BLDUP: What is the last book you read that you would recommend as a "must-read" to the construction and design community? Why did you find this book so important?

Greg Procopio: Death by Meeting by Pat Lencioni. Pat has many amazing and applicable books for our industry, but I have found Death by Meeting to be very helpful especially going through the pandemic. I believe we all need to be given the time to focus on our work and not be dragged into back-back-back meetings that have no tangible outcome. The meetings that we are required to be in or meetings that we own should have a clear goal set in an agenda.

BLDUP: Do you have a daily or weekly routine that you follow? If so, how do you feel it has contributed to your success? How has this routine changed/been adjusted given the current situation?

Greg Procopio: My personality type likes structure so I follow a pretty strict routine. My upcoming work week is planned on Friday afternoon, I use a Full Focus Planner and outlook to completely time block my week. I find that if I don’t take the time to plan and control my week, I will lose every unplanned moment to the whims of others. Allowing others to push their priorities onto me will completely derail a work week and any progress I need to make on my tasks. This routine hasn’t changed due to covid, but it certainly helped when working from home.

BLDUP: During the course of your career, what was the biggest challenge you faced and how did you overcome it? What other accomplishments hold a special place in your heart and why?

Greg Procopio: The shift in our business model from small residential builders to multifamily developers and builders was a huge challenge. Over the course of four years our team went from building six houses a year to completing eight multifamily buildings totaling 559 units and developing a 10 story high rise in an urban environment. Overcoming this challenge meant the need to learn entirely new construction methods, and to learn the ins and outs of running a professional construction management firm. This hasn’t been without its speed bumps, but I embrace the challenge and enjoy the high speed education.

BLDUP: What do you foresee for the future of Boston's development given mass vaccinations? The COVID-19 pandemic brought on a unique set of challenges, how has this affected your business in the short term. Do you expect to see long term effects on your projects?

Greg Procopio: I believe the future of Boston’s development landscape is bright. We have an amazing mix of industries locally that drive the need for housing units. Covid has certainly interrupted Boston’s educational institutions and their need for housing, but we still have a strong medical and laboratory market that I believe is going to expand during and after the pandemic that will need well thought out, well built, and convenient housing. In 2020 Covid hit our projects with massive costs associated with protecting workers and residents. Although these costs came out of nowhere we were able to manage through them and bring projects to completion. In 2021 we have seen a huge rise in building material costs. The escalation costs in steel and lumber alone are enough to put some projects on ice. Fortunately, we have four projects totaling 278 units that we were able to break ground on and begin construction this year.

BLDUP: What upcoming projects are you most excited about?

Greg Procopio: The Beck in Haverhill. This is two buildings sitting on a single podium overlooking the Merrimack River and a 60-second walk from the MBTA commuter rail. We are in early design development, but I am excited to see shovels in the ground this fall.

BLDUP: What other types of projects are you looking for right now (if any)? Certain areas, project type/size?

Greg Procopio: We are heavily focused on multifamily. The majority of our projects are mixed use with retail at ground level and apartment homes above, but our primary focus in the market is the housing units. Our projects range from 29 units up through 300, and we are willing to look at potential sites anywhere in New England.

BLDUP: Have you had a mentor or someone who has helped you during your career? What are the most valuable lessons you learned from that person?

Greg Procopio: No specific mentors yet. I am a member of a great peer group and I have been fortunate enough to surround myself with professionals from the industry that are willing to teach. The most valuable lesson I have picked up is the constant need for clear communication. We work in a fast-paced environment where even minor mistakes could have cost impacts in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Communicate your wants and needs clearly. If you are a developer and you have a list of features you want in a project, spell it out to the design team and put it in the contract documents. If you’re a builder and the plans and specs you were given have gaps then fill the gaps with your scope of work documents for your subcontractors.

BLDUP: What do you hope for the future of your company in the next 30 years? What legacy do you want to leave?

Greg Procopio: Although we are a 70 year old company in its 3rd generation of leadership it's only over the past 3 years that we gained name recognition as a development firm in the greater Boston area. Our future is bright, we believe that we can deliver the best product for our investors, our residents and the communities in which we build. We have the privilege of stewarding a company built by my grandfather and father, I hope to leave the name Procopio in the same excellent condition I found it in.

BLDUP: What is a favorite quote that inspires you or you strive to live by?

Greg Procopio: The project manager in me loves George Patton’s “A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week.” As a business owner, I really strive to understand and live up to John Maxwell's the Law of the Lid which says “Leadership ability determines a person's level of effectiveness” – If I’m not constantly growing as a leader then my organization will cap out at my level.