The Blog

Groom Construction Co., Inc. recently completed Fishermans Watch, a collection of 28 luxury condominiums in Swampscott, MA. Within six months of delivery, all units were sold. This $22,000 development includes 2-3-bedroom residences, each providing unique layouts ranging from 1,400 to 2,500 SF varying from single level garden units to two-story penthouses. The five-story building is situated at the highest point in Swampscott, with many of the units providing sweeping ocean views of Swampscott, Nahant, and the Boston skyline. On-site amenities include a rooftop club room, fitness room, private terraces, gardens, and garage parking. The project was designed by Groom Construction and Grazado Velleco Architects with interior finishes by John Day of LDa Architecture & Interiors. Tom Groom, Principal and Developer for Fishermans Watch said, “We have been working on Fishermans Watch with this team for many years — taking an abandoned 100,000 SF school and making it into a condominium building.  We are thrilled t ...

BOSTON – October 6, 2020 – NEI General Contracting, an award-winning general contractor and construction management firm, announced today the completion of a 56,290 SF, four-story residential building with 1,000 SF of commercial space at 61 Heath Street in Jamaica Plain, Mass. for the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation (JPNDC), along with the Back of the Hill Community Development Corporation. Designed to create affordable rental options and bring life to a long-vacant parcel, this project is named in honor of Hattie Kelton, a local resident who spent decades advocating for the Jamaica Plain and Mission Hill communities.Located a quarter mile from the Jackson Square MBTA station, the Hattie Kelton Apartments are comprised of 11 one-bedroom units, 22 two-bedroom units, and 14 three-bedroom units. One hundred percent of the apartments are affordable, and most are designated for families earning up to 60% of area median income with a portion of units set aside for formerly homeless and people wit ...

LEXINGTON, MA/September 30, 2020 – Erland Construction has teamed up with ARC/Architectural Resources Cambridge to design and build a multi-purpose athletics addition for Cotting School in Lexington, Mass. The School’s ultimate goal is to provide a venue for its students to achieve their highest learning potential and level of independence. Cotting School is a private, non-profit inclusive community that fosters academic achievement, skill development and social-emotional maturity by meeting the unique needs of students ages 3-22 with a broad spectrum of learning and communication disabilities, physical challenges and complex medical conditions by providing an array of integrated services. “This building project will make possible needed improvements in facilities, curriculum and programs to keep Cotting School on the cutting edge of special education,” said David Manzo, President of Cotting School. “We are excited to continue to meet the needs of our current and future students in this, our 126th year of in ...

Dan Pass has been promoted from project manager to general manager of the Billerica branch, and Dillon Owens has been promoted from project manager to director of operations in Billerica.

Dan joined the Billerica team in 2011 after graduating from Wentworth Institute of Technology with a degree in Construction Management, and Dillon joined the Brockton team in 2018 after graduating from the University of New Hampshire with a degree in Entrepreneurial Studies. Both Dan and Dillon are hardworking, team oriented, and eager to help the company grow.

We are saddened to report the passing of a great individual who more than made his mark on our industry and our association. John Sloane, a Regional Vice President and 40-year team member at Interstate Electrical Service Corp., passed away recently after what his colleagues rightly described as a heroic battle with cancer. John had been active in ABC in many ways over many years in everything from education and training to programs and events. He recently served as a member of the State Board of Examiners of Electricians. John had scores of friends throughout ABC and the industry at large. Throughout his battle with cancer, he continued his passionate and dedicated approach to life and work, never letting it get the better of him.The services for John were held Sept. 2nd and 3rd. Anyone who wishes to extend their condolences to the family may do so via www.keefefuneralhome.com. John’s family has requested that those wishing to make a contribution in John’s honor do so to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Attn ...

Support My Turn and their work to assist economically, socially and educationally disadvantaged youth.   Tim Barton, longtime leader at DECCO and ABC, the ABC SIG and the Gould Construction Institute, passed away suddenly last month at just 64.   Tim’s passing is a huge loss on so many levels, and the Chapter and SIG Boards of ABC MA and ABC NH/VT, as well as the GCI Board are united in wanting to honor Tim by supporting an organization and a cause that was a passion of his.   The organization is My Turn, a not-for-profit based in Manchester, NH,  and the cause is providing opportunity to young people in need of some help.     In working with My Turn on pre-apprenticeship programs for DECCO, Tim developed a strong and close relationship with the organization and the young people it serves and helped a number of individuals become successful apprentices with new skills and confidence.   There were few mentors ...

BEVERLY, Mass. – July 21, 2020 – Connolly Brothers Inc, a general contractor and construction management firm, announced today the completion of a new two-story, 15,000 SF building for the Great Marsh Brewing Company. The newest craft brewery on the North Shore, it features a state-of-the-art craft brewhouse, taproom, restaurant, and beer garden.Selected as the design/build construction manager during the early stages of project conception, Connolly worked with the owner on site feasibility and budget estimating. Collaborating with Niemitz Design Group (NDG), Connolly produced the construction documents and secured the necessary Town approvals and permits.Located at 99 Main Street in historic Essex, Mass., a closed restaurant was located on the site in the salt marsh. Following the demolition of the existing structure on the site, Connolly managed the complex construction process that included a friction pile foundation system, structural steel frame, and the installation of a 30hl brewery. Due to the weight ...

Arlington, MA, July 16, 2020–BW Kennedy & Co., a builder and construction management firm specializing in life sciences construction, today announced the promotion of Roland Jenkins to Project Manager. He will work directly with clients, team partners, and contractors to guide projects from conception to successful completion. “Roland has been instrumental in the management of complex new construction and fit-out projects and we were thrilled to promote him to this role in which he will assume responsibility for all aspects of project management,” said Brian Kennedy, Founder of BW Kennedy & Co. Mr. Jenkins joined the company in 2014 as an assistant project manager and was assigned to a team building a new life sciences facility and parking garage. He made immediate contributions to the successful turnover of the project. Since then, he has taken on additional responsibility on a number of complex fit-out projects for clients such as Celgene, Wave Life Sciences, and Codiak Biosciences resulting in on-schedule ...

NEWTON, MA/July 8, 2020 – Mark Development selected Erland Construction and Form + Place, Inc. to renovate 8,200 square feet of commercial space for The Barn Family Shoe Store in Newton, Mass. This is Mark Development’s second project with Erland.The Barn, a retail fixture since 1948, carries high-quality footwear and casual apparel for women, men, and children, has been named Best of Boston by Boston Magazine, and has won Wicked Local Media’s #1 Readers Choice Award. The Barn will be the first locally owned business with a lease at Washington Place.The updated retail space will be outfitted with new flooring, lighting, millwork, interior storefront vestibules, and a VRF HVAC system. In keeping with and expanding upon the layout of the previous location, the new store will have two bathrooms, a kitchenette, back office, and extensive storage space. The interior will also be painted.“We’re excited to have been selected to fit-out The Barn’s new space”, said Daryl Leland, Special Projects/Strategic Accounts Gro ...

BOSTON – July 7, 2020 – Kaplan Construction, a WBE general contractor and construction management firm providing comprehensive building programs across Greater Boston, announced today it has completed the interior renovations at Tremont on the Common, a full-service condominium property in the heart of Boston. Located at 151 Tremont Street adjacent to the Boston Common, the 28-story building features 374 residential condominium units and 2 commercial spaces. Designed by Visnick & Caulfield, the first phase of the project involved the renovation of a rear corridor to create a temporary entrance into the building while the main lobby was under construction. In the lobby, Kaplan installed a custom concierge desk, fabric ceiling panels, and custom stone flooring from quarries in Greece and Turkey. High-gloss wood panels on the walls modernize the lobby, which was last renovated in 1992. Kaplan worked closely with the design team and property management firm FirstService Residential to minimize the impact on tenan ...