Procon Wins Coveted ABC NH/VT Excellent in Construction Chairman's Award

At its November 3rd annual Excellence in Construction award gala, the Associated Builders and Contractors New Hampshire/Vermont awarded PROCON the Chairman's Award, the association's top reward honoring the "Best of the Best" construction projects in 2022. PROCON was honored for its exemplary work on the Joyce Cummings Center at Tufts University in Medford, MA. PROCON designed and built the 150,000 SF seven-story academic building, which houses classrooms, seminar rooms, meeting space, research labs, offices, and a 160-seat auditorium.

 "It is our pleasure to recognize PROCON with the Chairman's Award for their tremendous work on the construction of the Tufts University Cummings Center," said Joshua Reap, President, and CEO of ABC NH/VT. "We had many excellent projects to review as our members continue to deliver quality work. Our panel of independent judges determined PROCON to be the "Best of the Best" this year. They are an outstanding design-builder with a long track record of success in New Hampshire and throughout New England." 

Each year, ABC NH/VT recognizes the superior construction work of contractors and subcontractors with their Excellence in Construction Award, which PROCON's Tufts University project won in the commercial category. A panel of judges then awards the Chairman's Award to the construction project they judge as the "Best of the Best" of all eligible Excellence Award winners. 

“Words cannot express how much Tufts University enjoyed working with the PROCON team on the Joyce Cummings Center. The process with PROCON was a streamlined approach to designing and constructing this energy-efficient, complex building filled with interdisciplinary offices and learning space, said Ruth Bennett, Sr. Director of Capital Programs at Tufts University “PROCON is an exceptional, trusted design-build partner that we look forward to working with in the future.”

Elements of the Cummings Center building that contributed to PROCON's recognition as the best construction project include PROCON's unique and sustainable design and pre-construction planning strategies, including significant coordination with Tufts University and various utilities and public transportation entities. Successful pre-planning included weekly 3D coordination and architectural detail review meetings, which allowed for more efficient sequencing and adjustability for construction tolerances. Construction challenges included identifying a materials laydown area in an urban environment and devising an erosion control plan for the area. Construction of the Cummings Center was happening simultaneously with an expansion of the abutting MBTA Green Line and the laying of conduits under the Cummings Center by the Green Line Extension project. The urban environment and close proximity of the MBTA, rail lines, and pedestrian traffic called for significant logistic and signage planning. Additionally, when the project was near completion, the university decided to make some design changes to better suit their needs, which PROCON handled seamlessly.

"We are deeply honored and humbled to receive this very special award," said John Stebbins, PROCON Managing Director. "It is a tribute to the talented and hardworking men and women we work with daily, who offer our clients exceptional projects and innovative ideas. The Cummings Center represents the type of partnership we strive to achieve with all our projects." 

“This was not an easy project. From contract negotiations through to commissioning and COVID in between, this project threw everything AND the kitchen sink at us. This award is a testament to the vision of the Cummings Family, the partnership of Tufts University, and the talent, perseverance, and hard, hard work of the PROCON team and our incredible subcontractors,” said Jen Stebbins Thomas, PROCON Managing Director. “This is a first-class, cutting-edge facility for one of the top academic institutions in the world – something we will be proud of for years to come.” 

After 50 years of working with the traditional design-bid-build delivery system for construction projects, PROCON developed its own fully integrated design-build process, which includes architects, designers, and engineers working together from estimating/pre-construction through construction completion under one roof. PROCON's unique process contributed to the success of the Cummings Center and its other award-winning projects over the last 35+ years. 

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