Strategic Construction Management: Balancing Speed to Market and Cost Efficiency

Executing Development Amidst Capital Markets Challenges

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  Gretchen McGill

  In her role as Vice President, Construction, Gretchen is responsible for managing construction projects to ensure that they are executed within The Davis Companies’ guidelines; negotiating terms of agreements, drafting contracts and obtaining permits and licenses; estimating costs and scheduling deliverables; overseeing all on site and off site construction to monitor compliance with building, safety and environmental regulations; and collaborating with architects, engineers and other construction specialists to ensure timely delivery of projects. With over 20 years’ experience working for such notable firms as Trammell Crow Company ( Vice President) and Boston Properties ( Senior Construction Manager), Gretchen has been involved in every facet of development and construction management. Prior to joining The Davis Companies, she held the position of Senior Program Manager at MIT Lincoln Laboratory in Lexington, MA, where she was responsible for managing permitting, environment and infrastructure planning, and pre-construction for a $360 Million semi-conductor laboratory and micro-integration facility. In addition to the Firms above, Gretchen worked for Community Builders as a Construction Manager and for Shawmut Design and Construction as Project Executive. Her depth of experience with complex construction and development projects makes her well suited to handle the development and construction challenges at our Firm. Gretchen holds a Master Degree in Emergency Management from the Massachusetts Maritime Academy and a Bachelor of Arts with a concentration in Economics from Boston University. She also holds Certificates in Real Estate Finance and Development from MIT, Building and Construction Technology from Northeastern University and Environment Management from Bentley College. In addition, Gretchen is a LEED Accredited Professional and holds a Massachusetts construction supervisor’s license. She is a member of CREW Boston. Gretchen is also an Instructor, Project Management, Boston University Center for Professional Education, and is a Board Member of All Hands & Hearts Smart Response, Inc.

  The Davis Companies

  Vice President of Construction

  Gretchen McGill

  Vice President of Construction

  The Davis Companies

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  Andy Felix

  Andy Felix has more than 25 years of experience in the construction/real estate industry working on over $1.4 Billion of projects in the Education, Transportation, Municipal, Commercial, Housing, Laboratory, Museum and other Specialty sectors.

  CV Properties

  Senior VP, Construction

  Andy Felix

  Senior VP, Construction

  CV Properties

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  Kevin Luczkow

  Vice President of Construction

  Samuels & Associates

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  Josh Brandt

  This excerpt from the website would be a fantastic bio, let me know if you would like to use this: Josh Brandt founded Stack + Co. in 2009 with Andrew Wade Keating out of the belief that a more cooperative and integrated approach to architecture and construction would deliver a better process and building. He is a recognized leader in the preconstruction and construction management of complex and demanding projects in the institutional, hospitality, commercial, and residential markets. Josh excels at setting priorities based on each project’s unique circumstances and not on previous project precedents as is so commonly done in the industry. He begins each new venture with a rigorous exploration of client needs and individual circumstances to develop a solution that best suits the demands of the project. Josh received his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Brown University. Prior to starting Stack + Co., he worked as a Construction Manager with Stonestreet Building Company where he worked on high-end luxury condominiums and as a Project Manager with Shawmut Design and Construction specializing in large institutional projects. He has spoken at various industry conferences and events including ABX Boston, the Urban Land Institute and NAIOP.

  Stack + Co

  Partner

  Josh Brandt

  Partner

  Stack + Co

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  Peter McGlynn

  Peter is a trial attorney specializing in construction, surety, malpractice, commercial and bankruptcy cases. Peter has tried to verdict or decision in excess of 150 cases throughout the United States representing general contractors, subcontractors, architects, engineers, lenders, sureties and owners, among others, on a wide array of commercial, construction, surety and bankruptcy disputes. In particular, Peter has represented clients on numerous and diverse construction and related disputes, including litigation involving defects and project mismanagement arising out of the construction of a nuclear power plant, defending the officers and directors of a defunct subcontractor for claims by a general contractor arising under the federal law successfully trying a real estate partnership dispute involving a $3 billion development and construction project, and prosecuting and defending claims arising out of failed or failing construction contractors and subcontractors. Peter has also represented contractors, subcontractors and developers on all aspects of commercial and multi-family residential projects. Within the past year, Peter has assisted both contractors and developers in commercial and multi-family construction projects valued at over $600 million located throughout New England, the Eastern Seaboard and in Florida. A frequent lecturer, Peter has presented lectures on litigation, construction, bankruptcy and surety law to numerous organizations, including the Boston Society of Civil Engineers, the Engineering Societies of New England, Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education and New England Law Institute, the Northeast Construction Expo., the Construction SuperConference™, the National Academy of Forensic Engineers, the Associated General Contractors, ALI/ABA, Lorman Education Services, Halfmoon Education Inc., Thompson Reuters and the American Bankruptcy Institute. Peter is also the founder of the New England Construction & Real Estate Risk Management Conference™, an annual conference focusing on effective ways to manage risk on construction and real estate development projects. Peter has also presented lectures on construction law and litigation for Northeastern University and the University of Wisconsin.

  Bernkopf Goodman

  Partner

  Moderator

  Peter McGlynn

  Partner

  Bernkopf Goodman

Shaping Boston's Development & Design Future: Trends, Tenant Needs, Sustainability & Risk Assessment

Assessing Construction Trends

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  Amy Prange

  On behalf of WS Development, Amy has spent the last 8 years overseeing the Seaport Project: 7.6M square feet of mixed-use development across 20 city blocks, creating Boston’s newest neighborhood. To date, Amy and her team have successfully delivered 1.1 MSF of commercial office/lab space to Amazon and Foundation Medicine, Inc collectively, along with leading her team on the design and construction of Harbor Way, Boston’s newest public linear park. Currently under construction, Amy is managing the development of Amazon’s second tower, One Boston Wharf Road, a 700,000 SF project that will feature ground floor retail and a new performing arts center. One Boston Wharf Road will be the largest net-zero carbon office building in Boston, with completion targeted in mid-2024. Amy has a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Before transitioning to Development, Amy worked as a licensed civil engineer for Nitsch Engineering providing civil site design, site permitting and stormwater master planning services for the firm’s clients. Amy also worked at Colliers International as part of their Development and Consulting Services group, providing OPM services for high-profile new construction and redevelopment projects including Boston Public Market, Envoy Hotel, Godfrey Hotel and North Bennet Street School.

  WS Development

  VP Development, Seaport

  Amy Prange

  VP Development, Seaport

  WS Development

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  Chrissy Gabriel

  Director, Development

  IQHQ

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  Adam Burns

  Today Adam Burns owns and manages a successful Real Estate Brokerage (Burns Realty & Investments), a boutique construction company (Synergy Construction Group LLC) and a growing property management firm (BRI Management), all in the name of advancing his true passion of building safe and comfortable housing for the greater Boston community predominantly under the name Boston Pinnacle Properties LLC. Adam's interest, and later career, in real estate did not start out like most. He purchased, renovated, and rented his first condo in upstate New York at the age of 16 and quickly realized that he had found his calling. After completing a degree in computer engineering and moving to Boston to work in financial technology for just a year, real estate continued to draw Adam’s attention. In 2012 Adam made real estate his career by purchasing his first South Boston property and quitting his engineering job. Eleven years, sixteen employees, and more than a quarter million developed square feet later Adam’s companies continue to flourish with his care and compassionate leadership.

  Boston Pinnacle Properties

  President

  Adam Burns

  President

  Boston Pinnacle Properties

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  Steven Burke

  Steven Burke is Senior Director of Sustainability at Suffolk. In this role, Steven provides guidance for navigating the vast network of sustainability regulatory requirements and incentives and provides recommendations for cutting-edge sustainable technologies and materials. As an expert in low-carbon solutions for construction operations and material selection, Steven can help curate a list of carbon-optimized options for Suffolk’s clients on any of their projects. Steven has extensive experience in sustainable design and construction, Net Zero Carbon buildings, embodied carbon, resiliency, Green building rating systems, and corporate sustainability efforts. Steven has guided the sustainability process on over 30 million square feet of projects across many different building types and sizes, including but not limited to K-12 schools, higher education facilities, mid-rise and high-rise residential, commercial interiors, retail interiors, and commercial office buildings. Steven helped to co-found the Sustainable Construction Leaders network, a collection of sustainability professionals in construction, and helped on the creation of the Contractor’s Commitment, a roadmap for construction companies to operate more sustainably which has over 20 signatories representing over $30 billion in market revenue after its first pilot year. Steven earned a Master of Science in Sustainability Management from Columbia University, and he blends business and science to specialize in sustainability, resiliency, and health and wellness strategies for the built environment.

  Suffolk

  Senior Director of Sustainability

  Steven Burke

  Senior Director of Sustainability

  Suffolk

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  Tracey Ogden

  Tracey has more than 30 years of experience implementing geothermal and exploration strategies for large commercial and utility scale electrification projects. Her many successful installations begin with her early involvement in design, project implementation. and oversight throughout the feasibility and production drilling.

  Brightcore

  VP of Drilling Operations

  Tracey Ogden

  VP of Drilling Operations

  Brightcore