More than two years have passed since Shawmut set its sights on New York City. Now, the Boston-based company is all set to expand its large project division in this region. The contractor has recently appointed several leaders to new roles, bringing in a wealth of experience and expertise.

Shawmut's Strategic Growth in New York's Construction Sector

Alignment with Broader Growth Strategy

The large project division plays a crucial role in Shawmut's strategy to increase its market share in large-scale projects. In New York, the focus is on growing the portfolio in sectors like education, commercial, healthcare, and life sciences. At the same time, they are also aiming to increase the size of projects in established sectors such as hospitality, sports venues, cultural, and retail. Hiring and developing talent from within, as seen in the recent promotions and hires like Brian Troast, Kasia Mickowska, and Tom Howard, is an effective approach. The preconstruction team has also been expanded significantly since 2022, with investments in technology like 3D reality capture.This shows Shawmut's commitment to building a strong foundation for growth in the large project division.

Shifts in Target Sectors

Shawmut has made notable progress in growing its portfolio in healthcare and life sciences. Projects like Taconic Partners' life sciences hub at the Hudson Research Center, those at Columbia University Irving Medical Center and New York-Presbyterian, and the recent completion of the $106 million St. John's University St. Vincent Health Sciences Center are examples.In the healthcare sector, there is a growing demand for high-end, luxury preventative healthcare and wellness centers. Shawmut's experience in healthcare, hospitality, and retail construction positions them well to meet this demand.

Reflecting Growth in Large-Scale Work

The St. Vincent Health Sciences Center at St. John's University is a remarkable $106 million, 70,000-square-foot ground-up academic building. It features advanced classrooms, laboratories, and patient simulation spaces to train future healthcare professionals. The facility is all-electric and energy-efficient, heated and cooled by a geothermal field with 66 wells drilled nearly 500 feet deep, which is only the second of its kind in New York City. During preconstruction, 3D logistics plans were leveraged to enhance planning and project efficiency. The team's technical skills ensured the project was completed on time and within budget.At New York Public Library's Aguilar branch, the team's expertise in historic preservation combined with skilled infrastructure work is evident as they continue to renovate the 120-year-old landmarked building.

Impact of Preconstruction Team

Projects thrive when stakeholders are aligned from the start. Preconstruction drives shared responsibility and accountability, leading to collaboration and problem-solving. Shawmut's director of preconstruction, Jason Karp, is an early adopter of technology, which helps refine the preconstruction process to align costs and schedules with client goals. The thorough preconstruction with St. John's University led to the successful delivery of the $106 million, ground-up St. Vincent Health Sciences Center on time and within budget.

Anticipated Construction Trends

There is an expected surge in pent-up demand for refreshed hotel rooms in New York, as well as new builds in Miami and Los Angeles, in 2025 and beyond. Shawmut is well-positioned to meet this demand by recently acquiring First Finish, a premier full-service hotel renovation contractor. The partnership combines the specialties of both firms - large, complex hotel projects and fast-track, luxury interiors - to provide a one-stop solution for clients with their expertise and extensive, highly skilled trade partner and supplier network. This unique offering sets them apart in the market, as most full-scale hotel projects require multiple contractors.