Alice K. Wolf Center at 5 Western Avenue Wins 2015 Build New England Award

The City of Cambridge recently received the 2015 Build New England Honor Award for the revitalization project of its former Police Headquarters at 5 Western Avenue.

Presented by AGC MA (Associated General Contractors), Build New England recognizes outstanding project teams for their collaborative approach to planning, designing and building facilities that meet the vision and goals of the owner and enhance the community in which the project resides.

Built in 1931, the former Cambridge Police Headquarters at 5 Western Avenue is a prominent, contributing building to Cambridge’s Central Square historic district, and is also on the State and National Registry of Historic Buildings. The building exterior had not undergone a major renovation in its 80-year history. The historic restoration scope of work, subject to review and approval of the Cambridge Historical Commission, required masonry restoration, roof replacement, window replacement, exterior metal gratings and medallions.

In 2013, the building at 5 Western Avenue was dedicated as the Alice K. Wolf Center, in honor of her many years of public service for Cambridge and Massachusetts. It is currently home to the city’s Community Learning Center and the Multi-Service Center for the Homeless, and the Cambridge Housing Authority.

In submitting the nomination application for this award, W.T. Rich Company, the project’s Construction Manager, noted that the 5 Western Avenue Revitalization project was an “outstanding example of the great results that are possible when committed and passionate team members unite together in a collaborative effort to create a state-of-the-art facility.”

“The design and construction of the Alice K. Wolf Center at 5 Western Avenue was an extremely complicated project given both its former use as the location of the Cambridge Police Department and its new use as the site for the City of Cambridge’s Community Learning Center and Multi-Service Center and the Cambridge Housing Authority, said Ellen Semonoff, Assistant City Manager, Cambridge Department of Human Service Programs. “The lead contractor, W.T. Rich Company, Inc., worked extremely closely with our staff to meet our complex uses ranging from classrooms, computer labs and large meeting spaces to small counseling areas and offices for personal interactions with clients. They were consistently accessible, proactive, highly professional and responded immediately to our needs and questions.”

In October, the 5 Western Avenue project earned LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute. LEED® is the nation’s preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings.

“The city is committed to environmentally sustainable and energy-efficient design and development in its municipal buildings,” said Richard C. Rossi, City Manager.  “This LEED® Gold certification is in line with the goals of the NetZero Action Plan which encourages the reuse of existing buildings and materials; reduced energy and greenhouse gas emissions; and improved indoor environmental quality.”