Why construction?

I was a physics major at Holy Cross, and absolutely loved it. It鈥檚 the type of major where you have to collaborate with your classmates to succeed. We learned the theories in class, but the application of those theories was a team effort, and I really enjoyed that. I met with other alumni from the physics major to see how they were applying their degrees, and I ended up connecting with a former project manager from Commodore.

I was intrigued by how each day in construction management is so different and how construction presents a steady stream of challenges and problems to be solved. And the stakes are high, making collaboration essential. I came to Commodore because I was excited about the culture, the people, and the work that we do; I stayed because it all held true.

You were a summer intern at Commodore before you joined full-time. What made you want to apply for the C.O.R.E. program?

Internships are a great way to trial a company, and my experience really paid off. As an intern, I worked with Commodore鈥檚 Corporate Interiors team on several projects, including Brown Advisory, 200 Berkeley Lobby, and the John Hancock sign installation. I came from a non-construction background, so every day I was learning from scratch and the team was so supportive. The team trusted they could challenge me, which gave me the confidence to take on more and more responsibility.

It was rewarding to see the progress of our work. I was able to be on site multiple times a week, and I was always surprised to see how much changes in a few short days. On one of our projects, we installed an interconnecting stair, and I was able to see the progress from cutting the hole in the floors to being able to walk down the fully installed stairs.

After my internship, the C.O.R.E. program was an exciting next step. Now, I鈥檓 looking forward to going even deeper into the different pathways within construction through the five rotations.

How do you overcome challenges?

I鈥檝e always been a big team player. I played volleyball growing up and at Holy Cross which was so formative for me. When you鈥檙e part of a team, working together is the only way to accomplish our common goal. Whether that鈥檚 passing the ball or communicating about project details, teamwork is so essential. We鈥檙e able to bounce ideas off each other and come up with solutions. I鈥檓 learning every day, and I鈥檓 grateful to be part of such a supportive team. Their confidence in me builds confidence in myself.

What do you do in your spare time?

I just moved to South Boston in January, and I鈥檝e been exploring the city and my neighborhood. I grew up in Lake Mary, FL, just north of Orlando, so I鈥檓 happy to be close to the beach for the summer. Any other free time I have is filled with volleyball, friends, cooking and baking new recipes, and finding new hobbies.

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“I have often been one of only a few women in the room throughout my career. I learned early on the importance of listening and learning from everyone around me. But I also quickly learned to push myself to speak up, so I would be seen and heard.

It鈥檚 the combination of building a network of advocates at different levels and having the confidence to advocate for myself that have contributed to my success.” 鈥� Karellis Rivera

In March, we celebrated Women’s History Month and specifically the incredible contributions women have made to the A/E/C industry during Women in Construction Week.聽Construction is a historically male-dominated industry, but as the number of women in construction has steadily increased so too has the richness of our culture and the quality of our work.

Earlier this month, Karellis Rivera sat down with the Boston Business Journal, alongside Stephanie O’Brien (Consigli Construction) and Carolyn Jamison (Skanska), to share her experience as a woman in construction and how her role is promoting diversity within the industry.

In her tenure at Commodore, she has led the firm in developing strong, diverse relationships within and beyond the firm. Karellis joined Commodore鈥檚 Estimating and Purchasing Department in 2011, where she began collaborating with our estimators and trade partners in procurement.

Now, as Diversity and Inclusion Program Manager, Karellis builds partnerships and programs to advance underrepresented, minority, veteran, and women-owned business partners. Her work has been most instrumental on the Veterans鈥� Home in Holyoke project, a joint-venture with 海角乱伦社区 and Walsh Brothers. There, she has been helping partners across the Commonwealth get certified with the state鈥檚 Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity so they can find more opportunities to build their portfolios.

Her goal? That ten years from now, we’re not looking at diversity as something we must do, but something that happens organically. It’s going to require everyone in our industry working together to promote and mentor our younger generation so they can succeed.

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Joao joined Commodore鈥檚 C.O.R.E program in 2021. We sat down with him to learn more about how he got involved in construction and how his positivity helps him overcome challenges.

Why construction?

My dad owns his own residential electrical company, so I spent my childhood waking up at 6 AM and going to work with him. The wake-up calls seemed too early when I was twelve, but it was a blessing in disguise. As I got older, he gave me more responsibility. He took me on as an apprentice and then transitioned me into the role of project manager. I learned about the business, about managing clients and executing work. I鈥檝e taken jobs in other industries, but I鈥檝e never gotten the same sense of fulfillment that construction provides.

I went to UMass Amherst to study Business Administration and Management. After graduation, I got my Construction Supervisor License and my OSHA 30-Hour certification.

Tell us about your experience in the C.O.R.E. program.

Joining the C.O.R.E. program was a catalyst for exponential growth in my career. I started the program on the estimating team. That rotation was the best place for me to start because it gave me a comprehensive understanding of the industry. I learned what things cost and I learned how to build relationships with our trade partners. Next, I got to see those relationships in action when I started working as an Assistant Project Manager with our self-perform division and our Strategic Projects Group. Those rotations are what made me who I am today. They introduced me to the field staff, taught me about scheduling, and gave me the opportunity to see the tangible results of my work.

How do you overcome challenges?

Challenges are inevitable. It鈥檚 how you approach them that makes the difference. When I鈥檓 seeking a solution, I keep an eye on the big picture while I consider all the individual factors. I stay positive. I鈥檝e been successful because I stay true to myself and I鈥檓 not afraid to ask for help. I鈥檓 fortunate to work with people who make it easy to ask for help and who are willing to teach me along the way.

What do you do in your free time?

I love to travel. My favorite trip so far has been to San Diego, but my travel goals include snowboarding in Japan, hiking in Colorado, and exploring the Amazon. I鈥檓 also a frequent gym-goer and in recent years I鈥檝e picked up snowboarding and playing pool with friends. I like to go with the flow, so I鈥檓 always ready for a new adventure.

What advice would you give your younger self?

Keep doing what you鈥檙e doing. It鈥檚 all going to turn out okay, so take the time to enjoy the ride.

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Now, Jess is a Project Engineer in Commodore’s C.O.R.E. program. We sat down with her to learn more about why she loves construction, what her experience in the C.O.R.E. program has been, and how she fuels her passion for hard work.

Why construction?

I would have loved to be a rocket scientist, but construction felt more authentic. My dad owns his own handyman company, so I grew up answering the phones, managing accounting, and shadowing him on weekends and over the summer. My first real foray into construction was working on build-crews for theater productions. I started in high school and in college, I worked in the University of Massachusetts Amherst Scene Shop. It was there that my advisor recommended I switch from applied mathematics to construction.

I always had a math brain growing up, and I loved calculus and trigonometry, but construction seemed to pull it all together for me.

Do you have any favorite projects from your time in the Scene Shop?

Two come to mind. We once built a 12-foot, 1,200-lb marionette puppet that we rolled around campus on Founders Day. We designed and engineered it from scratch, and then got to show it off around campus.

The second was more of an art installation. During the pandemic, we designed and built a 24-foot-tall aluminum globe on campus. It was a great puzzle 鈥� we had to figure out how to build it outside and do all the rigging and welding safely.

Tell us a little more about the time you spent with the Rocky Mountain Youth Corps.

I applied for the program on a bit of a whim. I had been in Yosemite a few years prior, and when I saw a crew out there working, I knew it was something I wanted to do. I spent two seasons based out of Steamboat Springs, CO, and did hitches in national parks across the region. I worked in a burn zone in Arapahoe National Forest for two weeks, fixed barbed wire fences in Dinosaur National Monument, built trails, and did enabling work for a bridge installation. Despite losing my favorite pair of pants to barbed wire and discovering the true impact of disturbing a fire ant nest, it was the greatest experience of my life.聽I learned so much about myself, how to work in a team environment, and how to work with people from diverse backgrounds.

Coming back to Massachusetts was challenging. I went from sleeping on the ground and living with the same ten people out of a van for five months to living in Boston and starting a new job in an office. It took me a few months to settle into a new routine, but now I’ve found the balance between sleeping in a bed during the week and napping on top of mountains on weekends.

What has your experience been like as a member of the C.O.R.E. program at Commodore?

I found out about Commodore at a career fair at UMass where I met Andrea Rizzo. She told me about her experience as a C.O.R.E. and how it set her up for such success in her current role as an assistant project manager. I spent a summer interning at Commodore, and then applied for the program when I graduated.

I started my rotation in Estimating working on some of our larger life science and ground-up commercial jobs. I learned so much about how to read drawings and find the details that can make or break not only the estimate but the job. I also was able to build connections with trade partners that proved to be essential when I got out on site. I rotated next to Engineering Technical Services. I learned about BIM coordination and technologies, and how they could improve our site work. I then worked as a project engineer for several projects at Boston Logan International Airport.

I鈥檝e found the theme of the C.O.R.E. program is that I鈥檓 given as much as I鈥檓 willing to take on. Everyone is so encouraging and supportive. Whenever I鈥檓 trying something new, there鈥檚 always someone there to show me their approach and answer my questions.

What do you do in your spare time now that you aren’t hiking through the backcountry?

If it鈥檚 outside, I鈥檓 there. In the summer and fall, I like to hike whenever I can. The White Mountains are my favorite, but I’m excited to start exploring Vermont hikes this summer. In the winter, I try to ski every weekend. Killington is my favorite mountain on the East Coast, but as long as there鈥檚 snow, you can find me on the slopes.

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Jim is Vice President of Estimating and Purchasing at 海角乱伦社区. He brings over 20 years of experience working across all our markets including Life Sciences, Public and Municipal, Corporate Interiors, Commercial, and Institutional. His deep knowledge of costs during preconstruction planning helps to guide our teams through the cost planning process. Jim holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Norwich University.

Q3 2023 Market Analysis | Where we are today

Material prices were flat in Q3 compared to Q2, and are expected to continue on this trend for the balance of 2023 and into 2024 in response to weaker demands, higher interest rates, and improving supply chain conditions. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rate reached 3.7% in August 2023, which is more in line with the 40-year average of 3.8%, and down significantly from the 40-year high of 9.1% from June of 2022. The U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics reports that the construction industry labor force increased by 4.3% over the last six months while construction unemployment remains very low at 3.8%. Nationally, contractor confidence remains somewhat mixed in the industry for a third straight quarter.

While construction activity will remain strong for the balance of 2023, the forecast for 2024 calls for a pull back. The AIA/Deltek Architectural Billings Index has remained below 50 for all of 2023, and, given the 9-12 lead over construction spending, supports the forecast of declining spending starting in Q4 of 2023. The 海角乱伦社区 Cost Index is still forecast at 6% for the year, which is higher than the 10-year average of 3-6% per year.

Supply Chain: Lead times for most materials and equipment continue to improve through Q3. However, certain products related to infrastructure, emerging technologies and green initiatives (transformers, generators, switchgear, metal sockets, bus plugs, & breakers) continue to have long lead times and higher prices. Despite the electrical industry adding 50%+ shipping capacity, market orders continue to outpace shipments by a factor of 1.5+ in many of these categories. This is driving the use of third-party brokers who have procured electrical & HVAC equipment from cancelled projects at pennies on the dollar, and are selling them at a market premium for projects which need to meet a schedule not otherwise feasible.

Labor Impacts:聽

Finding skilled labor continues to remain a major challenge for all aspects of the construction industry. Construction unemployment has been low since March 2022, and May 2023 was the lowest level yet (just 3.5%), which continues to drive construction wages higher. The construction employment cost index continues to rise, and is up to 4.6% through Q3 2023 which is 1.1% higher than the yearly average. As Federal interest rates continue to rise, this could begin to impact the labor market as projects might go on hold or even be canceled.

Risk Mitigation: Continued emphasis will be needed on project planning. 海角乱伦社区 continues to focus on equipment pre-purchase / storage, realistic forecasting of material delivery to align with trade partner labor, and creative sourcing of alternate products to align with client scheduling needs. Driving collaboration with project team members will be crucial to the overall success of the project. Engaging with manufacturers to best understand procurement risks, accelerating submittals and approvals, and working with design partners to identify and source locally available materials and equipment are all keys to success. Aligning with trade partners earlier in the project to ensure labor demand is met can alleviate schedule risk. As contractors continue to experience market volatility, careful emphasis must be placed on trade partner prequalification to ensure no further risk in delivering a successful project.

CURRENT LEAD TIMES UPDATE

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25,000 pounds of steel, 26,000 feet of electrical wiring, 3800 feet of data wire, 2000 feet of liquid tight, one 500-foot, 770-ton mobile crane, 8 trade partners, 5 months of planning, and 2 days of installation later, the John Hancock sign now has a new home in Boston鈥檚 skyline.

At 11:45 PM on Friday, October 27^th, 海角乱伦社区 officially began the installation of the 70鈥� long x 23鈥� tall sign on the original John Hancock headquarters at 200 Berkley Street. Located on the 27^th and 28^th floors of 200 Berkley, the sign is installed adjacent to the 颅mechanical penthouse. This location required significant coordination around the existing systems, ductwork, and piping.

At 400 ft, the sign installation also posed major safety challenges. Our safety team worked closely with our team and our trade partners to review every piece of equipment that would be used, from harnesses and ropes to gloves and helmets. Even the nuts and bolts, literally, were a major consideration. Each steel worker was equipped with a safety helmet with a chin strap and safety cables to secure their tools to their harness. Safety was a top priority of every person on site, and we thank our safety team for their herculean preparation effort.

Once John Hancock received approval from the City of Boston, our team got to work. We began collaborating with Poyant Signs to start the engineering process to restore the sign. At the same time, LeMessurier Consultants began designing the steel supports. We worked with Lawton Welding to create shop drawings during the coordination process.

Between Wednesday, October 25^th and Friday, October 27^th, steel workers assembled portions of the steel frame that will support the sign. Shaughnessy Crane arrived with their mobile 770 crane, the largest mobile crane in the area, late Friday evening. From 11:45 PM Friday 鈥� 7:00 AM Saturday, the crane was assembled and raised to its full height of 500 ft.

The structural steel supports were lifted in place in three frames. Five of the seven sections of sign letters were installed on the steel frames

at street level prior to erection. The remaining two sections of the sign sections were hoisted by the crane and bolted to the steel structure at the 27^th and 28^th floor level. The 26,000 feet of electrical wiring were then thread through the tubes,聽ready for Poyant to begin wiring.

We are proud of this successful installation and look forward to seeing the John Hancock sign among the city skyline for years to come.

The success of this project is a direct result of a commitment to excellence and the spirit of collaboration. We would like to thank each one of our partners for their hard work and dedication and to congratulate John Hancock on this milestone.

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Lucas has always been interested in the tangible results of real estate and construction, so he laid the foundation for his career in this industry by completing a double major in Economics and Finance at Stonehill College. During his years at Stonehill, Lucas held several leadership positions including Class President and Student Body President, orientation leader for the Admissions Office, and he played on the recreational volleyball team. While working with RBTV in his senior year at Stonehill, Lucas connected with Lauren Larson, Senior Vice President for Organizational Leadership. The two talked about Commodore and the C.O.R.E. training program and Lucas immediately saw a path to pursuing his career goals.

He started his C.O.R.E. rotation in the estimating group where he took a real-time crash course in learning how to read plans. There was still a lot to learn about construction, but Lucas was ready for the challenge. His C.O.R.E. rotations with Charles Services and the Strategic Projects Group taught him how to execute the tasks of an Assistant Project Manager, and then it was time to learn the intricacies of permitting. The nine months that followed working as a field engineer allowed him to apply his learnings in real-time, all the while honing his time management and leadership skills.

Lucas believes that his success depends on first earning the respect of his colleagues. He puts himself in other people鈥檚 shoes to fully understand their perspective and concerns before addressing their needs. He thrives in complex environments that require him to balance multiple points of view, goals, and requirements. Lucas approaches challenges analytically before implementing solutions.

Lucas graduated from the C.O.R.E. program in September 2023. He is now assigned as an Assistant Project Manager to several projects that span several industry sectors, including an office fit-out for Bank of America and the expansion of the New England Center and Home for Veterans. He says, 鈥淭he C.O.R.E. program taught me what I needed to know from the ground up to launch my career. From creating realistic schedules and budgets to overcoming challenges, I feel incredibly prepared to continue my work, knowing that there is still a great deal to learn.鈥�

In his spare time, Lucas enjoys hiking, going to the beach, and playing volleyball. He recently got back聽into running by running the 2023 Boston Marathon for Ron Burton Training Village. His passion for travel also continues, eager to discover the daily experiences of other cultures and opportunities to immerse himself in local activities. He has stepped foot in about 10% of countries in the world so far, with a lifetime goal to visit each one.

The Construction Operations & Resource Education (C.O.R.E.) is an intensive three-year rotational program designed to expose entry level talent to all facets聽of construction management.聽 Are you ready to roll up your sleeves and get to work? Apply for the C.O.R.E. program today!

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Jim is Vice President of Estimating and Purchasing at 海角乱伦社区. He brings over 20 years of experience working across all our markets including Life Sciences, Public and Municipal, Corporate Interiors, Commercial, and Institutional. His deep knowledge of costs during preconstruction planning helps to guide our teams through the cost planning process. Jim holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Norwich University.

Q2 2023 Market Analysis | Where we are today

Thanks to a strong economy, the construction industry continues to make gains and move forward despite lingering inflation.

While inflation has slowed from 9% in 2022 to around 4% currently, economists predict the economy hasn鈥檛 slowed down enough for the Fed鈥檚 liking and interest rates will be increased once more before the end of 2023. While most predict that a recession is unlikely, another interest rate increase could add pressure to the construction industry and the economy as a whole. According to the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Consensus Forecast Panel, spending on (non-residential) buildings has increased by 20% in 2023 but will begin to moderate in the second half of the year and into 2024. The market that bolstered this growth is primarily manufacturing (projected 50% increase YoY), but modest gains were experienced in other sectors including infrastructure, private institutional, public educational, and healthcare.

The AIA/Deltek Architecture Billings Index is the leading indicator on where the construction market is headed based on design activity. The typical lag from design activity to construction spending is approximately 9-12 months. In Q1/Q2 of 2022, the index averaged 53.6, but by Q4 it had declined to 48.1. At no point in 2023 has the index measured over 50. Based on this data, construction spending is expected to moderate in Q3 and decline in Q4 through the first half of 2024.

Supply Chain: In Q2, lead times for many items have stabilized with opportunities for shorter聽durations to be found with alternate domestic manufacturers in many cases. Like in previous quarters since the pandemic began, electrical distribution equipment continues to be a challenge, particularly on larger scale switch gear packages,聽pad mounted equipment, breakers, sockets, bus plugs, and generators. Conversely, shipping rates have decreased to pre-pandemic levels, congestion in ports is easing, and the overall freight costs are down between 15 & 20% YOY.

Material Costs: Apart from a few outliers (Concrete & Steel), the PPI continues to show signs of stabilization through Q2. In general, construction material costs are still higher YOY than Q2 2022, but the trend has slowed significantly, with the expectation that we will see fewer fluctuations in commodities for the remainder of the year. For the outliers previously mentioned, steel is anticipated to increase up to 10%, and concrete up 9.5% through Q2 due to raw material shortages. These will also be joined by glass in Q3 as raw materials shortages, increased demand, and manufacturing constraints continue to put a strain on the market. There is concern over lumber prices in the future due to the forest fires in Canada, and the potential for production to decline as a result 鈥� pushing up prices in the second half of 2023.

Construction Escalation: In 2022, construction escalation in the Boston market was 9% according to ENR. Only slightly lower than 2021鈥檚 level of 9.5%. As we reach the mid-point of 2023, the PPI has stabilized with only a few outliers, while labor costs continue a steady upward trend, yielding a 2.9% construction cost increase for the first half of the year. While these values are trending slightly higher than the 2.5% – 4% YOY averages seen over the last decade, they are less than the increases of 2021 & 2022. Our forecast remains at 6% for the year.

CURRENT LEAD TIMES UPDATE

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Sami鈥檚 story begins in Khartoum, Sudan, where his fascination with construction was born. He was inspired by his father, who worked in construction. Sami would pour over the plans his father brought home, fascinated with the process of bringing those plans to life. After finishing high school, Sami had the opportunity to work alongside his father, further solidifying his passion for construction.

Sami left Sudan when he was twenty-three years old, coming first through Libya and Tunisia before arriving in the U.S. and settling in Boston. He spent two years at Bunker Hill Community College before transferring to UMass Lowell where he completed his Bachelor of Science. After graduating, he worked briefly as an engineering technician while pursuing his master鈥檚 degree, balancing work and school. He says, 鈥淚t was an amazing journey when I look back from where I am now. Sometimes I reflect on just how challenging it was, but I feel a tremendous sense of accomplishment.鈥�

Sami broke new ground in the C.O.R.E. program as the first to complete the Safety and Compliance rotation with Chuck Borstel and Marcus Gonzalez. He spent his first rotation learning the ins and outs of permitting, safety, QA/QC, and risk management before heading out to a job site.

Sami approaches his work with advice from John Maffei, superintendent at Commodore: 鈥淏e like a sponge.鈥� He tries to understand everything before forming an opinion, continually asking questions. He believes in being adaptable and flexible, tailoring his approach to best support his teams鈥� needs.

Sami鈥檚 thirst for new experiences extends far beyond his work. In his spare time, he plays soccer with friends and is always looking for new skills to learn. He鈥檚 recently gotten into swimming, kayaking, and hiking, and is teaching himself how to rollerskate.

For Sami, it鈥檚 about the journey far more than the destination.

The Construction Operations & Resource Education (C.O.R.E.) is an intensive three-year rotational program designed to expose entry level talent to all facets of construction management.聽 Are you ready to roll up your sleeves and get to work? Apply for the C.O.R.E. program today!

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For more than seven decades, the Veterans鈥� Home in Holyoke has been a beacon for Veterans in western Massachusetts. The eight-story building鈥檚 program will include upgraded clinical spaces for dental care, social services, and a 30-bed dedicated memory care floor, as well as a brand-new 40-person Adult Day Health Program (ADHC). The ADHC will serve Veterans living in the community with social activities, companionship, and recreation, as well as providing support for daily activities.

The Commodore | Walsh joint venture will work with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts鈥� Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM) to transform the existing building into a 350,000-gsf healthcare facility featuring 234 long-term care beds and a sensory-rich environment.

Construction will be phased to minimize disruption to the veterans, staff, and surrounding community. Substantial completion of the new building is anticipated by late 2026, with site restoration and final completion anticipated by summer 2028.

For project updates and additional information, please visit .

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