Boston-based Kaplan Construction has been commissioned to build a new teen center at 40 Aspinwall Ave. in Brookline.

Founded by Paul Epstein, a Brookline High School social worker and graduate, the Brookline Teen Center will be the only dedicated facility providing out-of-school activities for teens in grades seven through 12 who attend school or live in Brookline.

"As a social worker for Brookline High School, I saw a gap in local youth programs as the town has no dedicated youth center, YMCA, Boys & Girls Club or Jewish Community Center. There was a tremendous opportunity to provide a place that teens could call their own, where young people could gather after school and on weekends for constructive, educational, and leisure activities," Paul Epstein, founder and president of the board of directors for the Brookline Teen Center, said in a statement. "The Brookline Teen Center is already engaging students in the building’s design and construction process. Once the facility is open, it will continue to develop leadership and empower our young people, who will enrich the community in return."

Located in a former garage, the 12,000-square-foot space will undergo an extensive renovation. Expected to be completed next summer, the Brookline Teen Center was designed by studioMLA in Brookline and GMI in Boston.