Casalinova Development Group

Casalinova Development Group (CDG) and Building Solutions Group (BSF) are part of the multifaceted construction group, Building Solutions, based in Oxford, Maine. Founded in 1992, Building Solutions has been involved in a diverse range of commercial and industrial projects. The three founders, Joe Casalinova, Brian O’Donnell and Joy Siegel, came from diverse backgrounds. Together, their experiences and talents helped shape a business that continues to grow.

Joe, president of CDG, has degrees in architectural and civil engineering and is a licensed construction supervisor, as well as a master planner and developer. He has built a career on providing innovative solutions that add value for clients. Joe’s son, Patrick Casalinova, is now part of the team and working with his father, providing the best relationships possible with all clients.

Additionally, Brian came from a background in plumbing, code enforcement, iron work, water systems and construction management. Joy joined the business from the banking world and managed the company’s finances, assisting her partners in providing value through leverage.

Strong capabilities

CDG builds economic development and job creation by undertaking large multifaceted projects that incorporate commercial, hospitality and retail concerns into one project. “We utilize a philosophy known as Integrated Project Development, or IPD,” says Joe. “We are a plan-design-build firm, providing turnkey commercial and industrial projects. With our combined capabilities, our company has become a leader in Maine and a one-stop shop for integrated construction and management projects.”

The development branch of the construction group is a fairly new enterprise. CDG caters to commercial interests looking to develop an integrated property with many different but interrelated businesses. “We feel that our challenge is to spread the word about our process and foster the IPD as an approach,” Joe notes. “We abide by a simple philosophy that has helped us through difficult times in the market. One of our founding partners, Joy, who is since deceased, had a saying that is still part of the company mentality: ‘You can do it.’ We believe in thinking positively.”

A companywide positive attitude has contributed to the success of several major projects over the years. The team of 18 employees excels at building relationships not only with clients but also with suppliers, subcontractors and other strategic partners.

“We subcontract everything, which is a lot,” says Joe. “We supervise and manage everything and we also buy all the materials for their subs. This saves money for the client and also allows our subcontractors and us to make a profit. Our relationships with our subs are very important as they handle all areas of the work. Our partners do it all for the client and share our dedication to the overall project.”

Recent work

The team has a growing portfolio, including work with clients all over the commercial and industrial spectrum. CDG is currently developing a 550-plus acre site in Oxford, Maine, which will include a Hampton Inn and a free-standing restaurant.

One of CDG’s recent standout projects has been the Bedard Medical Campus in Auburn, Maine. The team creatively master-planned, permitted, designed and built phase one of the new campus, located on a rehabilitated brownfield site.

The project includes 69,000 square feet of offices for medical supply manufacturing and distribution facility with retail, including a showroom and retail pharmacy. The campus includes several buildings of three stories and was value-engineered for sustainability and cost efficiency.

“This was both a highly green and highly cost-effective project, dispelling the idea that sustainable building is more expensive,” Joe explains. Green features include an efficient insulated building shell, as well as low-impact mechanical systems to save the end-users money in the long run while protecting environmental resources.

The Bedard Campus was a huge success for CDG. The stunning portfolio piece has already attracted more business for the full-service developer. The team is now looking ahead to the Riggs Brook Wellness Village doe Dr. Nadeau, which will include 70,000 square feet of doctors’ offices and retail stores. The project will encompass similar sustainability initiatives, as well as the holistic approach to development that CDG embraces on each project.

As a fairly new operation, CDG is making strides in getting the word out about the team’s diverse capabilities. “We are now moving more into integrated design combining our talents and our relationships to go beyond most design firms by offering more lines of service in-house,” Joe elaborates.

Regardless of what direction the market takes the business, CDG remains dedicated to clients. The company works closely with customers and strategic partners to develop a project from concept to completion. The team takes responsibility for every aspect of a build, creating a single contact point for clients. Once the projects are underway, clients are again and again blown away by the company’s ability to manage challenging projects while turning around safe, high-quality work. Relationships are the key to the business’ success. As time goes on, Casalinova Development Group will continue to build and foster those relationships with a growing number of clients.