News

Recently, Gaston Principal Mike Weber sat down with Joe Kelly of the Mass Construction Show Podcast to talk about Construction Marketing, Prefabrication, Efficiency, and Continuous Improvement (among other topics). In this return visit, Mike and Joe take a deep dive into construction trends, leading/emerging technologies, LEAN construction, and the importance of relationship-building in the construction industry.

Check out the full podcast video here:

New Year – New Space. The Gaston home office at 85 Morse Street in Norwood has always been a dynamic and bustling space. Those who have visited in the past will remember that the front area has been occupied by all of our support teams, while the rear of the building was home to our Warehouse and busy Prefabrication Shop.

This past year, Warehouse and Prefab Teams made an exciting move into approximately 15,000 square feet of new (larger and more functional) space just across the road – leaving awesome possibilities for the vacated space.

Fortunately, years of hard work have led to growth in Gaston’s capabilities, field manpower, and office employee headcount. To support this continued growth, a plan was made to transform the vacant space into new offices and conference rooms that would blend seamlessly with the existing space in front.

New office spaces for Project Managers, Operations, and Project Coordination were designed along with three new conference rooms – including Gillette Stadium, Conte Forum, and Alumni Stadium.

While all companies were adjusting to the new reality of Covid-19, planning continued to move forward and take shape. Construction progressed smoothly and safely throughout the process – with team members moving into their new spaces during the holidays.

Construction progress shots are placed throughout this post – with the final photo below showing our newly-installed graphics on the glass of the Alumni Stadium Conference Room – featuring our Core Purpose and Core Values.

We look forward to a time in the future when all of our friends and clients can stop in for an in-person visit. Until then, be safe – and Happy New Year!

We’re excited to announce that John “Coco” Cocorochio was recently named Safe Employee of the Month as part of the Gaston Safety Recognition Program.

Coco was recognized for his commitment to safe work practices on the jobsite – and rewarded with a $150 Visa Gift Card.

Safety Director Rick Coakley was on hand at one of our ongoing tenant fitup projects in Boston’s Financial District to present Coco with his prize – photo below.

To learn more about Gaston’s Commitment to Safety, please visit the Safety page of our website by clicking here.

In Mid-October, the Boston University Myles Standish Hall Renovation Project was recognized by the Boston Preservation Alliance with a 2020 Preservation Achievement Award.

In this 14-month, multi-phase renovation, Gaston Team members including Jake G., Ron P., Mike R., Adam S. and Crew worked alongside General Contractor Shawmut Design & Construction (and other project partners) to provide a complete overhaul of this iconic Kenmore Square Building.

To learn more about the Myles Standish Hall project, please visit the Boston Preservation Alliance page by clicking here.

Below are some photos of the Project and Team throughout the renovation process.

On October 8th, Team Members from Gaston Electrical joined Consigli Construction to participate in the Blackstone Valley Educational Foundation STEM Webinar Series.

The series was developed to introduce middle school students to the many exciting career paths and opportunities that exist in STEM fields – including construction.

HR Director Nina Radzim spearheaded Gaston’s involvement and coordinated an overview of the subcontractor role which included Estimator Selene Burke, BIM Manager David Fiorini, and Prefabrication Shop Manager DJ Murray.

Each Team Member took time to explain their respective roles within the company, their responsibilities relating to projects, and their backgrounds. Students then asked questions via the webinar chat function. Of particular interest was the use of BIM in construction coordination, and the important role of women and minorities in the industry.

To learn more about the Blackstone Valley Educational Foundation, please visit https://bveducationfoundation.org/

Recently, Bill Weber, Jr. joined Lonnie Cumpton of NECA National and Tauhira Ali of Milwaukee Tool to discuss offsite prefabrication, pre-planning, and the push for greater efficiency in construction during the “Innovation Studio” podcast.

During the discussion, Bill talked about the history of prefabrication at Gaston Electrical, the hard work to build the division, and the benefits seen on the jobsite today. He also offered advice and best practices for other electrical contractors who may be in the process of establishing their own prefabrication division.

To learn more about Gaston’s Prefabrication Division, you can visit our website by clicking here.

Gaston Electrical Principal Bill Weber was recently featured in ConstructionDive.com’s Offsite Construction Series. In his discussion with writer Kim Slowey, Bill comments on the many benefits of pre-fabrication and the efficiencies it creates.

From the article: Prefabrication can even encompass entire smaller-scale structures, like a house, that are built and shipped in pieces and put together on site. Prefabricated systems and components can be built in a factory designated for such work or in a contractor’s warehouse. Bill Weber, principal at Gaston Electrical, in Norwood, MA, told Construction Dive in June that the ability to work with other subcontractors in order to assemble multi-trade racks ahead of time can reduce onsite skilled labor requirements by as much as half. And, according to Weber, companies that don’t take advantage of the efficiencies prefab offers could be setting themselves up for failure.

Click here to access the article.

Recently, John “Buck” Buckley , Gaston Service Division Manager, spoke with Boston Business Journal Real Estate Editor Catherine Carlock about the steps that building owners and managers are taking to make facilities safer, more attractive to tenants, and ready for increased energy requirements. Topics included the importance of ample lab space in the Boston and Cambridge markets as well as the financial hurdles involved with office to lab conversions.

The article also includes valuable insight on air quality and cleaning processes within buildings from industry leading companies such as Skanska, ABM Industries, Aircuity, HqO, and Analogue Studio.

Below is an excerpt from the story featuring Buck’s discussion. The full BBJ / Catherine Carlock article can be read by clicking here.

HIGHER ENERGY USE

Some hospitals and health-care facilities are already planning to improve their facilities systems in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, said John Buckley, service division manager with Norwood-based electrical contractor Gaston Electrical Co. Inc. Whether that extends to the commercial office side remains to be seen.

Converting an office building into something that can handle life-science type systems is neither easy nor cheap, Buckley said. The facilities would go from basic infrastructure — cooling, heating, hot water, and data for computers — to running continual power, installing emergency generators so the power never goes out, and upgrading ventilation and exhaust systems.

“It’s mammoth, on the mechanical side, when you got to a life-science type operation as opposed to an office building,” Buckley said. “It’s a lot of design, and it’s expensive.”

Some area landlords have converted a floor or two to life-science standards, versus an entire building, which Buckley said there could be more of in the future.