Day 235 - Looking Back at Biosquare

Day 235 - Looking Back at Biosquare, a photo by JC Cannistraro on Flickr.

We close out the week with another look back at projects from the past. The Biosquare Building "D" project for Boston University was a signature laboratory project back in 2005-2006. Cannistraro really reached its stride in terms of 3D Modeling/BIM capabilities on this project, and gained some valuable lessons learned.

Day 234 - Throwback Thursday; Eighties Edition

Day 234 - Throwback Thursday; Eighties Edition, a photo by JC Cannistraro on Flickr.

As we get closer and closer to our 50th Anniversary, the photos from Cannistraro's past are resurfacing from the archives. Check out this photo from the Canal Park project in Cambridge back in the mid-1980s. According to our records "This four-story office building was erected on one of the tightest sites in Cambridge where delicate coordination enabled five of the rooftop A/C units to be hoisted and set in place."

Day 233 - Mechanical Systems and the Cloud

Day 233 - Mechanical Systems and the Cloud, a photo by JC Cannistraro on Flickr.

Whether your using an iPhone or a Droid, a tablet or a laptop, more and more of your data is being stored in the cloud. As mobile devices make their way on to construction sites, an increasing amount of project information will be stored in the cloud as well. With more cloud computing comes an increased need for datacenters, and not just anyone can care for the vital mechanical systems that cool these facilities. Cannistraro and the Cannistraro Service Group have been specializing in this growing, niche market sector for many years and today's photo was taken at a datacenter project back in 2008.

Day 232 - AEC Young Professionals

Day 232 - AEC Young Professionals, a photo by JC Cannistraro on Flickr.

In previous posts we've discussed how important the mentoring process is at J.C. Cannistraro. This morning we share a photo of two of the newest members of our team, who are busy learning the AEC industry and the role that a mechanical contractor plays. We're confident that there's a bright future ahead in our industry for these young professionals and the many others that pass through the Cannistraro mentorship program.

Day 231 - From inside the Pipe

Day 231 - From inside the Pipe, a photo by JC Cannistraro on Flickr.

No, today's photo is not a snapshot from the opening credits of Skyfall or another James Bond movie. This amazing photo is the product of bringing a professional photographer to watch a welder at work! We present you the view from inside a length of pipe.

Day 230 - Team Cannistraro on the Court

Day 230 - Team Cannistraro on the Court, a photo by JC Cannistraro on Flickr.

Roughly four years ago Team Cannistraro began participating in after-work sports leagues as an opportunity for fun, team building exercises. Our first team played in a basketball league just outside of the TD Garden in Boston. While some of the players have changed over the years, our team is now stronger than ever and playing throughout the year as part of Boston Ski & Sports Clubs.

Day 229 - Vertex Buildings A & B

Day 229 - Vertex Buildings A & B, a photo by JC Cannistraro on Flickr.

For many months we've been documenting the progress and the work being done at Boston's Fan Pier. (And rightfully so as the Vertex Pharmaceutical project is the single largest privately-owned development project in the U.S.). If you've driven through the area now known as the "Innovation District" recently then you'll begin to recognize this view. What was once simply cranes in the sky has been replaced by two new laboratory buildings. While construction is by no means complete quite yet, watching these buildings rise into the Boston skyline has been a sight to see!

Special thanks to Photographer Phillip Boucher for today's photo. (View more of his work at: www.flickr.com/photos/27672048@N00/8369711574/in/photostream)

Day 228 - Winter in Wrentham

Day 228 - Winter in Wrentham, a photo by JC Cannistraro on Flickr.

It has been a while since we last shared an update from the DCAM energy projects in Danvers and Wrentham. As the project winds down, the project team tackles the demolition of the Wrentham facility's power house smoke stack.

Day 227 - Built, Renovated or Serviced

Day 227 - Mechanical Service, a photo by JC Cannistraro on Flickr.

One of the truly amazing things about celebrating 50 years in the New England construction industry is the tremendous portfolio of work that Cannistraro has amassed over the years. When it comes to a building in metropolitan Boston...if we didn't help build it, changes are we've helped to renovate it or provide mechanical service (such is the case for the chiller plant for the property shown above)!

Day 226 - Multifamily Field Work

Day 226 - Multifamily Field Work, a photo by JC Cannistraro on Flickr.

The Greater Boston area is booming with construction of new multi-family buildings. As residents flock to cities like Boston and Cambridge, Cannistraro is busy coordinating and installing the mechanical infrastructure for these soon-to-be residential hot spots. For today's post we share an insider's view of field work at a Cambridge multi-family project, where Cannistraro Plumbers are focusing on the pipe support system on the building's 7th floor.

Day 225 - 500 Atlantic

Day 225 - 500 Atlantic, a photo by JC Cannistraro on Flickr.

For today's post we share a photo of the Intercontinental Hotel, previously known in the construction world as the 500 Atlantic Avenue project. Although this project was built a number of years ago, in many ways it was the start of the expansion and renovation of the Fort Point Channel district; now known as the gateway to the Innovation District. Cannistraro performed the Plumbing and Fire Protection work on this building, but stay tuned later this year for some more interesting information about this iconic location!

Day 224 - BIM: Myth versus reality

Day 224 - BIM: Myth versus reality, a photo by JC Cannistraro on Flickr.

This morning a contingent of Cannistraro representatives attended the Massachusetts Building Congress's panel on BIM: Myth versus reality. For us, the reality is that BIM is an integral part of our processes. Put plainly, every project is a "BIM Project" here at JCC. For mechanical construction firms, BIM enables prefabrication. It was great to see so many familiar faces at such a valuable BIM-centric program, and we're excited to see our industry take this tool to the next level.

Day 223 - Driving Through the Seaport District

Day 223 - Driving Through the Seaport District, a photo by JC Cannistraro on Flickr.

It struck us today as we drove down Congress Street toward Boston's Seaport District just how much is changing in this vibrant, revitalized area of the city. We've been reading the headlines and sharing our involvement in the new "Innovation District," but passing through the area you can't help but be impressed at the construction and expansion at locations such as Suffolk Construction's Waterside Place (pictured), Turner Construction's Vertex Pharmaceuticals at Fan Pier, Seaport Square, and Pier 4. We can't wait to see how this area progresses throughout 2013!

Day 222 - Meeting JCC's Founding Father

Day 222 - Meeting JCC's Founding Father, a photo by JC Cannistraro on Flickr.

We're a few weeks removed from the holiday season, but today we share a photo from Cannistraro's recent annual Holiday Party. More than 400 employees and invited guests attended the 2012 holiday festivities, including all field and office staff. This great moment was captured on camera as company Founder John Cannistraro, Sr. (now retired) met a new field employee while reacquainting with some old friends.

Day 221 - Sustainable Dorms for a Sustainable University

Day 221 - Sustainable Dorms for a Sustainable University, a photo by JC Cannistraro on Flickr.

With 50 years of construction experience in the New England market, Cannistraro has built and renovated countless academic and residential buildings at the area's many colleges and universities. When forward thinking Universities sought to build sustainable into their campuses, Cannistraro was ready. In 2007-2008 Cannistraro completed the Harvard Riverside Housing complex for Harvard University. The project was awarded a LEED Gold Rating from the USGBC and set an example for green dormitories moving forward.

(A Robert Benson Photo.)

Day 220 - Expert Opinions

Day 220 - Expert Opinions, a photo by JC Cannistraro on Flickr.

Cannistraro is fortunate to be regularly considered a thought leader in the construction industry, often on topics such as prefabrication, construction technology, BIM and preconstruction. In the latest issue of The Professional Contractor Magazine (an insert to the Banker and Tradesmen), two of Cannistraro's executive leadership made the headlines. As President of the Associated Subcontractors of Massachusetts, David Cannistraro provided his perspective on the 2013 industry outlook. VP of Service and Engineering Michael Cannistraro, P.E., LEED AP provided his insight into the future of BIM and collaboration. To read the full magazine, visit the ASM website (www.associatedsubs.com/)

Day 219 - Panoramic on Deck

Day 219 - Panoramic on Deck, a photo by JC Cannistraro on Flickr.

Before the holidays we took you out to the Assembly Row project in Somerville, MA. This much anticipated multi-use project is located just off of I-93 and will have easy access to a new T station. The area will ultimately hold an apartment/condo complex, a hotel, office space, retail and entertainment venues. For now, Cannistraro is on site preparing floors for mechanical installation. This panoramic image shows a Cannistraro Plumber finishing up a floor layout using the Trimble Total Station.

Day 218 - New Year, New Projects

Day 218 - New Year, New Projects, a photo by JC Cannistraro on Flickr.

All of us at J.C. Cannistraro wish you a Happy New Year! We welcome in 2013 with open arms, as it is the year of our firm's 50th anniversary. The new year also brings new projects to the mix here at Cannistraro and we are excited to share those stories and photos as we move forward with our Building with Intelligence 365 blog!

Day 217 - A Holiday Greeting

Day 217 - A Holiday Greeting, a photo by JC Cannistraro on Flickr.

We close out 2012 a little early on our blog with a great new photo of the Cannistraro ownership in the Plumbing Museum. As this family-owned firm kicks off its 50th year in 2013, we wish you all a safe and happy holiday season and prosperous new year! We thank you all for your continued readership and support, and look forward to collaborating with you in 2013!

Day 216 - Pulling the Sleigh Since 1963

Day 216 - Pulling the Sleigh Since 1963, a photo by JC Cannistraro on Flickr.

With Christmas less than 1 week away, we thought we'd share one of our favorite advertisements from recent years. This ad has taken many forms and has appeared in the Professional Contractor Magazine, BISNOW and even on the JCC company Christmas card for 2011. Our last post of 2012 will be shared tomorrow, so in case we forget to mention it...Merry Christmas!

Day 215 - Service Group Spreads Holiday Cheer

Day 215 - Service Group Spreads Holiday Cheer, a photo by JC Cannistraro on Flickr.

Members of the Cannistraro Service Group (and their invited guests) spread the Christmas spirit last Friday evening at the New England MCA Holiday Gala. At this particular event, all the major players in the Northeast mechanical construction industry join together and celebrate their achievements...a sentiment that is at the very heart of what NEMCA is all about.

Day 214 - High Rise Residential in Cambridge

Day 214 - High Rise Residential in Cambridge, a photo by JC Cannistraro on Flickr.

For today's post we take a trip back to Cambridge, MA, where more and more construction work is beginning to pick up. Here is a view from the ground at Watermark II, a high-rise apartment complex on which Cannistraro is performing all three trades for Construction Manager John Moriarty & Associates. More to come from this project in future posts.

Day 213 - Friends in FP

Day 213 - Friends in FP, a photo by JC Cannistraro on Flickr.

One week from today Cannistraro will be hosting its annual Company Holiday Party. As we prepare to spread Christmas cheer and honor staff with service and safety awards, we thought we'd share some memories of last year's event. In today's post we take a look at the camaraderie of the Fire Protection Department where Division Managers, Assistant Project Managers and Designers celebrate together.

Day 212 - Throwback Thursday (Sunday Night Football Edition)

Day 212 - Throwback Thursday (Sunday Night Football Edition), a photo by JC Cannistraro on Flickr.

On the heels of a big conference win on Monday night, Cannistraro's favorite football team (the New England Patriots) has an even bigger test this coming Sunday night. For today's post we throwback once again to the early 2000's just as the new Patriots stadium was about to open in Foxboro. While we've share similar photos in the past, today we find a Plumbing Foreman turned Coordinator in the players' weight room, long before the players took up residence.

Day 211 - Business Value of BIM in 2012

Day 211 - Business Value of BIM in 2012, a photo by JC Cannistraro on Flickr.

Earlier this week, we downloaded the latest SmartMarket Report on the Business Value of BIM published by McGraw Hill Construction. It is has been five years since the first report on this topic and there is no question that BIM adoption in the AEC community has increased dramatically. We are pleased to share a page of this report on which Cannistraro is referenced with a 2009 study that documented our own ROI of BIM. Download the free report (bit.ly/UxDWsh) and check out the latest facts and figures.

Day 210 - Christmas at Cannistraro

Day 210 - Christmas at Cannistraro, a photo by JC Cannistraro on Flickr.

"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, every where you look"...at least in our office anyways. The wreaths are up and the poinsettia plants have arrived at the Cannistraro corporate headquarters. In fact, there's even a Christmas tree set-up right in our front lobby! So if you visit our Watertown office this month, we hope you will share in the holiday spirit.

Day 209 - Construction Continues at UMASS Amherst

Day 209 - Construction Continues at UMASS Amherst, a photo by JC Cannistraro on Flickr.

The Cannistraro Plumbing team out in Western Massachusetts is making substantial progress on the Commonwealth Honors Residential Complex on the campus of UMASS Amherst. When finished, this 500,000 sf facility will house more the 1,500 students and include classrooms and other common spaces. The project is seeking a LEED Gold Rating from the USGBC and is expected to open in time for Fall of 2013.

Day 208 - Excellence in Fort Point

Day 208 - Excellence in Fort Point, a photo by JC Cannistraro on Flickr.

During the recent recessionary years, one of the few cranes found in the city rose high above the Fort Point Channel at what was once known as "Russia Wharf." Yesterday the Boston Business Journal announced that the Atlantic Wharf building in this area has been named Boston's "first green skyscraper" and has been officially awarded with a LEED Platinum rating from the USGBC. Congratulations to our project partners at Atlantic Wharf Boston Properties and John Moriarty & Associates. In honor of this achievement, we turn to our friend Philip Boucher for a 2010 photo of the project.

More of his work can be found here: www.flickr.com/photos/27672048@N00/4317688181/sizes/l/in/...

Day 207 - The Holiday Galas Begin

Day 207 - The Holiday Galas Begin, a photo by JC Cannistraro on Flickr.

Tonight is IFMA Boston's annual Holiday Gala and fundraiser to support Boston Medical Center's SPARK Center for children. As we've shown on this blog, employees of Cannistraro and Cannistraro Service Group are very involved in the Facility Management community and are proud supporters of IFMA. In honor of tonight's festivities, we share a photo from last year's event and we hope to see you this evening at the Children's Museum!

Day 206 - BIM in the Biotech Industry

Day 206 - BIM in the Biotech Industry, a photo by JC Cannistraro on Flickr.

In mid-to-late 2011 Cannistraro wrapped up a unique project in Quincy, MA in a building owned and operated by Boston Scientific. The project featured an impressive boiler plant that featured five condensing boilers totaling more than 3,200 MBH. For today's post we share a screen shot of the BIM of the boiler room from this project alongside an actual photo from the early stages of installation.

Day 205 - Energy Benchmarks

Day 205 - Energy Benchmarks, a photo by JC Cannistraro on Flickr.

As we previously mentioned and you may have noticed, Cannistraro Service Group has been seen throughout the Fall in the BISNOW email newsletters for Boston area Commercial Real Estate. In our November ad we reminded customers about our ability to provide energy benchmarks to identify where buildings have room for improvement in terms of energy usage and energy costs. Stay tuned to see what December brings to BISNOW.

Day 204 - Learning the Tools of the Trade

Day 204 - Learning the Tools of the Trade, a photo by JC Cannistraro on Flickr.

Just after Thanksgiving we gave you an inside look at an internal training called "Plumbing 101" where the younger members of Cannistraro's Plumbing Department learned from the Pros. Today we share another peek at the hands-on experience gained at this worthy event. In today's photo we see Cannistraro's Plumbing Prefab Manager overseeing the use of the Pro Press technology.

Day 203 - Sharing our Approach

Today's post is coming to you amidst the actual Autodesk University 2012 session headlined by Cannistraro's own Joe Mierzejewski, LEED AP. Throughout this conference we've heard a lot about the great technologies available to contractors and design teams in our industry. In today's presentation Joe shares the Cannistraro way of incorporating Lean methods and BIM-enabled processes.

Day 202- Technology Partners

Last evening the expo floor opened up to guests and presenters of Autodesk University 2012. In our travels we ran into some familiar faces, the folks of TSI (Technical Sales International)! TSI and Cannistraro are technology partners and work closely together to maximize our BIM-enabled prefabrication capabilities. Keep up the good work!

Day 201 - Live from Autodesk University

The remainder of the week on this blog will document Cannistraro's participation in AU2012 (Autodesk University). We are lucky enough to have been selected to speak at this huge event which includes a large expo, a technology conference and lots of high level BIM talk! Stay tuned for more updates throughout the week.

Day 200 - Bird's Eye View of a Boiler Plant

Day 200 - Bird's Eye View of a Boiler Plant, a photo by JC Cannistraro on Flickr.

We start the final week of November with a trip back to Wrentham, MA and the Energy Upgrade Project for DCAM. We've covered much of the progress in the boiler plant at the Wrentham Developmental Facility, but not from this angle. From this unique perspective you can truly see the breadth of the project, the complex mechanical infrastructure and the hangers and supports.

Day 199 - Trimble on the Deck

Day 199 - Trimble on the Deck, a photo by JC Cannistraro on Flickr.

In our last post before the Thanksgiving holiday we take you to Somerville, MA and the new Assembly Row project. In today's photo we see a Local 12 Plumber using the Trimble Total Station to layout sleeve and bang-it locations before much floor activity begins.

Have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving and we'll update you next week!

Day 198 - Take Two

Day 198 - Take Two, a photo by JC Cannistraro on Flickr.

A couple weeks ago we shared an interesting photo of a professional photography crew documenting the work of the Cannistraro Service Group. Yesterday the crew was back at it again but this time on a Cambridge job site. We couldn't help but share one last behind-the-scenes look at "the making of" Cannistraro.

Day 197 - BIM and the Return on Innovation

Day 197 - BIM and the Return on Innovation, a photo by JC Cannistraro on Flickr.

Last week AEC professionals from the Greater Boston area visited the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center for the Architecture Boston Conference (ABx). Cannistraro has been represented at this conference in years past (when it was called Build Boston), but this year, Operations Manager Neil Johnson spoke as part of an fascinating panel of experts including folks from Tocci Building Co., and KlingStubbins. The panel discussed the how to measure BIM's success and how to identify a return on innovation.

Day 196 - Honoring Partners In Health

Day 196 - Honoring Partners In Health, a photo by JC Cannistraro on Flickr.

Last night Cannistraro helped celebrate the 25th anniversary of Partners in Health, the non-governmental organization that spreads goodwill all over the world by providing healthcare services on a global level. As we've documented, Cannistraro helped PIH and Chairman of Shawmut Design & Construction Jim Ansara build the all new Mirebalais Hospital in Haiti. During the celebration we were struck by an amazing fact: the new teaching hospital in Mirebalais will be the first and largest solar-powered hospital in the undeveloped world. In today's photo we share a photo of a patient room (complete with prefabricated headwall units) to show just how far the project has come. Congratulations to Partners in Health for 25 years of achievements!

Day 195 - Waterside in the Seaport

Day 195 - Waterside in the Seaport, a photo by JC Cannistraro on Flickr.

If you're in the Boston area and attending the ABx Conference at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center (BCEC) this week, you've probably driven by the job site in today's photo. This is the active jobsite of Waterside Place, a high-rise residential project going up in one of the city's hottest areas. Cannistraro is performing the Plumbing, HVAC and Fire Protection for Suffolk Construction on this exciting project.

Special thanks for the Marketing team at TRO Jung Brannen (the project's architecture firm) for this great photo!

Day 194 - Taking BIM for FM to New Heights

Day 194 - Taking BIM for FM to New Heights, a photo by JC Cannistraro on Flickr.

This morning Cannistraro sponsored an outstanding educational session titled "Taking BIM for FM to New Heights" as part of the Boston BIM Collaborative Breakfast series. The session featured Boston College's Smart Building Working Group, which discussed the comprehensive BIM initiative being undertaken at the University's area campuses. The session was presented to a packed house at the Plumbing Museum in Watertown, MA adjacent to the Cannistraro Headquarters. Special thanks to BC's Lynn Berkley and her colleagues involved with the project for an informative presentation, and to all to those in attendance.

Day 193 - Plumbing 101 Training

Day 193 - Plumbing 101 Training, a photo by JC Cannistraro on Flickr.

A new Cannistraro tradition was born over the weekend as the Plumbing Department held a Plumbing & Prefabrication 101 training course for co-ops, recent graduates and young professionals working at JCC. Estimators, Assistant Project Managers, Coordinators and Co-op Students gained first hand experience with the strategies, concepts and methods used by fabrication shop foreman and welders. This invaluable teaching experience will certainly be a new company tradition and is another example of Cannistraro's commitment to continuous training and education.

Day 192 - Our Own Veteran

Day 192 - Our Own Veteran, a photo by JC Cannistraro on Flickr.

In honor of Veteran's Day, we pay tribute to our own company founder: John Cannistraro, Sr. In the 1950s Mr. C was a commander in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Newport News. To this day, he credits his experiences in the Navy for helping him "convince himself that he had the ability to manage people and make the kind of decisions that a business owner must make." Today we give special thanks to Mr. C and all the U.S. veterans who bravely and honorably serve our country!

Day 191 - Shout out the Plumbing Museum

Day 191 - Shout out the Plumbing Museum, a photo by JC Cannistraro on Flickr.

Believe it or not, this January marks the 4th year that has passed since the Plumbing Museum moved to Watertown, adjacent to the corporate headquarters of J.C. Cannistraro. Each November, the official Board of Directors for this 501 (c)(3) museum organization gathers to discuss the year that was and the year to come. Considering that the Museum Board (including JCC President John Cannistraro, Jr.) descends upon Watertown tomorrow, we thought we'd share this group photo from 2010. If anyone is ever in town or at JCC headquarters for a project meeting and would like a brief tour, let us know and we'll point you in the right direction!

Day 190 - Welding & Prefabricating Hangers

Day 190 - Welding & Prefabricating Hangers, a photo by JC Cannistraro on Flickr.

Today we peer inside Cannistraro's Plumbing prefabrication shop where a welder puts the finishing touches on a set of pipe supports. As you can see in the photo, once each hanger is fully fabricated, it gets packaged with the others and shipped to the job site floor along with the associated piping assemblies just-in-time for installation.

Day 189 - VOTE!

Day 189 - VOTE!, a photo by JC Cannistraro on Flickr.

In honor of Election Day 2012, today we bring you something totally different. Today's post features a photo that doesn't specifically relate to the three trades performed by Cannistraro, but demonstrates the pride of our workers and all those who work in union construction. This photo was taken earlier this year at the Fan Pier site where the Vertex Pharmaceuticals campus is being built on Boston's Waterfront. Just before the flag was hoisted atop the job site, all trades signed their names to this steel support beam....a sign of camaraderie that is fitting for today's events!

Day 188 - Being Thankful and Giving Back

Day 188 - Being Thankful and Giving Back, a photo by JC Cannistraro on Flickr.

Last Thursday Team Cannistraro (Cannistraro's fundraising and charitable events group) announced the start of its annual Thanksgiving Food Drive. Our company is proud to stand behind this effort each and every November as our employees, friends and colleagues come together to help provide food to those in need locally. If you'd like to contribute this great initiative benefiting Grandma's Pantry, feel free to bring non-perishable food items to the Cannistraro corporate office in Watertown, MA any time before November 16th, 2012.

Day 187 - College Dormitory Bathrooms

Day 187 - College Dormitory Bathrooms, a photo by JC Cannistraro on Flickr.

Last week we shared a photo from inside Cannistraro's prefabrication facility out in Deerfield, MA that serves much of the work being performed at UMASS Amherst. Today we share a post from one of those projects, the Honors Program Dormitories/Residences, where Cannistraro is installing the Plumbing Infrastructure. In today's photo we get an up close look as one final connection is made in the installation of a prefabricate toilet battery into a future dormitory bathroom.

Day 186 - A Cloud of BIM, IPD and Other Buzz Words

Day 186 - A Cloud of BIM, IPD and Other Buzz Words, a photo by JC Cannistraro on Flickr.

Today we unveil the cover to the latest issue of Cannistraro's Shop Talk Newsletter. The Fall/Winter 2012 edition officially publishes on Monday, but our readers and blog subscribers get the first look at the cover story. You'll have to wait until next week to find out why BIM, IPD, and Lean Construction are not fads in the AEC industry.