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Last week, our team celebrated a hat-trick of awards from the Cambridge Historic Commission! 3 Bruner/Cott projects were recognized with 2024 Preservation Awards: the Weld Boathouse, the Blackstone Steam Plant, and the Holden Chapel – all at Harvard University.

The Weld Boathouse was constructed in 1907 and is a contributing property in the Charles River Basin Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Our worked focused on modernizing the boathouse, making it fully accessible and fully functional while restoring the historic exterior, from roof to ground. The restoration and rehabilitation demonstrate that this historic structure can handle the contemporary needs of an active water use for the next century.

The Blackstone Steam Plant, constructed in 1901 as part of the Cambridge Electric Light Company. Our team completed an exterior renovation to fortify the building’s exterior and protect its operation against the potential increase in frequency, severity, and duration of wind-driven rain and rising water levels. The restoration and rehabilitation demonstrate that design for climate change can work in concert with historic architecture.

At Holden Chapel, our team preserved the historic façades of the one of the oldest buildings in Harvard Yard, with primary focus on the 18th century wooden sculpture and original pediment cladding on the west elevation. The project evolved through paint analysis and disassembly to inform a deep, multi-phase restoration.

Congratulations to our clients and thank you to the CHC for recognizing our preservation work!