South Coast Improvement Company (SCI), a design-build general contractor serving states in the eastern region of the United States from the Mississippi River to the Atlantic Ocean, recently completed work on a $6.75 million renovation project for Rafi Properties at 9 Dana Street in Cambridge, Mass. The Marion, Mass.-based company completed work in August 2021.
The project was a selective demolition and renovation of a 26-unit apartment. The project featured a structural interior renovation, including a structural exterior ramp and lift platform.
“This was the second project we have done for Rafi properties. This one was a challenge in that it was an urban site located right down the street from Harvard University,” said Tom Quinlan, president of South Coast Improvement Company. “The goal of the project was to provide a much more “open concept” to the units in the building, which was constructed in the 1940’s.
Added Quinlan, “There was extensive structural work done to achieve the open floor plans as many of the walls were load-bearing walls.”
As part of the project, an all-new HVAC system was installed as was new electrical service to the building and multiple plumbing relocations. In addition, an ADA unit was added on the ground level, which necessitated a complete reshaping of the limited frontage of the building to achieve the required pitch for the walkway.
SCIC gutted all the building’s kitchens and baths, and new ones were installed.
The Cambridge Fire Department required a new fire suppression system for the renovated building. This presented several challenges, the biggest being the distribution of the new electrical system in areas where the wall was not demolished. These areas also presented a challenge in that new wall and old wall/new ceiling/old ceiling had to blend and look consistent.
“I’m happy to say we were successful on both of these challenges,” said Quinlan. “The end result speaks for itself.”
In addition to South Coast Improvement, the project team included Kripper Architecture Studio, Norian/Siani Engineering, Inc., Collective Wisdom Corporation, Wolf in Sheep Design and Norton E. Remmer, PE.
Est. 2011, Rafi Properties started with a multifamily investment in Coolidge Corner, Brookline, with one goal in mind – deliver quality constructed living space. Through its 10-year history, Rafi Properties’ goal has evolved into creating a unique urban lifestyle with each mixed-used properties in Boston, Brookline, and Cambridge. For more information, www.rafiproperties.com.
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