Boston – Kaplan Construction announced its work on Castle Island Brewery in South Boston has earned an Excellence in Construction (EIC) Award from the Associated Builders and Contractors of Massachusetts (ABC MA). The awards ceremony was held on Nov. 7.
Kaplan was awarded the Eagle Award, an honor reserved for work that stands above the rest. It recognizes overall excellence in project execution, craftsmanship, safety, innovative elements and challenges, and client satisfaction. This marks the 10th time Kaplan has received the Eagle Award.
Located within an existing industrial building, Castle Island Brewery South Boston features a 4,000sf main tasting room with seating for 220 people, a retail area, and a 1,900sf 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. The new location opened for business in September 2021.
“Despite the many challenges our team faced, this project was marked by exceptional collaboration and seamless communication among Kaplan, ownership, and the design team,” stated Nathan Peck, president of Kaplan Construction. “A major highlight of the process was our shared dedication to preserving the building’s original character and finding creative ways to achieve that goal. We are honored to receive the EIC Award for our work, especially for a valued repeat client like Castle Island Brewing Company.”
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.
“We are proud to recognize the outstanding work of our member contractors through the ABC Excellence in Construction Awards,” said ABC MA president, Greg Beeman. “The winning contractors maintained a constant focus on meeting their clients’ needs and set a high bar for craftsmanship, quality, and safety.”
The project team also included National Development, developer; Joe the Architect, architect; BLW Engineers, MEP/FP engineer; and Souza True & Partners,
structural engineer.
