BEVERLY, Mass. – Connolly Brothers, Inc. announced that it has won a Silver Award from the New England chapter of the Design Build Institute of America (DBIA).
The firm was recognized at a virtual Annual Award Presentation on Thursday, January 21, 2021 for the new construction of a two-story, 15,000 SF building for the Great Marsh Brewing Company. The newest craft brewery on the North Shore, it features a state-of-the-art craft brewhouse, taproom, restaurant, and beer garden.
Selected as the design/build construction manager during the early stages of project conception, Connolly worked with the owner on site feasibility and budget estimating. Collaborating with Niemitz Design Group (NDG), Connolly produced the construction documents and secured the necessary Town approvals and permits.
“Design-build is the fastest-growing method for construction project delivery in the U.S. and we have selectively employed this method on many projects since before the term was widely used,” said Thad Minshall, vice president of real estate and development at Connolly Brothers. “We have done so due to design-build’s efficiencies of cost and time, and because it can be a more collaborative approach that provides the client with a single point of responsibility. We are thrilled to be recognized by the New England chapter of DBIA with this award.”
Located at 99 Main Street in historic Essex, Mass., a closed restaurant was located on the site adjacent to a salt marsh. Following the demolition of the existing structure on the site, Connolly managed the complex construction process that included a friction pile foundation system, structural steel frame, and the installation of a 30hl brewery. Due to the weight of brewery equipment and beer tanks, breweries are usually built on grade. This was not an option at this location due to FEMA’s regulations regarding construction in a flood plain. Therefore, the first floor was constructed five feet above grade and one foot above FEMA’s flood plain, with an elevated concrete slab designed to support 400 pounds per SF.
“Like a number of brewery stories, mine started as a basement operation. After some initial success, I knew my next venture would be creating a brewery on a larger scale,” said John Collins, chief executive brewer at Great Marsh Brewing Co. “I contacted Connolly Brothers and quickly realized the design/build model would allow me to streamline development of my new venture while allowing us to be more flexible and responsive to changes as we worked through design and construction. We couldn’t be more pleased with the end result.”
