New 23,000-square-foot facility will include a synagogue, preschool, classrooms, social hall, Mikvah, and community gathering spaces.
BOSTON — Kaplan Construction has been selected to build the new Chabad at Chestnut Hill, a 23,000-square-foot community center that will serve as a hub for worship, education, and community programming for the growing Jewish population in Chestnut Hill and surrounding neighborhoods.
The project, now under construction, will provide a permanent home for Chabad Lubavitch at Chestnut Hill, which serves the communities of Chestnut Hill, Jamaica Plain, West Roxbury, and Roslindale. Completion is scheduled for late summer 2027.
Located on a site created by combining two former residential properties, the new center will feature a synagogue, social hall, preschool and religious school classrooms, a commercial kitchen, a Mikvah (ritual bath), administrative offices, and outdoor gathering spaces.
The building’s exterior will incorporate stone and precast masonry, stucco, and lead-coated copper. Site improvements include a rear courtyard, playground, masonry veneered walls, parking, and electric vehicle charging stations.
“The Chabad at Chestnut Hill project represents an exciting opportunity to help create a lasting resource for the Jewish community,” said Nathan Peck, president of Kaplan Construction. “We’ve been deeply involved since the initial sitework phase, and it’s already required a high level of collaboration and problem solving. As a company headquartered just a few miles away, we’re proud to be part of a project that will have such a meaningful impact on the local community.”
Before vertical construction began, Kaplan completed extensive site preparation work. Because much of the site consisted of solid ledge, crews used drilling and controlled blasting to prepare the foundation while minimizing impacts on neighboring properties. Additional excavation was required for the below-grade Mikvah, including the removal of up to 20 feet of ledge in some locations.
During excavation, the construction team also encountered unexpected groundwater conditions and installed a temporary dewatering system that operated continuously for nearly three months while the structure was built and waterproofed.
Rabbi Mendy Uminer, lead rabbi and co-director of Chabad at Chestnut Hill, said the project fulfills a long-standing vision for the community.
“For many years, we’ve dreamed of creating a permanent home that reflects the warmth, energy, and growth of our community,” Uminer said. “Today, that dream is becoming a reality thanks to the incredible generosity and support of so many people who have helped bring us to this moment. Kaplan has been an important partner throughout the process, helping us navigate challenges and prepare for the road ahead. We look forward to building a space where every individual and family feels welcome, and where our community can continue to grow and thrive for generations to come.”
The center’s social hall is designed to host weekly Shabbat luncheons, educational programs, cultural events, and family celebrations. The sanctuary will feature flexible seating to accommodate worship services as well as community gatherings.
The project team includes Chabad Lubavitch at Chestnut Hill as owner; Jonathan Lavash Project Management, LLC as owner’s representative; Kaplan Construction as construction manager; Adolfo Perez Architect as architect; Roome & Guarracino Engineering as structural engineer; Allied Consulting Engineering Services as mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection engineer; Verne T. Porter Associates as civil engineer; Ryan Associates Landscape Architecture & Planning as landscape architect; and Geotechnical Consultants Inc. as geotechnical engineer.
Kaplan Construction, a women-owned business enterprise (WBE) headquartered in Greater Boston, provides general contracting and construction management services for commercial, institutional, multifamily, healthcare, senior living, and educational projects throughout New England.
