BOSTON – Kaplan Construction, a WBE general contractor and construction management firm providing comprehensive building programs across Greater Boston, announced today it has completed an expansion to the Bellesini Academy, an independent school supporting 100 students in grades five through eight in Lawrence, Mass.
Kaplan provided design/build services for the addition.
The two-story, 5,800 SF addition will provide a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics) Center for all students with a science lab, technology center, art center, movement center for yoga and dance, and an alumni lounge, as well as a hallway with four classrooms dedicated to the girls’ program. The ground up construction, built on the site of a former rectory, was connected to the existing school.
“We are thrilled to have expanded our campus. Bellesini Academy has quickly earned a reputation for delivering a high quality education, and the added space dedicated to embracing the components of STEAM academics and allowing us to welcome more students will help us sustain our advanced program as we continue to grow,” said Julie DiFilippo, head of school of Bellesini Academy. “Kaplan recognized the challenges we face as a tuition-free school and did their part to keep us on budget and on schedule.”
Bellesini Academy was founded in 2002 to provide a tuition-free, Catholic middle school education to boys in grades five through eight. In 2015, Bellesini Academy expanded to a co-ed program. Its academically challenging and highly structured environment develops the potential for each student to succeed in competitive secondary schools and colleges, with 100 percent of its graduates attending private high schools on scholarship.
Project team members included:
• Cornerstone Architects of Westford, Mass. – Project Architect
• Feldman Development Partners of Andover, Mass. – Owner’s Rep
• Ipswich River Engineering of Middleton, Mass. – Structural engineer
• Reid Mechanical Corp of North Andover, Mass. – HVAC
• Rice & Brouillard Electric Inc. of Haverhill, Mass. – Electric
• Lynco Fire Protection Inc. of Burlington, Mass. – Fire protection
• Gaffny Plumbing of Methuen, Mass. – Plumbing.
