USM

PC Construction accepted two national awards last week from ENR (Engineering News-Record), a leading trade publication in the engineering and construction industry. These awards recognize New England’s most outstanding construction projects of the year.

PC was honored with a Sustainability Award of Merit for its work on the University of Southern Maine’s Portland Commons Residence Hall and McGoldrick Center for Career & Student Success. The company was also recognized for its efforts on The Nest, a unique mid-mountain restaurant at Saddleback, which won a Best Project award for projects valued under $10 million.

“Our team has completed some exceptional projects in Maine,” said PC President / CEO Matt Cooke. “The University of Southern Maine and The Nest at Saddleback projects illustrate our diverse construction capabilities and are testament to our outstanding teams who continuously achieve excellence.”

USM Portland Commons and McGoldrick Center

The $83.6 million University of Southern Maine project is the largest in the school’s history. Portland Commons Residence Hall, which PC Construction completed in partnership with Capstone Development Partners, Elkus Manfredi Architects, and SMRT Architects & Engineers, significantly expands the dormitory capacity of the Portland campus. The 218,000-square-foot, eight-story student residence hall includes 580 beds with a mix of single-occupancy rooms, studios and multi-bedroom apartments. The 42,000-square-foot, five-story McGoldrick Center for Career & Student Success offers a career and employment hub, meeting rooms, study spaces and amenities including a dining common, coffee shop and pub.

The two connected facilities, which are centered on a one-acre green quad, usher in a massive transformation of USM’s Portland campus. Portland Commons, as the campus’ first-ever onsite dormitory, marks the first step in turning a former “commuter campus” into a bustling university with a full campus experience. The state-of-the-art McGoldrick Center right next door contributes to a rich campus life outside of the classroom, providing opportunities for collaboration and connection among the student body and with potential employers.

The project also significantly contributes to USM’s sustainability goal of becoming fully carbon-neutral by 2040. Portland Commons, whose superior insulation and efficient building design allow it to use 50% less energy than comparable housing facilities, is one of the largest Passive House college residence halls in the United States. The McGoldrick Center — with its large-scale 33.3-kW rooftop photovoltaic array, passive solar heating, and a structure that is one-third mass timber, which significantly reduces the embodied carbon of the building — is LEED Gold certified.

“At the very root of this project’s success was a true team commitment to a collaborative, open and transparent relationship among all team members,” said Dr. Jacqueline Edmondson, President of the University of Southern Maine. “USM valued PC’s expertise, creative solutions, and continuous efforts toward ensuring our goals were met. We take such pride in walking along Bedford Street and admiring our truly transformed campus, and we know we couldn’t have done it without PC.”

The Nest at Saddleback Mountain

The Nest is a 2,500-square-foot ski in/ski out restaurant at Saddleback Mountain in western Maine. Perched at 3,620 feet, it’s the highest-elevation dining experience in Maine, combining panoramic views and exceptional cuisine. Constructing this unique venue presented significant challenges, from its remote, high-altitude location to the need for careful environmental stewardship.

The top of the building features a living roof, recreating the natural alpine meadow above the building, as if the ground had been lifted up for the building to be tucked into. Inside, guests discover a vibrant, modern restaurant with a full gourmet kitchen, 80-seat dining area and 14-seat bar that are designed to easily transform into an open-concept event space.

Environmental stewardship was a top priority during the construction process. Careful planning accounted for the late-spring breeding season of the Bicknell’s Thrush, a rare bird species native to the region, ensuring their habitat was protected. To prioritize the birds’ safety, removable screens were installed on one of the three sides featuring floor-to-ceiling glass. Instead of using a traditional poured concrete foundation, the structure was built on posts, significantly reducing disruption to the surrounding watershed. Additionally, the project incorporates unique building materials that showcase local forest products and harmonize with the natural landscape, further emphasizing sustainability and regional pride.

“PC’s partnership was essential in bringing this project to completion in time for the 2023-2024 ski season,” said Jim Quimby, General Manager of Saddleback Mountain. “The Nest isn’t just a restaurant—it’s a centerpiece of the Saddleback experience, offering skiers and riders a combination of breathtaking views, exceptional dining, and the convenience of ski-in/ski-out access. This project stands as a testament to innovative design, eco-conscious practices, and the spirit of collaboration that define Saddleback as a truly special destination.”

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Luxury Hotel Launches Major Hyde Park Revitalization

Hyde Park, NY – PC Construction recently joined Hudson Valley developers and business leaders in celebrating the completion of the Inn at Bellefield, a Residence Inn by Marriott property. The $55 million project, which welcomed its first guests during the holiday season, launches a major multi-year revitalization for historic Hyde Park.

The five-story, 106,000-square-foot hotel offers 137 luxury suites, all offering full kitchens and distinct living and sleeping rooms with amenities such as an upscale fitness center and state-of-the-art conference spaces, including a 250-guest grand ballroom. Guests can also enjoy a full-service farm-to-table-style restaurant and bar, which will be the site of future mixology and cooking classes and elite culinary experiences.

“We are proud to have been a partner on this project,” said PC President / CEO Matt Cooke. “It’s particularly significant for the Hudson Valley and provides additional resources to host long-term visitors to the region. Both visually and functionally, this new building provides a foundation for further development at this site, spurring additional growth and economic benefits.”

The Inn at Bellefield is directly across the street from the Culinary Institute of America and minutes from the Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site, Walkway Over the Hudson, several local colleges, and the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum. The hotel was designed to complement and honor the architectural style and historical significance of the Village of Hyde Park and incorporates elements such as sycamore wood repurposed from a centuries-old tree on the property.

In addition to honoring the past, the Inn at Bellefield also ushers in a major revitalization project for the village and for Duchess County, which welcomes 4.5 million visitors every year. Future development plans include a performing arts center, a second hotel, an amphitheater and more than 800 additional residences.

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Located directly across the street from the Culinary Institute of America, the Inn at Bellefield was constructed to compliment the local historic architecture and incorporates elements such as sycamore wood repurposed from a centuries-old sycamore tree on the property.

The PC team is proud to have partnered with Shaner Hotel Group and T-Rex Capital Group to bring this first phase of the major downtown revitalization to life and are excited for the future development opportunities this brings for the Hudson Valley!

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The PC team is nearing completion of the latest development at Vermont’s Spruce Peak Resort – the 126,000-square-foot Treehouse at Spruce Peak and associated 65,000-square-foot parking garage.

The four-story contemporary luxury alpine building is comprised of wood framing. When compared to light-gauge metal framing, wood tends to be more prone to environmental factors that can lead to deformation. To achieve the highest level of quality, PC used a Leica RTC360 Laser Scanner to evaluate and ensure floor flatness and AutoCAD Civil3D to generate the quantity of gypcrete needed for a level finish.

The evaluation of the floor was completed using AutoCAD Civil3D with Cloudworx to find the high point in each room, generate a topographic surface, and make a comparison surface which provides the quantity of fill. Finding the high point in each room also allows for appropriate mounting heights of various finishes, ensuring an aesthetically pleasing finished product.

The first phase of this project is now complete with the delivery of 23 units. In addition, the 239-space parking garage was completed early in the project in December 2022. The remaining 25 residential units are slated for turnover next month.

Photos: Top – Elevation Heat Map in AutoCAD Civil3D with Cloudworx; Bottom – Level 5 Gypcrete Floor – Finished Elevation

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The building is designed to be environmentally conscious in the heart of a boreal forest, with large sliding windows overlooking the Rangeley Lakes region and a living roof covered in hay-scented ferns and native lowbush blueberries. Locally sourced materials include pine boards stained with linseed oil and pine tar used for the siding. In addition, the facility is built on posts instead of a poured foundation to minimize disruption of the watershed.

This project brought many interesting challenges. Construction was closely coordinated around the breeding season of the Bricknell’s thrush, one of North America’s rarest songbirds that breeds exclusively in the boreal forests. The winter months also required extensive coordination with mountain operations to utilize ski lifts and groomers for the transport of materials and personnel.

We are so pleased to have partnered with Saddleback to bring The Nest to reality. The Nest is open Friday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. during the 2023-2024 winter ski season. Be sure to visit the next time you are on the Saddleback slopes!

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The PC team at the Treehouse at Spruce Peak project achieved another significant milestone – the completion of phase 1 turnover. The project, which broke ground in May 2022, is the latest development at Vermont’s Spruce Peak Resort. At 126,000 square feet, the four-story contemporary alpine building features 48 luxury residential units ranging from two bedrooms to tiered loft-style accommodations, with underground parking for residents.

The first phase included the delivery of 23 units. In addition, a new free-standing 239-space parking facility located across from the Treehouse was completed in December 2022. The remaining 25 residential units are slated for turnover this February.

I want to thank the incredible team who has ensured the utmost attention to every detail of this project. They displayed unwavering resilience and expertise, transforming obstacles into opportunities while fostering strong relationships with all project partners.

We are now in the home stretch – stay tuned for more to come!

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This marks the second national award and the fourth major recognition for the project, which was completed in 2022. The $46.5 million, six-story, 125,000-square-foot facility includes 27 ski-in/ski-out residences, townhomes, and penthouses. Units feature in-residence elevators, spacious balconies with mountain views, sweeping floor-to-ceiling windows, and best-in-class materials and finishes.

“We are grateful to CMAA for recognizing our work, and to Spruce Peak Realty, the project owner, for their strong and ongoing partnership,” said PC President / CEO Matt Cooke. “This project shows how a team’s creativity, agility and determination can overcome even the biggest challenges.”

PC’s team of project management staff, craftworkers, and more than 400 trade partner workers collaborated on an unconventional phased-delivery approach that challenged construction logistics and methods. In addition, ongoing supply chain and manpower shortages required PC to identify and create alternative solutions to ensure an on-time delivery.

One Spruce Peak has also won a national Construction Risk Partners Build America Award from AGC America, a regional Project Achievement Award from CMAA New England, and a state Best Builders Award from AGC Vermont.

Upon One Spruce Peak’s completion, PC Construction was also selected to build the resort’s next development, a $76.4 million project including the four-story Treehouse at Spruce Peak and a parking garage. Work on that project is currently in progress, with estimated completion in spring 2024.

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The $46.5 million 125,000-square-foot One Spruce Peak boasts a collection of 27 ski-in/ski-out luxury residences, townhomes and penthouses at one of New England’s premier ski resorts. Units feature in-residence elevators, spacious balconies, sweeping floor-to-ceiling windows, and best-in-class materials and finishes. Rounding out the residences is a private pool, below-grade parking, locker rooms and ski storage.

Completed last year, PC’s team, in collaboration with more than 400 trade partner workers, developed an unconventional phased-delivery approach that challenged construction logistics and methods, a true collaborative effort that led to outstanding project success.

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Completed last year, the $46.5 million 125,000-square-foot One Spruce Peak boasts a collection of 27 ski-in/ski-out luxury residences, townhomes and penthouses at one of New England’s premier ski resorts. Units feature in-residence elevators, spacious balconies, sweeping floor-to-ceiling windows, and best-in-class materials and finishes. Rounding out the residences is a private pool, below-grade parking, locker rooms and ski storage.

This project was so incredibly special for me. I had a great team – from the owner whom we have worked with over the past 15 years to the PC project management staff, our self-perform craftworkers, and over 400 trade partner workers. We had our fair share of challenges, but we collaboratively developed an unconventional phased-delivery approach that challenged construction logistics and methods to successfully complete the project – and we did it all with zero safety incidents and a 0.0 incident rate! To have this project recognized now with three prestigious industry awards is just a feather in our cap!

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South Burlington, VT – This week, PC Construction accepted a national Build America Award from the Associated General Contractors of America for One Spruce Peak, a residential mountain retreat at the base of Stowe Mountain Resort built in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The $46.5 million, six-story, 125,000-square-foot facility includes 27 ski-in/ski-out residences, townhomes, and penthouses. Units feature in-residence elevators, spacious balconies with mountain views, sweeping floor-to-ceiling windows, and best-in-class materials and finishes.

PC’s team of project management staff, craftworkers, and more than 400 trade partner workers collaborated on an unconventional phased-delivery approach that challenged construction logistics and methods. In addition, ongoing supply chain shortages required PC to identify and create alternative solutions throughout the project when prefabricated building products were not available.

“We’re grateful to AGC America for recognizing our work, and to the project owner, Spruce Peak Realty, for their strong and ongoing partnership,” said PC President / CEO Matt Cooke. “This project shows how a team’s creative approach, agility and positive attitude can overcome even the biggest challenges. And a true testament to our team’s success came when we were selected to build the resort’s next development – a $74.5 million project – right on the heels of One Spruce Peak’s completion.”

The Construction Risk Partners Build America Awards honor AGC members who build the nation’s most impressive construction projects, ranging from buildings to utility projects to transportation infrastructure. Build America winners excel in the areas of advancement and innovation, environmental sensitivity, safety, and client service, among other categories.

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The Build America Awards honor AGC members who build the nation’s most impressive construction projects ranging across the building, highway and transportation, utility infrastructure, and federal and heavy divisions. Honorees excel in the areas of state-of-the-art advancement, innovation, safety, client service and environmental sensitivity.

The new six-story, 125,000-square-foot facility boasts a collection of 27 ski-in/ski-out luxury residences, townhomes and penthouses at one of New England’s premier ski resorts. Units feature in-residence elevators, spacious balconies, sweeping floor-to-ceiling windows, and best-in-class materials and finishes. Rounding out the residences is a private pool, below-grade parking, locker rooms and ski storage.

PC’s team of 20 project management staff and self-perform craftworkers, in collaboration with more than 400 trade partner workers, worked together to develop an unconventional phased-delivery approach that challenged construction logistics and methods to successfully complete the project. With an emphasis on preplanning and risk-reduction strategies, the project was completed with zero safety incidents and a 0.0 incident rate.

PC has partnered with the resort since 2008 to deliver more than $200 million in new construction for the growing slope-side community, including the current Treehouse and Parking Garage at Spruce Peak project.

Photos – Top: Members of the One Spruce Peak team prepare to accept the Build America Award in Las Vegas. Bottom: The completed One Spruce Peak facility.

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Late last year, PC completed construction of the new Wildflower Farms, an Auberge Resorts Collection boutique resort situated on 140 acres in Gardiner, New York. The resort features 65 luxury free-standing cabins, cottages and suites totaling 52,000 square feet of accommodations with a 37,000-square-foot main building and lobby, a great porch, the Clay restaurant and event spaces. At the heart is the Thistle, an Auberge Spa complete with indoor and outdoor pools.

The resort is unlike anything I’ve built before. Everything is so specialized to the guest experience and ensures harmony with nature in a wellness-centered atmosphere. It was so exciting seeing all the moving parts and pieces come together and I know it will serve their guests well into the future.

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