn@hkinsurance.com to discuss your construction insurance needs today!

On behalf of the Massachusetts Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors, I am pleased to congratulate the 58 companies that were recognized for their safety records at this year’s Safety & Education Night in May.  The dinner is one of ABC and the Gould Construction Institute’s (GCI’s) signature events and celebrates the commitment of our organization and member companies to worksite safety.

Another important occurrence at Safety & Education Night was the granting of three more Building Our Future Scholarships.  The scholarship invests in tomorrow’s construction industry talent by offering scholarships of up to $2,500 for deserving young people pursuing construction-related training after high school.

In the modern construction industry, finding qualified workers is as big a challenge as keeping them safe.  ABC’s pre-apprenticeship program, which began in April, is our latest effort to address this problem.  The program, aimed at inner-city youth, is providing empowerment and leadership skills, OSHA certification, hoisting license prep, 75 hours of general construction education training and job placement with ABC member companies.
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No discussion of safety and training would be complete without mentioning the upcoming retirement of Gould Construction Institute President Barbara Lagergren.  Barbara will retire at the end of this year after dedicating a total of 32 years to ABC’s Massachusetts Chapter, ABC National and, for the last 15 years, at the Gould.  GCI has record enrollment and the most recognition it has ever enjoyed.  We recognize her good work and even better spirit, which will be missed by the entire ABC family.  

-John K. Anderson

Associated Builders and Contractors of Massachusetts works diligently to provide our members with important industry information and resources for professional networking and development. Our communications program was designed with you in mind. Are you taking advantage of all we have to offer?
 
Here are three ways you can maximize the benefits of your membership today:
 
1. ABCMA.ORG

Our official website is the go-to source for construction industry professionals in Massachusetts. Here you can learn about our leadership, search for member benefits such as insurance, sign up for training, brainstorm your workforce development strategies, get involved in our advocacy efforts, and more!
 
2. Building Massachusetts Construction Users’ Guide and Directory

The official directory of ABC Massachusetts connects members like you with industry leaders. As an added benefit, this publication also presents you with product and service providers to make your decision-making process quicker than ever. Take advantage of our digital edition to access easy search functions.
 
3. Building Massachusetts Bi-Annual Magazine

Building Massachusetts magazine covers our state’s construction industry at length twice a year. In the both the Winter and Summer editions, award winners are honored alongside coverage of important construction initiatives in Massachusetts.
 
All of these important resources are available online 24/7 in digital format through our website.
 
Do you have feedback about our publications? We want to know! ABC Massachusetts resources were created to enrich your membership experience. Let us know how we can improve. Email Rob@abcma.org with comments or suggestions today.
 
Interested in advertising in our directory or magazine? Contact Ken Kepler, Publication Director
kkepler@naylor.com | (352) 333-6022

Longtime ABC MA member John Cruz was recently honored by The Massachusetts Women's Political Caucus with a Good Guys Award. The awards celebrate 17 years of honoring outstanding male leaders who have worked in their personal, professional, and civic lives to achieve parity for women. 

Gail Jackson-Blount, Board President for the MWPC, commented that "John is a pillar in our community and is doing what so many companies can do - and that is to help strengthen and build strong, sustainable communities for women and families. He understands that equal representation of women requires a collective effort of both women and men, and it is our mission to recognize today’s exceptional leaders who are working hard to advance women’s roles across all industries.” 

​John B. Cruz III, President and CEO of Cruz Companies, leads one of the oldest and largest minority-owned companies in the Northeast. Referred to by his nominator as "a community treasure", under John Cruz's direction, the company has been a leader in construction, real estate development, property management, and giving back to the community through its non-profit, "Cruz C.A.R.E.S." The firm employs approximately 75 individuals, of which 90 percent are people of color. Cruz Companies' MBE contractor participation rate is as high as 82 percent, serving as an industry leader in diversity and inclusion; and recognized by organizations like the NAACP and the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice. Headquartered in Roxbury and founded in 1948 by John's dad, John B. Cruz, Jr., this third-generation, family-owned firm is celebrating its 70th year in business.