Discover how Prominent Builders established itself as Boston’s trusted mid-market expert
Since it was established, Prominent Builders (Prominent) has been dedicated to combining its expertise in residential and commercial construction to deliver outstanding service and top-notch final products. Alongside its deeply ingrained commitment to customer satisfaction, the company is passionate about fostering innovation in construction management, to efficiently address the unique challenges each project presents. Taylor Harrington, Chief Executive Officer, joins Construction Today to share an overview of Prominent’s core services.
“Prominent is a mid-market construction management firm primarily working with developers who are transitioning from smaller projects to mid-market products. One aspect of our service we tend to focus on is assisting clients who may not have the experience or understanding of what they are up against in this new phase of their career. For developers who have launched similar projects in the past, we serve as a contractor providing the stability and credibility necessary to efficiently manage the construction from start to finish. This way, the client can be completely hands-off and does not have to worry about potentially having to find a new contractor halfway through the job. Our extensive track record gives them the confidence that we have the expertise to see the project through to completion,” he begins.
Navigating complexities
Operating in Boston and most of its surrounding towns, Prominent is Passive House certified, which is a base level requirement for obtaining building permits in these areas. The company works closely with city officials, fostering long-standing relationships that are crucial for project success. Thanks to its deep understanding of local processes and procedures, Prominent is able to effectively take care of tasks that are typically handled by both general contractors and developers. Many smaller development groups do not possess the resources and reach to navigate the multiple complexities of the initial development phase. Being supported by a skilled team adept at executing these different necessary steps empowers Prominent to step in and fill this gap.
Given its Passive House certification, it is to be expected that Prominent is strongly focused on energy efficiency in all projects. Cameron Crowley, a Project Manager at Prominent, sheds light on the design models, methodologies, and material selections the company employs to create sustainable homes. “Presently, we are working on a handful of energy efficient projects. This entails an additional layer of consultants and inspections, and involves a lot of coordination from the beginning. Making a home energy efficient requires the integration of extra materials into our models while ensuring that all components work seamlessly together. Much of this process hinges on attention to detail and making sure that the building is tightly sealed and effectively addresses thermal bridging and more. Although the inclusion of extra materials, especially insulation, usually increases costs, we have managed to lower overall costs by carefully selecting the correct materials that fit with our models. Working with all of our resources, including Passive House consultants and architects, makes this a learning process for everybody, especially considering that Passive House standards are still relatively new to the industry,” he reveals.
121 Prospect Street is an exceptional Prominent project that exemplifies the company’s commitment to Passive House building methods. “At the moment, we are finishing the siding, which features up to four inches of insulation wrapped around the entire building. This design makes the building highly energy efficient, as it will minimize the amount of energy required to heat or cool the home. We are also adding the finishing touches to the top two floors, including installing flooring, priming walls and applying the first coat of paint. Additionally, the windows are triple-paned and equipped with a tinted film, resulting in greater energy efficiency. Even the smaller windows weigh up to 800 pounds, which showcases both their efficiency and premium quality. The combination of balcony doors and windows creates a stunning three-pane glass room, resulting in an extremely efficient yet aesthetically pleasing building. With its modern design, the building features glass balconies and a beautiful siding product called Nichiha, which mimics the look of natural wood despite being a fiber cement panel. Located in Somerville, Massachusetts, a prime market for us, this project is poised to stand out on that street thanks to its contemporary finish. We are excited to wrap it up in the next few months,” Cameron notes.
As Taylor concludes, this project is a real testament to Prominent and its capabilities. “The lot this building sits on was rezoned about two years ago, so there are about five-to-six projects currently underway within a quarter-mile stretch of that corridor. Our Prospect Street project is one of them and is, without a doubt, the most visually appealing building despite having been constructed more rapidly than the other ones,” he states proudly. “The city of Somerville is excited about this particular project, and it has definitely piqued the interest of many people in the community.”