The Blog

  When Molly Pidgeon graduated from Wentworth Institute of Technology with a BA in interior design, she went to work in construction. She thought the experience would improve her designs, but the plan was ultimately to make her way back to the design world. She has – sort of. The construction work kept coming and today Molly heads Pidgeon & Co., a small but mighty construction management firm with an in-house design team. Her business model is based on flexibility. Some of the jobs the company takes combine construction management and design, on others Pidgeon & Co.’s role is pure construction management. They offer specialized expertise in commercial interiors, core improvements, ADA compliance upgrades, and elevator installation, institutional and have also done lab, clean room and health care-related work – an area the company is looking to grow.  Another focus is on building the relationships that are the key to l ...

  After celebrating remotely last year due to the pandemic, over 175 ABC MA winners gathered at the Burlington Marriott last week to honor the 2021 Excellence in Construction Award winners.   The pandemic also made it impossible to hold our annual Safety Night last May, so we also honored this year's Diamond, Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze STEP Safety Award winners.   The applicant pool for the 29th annual awards was particularly competitive, with each winner selected for the high standards of craftsmanship, safety and quality delivered by talented merit shop workers using the efficient merit shop approach.    Thanks goes out to this year’s panel of independent judges for the time and talent they contributed to selecting our winners. They are: ·      Ken Bromfield, P.E., Independent Engineering Consultant ·      Carolyn Day, AIA, Perkins Eastman ·& ...

  By Jay Connolly - President, Connolly Brothers Inc.   The United States is currently experiencing the repercussions of generations of thinking that college is the only suitable post-secondary path for its students. I deeply appreciate the value of a college education and am grateful for many of the important lessons in life and leadership I learned at Boston College. There is no doubt that higher education plays a vital role in strengthening and advancing civil society and preparing our youth for the workforce, and to be responsible citizens. I also believe it is important that we break free from the messaging to our high school students that a four-year liberal arts college is “the only good option.” Because construction has been my family’s business for 140 years and counting, I have had ample opportunity to both witness and experience the joys of a career in construction. As October is “Careers in Construction Month,” I would like to take a moment ...

  Help us achieve our goal of hitting 500 members by the end of 2021; get involved for the chance to win great prizes and grow the association!   For years, ABC members have heard the slogan, “More members, more clout.” The statement is undeniably true, and ABC has a chance to reach 500 members in the coming year.   That’s one reason why the 2021 membership drive is so important. The other is that in a political environment that includes a staunchly pro-union administration in Washington and an increasingly labor-friendly legislature on Beacon Hill, ABC needs the clout to stand up for our member companies.   What Is the membership drive? The Membership Drive is ABC's biggest annual recruiting event. The theme for the drive this year will be the Indy 500, as we race for ABC to get 500 members in 2021. The membership drive is a team-based event where we will have 30+ participants from the Board of Directors, Membership Co ...

  Any parent of a child who has struggled knows the joy of hearing the words “Mom, I feel normal again.”  Joe Kenney spoke those words after his first summer at the Barton Center for Diabetes Education’s Camp Joslin.   ABC members gathered last week with a goal of raising $25,000 to benefit the Barton Centerand honor the memory of Joe Kenney, who died of complications from diabetes in 2019.  At last count, we had raised over $42,000 for this worthy cause. Joe Kenney lost his confidence after being diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes on his eighth birthday.  Having to stop regularly to do readings and inject insulin if his blood sugar was too high or too low would make any eight-year-old feel different from his peers.   But his first summer working with the counselors/nurses at Camp Joslin gave him back his life.  He went on to be a rising star both at W.T. Kenney, his family’s fourth-generation painting b ...

  The ABC Self-Insurance Group (SIG) announced its 2021 award winners at its annual meeting earlier this month.  Fourteen companies were honored for having no lost dollars in fund year 2020, and another 12 were recognized for having loss ratios under 10%. ZERO LOST DOLLARS IN FUND YEAR 2020: Associated Concrete Coatings Commercial Drywall & Construction Company Commercial Insulation Contractors, Inc. J.J. Cardosi, Inc Forish Construction Company, Inc. Kaplan Construction Mjm Masonry, Inc. Rivers Electrical Corporation Schernecker Property Services, Inc. Tocco Building Systems Valley Concrete & Construction, Inc. Veterans Development Corporation W. T. Kenney Company, Inc. W.W. Contracting Corporation LOSS RATIO UNDER 10% IN FUND YEAR 2020: Accutemp Engineering, Inc. ...

  Bedford, MA – Need a quick, delicious, no-stress meal for you and the family? Or a quick dessert to satisfy your sweet tooth? Eva’s Little Kitchen has you covered with thoughtful and nourishing meals, and a charming boutique storefront.  Proprietor and culinary creative, Eva Badra, discovered her love for cooking at an early age, and quickly realized that this was the path she wanted to take.  “I started as a personal chef and grew tired of cooking for only one to two families who had specific dietary needs,” Badra said. “I didn’t want to be unhappy in my job, so I started the meal delivery service to feed more people and be creative with the food I wanted to make.”  Over time, the business scaled to a physical location. And with that, she discovered a town that had a need for a unique experience.   “There’s nothing around here like this, everything is diner style,” she said. “Bedford is a sma ...

  Brookline, MA - The Arcadian Hotel, formerly known as a Holiday Inn and the Inn at Brookline, is a reimagined hotel tucked in a renaissance-esque neighborhood that incorporates modern and stylish vibes and pays an ode to its scenic location. Located at 1200 Beacon Street, The Arcadian Hotel offers a unique departure from the busy life just outside.  This unique getaway blends mid-century and modern designs throughout the entire space; from the muted neutrals with pops of color in the public spaces, to the lighting and wood features of the lobby bar. The designs were inspired by the historic tree-lined streets and parks designed by Frederick Law Olmstead, and the well-traveled, innovative residents that Brookline is known for.   Transforming this hotel into an innovative and distinctive getaway was Haynes Group, Inc., an established, local, family-owned company serving Eastern New England. Known for their unique industry process of blending personalized service and relations ...

  Cruz Cos. President and CEO John B. Cruz III, who will serve as the 2022 chair of ABC Massachusetts, has been named the 2021 honoree of the Boston Business Journal's Lewis Family Foundation CEO Social Leadership Award. The annual award was created in 2007 in partnership with the Lewis Family Foundation, led by Alan and Harriet Lewis, owners of Grand Circle Travel. It is given to a regional executive who has gone above and beyond to innovate and create solutions to the area's biggest community challenges. Cruz Cos., a Roxbury-based family-owned business, gives back to Boston’s urban community in many ways, including philanthropic support, summer jobs, and a scholarship. Through its nonprofit social-responsibility arm, Cruz CARES (Community, Arts, Recreational and Educational Services), the company has hosted after-school programs, summer camps, college scholarships, resident field trips and a youth holiday celebration. “No one who knows John is surprised by this award,&rd ...

  MASSACHUSETTS’ BREWERY DESIGN/BUILD TEAM PREPARES TO MAKE A SPLASH IN MARINA BAY The City’s Only Brewery & Taproom ‘Break Rock Brewing’ is an Ode to All Things Quincy   QUINCY, MA - July 2021 - It is almost time to check ‘craft brewery’ off as a reason for visiting the vibrant, coastal South Shore neighborhood of Marina Bay. The City of Quincy has long been one built by and for the diverse, hardworking communities that call it home. Break Rock Brewing plans to take that theme and run with it; highlighting the city’s unique history and those who make it great. Phase Zero Design has led architecture and interior design for the Break Rock brand’s first brewery and taproom. Haynes Group recently broke ground on the project and will manage construction efforts on-site. This will be the third brewery that the design/build team has collaborated on. In February of 2019, proprietor Jay Southwood connected with Mark Joyce, Associa ...