25
Years of Experience
$1bn
Construction Cost Managed
2m
Annual Visitors to Buildings
800m
Square Feet of Construction
About
Construction projects are complicated. Owners benefit from working with project managers who will make each phase of construction successful, from the earliest stages of developing business plans through your first months of operation. Aparna Bapu Consulting reduces the stress and risks owners face by managing and executing complex design and construction projects, bringing their visions to life.
With over 25 years in the architecture, engineering and construction industries, principal Aparna Bapu has the know-how to adeptly guide owners through the building process, keeping projects on track and building teamwork. Aparna balances her passion for architectural excellence with her practical experience as structural engineer, construction manager, and owner’s representative, to deliver real value.
Building projects are never easy, but they are made easier when you have someone looking out for your interests every step of the way. Aparna Bapu Consulting is the partner informed owners seek.
Services
Aparna Bapu Consulting’s experience with commercial construction informs their pragmatic approach to reconciling difficult financial and constructibility issues while creating exceptional architecture.
COMMUNICATION
Actively makes the client and their staff knowledgeable members of the project team by keeping them informed and engaged in all aspects of the project execution.
COORDINATION
Provides logistics planning and move management oversight to meet client’s needs and construction constraints.
COLLABORATION
Cultivates a culture of teamwork by facilitating communication throughout the project team to solve problems and make decisions resulting in minimized cost and schedule risk.
QUALITY CONTROL
Reviews design documents for completion, constructability, coordination between trades, and implementation of client requirements to then communicate any concerns to the project team for resolution.
FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
Manages financial aspects of the project including bidding, contract negotiations and award, value-engineering, change management and invoice processing.
PROJECT CLOSE-OUT
Oversees close-out on complex, high-performance projects including commissioning, punchlist inspections, training, turnover and move management.
Project Experience
"Prior to the involvement of Aparna or our firm, these projects were stalled due to scope and budget issues; Aparna rescoped and restructured the projects and created an achievable framework for implementation to achieve project goals. "
​
- Paul Westlake, Sr Principal
DLR Group
Cleveland Museum of
Natural History
Cleveland, OH
As owner's representative, Aparna Bapu helped the Cleveland Museum of Natural History realize its multiphase Centennial Transformation project. The ‘Gateway’ phase of the project, planned to coincide with the museum’s centennial celebrations in 2020, renovated the auditorium and courtyard and added a new Current Science gallery and central utility plant. Phase 2 includes a new two-story, 46,000 SF gallery and storage addition, and Phase 3 will renovate the existing 200,000 SF building’s galleries, and create an education center and new research facilities. These projects will help the museum better serve its annual 275,000 visitors who interact with its collection of 5 million artifacts and specimens.
Project List
The Cleveland Museum of Natural History Expansion & Renovation
Cleveland Museum of Natural History
Project Executive, Aparna Bapu Consulting
The Obama Presidential Center
Obama Foundation
Senior Project Manager, JLL
Hood Museum of Art Expansion & Renovation
Dartmouth College
Senior Project Manager for the Arts District, Aparna Bapu Consulting
Harvard Art Museums Expansion & Renovation
Harvard Planning & Project Management
Project Manager, Arcadis (formerly the Rise Group)
The Cleveland Museum of Art
Expansion & Renovation
The Cleveland Museum of Art
Project Manager, Arcadis (formerly the Rise Group)
​
Kogod Courtyard
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Hensel Phelps Construction Company & Smithsonian
Project Manager, Josef Gartner USA
​
Jay Pritzker Pavilion
Millennium Park Project,
City of Chicago, Public Building Commission
Structural Group, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
​
O’Hare Airport Façade & Circulation Enhancements
City of Chicago, Department of Aviation
Assistant Project Manager, Walsh Construction
General Motors Headquarters, Interior Renovations
General Motors & Hines
Structural Group, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
Aparna Bapu
Ms Bapu brings over 25 years experience in architecture, structural engineering, and construction management to her role as owner’s representative. With a deep knowledge of nearly every area of design and construction, she adeptly steers teams to actualize complex, large-scale, high-profile projects. Her diverse project experience from airports and museums to corporate offices and retail build-outs allows her to see the big picture and provides maximum flexibility. Collaborating at every phase, Ms. Bapu excels at creating long-term relationships with clients - getting to know their needs beyond the project at hand.
Cleveland Museum of
Natural History
Cleveland, OH
As owner's representative, Aparna Bapu Consulting, LLC helped the Cleveland Museum of Natural History re-envision its Transformation Project. To maximize the $150M project budget and minimize risk to the museum, the project has been carried out in phases. This allows the museum to stay open and to plan around visitor experience, de-installation and re-installation of galleries as the 100-year old institution is transformed. The ‘Gateway’ phase of the project opened to coincide with the museum’s centennial celebrations in December 2020. This phase included the renovation of their auditorium and courtyard and the creation of the current science area to showcase the research and collections of the institution. Currently under construction are upgrades to aging centralized utilities.
The scale of these projects has prepared the museum for the larger remaining phase of construction that includes 2-story, nearly 50,000 SF expansion along Wade Oval and renovation of public areas within the existing 230,000 SF museum. The last phase of construction will fully open by Summer 2024.
Press
​
New exhibits at Cleveland Museum of Natural History will use light and transparency to connect science to community Jan 2021, cleveland.com
Natural history museum on track with new plans, construction, for $150 million expansion and renovation Mar 2020, cleveland.com
New design for natural history museum expansion evokes glaciers and waters of Great Lakes Jun 2019, cleveland.com
​
Image courtesy of DLR Group
What does an owner's representative do?
Aparna Bapu Consulting helps clients realize projects at all phases: from initial feasibility planning, local agency and stakeholder approvals, and architect and contractor selection, through design, construction, move-in and post-occupancy services. The firm's “let’s do this” attitude carries through every project large or small, often making lifelong friends in the process.
INITITATION
It all starts with an idea. Who do you want to be? How do we get there?
PLANNING
We get real about goals, needs and project parameters.
DESIGN
Helping you get the right team and the right design for your project.
CONSTRUCTION
Negotiation, quality control and delivery. We're in your corner.
TURN OVER
Making sure you got the building you paid for and can fully celebrate the grand opening.