Michael Barnes, Publisher
MBC to Host Breakfast with the Governor
Gov. Charlie Baker
Massachusetts Building Congress will host “Breakfast with the Governor” on March 2 at its breakfast program 7:30 a.m. to 9:45 a.m., at the Mandarin Oriental, Boston.
Governor Charlie Baker joins MBC members and guests with an update on economic issues for the Commonwealth and the AEC community. Details: www.building
IdeaPaint
MBC President Rocco Derrigo with IdeaPaints Jeff Chaitman
Gaming at IdeaPaint
IdeaPaint hosted an MBC Congress Unplugged event at its world headquarters, 40 Broad St. Boston recently. IdeaPaint was founded in 2008 and now has offices in over 40 countries, and boasts over 150,000 installations worldwide. Its premium dry erase paint transforms virtually any smooth surface into an erasable canvas, “leading to faster innovation, increased collaboration and greater results.” It introduced three new products into their ecosystem at NeoCon 2016.After greetings from Jeff Chaitman VP North American Sales and IdeaPaint staff,MBC members enjoyed appetizers, wine and beer, while competing and sometimes collaborating in games preprepared on the office walls.
(l to r) Perruzzi, Gallinaro, O’Leary, and Ribeiro
The Urbanization of the Suburban Workplace
The Urbanization of the Suburban Workplace was the topic of a recent MBC breakfast meeting at the Aloft hotel Seaport Boston. The panelists included Andrew Gallinaro of National Development, Michael O’Leary of Cushman & Wakefield, and Alvaro J. Ribeiro, AIA, of Margulies Perruzzi Architects. Examples of trending designs that generate and maintain leasing in suburban markets were displayed in the discussion on the theme of urban attractions in suburban office settings.
Monica Lawton
ASM CEO Monica Lawton Announces Retirement
After 20 years at the helm of ASM, CEO Monica Lawton has announced she will retire in July of this year. To find her replacement, the ASM Board of Directors has formed a search/transition committee chaired by ASM Vice President Steven Kenney, and joined by former President David Cannistraro, and directors Christopher Buell, Dana Johnston, Mac Lynch, and Bernard Quinlan. The committee has engaged the executive search firm of Sterling Martin Associates to guide the search process. The committee expects to select the successful candidate in late spring, to allow for overlap with the current leadership
BPDA Model Room Tours
Boston model
The Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA) now offers public tours of the agency’s model room every Tuesday between 10 a.m. and noon at the Boston Planning & Development Agency on the 9th floor of Boston’s City Hall. The BPDA’s model room houses a 1-to-40-inch scale, physical, basswood model of Boston’s downtown and portions of Beacon Hill, the North End, Charlestown, Back Bay, and the South Boston Waterfront. The model allows the city’s urban design and planning staff to study planning and development options within this area. The model was originally built in the 1980s and is kept current by BPDA staff.
Tours are led by BPDA urban design and planning staff and will last approximately 30 minutes. Reservations will be required by signing up at bit.ly/bpda-model.
Facility tours at IFMA Boston
Sonos HQ / photo courtesy J & M Brown.
IFMA Boston will visit the facilities of Legendary Entertainment on February 15. The California-based motion picture and media company recently brought its action-packed, cinematic vision to Boston relocating its analytics division to a downtown tower overlooking historic Copley Square. Legendary’s East Coast headquarters is designed to optimize collaboration and creativity with a mix of offices, open and private conference spaces, and variable presentation surfaces. Most recently IFMA members visited the Sonos headquarters in Boston. Situated in Cambridge since 2002, Sonos decided to relocate its headquarters to 115,000sf in the revitalizing Downtown Crossing area. The goal in the new design is to enhance the connection between all departments and allow for more creative collaboration.
IFMA members heard how the project team collaborated on the design, construction, and fit-out of this progressive office space. Attendees experienced Sonos’ hidden sound proof room, its one of a kind sound proof development labs as well as its famous green wall that spans two floors!
GBPCA Seeks New Executive Director
Plumbing Contractors Association (GBPCA) is currently seeking a new executive director.
Executive director — union-based contractor association. Emphasis on contractor-union relations. Plan and manage meetings and events. Must have: Understanding of complexities of unionized construction industry and collective bargaining. Ability to work effectively with a variety of interest groups in the piping trades. Strong writing, speaking, and interpersonal skills. Send résumé by March 15, 2017 to: admin@GreaterBostonPCA.com.