Medaglia of ACC Construction reports a very positive first quarter

I attribute a steady stream of new job starts to two factors in the company's sales and marketing. One is customer service and the dependability of solid business relationships, which ACC has always valued. This focus has led to many longstanding repeat business, particularly from some of the city's larger landlords. The second factor has been watching the interest from many corporate clients and potential clients in supplier diversity, i.e., interest in working with non-traditional companies, specifically MBE and WBE firms. While ACC's message is always about service and quality, the firm has found opportunities where clients want a dependable, established company who offers supplier diversity with no risk. This was the case at Con Edison, who has actively supported women in construction for several years. After meeting several of the purchasing staff at a luncheon, ACC followed up with Con Ed, going through its process of becoming a vendor, and has just started a first project. Bank retail and branch work has been consistently strong for several years. This was true in 2009, despite the overall trend to less work in New York area construction. It continues unabated; ACC is building bank branches for an international bank, a national bank and a local bank in Williamsburg, Yonkers, Great Neck, Red Bank and North Bergen, N.J. Retail, too, continues to be very active. Last year's opening of TJ Maxx on upper Columbus Ave. led to a commission to build a new store in Manhasset for Marshalls, which will open in mid-May. ACC is also building the Old Navy store that will open at the East River Plaza off of the FDR Drive, another big box giant. On the other end of the spectrum ACC built a small store in Rockefeller Center concourse for Au Bon Pain, which opened in March. Corporate interiors is always on the boards at ACC, especially for tenant spaces being built-out for owners. ACC is completing the build-out for Arsenal Capital, who leased the 31st floor at 100 Park Ave. from SL Green. ACC notes that upgrading lobbies has been the focus of attention for many landlords in the past couple of years. The most recent that ACC completed is at 292 Madison Ave., where an elegant Fiddleback Makore veneer wall complements a Calacatta Gold Italian marble floor; the design was by Iu + Bibliowicz, who always provides high style. Lastly, ACC has just been retained as the construction manager for a historic property in the Flatiron District. The firm will be managing and coordinating a large-scale façade restoration for an interesting complex of buildings between and fronting Broadway and Fifth Ave. This is a very exciting assignment and we look forward to helping the owners and their excellent architects bring the buildings back to their former glory. Michele Medaglia is the president and CEO at ACC Construction, New York, N.Y.