For many of us, school is where we form our longest-lasting relationships, and for Chapman, school projects have always been much the same. Two recent ground-up projects gave us a chance to renew our relationships with a pair of extraordinary local schools: The Learning Center for the Deaf in Framingham and The Margaret Gifford School in Weston.

The third project in Chapman's decade-plus relationship with The Learning Center, this new 20,000 sf facility now houses TLC's Parent Infant Program, their Early Childhood Program, and their new state-of-the-art Library and Media Center. Chapman worked closely with CBT Architects on the year-long project.

The new facility includes many sustainable features that reduce energy consumption and improve indoor environmental quality. Spray foam insulation and low-e glass enhance the building's envelope, reducing cooling and heating loads, while permeable surfaces on the grounds capture storm water, reducing runoff and recharging the local aquifer. The building's low-emitting finishes reduce off-gassing, improving indoor air quality for the students and staff.

Chapman's TLC team included Executive Project Manager George Dyroff, Senior Supervisor Tom Hansen, and Supervisor Dan Stout. You can view additional photos of the TLC project here.

Chapman has a twenty-year history with The Gifford School and we were honored to partner with architects Design-Science International to rebuild the school's multi-purpose Fenn Center following the 2009 fire that destroyed the original building. The new 13,000 sf facility houses the school's versatile gymnasium / auditorium / cafeteria, science and computer classrooms, a culinary classroom, the school's theater program, and a nurse's office.

You can view additional photos of the Fenn Center project here.

Chapman's Fenn Center Reconstruction team included Vice President Bob D'Amico, Executive Project Manager George Dyroff, Senior Supervisor Ken Bumpus, and Assistant Supervisor Delroy Wilson.

Ken and Delroy in particular became part of the Gifford community over the course of the year-long project, holding weekly construction meetings with the students to provide progress updates for the Gifford's newspaper and a learning opportunity for the students. "We had the pleasure of being invited to a student talent show" says Ken Bumpus "It's really rewarding to see the fruits of our labor lending to the kids' development."

We at Chapman are humbled by the important work of these institutions and take great pride in our modest contributions to their missions. We wish both schools continued success for the upcoming school year!

(TLC and Gifford School photos by Gregg Shupe)

published on 08.05.2011

Click below to view a NewTV news piece exploring Chapman's relationship with The Gifford School and The Learning Center for the Deaf.