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  January 21, 2010Minimize
 
University Housing Employs the Private Sector
Taylor Place, a mixed-use student housing building in downtown Phoenix, represents a public-private partnership which is becoming a fast growing trend in the university housing industry. Universities have reached out to the private sector to create efficient, functional, and affordable housing. The result of the collaboration between the private sector and the university is a fantastic opportunity for students to live and learn in an urban setting with a campus lifestyle feel. It also allows the university to keep its costs as minimal as possible.
The trend for these public-private partnerships in student housing has become a fiscal necessity for many universities. In this time of economic uncertainties, universities face budget cuts and smaller endowments and need some way to compensate for these losses. The outsourcing of the work to private housing companies accomplishes this goal. The expertise and knowledge of the student housing companies and their understanding of the construction process enable projects to be completed in half the time that it would normally take the university to accomplish the construction internally. These companies are also attuned to the wants of the student population and the university requirements. By pleasing the students with comfortable and affordable housing, the resulting projects assist the university in retaining students and recruiting future students.
Taylor Place, which opened in the Fall of 2008, has become Arizona State University's premier residential community. The building houses 1,250 students in two 13-story towers. The first floor of the complex includes a dining facility, retail stores open to the public, an outdoor patio garden, a UPS store, and housing offices. Other amenities include an on-site fitness center, a laundry facility, small meeting rooms, vending areas, atrium lounges, and screened porch areas. Merritt & Harris, Inc. provided consulting, cost and document reviews, and construction monitoring services on Taylor Place for AMBAC Assurance Corp.
The new student housing industry is evolving toward sustainable and more technologically efficient complexes that reduce costs and utilize underdeveloped spaces in urban areas. Taylor Place is a thriving urban response that meets student housing needs.
 
  December, 7, 2009Minimize
 
Hotel for Business and Entertainment
 
The 113-acre Puerto Rico Convention Center District in San Juan is the newest commercial and residential district along the San Juan Bay. The Sheraton Puerto Rico Convention Center Hotel & Casino opened with a gala luncheon on November 30th with most of the island’s dignitaries and celebrities in attendance. The Sheraton is the first full-service hotel and casino built in San Juan in the last ten years and is the first and only property in the Caribbean to receive LEED Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. It features 35,000 sq. ft. of meeting space and already has over 100,000 room nights booked for groups and conventions in the next two years.
 
There are plenty of activities other than business to keep one busy. The 503-room hotel offers several dining options and an upbeat lobby bar and lounge. The hotel has an exquisite first-class spa for relaxation. The hotel also features beautiful views from the sun deck and infinity pool looking out toward the San Juan Bay. People who seek some entertainment can press their luck in the enormous casino featuring 448 slot machines and 16 table games or can enjoy spending some money by shopping in the 70,000 sq. ft. of boutiques and brand name shops.
 
This investment to create a premier hotel with exceptional services for guests is a vital component in an effort to revitalize the Sheraton brand and also spark some economic activity for Puerto Rico. During the three-year construction phase, the hotel produced roughly 1,400 jobs. With the completion of the hotel and casino, approximately 1,600 jobs have been added. The hotel signifies a positive direction within the industry and gives some hope for an enhanced economic bounce back. The Sheraton is adjacent to San Juan’s 580,000 sq. ft. Convention Center which is the largest convention center in the Caribbean and the most technically advanced in Latin America. The Center opened in 2005.
 
The 4-star Sheraton Puerto Rico Convention Center Hotel & Casino is a significant property providing unique offerings for both business and leisure travelers. Merritt & Harris, Inc. provided consulting, cost and document reviews, and construction monitoring services on the project for the First Bank Puerto Rico and the Tourism Development Fund of the Government Development Bank for Puerto Rico. Merritt & Harris, Inc.’s assignment also included a central cooling plant for the Convention Center District Authority, which also will serve future hospitality projects.
 
  November 24, 2009Minimize
 
Merritt & Harris, Inc. LEED AP’s
 
As a corporate member of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and a DOE/DEP Energy Star Partner, Merritt & Harris, Inc. has encouraged its employees to pursue accreditation in “green” building technology. Currently, five employees of Merritt & Harris, Inc. have passed the LEED AP exam.  Joeseph Marciano, P.E., LEED AP, and William McCallion, AIA, LEED AP, attained accreditation last year and now four more have joined their ranks this year.

 Carmine Carpentier, AIA, LEED AP, is a Senior Associate in our South Florida branch office. He rejoined Merritt & Harris, Inc. in 2000 as a Project Manager. His job responsibilities include providing construction consulting to lenders and representing and advising institutional real estate investors. Mr. Carpentier was originally employed as a cost estimator from 1987-1989. Carmine graduated from Pratt Institute with a degree in Construction Management. 

Jim Mako, P.E., LEED AP, also in our South Florida branch, joined the firm in 2007 as a Project Manager. His duties include monitoring new construction and renovation projects for compliance with plans and specifications, adherence to quality standards and compliance with construction schedules, and evaluating the accuracy of construction requisitions. Jim is a registered Professional Engineer in Florida and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Florida Atlantic University.
 
Gina DiDomenico, LEED AP, works in our New York headquarters as a Project Review Coordinator in our Cost & Review Group. Ms. DiDomenico joined Merritt & Harris, Inc. in 2005 to review plans, specifications, documents, and certifications for proposed construction projects. Gina graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Technology from the New York Institute of Technology and she is a member of The Architectural League of New York.

Several other Merritt & Harris, Inc. staff members are scheduled to take the USGBC examination in the near future. Merritt & Harris, Inc. has encouraged its technical staff to pursue LEED accreditation by financing preparatory classes and exam fees and by rewarding successful test takers with cash bonuses.

 
  November 23, 2009Minimize
 
Manny P. Kratsios to Head Merritt & Harris, Inc.
 
The Principals of Merritt & Harris, Inc., have announced the appointment of Manny P. Kratsios as the firm’s President & Chief Executive Officer, effective on January 1, 2010. Mr. Kratsios succeeds Thomas C. Richard, AIA, who has served as President & CEO since 1996. Mr. Richard will remain with the firm as a principal, a member of the Board of Directors, and as the Director of Marketing.
 
Manny P. Kratsios holds a degree in Civil Engineering from Columbia University and a Masters of Business Administration degree from St. Johns University. He joined Merritt & Harris, Inc. as a project manager in 1984 and was promoted to head the firm’s Construction Monitoring Division in 1990. In 2007, Mr. Kratsios was appointed Chief Operating Officer in anticipation of his eventual promotion to President & CEO. He is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Association of MBA Executives, and the Stadium Managers Association. 
 
Mr. Kratsios, a resident of Manhasset, Long Island, New York, is married and has three children. He is an active lay-leader in the Greek Orthodox Church and is the recipient of St. Paul’s Medal, the highest award given to a layperson in the U.S. church. Manny has served as the President of the Parish Council of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Flushing, New York.
 
“Manny is ideally suited by temperament, training, and professional knowledge to lead our firm,” Mr. Richard stated, “He is held in high regard by our clients and staff alike and has been a valued friend for many years. We look forward to continuing success under his leadership.”
 
  November 3, 2009Minimize
 
Boston’s Mandarin Oriental Hotel Ranks Third in the USA
The Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, an international hotel investment and management group that provides luxury hotels, resorts, and residences throughout Asia, Europe, and the Americas, has outdone itself with its newest hotel property. The Mandarin Oriental brand caters to extravagant vacationers and all-star executives who demand a high-tech excellence and elevated pampering by delighting their guests with gracious and sincere service. It seems to be working. According to the Readers’ Choice Awards in the Conde Nast Traveler Magazine this hotel lives up to its standards. Based on service, room decor, dining experience, location, and overall design, the Readers’ Choice Awards rated the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Boston the 3rd top-rated hotel in the United States and 45th worldwide.
Located in the prestigious Back Bay section of Boston, The Mandarin Oriental is a 14-story, five-star luxury hotel featuring 136 spacious guestrooms, 12 elegant suites, a 16,000 sq. ft. holistic spa and fitness center, an Asian-inspired restaurant, and a fashionable bar and lounge. The neighborhood includes Fenway Park, Boston Symphony Hall, Beacon Hill, Copley Mall, and the Theater District. It is also surrounded by exquisite restaurants, galleries, and stores.
Interestingly, the hotel structure includes 35 luxury apartments and 50 condominiums. Merritt & Harris, Inc. provided the technical and cost review and construction monitoring for the Anglo Irish Bank Corp.
 
  January 12, 2010Minimize
 

Research Facility Creates a New Height

The Center for Life Science which stands in Boston’s Longwood Medical Area is the country’s largest multi-tenant biomedical research facility at 18 stories and 770,000 sq. ft. of space. The area is known as one of the nation’s hottest centers for research activity and Lyme Properties, the developer, had its eye on this section of Boston for almost 15 years before building the Center. The Center for Life Science is surrounded by Harvard Medical School, Merck’s new R&D facility, Children’s Hospital Research Center, and the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center East Campus.

The site is surrounded by buildings on every side. The architect, Tsoi/Kobus & Associates, wanted the research facility to blend with the area's urban character and the typical research building model did not settle well with this vision. High-rise buildings are very unusual for research facilities because building codes limit the use of high-hazard materials above 65 feet. The building was also to be leased to multiple tenants, making it extremely challenging to design the interior. The architect had to take into consideration the number of exhaust fans, back-up emergency electric, pH neutralization systems, dedicated shaft space, and many other requirements without knowing exactly how many tenants would reside in the building and on each floor. However, the final design made the Center for Life Science a successful high-tech, state-of-the-art research facility incorporating numerous energy-efficient and environmentally advanced features. The building qualified for a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certification, quite an achievement considering the numerous challenges.

The Center for Life Science is the area’s first privately developed, for lease, biomedical research center and is now 95% leased. The tenants consist of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Children’s Hospital Boston, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, the Immune Disease Institute, and the Kowa Company. Ground for the building was broken in July of 2006 and Merritt & Harris, Inc. provided consulting, cost and document reviews, and construction monitoring services on the Center for Life Science for Anglo Irish Bank Corp. and KeyBank.

 
  January 5, 2010Minimize
 
Twenty-five Years and Still Kicking
Each year Merritt & Harris, Inc. honors employees who have been with the firm 25, 20, 15, 10, or 5 years. Presentations of gifts of appreciation were made at the company’s holiday parties by Tom Richard, then the President & CEO. Additionally, a celebratory luncheon was held on December 22nd at the Giardino D’Oro Restaurant in New York for the 25-, 20-, and 10-year employees.
Merritt & Harris, Inc. prides itself as having the finest and most experienced employees in the construction consulting industry. The company's success and its reputation for excellence are directly attributable to its outstanding associates.
This year Merritt & Harris, Inc. honored Chris Abella, Jack Kagan, Manny Kratsios, Denise Romano, and Bob Weiland for 25 years of service. Their expertise has helped lead, teach, and inspire their co-workers. Mike Dwyer, also a dedicated leader who has helped shape the company, was honored for 20 years of service. Other inspirational employees are Rita O’Grady, who has been with Merritt & Harris, Inc. for 10 years, and Jennifer Reed and Virginia Pires who have put in 5 solid years. The loyalty and dedication of these individuals has contributed to the positive atmosphere in the firm’s offices.
Ms. Abella, whose official title is Financial Assistant, works side by side with the controller in the New York headquarters. She oversees accounts payables/receivables, handles the financial statements, and deals with clients on past due invoices. Her coworkers know her as the friendly outgoing employee who organizes company holiday parties, retains the pictures from past events, and brings delicious baked food to share with the office.
As the Accounts Receivable and Billable Clerk, Ms. Romano’s responsibilities include handling incoming contracts, making daily bank deposits, recording project and billing information, and producing outgoing invoices and monthly statements. Ms. Romano enjoys the family-oriented atmosphere of the office and says that it is the people at Merritt & Harris, Inc. that encourage her to continue with the company.
Mr. Kratsios established the policies to be followed by the project managers in all M&H offices as the Chief Operating Officer from December 2007 to December 2009. This is in addition to monitoring and overseeing the projects that he and the New York staff was involved with directly. Starting January 1, 2010, Manny assumed the position of President & CEO. Due to his leadership position, Manny has the opportunity to work on some of Merritt & Harris’s highest-end projects, including resort hotels and sports facilities. Dealing with so many different types of people and projects has been satisfying to Mr. Kratsios, he says.
Mr. Kagan is a principal of the firm and leader of the Mechanical & Electrical Engineering Group. Mr. Kagan’s job description includes evaluating plans and specs and reviewing the life-safety, plumbing, and mechanical and electrical systems for both the construction monitoring and property condition assessment divisions of the consulting firm. It is the office atmosphere, variety of jobs, and the travel opportunities that keep things interesting for Mr. Kagan.
Mr. Weiland was promoted to Principal of Merritt & Harris, Inc. in 1996 and was the group leader of the company’s Property Condition Assessment (PCA) Group. As the Group Leader of Merritt & Harris’s PCA Group, Bob had many responsibilities. He and the other individuals in the group evaluated existing buildings, working directly with purchasers and/or mortgage lenders. They examined buildings with an emphasis on repairs, improvements, maintenance, and the costs related to rectifying problems. Starting in 2010, Bob stepped down as the PCA Group leader, but continues to work as the firm’s Litigation Support consultant. Bob has a trusting relationship with his clients. He encourages and practices professional, honest relationships with them, which, often leads them to become repeat clients.
In 1997, Mr. Dwyer was promoted to Manager of the Cost & Review Group and in December of 1997, Mr. Dwyer was named a Principal of the firm. In 2007 he was designated as the Principal-In-Charge of Merritt & Harris Inc.’s South Florida Branch office. His duties include supervising the review of plans and specifications, budgets, replacement costs, and insurable values by the New York-based Cost & Review Group. Mike is known as the New York Times crossword puzzle whiz in the office. He e-mails everyone to let them know how long it took him to finish Sunday’s puzzle.
Mrs. O'Grady joined the consulting firm in 1999 as a Project Review Technician and was promoted in 2004 to Senior Review Coordinator. Her job responsibilities include the review of plans, specifications, documents, and certifications for both new construction projects and renovations.
Jen Reed is the Administrative Assistant for our Los Angeles Branch, while Virginia (Ginny) Pires is the Administrative Assistant for our South Florida Branch. Ms. Pires says she enjoys her job, not only because it requires using her skills in producing an excellent product, but because of her location in a branch office where she performs a wide-range of duties. Being a part of the Merritt & Harris family is what Ginny finds most rewarding about her job. Over the past 5 years, she says it is very apparent to her that Merritt & Harris employees care about the welfare of each other and encourage and help each other to succeed.  Ms. Pires says she feels appreciated for her contributions; it makes her not want to disappoint the Merritt & Harris family. She says she strives to do her best, not because she feels like she is made to do it, but because she wants to do it, realizing that her work will reflect on everyone at Merritt & Harris, Inc.
The brilliance and resilience of these employees have been very much appreciated. Their dedication and hard work has helped Merritt & Harris, Inc. continue to lead the firm and attain its top-tier position as construction consultants for lenders, bondholders, and government agencies.
 
  November 10, 2009Minimize
 
A Resort in the Middle of National Parks
The states of Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona meet at a place known as the Four Corners. Four Corners is an area in close proximity to the Grand Canyon, Bryce and Zion National Parks, Rainbow Bridge, and Vermillion Cliffs National Monument. Its location is a spectacular area to observe rock formations of the surrounding plateaus, peaks, and canyons. This area is also the home of the world-famous Antelope Slot Canyon – which is the most photographed slot canyon in the American Southwest. In addition, the beautiful scenery has been a backdrop to Hollywood movies such as “Maverick” with Mel Gibson, “Broken Arrow” with John Travolta, and “Evolution” with David Duchovny. And quietly nestled in a nearby valley, is the new home of the Amangiri Resort.
The remote location of the resort made it a challenging project to construct, but the beauty of the site made the difficulties worth bearing. The closest airport is small and material deliveries required long journeys. However, despite the challenges that were presented, the crew stuck it out and never missed a day.
Set to open in late October 2009, the resort offers 34 luxurious suites developed by the Canyon Land Group. Merritt & Harris, Inc. provided consulting to the construction lender, cost and document reviews, and construction monitoring services on the Amangiri Resort for West LB AG. Amangiri will welcome guests in a tranquil environment with several lounging areas, dozens of fireplaces, a library, and an enormous soothing spa. The peaceful and at-ease setting is complemented by a structural design that blends the resort into the natural environment.
For the more adventurous guests, the resort offers customized rock climbing, recreational mountain biking, kayaking, guided archaeological tours, and canyoneering. All of the resort’s on-site trails were designed and hand built by a local resident from Big Water, UT, resulting in truly breathtaking experiences for beginners to seasoned hikers alike. Amangiri will provide expert guides or arrange for expert scientists, geologists, and naturalists to be available for lectures and tours. Guests can also experience the breathtaking sites by scenic helicopter or hot air balloon flights departing from the resort.
 
  October 22, 2009Minimize
 
Scrub Island Resort is Nearing Completion
 
There are very few construction projects as unique as the Scrub Island Resort. The main workforce is predominantly from Tortola, British Virgin Islands, and every workman must travel by boat to and from the site each day. A regimented schedule of boat departures and arrivals to and from the island requires workers to be on time or lose a day’s wages. (Similar to New York, where, if you miss the hoist, you wait for the next, and the next, and the next!) As the pool of workers is somewhat limited, Scrub Island has been developed with multiple general contractors, day laborers, and ExPats who reside on the island. Temporary Work Permits are both difficult to obtain and take months to be approved by the government.
 
Material delivery, off-loading, and storage are quite the tasks, as barges can only hold so much and trailer-loads of materials must be emptied and sorted. The trailers must then be returned to the shipper as expeditiously as possible to avoid further costs. While Scrub Island is sizeable (200-acres), flat land is at a premium. The challenge of maintaining environmental sanctity adds to the burden of development.
 
Merritt & Harris, Inc. was retained by First Bank of Puerto Rico in the midst of construction to evaluate the development structure, including the scope of work and hard construction costs, and to offer recommendations to the Lender and the Developer with respect to achieving a clear path to completing and opening the resort.
 
Scheduled to open in the beginning of 2010, Scrub Island Resort will offer vacationers 26 hotel rooms and suites, a 53-slip marina, a spa and fitness center, retail establishments, an amphitheater, and gourmet restaurants. This extravagant resort will blend the magnificent beauty of the Caribbean and Atlantic Ocean with elegant comfort.
 
Guests will be greeted to Scrub Island Resort in the Welcome Center which contains the main lobby, a conference center, pools, and restaurants. Guests will relax in luxurious ocean view guest rooms and suites located in the Marina Village or choose to be accommodated throughout the island in villas that will be built into the hillsides. The resort will undoubtedly rival some of the most exotic and secluded venues in the world.
 
The spirit of teamwork between the Lender, Developer, and Merritt & Harris, Inc. is successfully producing a world-class destination.
 
 
 
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