Nauset Construction

Having a strong management team that remains heavily involved with its front-line staff throughout the duration of each project has led to Nauset Construction becoming a premier leader in the New England construction industry. Headquartered in Needham, Massachusetts, Nauset is a construction management and design-build firm focusing on multifamily residential projects, senior living and medical facilities, as well as commercial and education work throughout Boston.

Anthony (Tony) Papantonis founded Nauset in 2003 and worked alongside a core group of professionals to steadily grow the company’s portfolio of projects and geographic reach. From its first project in Foxboro, Massachusetts, Mass Premier Courts, to a multisector portfolio today, Nauset expanded its operation throughout New England’s urban and rural cities and towns.

Gaining new partnerships while nurturing existing ones

In its 13 years in business, Nauset has established a diverse and substantial network of subcontractors and suppliers. That being said, the company is constantly networking through trade shows and organizations to build new partnerships in order to continue its expansion. “We’ve been growing since day one,” says Ben Goldfarb, vice president of Nauset. “Our projects are continuously becoming more sophisticated and complicated so we often need to branch out and form new partnerships with folks that are able to meet those needs.”

In addition to geographical expansion, Nauset is on a path that includes market sector growth as well. This aspect plays a role in its networking efforts as the company explores new types of projects. “We’re constantly diversifying into new markets,” says Goldfarb. “We currently do most of our work in Boston but we also work throughout New England so we look to meet new people and possibly form new partnerships in those states.”

In the multiunit mixed-use sector, Nauset recently collaborated with longtime partner Form-up Foundations LLC on The Residences of Kesseler Woods, a ground-up, 190,000-square-foot, three-story luxury residential community featuring 88 one- and two-bedroom units and a below-grade parking garage. Form-up Foundations is also performing the foundations at Nauset’s Monsignor Residences project, a 55-unit condominium development currently underway in East Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Maintaining expansion through diversity

Since its inception, market diversity has always been a strong point for Nauset. In 2015, the company completed a historic preservation and restoration project for the Cary Memorial Building in downtown Lexington, Massachusetts. Built in the late 1920s, the 40,000-square-foot facility required rehabilitation to its common area space as well as its 820-seat Battin Hall, a world-class musical and theater performance venue and lecture hall.

The project at the Cary Memorial Building involved interior and exterior aspects including the installation of a new HVAC mechanical system. Additional challenges included protecting the historic statuary, paintings and flooring throughout construction.

Nauset is currently involved in a project with the Massachusetts National Guard in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The job is a two-phase ground up construction project on the Unit Training Equipment Site (UTES). Nauset is constructing a new maintenance building as well as a controlled humidity shelter and will pursue LEED Silver certification for the project.

“The most challenging aspect of this job is the fact that it remains an active military base during construction,” shares Goldfarb. “Getting materials, labor and construction management onto that coordinated schedule presents a challenge in itself.” Due to experience, Nauset is able to accommodate the situation by having the right people and proper processes in place.

Nauset also relies on its continued use and increased involvement in Building Information Modeling (BIM). The company utilizes a full-time BIM specialist on-site to coordinate the mechanical aspects of the job. “This process has proven in the past as well as on the UTES project to be extremely valuable,” shares Goldfarb.

Community involvement

With the success that Nauset has experienced, the company enjoys giving back to the community. The Nauset Philanthropy Committee (NPC) is a diverse mix of senior and junior staff that meets monthly to map out different philanthropic opportunities. Activities include clothing drives, Toys for Tots and the Friday Night Supper Club, which is held at a local church and involves NPC members who cook for those in need and pass out clothing collected from drives.

Nauset is also involved in the Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA), which through science advocacy and law protects and restores the Charles River. “We participate in and support a canoe race called the Run of the Charles,” says Goldfarb. “We now have two teams that participate in that event.” Founder and president of Nauset, Anthony Papantonis, is also on the board of directors for Habitat for Humanity and has ventured as far as Vietnam to help build homes.

Moving forward            

In continuing with its market expansion, Nauset recently broke ground on a senior living center in Newburyport, Massachusetts. The new 123-bed skilled nursing facility will be called Port Healthcare Center and is a ground-up construction project slated to be completed in fall 2017.

With flat company structure, Nauset’s approach to construction management is designed to give every client confidence that they are moving forward with accurate information, competitive pricing and a highly competent project team to reduce risk and maximize opportunities. With a strong portfolio that includes diverse market sectors, Nauset Construction will continue its market expansion as a premier general contractor in the New England construction industry.