Page 30 - BusinessWest March 31, 2021

Worcester library project is fun in other ways. “Our partners got a kick out of the high-end millwork installation,” he said, noting details in
the children’s room like a rocket ship and an eight- foot-tall book. “Most projects are budget-driven from a carpentry standpoint and may not get a millwork package that’s particularly interesting, so to speak. But every now and then, we get a library project or private-client work — we do a lot of pri- vate work for prep schools in the area — and those
That stability was in direct con- trast to the upheaval of COVID-19, and how that affected the way workers were able to do their jobs.
“Initially, everyone was trying to figure it out,” he said. “There was no guidebook to follow; it was being established as we went along. That was true for every- one in our industry and in other
“Every project is different, every client has a different process, and the relationships are unique, too; we value those relationships and rely on those relationships to keep work coming.”
industries deemed essential, and we were able to keep some projects moving forward in the field.
“Certainly, productivity took a hit, when we were sanitiz-
ing projects twice a day, tak-
ing temperatures, and keeping logs,” he went on, noting that, when a delivery person was found to have COVID, a whole job site shut down for a few days.
This mill renovation on Ferry Street in Easthampton features a mix of office space and apartments.
are projects carpenters can really sink their teeth into; they’re a lot of fun.”
Sullivan noted that construction management is becoming more the norm in the firm’s projects than straight general contracting. What hasn’t changed, however, is a reliance on cultivating rela- tionships with municipalities, colleges, and other types of clients over time.
“It can be difficult to be a contractor of our size in the area we’re in and sustain longevity,” he said. “Every project is different, every client has a differ- ent process, and the relationships are unique, too; we value those relationships and rely on those rela- tionships to keep work coming.”
“In the big picture, we got through the whole year without too many issues,” he added. “It’s liter- ally been a year since this thing hit; everyone has the protocols down pat.”
Getting to Work
Now that things seem to be looking up — both in the public-sector construction world and in general, with vaccines generating positive news on the COVID front — Sullivan is ready to tackle what he sees as pent-up demand.
“The need for work didn’t go away,” he told BusinessWest. “I think there’s a lot of liquidity in the market; last year, people held on to figure out a way through the pandemic, and now that they
see an end in sight, things are starting to loosen up, and we’re very busy on the building side of things.”
As his family’s business has been for more than 120 years.
“We’ve been around a long time in Western Mass. We work roughly from Pittsfield to Worcester — that’s our zone — and there aren’t many mid- size contractors of our size left in Western Mass.,” he said, noting that the firm generates about $40 million in sales each year. “There are a few bigger firms and several smaller firms out there, but we’re happy with the size we are; it’s a good size. And we’re thankful just to be able to be working every day and be around as long as we have.” u
Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]
Connected to our customers. Committed to results.
sweitzerconstruction.com 413.626.1498
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BUILDING HISTORY
SINCE 1897
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts Fitness Center Photography by CHODOS, Inc.
Jennifer Adams
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30 MARCH 31, 2021
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