COURTESY / THE PENOBSCOT CO.
At Penobscot Co., eventual owners, from left, Jon DiCentes and Clay Maker, with Dave Nazaroff, founder and president.
Updated: March 23, 2020
Building Business
Building Business: Wright-Ryan tackles a lengthy ‘to-do’ list
PHOTO / PETER VAN ALLEN
Wright-Ryan Construction is building the new site for Wild Oats Bakery & Café at Brunswick Landing.
Wright-Ryan Construction of Portland seems to be getting busier every day.
In addition to two previously reported projects in Portland — NewHeight Group’s 31-unit Verdante at Lincoln Park and Portland Housing Authority’s Boyd Street Apartments — it has these other projects in the works.
At Brunswick Landing, it is building the new Wild Oats Bakery & Cafe on Admiral Fitch Avenue. The operation has outgrown its longtime spot in downtown Brunswick and will move to Brunswick Landing late this year. Framing is up on the new site, which will be 19,000 square feet.
Elsewhere in Brunswick, for Bowdoin College, Wright-Ryan is building the Harpswell Apartments, three 44-bed residence halls at 80 Harpswell Road. The apartments will have configurations of 4-, 6- and 8-bedrooms. Each structure will be three stories and 17,700 square feet, and will meet Passive House standards, according to the college. The apartments will replace the college’s Harpswell Street Apartment complex, which dates to 1973. New apartments will be ready for the upcoming academic year.
New owners in line for longtime contracting firm
The Penobscot Co., a contractor specializing in historic restorations founded by David Nazaroff in 1970, has its succession plan in place.
Nazaroff, who not long ago feared he would have to close down the business to get his well-earned retirement, has brought on two Maine natives who have “boomeranged” home after construction careers elsewhere.
Clay Maker, grandson of Cianbro co-founder Chuck Cianchette, has experience as a construction project manager. He has worked at Cianbro, but also at a Washington, D.C., project management firm, Hammes Co. He connected with Nazaroff a year ago, discussing the possibility of taking over the business while instituting leaner and greener building techniques.
Maker brought a former co-worker, Jon DiCentes, Cianbro’s former general manager of commercial building, as his partner.
“I initially looked at Clay’s energy and excitement, I saw how he thinks, and I thought, ‘that was me, 50 years ago,’” Nazaroff said. “With the introduction of Jon into the mix who brings with him an astounding resume and experience level, I knew I had found the two people who will take this company to the next level.”
The plan is for the young team to gradually take over ownership.
Briefly noted
Benchmark Construction is making progress on the Trademark Federal Credit Union branch at 340 Main St. in South Portland. Doors should open this summer. Design was by JD Design Associates of Kennebunkport. Civil engineer was Walsh Engineering Associates, Westbrook. Structural engineer was Casco Bay Engineering of Portland. Electrical engineer was Bennett Engineering of Freeport. Interior design was by Bowerbird Design Collection of Saco. Trademark paid $505,000 for the 0.51-acre lot.
Across Skillings Street from the Benchmark project, Great Falls Construction is building South Portland Fire Department’s Cash Corner fire house, at 350 Main St. The site, at 17,000 square feet, replaces the outdated 7,000-square-foot station, which had mold issues and was too small. Great Falls won the bidding process, with a bid of $5.8 million. Site work is underway.
Risbara Bros. is managing the expansion of Town & Country Federal Credit Union in Scarborough.
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