Tighe & Bond Wins Top Award
WESTFIELD — Tighe & Bond Inc. was recently awarded the 2006 Build Connecticut Award, sponsored by the American General Contractors/CT Chapter. The awards competition is a bi-annual competition amongst contractors that recognizes the top project in four categories – large and small new construction projects and large and small renovation projects. The Lake Whitney Water Treatment Plant for the South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority won the award for the top project in the category of Large New Construction. Tighe & Bond was a member of the design firm team that engineered the project. The firm participated in the pilot testing and planning stages of the project, and was responsible for the asbestos abatement and demolition of the old plant, and the civil/site, structural, electrical and engineered the pumping systems for the new water treatment plant. Tighe & Bond also assumed the lead role during construction.
MassMutual Completes $45M Construction Project
SPRINGFIELD — MassMutual Financial Group officially completed its $45 million renovation and expansion project at its Springfield home office on State Street on April 21. The project consisted of a new 80,000-square-foot document management building and a renovation of a major building wing first constructed in 1965, including a complete overhaul and expansion of its employee cafeteria. MassMutual is currently ranked 92nd on the Fortune 500 list, making it the largest company, based on revenues, in the state.
UMass Amherst, Elms Receive Grant
AMHERST — UMass Amherst and Elms College in Chicopee have been awarded a grant of $24,948 from the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education to encourage top honors students early in their nursing education to pursue an academic career. The initiative is designed to increase the number of nursing professors, now in short supply. ‘Increasing the Pipeline to Ph.D. Education’ will support five teams of faculty and students from each college in the conduct of clinical projects and research. Honors students will be identified in their sophomore or junior years, matched with faculty mentors, and conduct honors work during the 2006-2008 academic years. They will work as research assistants for the first year to develop research skills and then undertake honors projects and research during the second year. The students will be eligible for direct admission to the UMass doctoral program upon completion of the bachelor’s degree.
Client First Associates Redesigns Web site
NORTHAMPTON — Client First Associates, a Vann Group company, recently revamped its Web site at www.clientfirstassociates.com. The firm supports organizations through large and small change initiatives, ranging from organizational assessments, systemic change projects and leadership development programs to executive coaching and employee development programs.
Credit Union Breaks Ground in Ludlow
LUDLOW — The Luso Federal Credit Union recently began construction of a 15,000-square-foot building on East Street that will be three times the size of its present building at 535 East St. Luso membership boasts being one of the largest credit unions in the region despite its membership being limited to those who work or live in town. As of Dec. 31, total assets were $137.5 million. When construction is completed in early 2007, Luso’s new facility will feature 35 parking spaces, a drive-up teller lane and a drive-up automated teller machine lane. Luso was created by members of the Gremio Lusitano Club in 1971. Juster, Pope Frazier of Shelburne Falls designed the structure, while L.N. Bernache of Chicopee will serve as the general contractor.
Three Markets Have Charter Phone Options
Residents in Chicopee, East Longmeadow and Ludlow now have a telephone service option through Charter Communications. The service began in March, with Charter offering its cable customers a telephone service of $39.99 a month with unlimited local and domestic long distance calls, voice mail, caller identification and other features. The service is also compliant with the latest 911 safety technology which provides a name and address when users dial the emergency number. Charter provides Internet, cable and telephone service to 11 communities, including Chicopee, East Longmeadow, Easthampton, Hadley and Wilbraham.
Sierra Grill To Open
NORTHAMPTON — O’Brian C. Tomalin plans to open a new restaurant, Sierra Grill, at the former location of Brasserie 40-A, part of a three-story restaurant and lounge operation which closed in mid-April. Anthony B. Bishop and his father, Daniel J. Bishop Sr., co-owners of Brasserie 40-A, said they decided to close the restaurant because they were not getting the end result they had expected.