Shippan Landing – A.P. Construction Company

Shippan Landing in Stamford, Conn., is poised to offer an additional 250,000 square feet of office space about an hour from downtown New York City. Owned by New York-based real estate firm George Comfort & Sons Inc. (GCS), the property is being rehabilitated by local general contractors A.P. Construction Company (APCC).

In an area with a vacancy rate topping 25 percent, GCS is hoping to breath life into the Stamford Harbor area and offer premiere office space. The 17.9-acre parcel of land the office buildings are on oversee the harbor, which includes the largest marina in the Northeast.

The entirety of Shippan Landing consists of six low-rise buildings with a total of 770,000 square feet. Under previous ownership, the property – sandwiched between a privately owned marina and the Long Island Sound – received minimal upkeep and was mostly vacant.

Situated near the Stamford Transportation Center, property owners and real estate agents hope the new space, designed with harbor views in mind, will attract companies from New York. A New York Times article quotes Peter Duncan, the president of GCS, “We are confident that if you create the right product, there will be tenant demand.”

APCC has a long-lasting relationship with GCS and has previously worked with the company on other projects, according to Nick Everett, executive vice president of APCC. “That was a much smaller project that focused on the building lobbies,” he says. “We have been very much involved with Shippan Landing through a relationship with one of its major tenants so we offered to develop budgets for GCS and then bid out the work.”

Work is currently focused on finishing 290 Harbor Drive by August. “We have completed the floor in-fills and are actively working to get the common spaces ready for clients to show,” says Everett.

The other building at 181 Harbor Drive has been delayed due to structural issues that need to be resolved. Everett anticipates that will leave the second building just a little behind schedule, hoping for completion in September.

Reconfiguring Space

The $17.5 million project has included many phases. A vacant office building at 183 Harbor Drive was torn down to open up the property. The building at 181 Harbor Drive has about 75,000 square feet and the second building at 290 Harbor Drive has an additional 175,000 square feet.

APCC started working on the property in January 2013. The company has been working on a fast track to complete these buildings in less than a year. Located right in Stamford, the company offers general contracting services for educational facilities, corporate buildings, healthcare and municipal facilities and some residential properties.

Founded in 1981, APCC has developed a strong network of subcontractors to use on various jobs. The trades the company is working with on Shippan Landing have all worked for APCC previously. GCS has also contracted directly with companies for window replacement, site work and repairing concrete decks in all the parking garages.

“We are coordinating our work with these trades,” says Everett. He admits that has been a challenge, but adds, “We’re maintaining the overall schedule in close conjunction with the owner.”

Luckily, the buildings APCC is working to revive are currently vacant. The company has not needed to work its schedule around building tenants, but it has however realized the demand to get the work done quickly so the buildings can be occupied.

Building on Experience

APCC is a division of The Ashforth Company, which was founded in 1896 as a full-service real estate company with extensive financial resources and expertise available in building management and development. Everett has worked for APCC for 20 years. During that time, he has seen the company grow from specializing in corporate interiors to include a strong background in commercial, medical, educational, municipal, and multi-family projects with an annual volume in the range of $80 million.

“Throughout, however, we have remained true to our values and desire to build long-term relationships,” he says. “We are focused on providing the highest quality of service for our clients and being problem solvers.”

This strong foundation of values and the extensive experience of its employees have made APCC the go-to company in Connecticut. GCS recognizes having a general contractor willing to think outside the box to solve problems and remain on task is a value to the Shippan Landing project.

“All 36 APCC employees recognize the importance of providing the best possible product for our clients,” says Everett. “We pass that concept down on our subcontractors and suppliers.” With the majority of the work complete and any setbacks resolved A.P. Construction Company will have Shippan Landing ready for occupancy before fall 2013.

For more information about A.P. Construction Company, please visit: www.apconst.com.

For more information about Shippan Landing, please visit: www.shippanlanding.com.