Testimonials

Shaun Carvalho, Chief Safety Officer, Shawmut Design and Construction

Starting in June 2023, Marr’s Scaffold Division contracted with General Contractor Shawmut Design & Construction to stage the entire perimeter of 26 Court Street, an 11-story municipal office building located in downtown Boston, for façade restoration. Systems scaffold was installed 137 ft. high on the historic building and then wrapped in scaffold sheeting to provide access for mason and window contractors.

Shaun Carvalho, Chief Safety Officer at Shawmut Design and Construction, wrote to Marr CEO Dan Marr about his satisfaction with the work performed on the project: 

“I was walking the 26 Court St project this week and instantly was impressed with the scaffolding and specifically, the wrap! I have never seen this Monarflex installed cleaner and tighter! I was also able to witness the erection at a few points, and was very impressed with the safety, speed, and quality of the installers. You guys have a very professional company and I am very happy when we get to work together.”

Frank Davis, Superintendent, Suffolk

This past summer, Marr Scaffolding Company’s Shoring Division was contracted by Select Demo to provide shoring and engineering services for a major renovation at Boston College’s Conte Forum and for the construction of a new 40,000 square-foot basketball pavilion. Existing foundation walls, beams and columns had to be removed as part of the renovation and addition. Marr installed temporary shoring to support the existing columns, second floor and roof framing throughout the process. A combination of Hi-Lite and Shore-X shoring systems was used along with post shores and custom c-channels.

Frank Davis, Superintendent at Suffolk (General Contractor), wrote to Marr VP David Marr Jr. about his satisfaction with the work performed on the project:

“Marr is a long-standing business within Boston. Marr’s commitment to people with service in mind was your grandparents and parents’ vision. The culture they developed is very impressive. Your team is still delivering on that commitment now. We were very fortunate to experience this at our project on Boston College’s campus within Conte Forum. 

When I was assigned this project, I immediately thought of Chris Madden and your team. Our experience together on previous projects is why I thought you would be the right fit. Over the course of the project, the team was always considered — safety and people were always at the forefront of the conversation. We consistently provided your team with challenging problems to solve and your team met them every time. The client service, from Chris to the workers on site, was most impressive… We appreciate your teams and the delivery on the Marr commitment at our project.”

Brian McPherson, Executive Director, YouthBuild Boston

Marr is excited to start a new partnership in training and education with YouthBuild Boston (YBB), a pre-apprentice program managed by Nathan Polk. At the Marr Center for Safety & Training in Canton, Marr’s VP of Safety & Training Eric Stalmon conducted a Fall Protection Authorized Person Class with assistance from Ted Bertram of 3M/B&B Construction Group. The class was designed to provide all students with the basic knowledge and working understanding of personal fall arrest and rescue equipment.

In a letter to our Director of Business Development Jeff Marr Jr., Executive Director of YBB Brian McPherson wrote of his appreciation for YBB’s new partnership with Marr and the initial collaboration in training young people from the local community.

“We are excited about our recent partnership with The Marr Companies. Over the past several months Marr has stepped up to be a key supporter of Youth Build Boston (YBB) in more ways than one. Marr has generously donated their time and resources to teach our students the fundamentals of Fall Protection. This class is a safety requirement in the Boston building industry as all workers are exposed to many different types of falls. This class gives our students the much-needed awareness and skills they need to keep themselves and their coworkers safe from potential exposure to serious fall hazards.

Marr has also generously donated storage space for YBB to safely store our own scaffolding. As we prepare for our next affordable housing project, we are able to navigate the logistics of our safety equipment without paying the high cost of storage rental space in Boston.

These have been two simple ways that Marr has made a tremendous impact on our mission to empower and assist underserved young people from the Boston area with the essential social, vocational, academic, and life skills necessary to navigate a positive pathway to self-sufficiency and neighborhood responsibility.

We are looking forward to a long-standing relationship for many years to come!”

Brian McPherson, Executive Director, YouthBuild Boston

Martin Riley, Superintendent, MAS Building & Bridge

MAS Building & Bridge is replacing a bridge in Lowell, MA. An important caveat of this project is that the utility pipes and conduits that run through the bridge need to stay in place and remain live. To accomplish that, Isaac Blair contracted with MAS Building & Bridge to shore the pipes and conduits in place so workers could rebuild the bridge around them. The biggest challenges were designing for — and installing — the shoring to be in 1 foot of running river water below the bridge, which resulted in crew members having to wear waiters and life jackets during assembly.

Following the success of the project, Martin Riley, Superintendent at MAS Building & Bridge, sent an email to Isaac Blair’s Foreman to comment on the quality of the team’s work performance.

“I am writing to you in regards to the recent work performed at Central Street in Lowell on 09/09 – 09/30. Your team was well organized, extremely knowledgeable and very professional throughout the entire process… Isaac Blair must have a strong safety program as the foreman and his crew were on point with their safety as well. I believe communication is the key to success. That being said, the crew involved me in their day-to-day schedule which kept us on the same page. This was only the first of two phases. As we must dismantle this system in the upcoming winter it is my hopes that we get the same crew from the top down. This crew is an asset to Isaac Blair.”

— Martin Riley, Superintendent, MAS Building & Bridge

Patrick McGrath & Connor Reardon, G. Greene Construction Co.

Working for G. Greene Construction, Isaac Blair installed shoring for the demolition of three loading dock slabs and to support the framework for the pouring of new slabs. An enormous amount of piping and electrical conduit was fixed tight to the underside of the slabs to be removed, requiring the crew to support the utilities themselves, while fitting shoring over, above and around them. Tilt-up bracing at the columns and walls was used to provide lateral support during removal.

The project was physically demanding and required a high degree of precision. A crew of seven worked 10-hour days, six days a week for the month of June to accomplish the install.

Following the project, G. Greene’s Superintendent Patrick McGrath and Project Manager Connor Reardon reached out via email to Lou Giunta, President of Isaac Blair, to compliment & Co the team’s success:

“The team of Isaac Blair showed a level of professionalism that I have seen few times before in my tenure in the construction industry. From the top to the bottom, they are truly masters of their craft. With a job as demanding and technically complicated as this project was, I would not have trusted anyone else to complete this on time. The days were long and demanding and spirits were always high and willing to work. This project overall would not have been as successful as it was without the help and diligent work of Isaac Blair. I will forever lobby for them in future work and projects where their craft is needed. This is not to be taken lightly because good reviews and praises do not come from me very often at all. Thank you again to the entire team on this one.”

Patrick McGrath – G. Greene Superintendent

“Isaac Blair was extremely responsive and helpful throughout the entire project. Having little experience with shoring in the past, Isaac Blair made me feel extremely comfortable with their processes and professionalism. The Harvard Quincy House Garage project was extremely complicated with tight working spaces; they worked well with all the other subcontractors and coordinated their work around them as needed. I would absolutely suggest Isaac Blair as a shoring subcontractor in the future. Great work by all!”

Connor Reardon – G. Greene Project Manager

 

Rick Souza, Foreman, Select Demo Services, LLC

This summer, the north side of Boston College’s Conte Forum is undergoing a renovation that includes the construction of an illuminated glass entrance and a new vestibule, a reconfigured layout of Power Gym and a reconfigured band room. Also under construction is a new 40,000-square-foot addition – the Hoag Basketball Pavilion – that will house team locker rooms, a sports medicine suite, strength and conditioning room, nutrition room with food stations and dining, as well as expand Gate C entry to the concourse. Gabelli Plaza will be enhanced with new plantings, seating areas and pavement.

Marr Scaffolding Company’s Shoring Division has been contracted by Select Demo to provide shoring and engineering services for the project. Existing foundation walls, beams and columns are being removed as part of the renovation and addition. Temporary shoring is required to support the existing columns, 2nd floor and roof framing throughout the process. A combination of Hi-Lite and Shore-X shoring systems is being used along with post shores and custom c-channels. 

During a recent site visit, Rick Souza, Foreman for Select Demo, spoke to Marr’s marketing team and praised the work being done: “It’s been great working with the Marr team, especially (Project Manager) Chris Madden. There’s comfort in knowing he’s confident in this maze of concrete and steal.”

The equipment will remain in use through August 2022.

 

John Hobson, Sr. Project Manager, Colantonio Inc.

On May 14, 2022, Marr Crane & Rigging (MC&R) worked for LeVangie Electric to install a back up generator on the roof of the McCormack State Office Building at 1 Ashburton Place, Boston. Due to the height of the building and the steep and narrow streets on Beacon Hill, a Sikorsky Skycrane – only one of two operating in the county – was employed to do the heavy lifting. The generator weighed a total of 60,000 lbs. fully assembled, so crews had to disassemble it into pieces so as not to surpass the helicopter’s lift capacity of 15,000 lbs. The helicopter made its picks from Beacon Street in front of the Massachusetts State House. The neighboring Frog Pond was used as a landing zone for the helicopter to change out rigging. 
 
In an email to John Shaughnessy (Project Manager at MC&R), John Hobson (Sr. Project Manager at Colantonio, Inc., the project’s general contractor), wrote: “To you and your teams, great work on the recent project, we were fortunate to have you on our team! Your brilliant problem-solving skills helped us to reach our targets much more quickly and efficiently. We are fortunate to be able to witness and work amongst an industry expert such as yourselves.”

Jason Edic, VP of Risk Management, Lee Kennedy Company

At a project located at 100 Hood Park in Charleston, MA, Marr’s VP of Safety Training Eric Stalmon, along with Chris Graham and Jay Hobin of Marr’s Scaffold Division, presented scaffold hazard awareness training to Lee Kennedy Company superintendents. Following the on-site training, Jason Edic, VP of Risk Management at Lee Kennedy Company, wrote to express his appreciation to Eric, Chris and Jay.

“Thank you all so much for the training last week.  The two sets of scaffolding you guys set up were excellent.  The imperfections in each made for great discussion points.  I talked to a bunch of people at the meeting, and I had several phone calls afterwards from folks that agreed with the sentiment above.  It’s nice to stand in a circle and talk safety in plain English.  Outstanding job guys.

It’s truly nice to have such a great partner in Marr.  You guys are the best and you have our sincere thanks.”

 

Chip Darius, Safety & Health Trainer, OSHA Consultant, Safety Priority Consultants, LLC

Following a presentation led by Eric Stalmon, Marr’s VP of Safety & Training, to the OSHA Training Institute Region 1 Education Center Principles of Scaffolding course, Chip Darius of Safety Priority Consultants thanked Eric for his professional instruction on safety standards and scaffolding concepts.

“Eric — Thank you very much for contributing your knowledge to the OSHA Training Institute Region 1 Education Center 3085 Principles of Scaffolding course. On February 18 you presented interesting slides and real stories from the field that helped bring OSHA standards and scaffolding concepts to life. The students were very interested in what you shared and continued to discuss it in the remainder of the course.

It is always helpful to hear the experiences of a seasoned scaffold professional with a strong safety commitment. The students also learned about the many resources Marr Scaffold has to offer. Thank you again for contributing to our OSHA class.”

Bethany Botelho, Vocational Coordinator, Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School

Eleventh-grade students in Old Colony’s Electrical, House & Mill Carpentry, and Metal Fabrication & Joining Technology programs participated in a three-part safety training coordinated and sponsored by Dellbrook JKS in collaboration with The Marr Companies, Sales Solutions/Fall Tech Inc. and Atlantic Asphalt/Sales Solutions Inc.

A scaffolding presentation was conducted by Marr Companies on day two of the training. This instruction introduced students to three different types of scaffolding, their uses and construction. It also provided students with knowledge of scaffold safety and erection, dismantle and alteration procedures. Following the presentation, students participated in assembling and disassembling pipe staging and decking. Both trainings stressed the importance of working in a safe manner, safety measures that need to be taken when using these types of equipment, and related OSHA requirements.

After the training, Bethany Botelho, Vocational Coordinator for Old Colony R.V.T.H.S, wrote the following in an email addressed to Eric Stalmon (VP, Marr Safety & Training), David Arancio (Delbrook JKS) and Cesar Ahumada (Atlantic Asphalt/Sales Solutions Inc.):

“I just want to extend a huge THANK YOU for taking the time to meet with our students and discuss pertinent matters of safety from your respective industries… We appreciate your time, support, and enthusiasm. Our students are fortunate to have been a part of this programming.”

Richard Poyant, President, Poyant Signs

Marr Scaffolding Company worked for Poyant Signs to erect a Systems Scaffold work platform for the installation of the Puma sign at Puma’s headquarters in Assembly Row, Somerville, MA. Marr Crane & Rigging assisted with the load in of equipment.

President of Poyant Signs Richard Poyant was pleased with the work performed and wrote this note to our team: “We are grateful to have such strong and professional partners like Dan Boudreau and Jeff Marr of The Marr Companies. They know how to keep our team safe, communicate constantly throughout the project with our PM and Field Services staff and work together to stay on budget and on schedule.”

Jim Miller, COO, Salem Glass Company

Marr Scaffolding Company’s Mast-Climber Division hosted a lunch and learn for longtime customer Salem Glass and Hamilton Construction Management Corp. With manufacturer support from Hydro Mobile Marr constructed a monorail system to aid in the installation of heavy panel systems on the exterior of buildings. The monorail system allows panels horizontal access across the mast climber, with a max. capacity of 1,000 lbs, which has potential use by our customers on an upcoming project in Brighton, MA. We were pleased to welcome the project team to our facility in Canton to see the equipment in action.

After attending the training, Jim Miller, COO of Salem Glass Company, shared the following: “We appreciate working with Marr & Hamilton spending the time up front to investigate and determine the right equipment to make projects run safe and efficiently. Marr went the extra mile to assemble this job specific application demonstration so that we could really experience what they are proposing for our 1079 Commonwealth Avenue project. It is the work behind the scenes that makes the actual installation proceed smoothly and SAFELY! Thank you Marr & Hamilton!”

George Cantin, Superintendent, Commodore Builders

At 104 Hemenway Street, Isaac Blair worked for Commodore Builders to install a shoring system to correct flooring that had been installed a couple of inches too short. Isaac Blair used Shore X frames, steel beams and 20-ton jacks to jack the first level of the building, which in turn elevated the four floors above. According to Isaac Blair General Manager Chris Foley, “the site is very tight and congested, so it was a great challenge working around everything.” The shoring was installed in August of 2020 and remained in place for over two months.

In an email to the team, George Cantin, Superintendent at Commodore Builders, had this to say of the work completed:

“I wanted to take a moment to recognize the outstanding service that Andrew and Chris have provided.

In the four months I have been on the Hemenway Project, we have encountered complicated existing conditions requiring shoring with little prior notice. They have moved mountains to get the job done in a professional, safe manner.

Multiple times, they have put crews together at a moment’s notice and met every schedule deadline we have imposed.

I have personally worked with your team for the last three years, every time the performance has been the same. On a challenging project, we are glad to have you as our partners.”

Colby Baker, Project Manager, Titan Roofing

“The commercial roofing business is fast paced and constantly changing so I need someone who is responsive and can provide quality service at all times. This is Marr Crane & Rigging. Their employees and equipment are second to none.”   

Jason Edic, VP of Risk Management, Lee Kennedy Co.

“Lee Kennedy Co. has partnered with Marr for years, decades really. The team members at Marr Crane & Rigging are consummate professionals who can plan and execute any task. We’ve worked on some of the most challenging projects in New England with Marr, and they always deliver, and deliver safely.”

Adam Palmer, Director of Operations & Project Executive, JM Electrical

Marr Crane & Rigging was contracted by JM Electrical to provide crane, rigging and trucking services for the electrical upgrade at the Pappas Rehabilitation Hospital for Children in Canton, MA. A scheduled shutdown on September 3rd allowed for the replacement of a new transformer and the removal of an old electrical switchgear. Utilizing a 70-ton crane, Marr riggers worked alongside the crane operator to install the new equipment safely.
 
Despite some last minute changes, the team readily adapted their plan and the operation went smoothly.
 
Adam Palmer, Director of Operations & Project Executive at JM Electrical, commended the Marr team on their efforts in an email: 
 
“Thank you to you and your crew for yesterday’s work. The shutdown went nearly flawlessly and your crew was fantastic. Arrived on time, with all equipment and manpower needed. They were patient when needed and sprung into action with no questions asked. As with all projects, they are only as successful as the team pit in place. It was clear yesterday that Marr is an essential partner to the JME team.”
 

David Rodrigues, Facilities & Preservation Manager, Revolutionary Spaces

Due to heavy winds in May, the iconic eagle mounted on the exterior of the Old State House in Boston became partially detached. Marr received a call from Revolutionary Spaces requesting a scissor lift with an operator to help secure the detached architectural detail. Less than 24 hours later, the eagle was safe and sound.

David Rodrigues, Facilities & Preservation Manager at Revolutionary Spaces, commended the efforts by Marr to help recover the eagle. In an email to Aerial Lifts Sales Representative Riley McGovern, Rodrigues wrote: “It went phenomenally well!!! Your driver and operator were wonderful, thank you.”

Phil Ruggiero, Principal, Knox Building Company

On May 16th, Isaac Blair transferred a two-ton (+) container from Cinquecento, an Italian restaurant in Boston’s South End to Tuscan Market, located in Salem, NH. A water main break back in April flooded Harrison Avenue, forcing Cinquecento to close down for repair. With the health of patrons a top concern and with an impending reopening, Salem’s Tuscan Market purchased a portable bar from Cinquecento. The portable bar, originally built in a ship’s container, allowed the restaurant to serve customers outside while providing ample room for social distancing per safety guidelines. Marr Crane & Rigging provided a crane and a tractor trailer to safely transfer the container. The container was offloaded by crane to an outdoor area under a large tent, which is functioning as restaurant space opening for business as of Monday, Memorial Day 2020.

In an email to Dan Marr, Phil Ruggiero, Principal of Knox Building Company, wrote:

“The Isaac Blair crew did a fantastic job moving the container for the owner of Tuscan Kitchen. You guys jumped on this right away and executed perfectly.”

Dan Fitzpatrick, Field Supervisor, The Pappas Company

In early September, Marr Crane & Rigging’s Grove GMK3050 lifted panels into the new, live performance area at TD Garden for the Pappas Company.

Dan Fitzpatrick, Field Supervisor at The Pappas Company, praised Marr’s performance on site: “Last night was a major success. I want the same 2 guys next week. Those guys were amazing, hardworking, courteous, professional.”

Parviz Tabrizi, Superintendent, Shawmut Design & Construction

This past winter, Marr’s specialty shoring company Isaac Blair installed a large shoring system for a building on Hemenway Street in Boston after a serious fire burned it out. The shoring prevented the structure from collapsing into the surrounding buildings. In late August, Isaac Blair was called back to the site to remove the shoring prior to its complete demolition overseen by Shawmut Design & Construction. The crew mobilized quickly and worked long days over one weekend and overtime during the following week to complete the job.

Parviz Tabrizi, Superintendent at Shawmut Design & Construction, commended the Isaac Blair team for their performance in an email: “I just wanted to take a moment and commend you and your site crew for having performed your scope of work safely and swiftly all within the time constraints of the project. As always, I am looking forward to be working with you and your team in the near future.”

 

Rick Mears, Dir. Environmental Health & Safety, Amherst College

In late July, Marr’s VP of Safety & Training Eric Stalmon was the guest speaker at the Western MA OSHA Roundtable at Amherst College. He presented on scaffold safety awareness and inspection as it pertains to OSHA and ANSI Standards.

Rick Mears, Amherst College’s Director of Environmental Health and Safety, had these kind words to say following Eric’s presentation: “Everyone who attended commented on both how great the presentation was, and how much they learned. Again, we very much appreciated your time and outstanding training.”

Attendees also thanked Eric for a job well done via a LinkedIn post. Bill Moran, Sr. Risk Control Specialist at PMA Managment Corp. of New England, commented: “I attended this training and need to say it was it very educational, very informative and a very well done presentation. Impressive. Thanks, Eric.”

Steven Proteau, Safety Manager at PeopleReady Skilled Trades / TrueBlue, also commented on LinkedIn, writing: “I attended this training and Echo Bill Moran’s comments. Great job, Eric! Very engaging.”

bridge photo

Bob Sullivan, Senior Dir. Facilities Construction, Boston Children’s Hospital

Over two weekends in November and December 2018, Daniel Marr & Son (DM&S) assembled and installed a new pedestrian bridge at Boston Children’s Hospital for Cives Steel and general contractor Suffolk Construction.  By mid-January, DM&S completed all necessary welding and decking on the 250-ton, 250-foot pedestrian bridge connecting the hospital to the Patient and Family Parking Garage. 

Email from Bob Sullivan, Senior Director of Facilities Construction at Boston Children’s Hospital, to DM&S project manager Alex Kleinert:

“The Bridge project at Boston Children’s Hospital is a one of a kind project, it’s the first time Longwood Avenue was closed for an entire weekend. The Marr team was a true partner from start to finish. After all the coordination with BCH, their LMA neighbors, the city and the various agencies was complete and the dates were established to set the truss over Longwood Ave, Marr stepped up are performed beautifully. Thank you!”

 

elevator shaft

Nathan Weeman, Superintendent, Gilbane Building Company

Isaac Blair worked for Gilbane Building Company at One Beacon Street to install a staging system inside an 8’x 8’ duct shaft from the 12th to the 36th floor for electrical and masonry work. The biggest challenge was building a shoring system to support the staging and accommodate the existing piping, duct work, and brackets. Few structural components existed in the shaft to work from, but Isaac Blair creatively installed a strong base to support the entire system. 

Email from Nathan Weeman, Gilbane Superintendent to Chris Foley, Isaac Blair Project Manager:

“I wanted to let you know what a pleasure it was to work with your crew… I appreciated the easy adoption of, and adherence to, Gilbane’s strict safety policies. The entire crew was always in their PPE and working safely. This is a direct result of site management…

This was not an easy installation and the crew met the challenge with a great attitude and excellent execution. They took great care to not damage walls in finished spaces, kept their lay-down area clean and well organized, and left their work areas cleaner than when they arrived. The scaffold itself exceeded my expectation, especially regarding the thought that was put in to accommodate the other trades utilizing the scaffold, and keeping the other trades safe.

Because of the work your crew performed, I will always lobby for Isaac Blair to do my shoring or scaffolding.”

bridge photo

David Parenteau, Project Executive, Suffolk Construction

Over two weekends in November and December 2018, Daniel Marr & Son (DM&S) assembled and installed a new pedestrian bridge at Boston Children’s Hospital for Cives Steel and general contractor Suffolk Construction.  By mid-January, DM&S completed all necessary welding and decking on the 250-ton, 250-foot pedestrian bridge connecting the hospital to the Patient and Family Parking Garage. 

Email to DM&S Project Manager Alex Kleinert from David Parenteau, Project Executive at Suffolk Construction.

“Cives Steel and Marr, both their office and field teams, have invested their heart and souls into this project.  Their dedication to the project and to safety and to each other has been a pleasure to be a part of.  The challenge of building a pedestrian bridge up the main entrance of Boston Children’s Hospital and over Longwood avenue wasn’t challenging enough so we were also tasked with adding a 10th floor parking deck and a 10 story vertical addition onto their only Patient and Families Parking garage all while hospital day-to-day operations went on as if nothing was happening.  Wow… great work guys.  See you on the next one for sure!”

 

portable heaters

Frank Hackett, Superintendent, Braintree High School

Marr Scaffolding Company donated portable heaters for the Thanksgiving Day Football Game at Braintree High School.  Thursday, November, 2018 hit record low temperatures, which almost caused the game against Milton High School to be cancelled. 

Frank Hackett, Superintendent for Braintree High School, sent Dan Marr III a letter of appreciation for the services:

“On behalf of Braintree High School Athletics and our Football Program, I would like to thank Marr Companies for the generous donation of sideline heaters that were used during the game.  The heaters certainly made an extremely cold day seem a bit more pleasant for the players and coaches that participated.  Your employees were extremely professional and kind with their time while ensuring the two heaters were delivered, assembled and secured properly on site Wednesday and again with pickup following the game.”

shoring emerson college photo

Frank Rondeau, Sr. Superintendent, Suffolk Construction

Marr’s Shoring Division has recently worked with Suffolk Construction at 2 Boylston Place and The Little Building at Emerson College. Marr’s work included the design and installation of: mega shore through two stories of below grade parking to support a tower crane base; multi-story shoring of plate girders to facilitate column and footing removal for the installation of mini piles / mat foundations; and multi-story shoring to replace existing columns and install new vertical shafts through the existing structure.

Frank Rondeau, Sr. Superintendent for Suffolk, expressed his appreciation of Marr’s work:

“Project Manager Chris Madden and his team always find creative ways to minimize cost and shoring schemes that allow for the installation of the new structure. The team provided a professional design package (quick to be approved by design engineer), and a qualified, safe, hard-charging work force that always executes the work safely and on schedule. Marr shoring is the complete package from design concepts through engineering and execution; they are the best in the industry!”

 

scaffolding memorial hall harvard university

Raymond Traietti, Asst. Director, Harvard University’s Memorial Hall

Marr’s Scaffold Division recently installed systems scaffolding for Shawmut Design & Construction at Harvard University’s Sanders Theater in Memorial Hall. Marr also provided a boom lift onsite. 

In an email to Jeff Marr, Jr., the Assistant Director of Memorial Hall, Raymond Traietti, had this to say of Marr’s work on the project: “I wanted to express my gratitude for everyone at Marr for this summer’s heroic effort at Sanders Theatre.  What I witnessed over the course of six major weekend builds was a team that was seasoned, diligent and profoundly skillful.  Scaffolding to heights of 74 feet and filling the entire volume of the Theatre in the heat of summer required enormous strength, but what I noted time and time again was a competence and attention to detail that suffused every step of the process.  Of course, that the work was also done with such camaraderie belied the difficulty of the task.  The nature of the scaffolding, to take down what has  just been raised, could in one sense seem thankless, but what was actually  built by your team, and remains, is a well-earned reputation of the utmost professionalism.”

shoring south boston

Mark deShong, Architect

Isaac Blair recently provided shoring on the façade of a private property undergoing renovation in South Boston. The shoring allowed for the replacement of a basement wall to allow for the construction of a new street entrance into the property. In a letter to Dan Marr in early June, property owner and retired architect Mark deShong commended the Isaac Blair team and their thorough work:

“After an initial discussion with project management, within 45 minutes, a very proactive leadership group visited my townhouse and efficiently evaluated temporary structure, shoring, and all my overall project requirements. The very next morning the crew arrived and within 5-6 hours had completely shored, stabilized my facade, professionally secured our work site, and had us set us up for future construction. To say they were organized, knowledgeable, and well prepared would be an understatement.

In addition to their incredible professional abilities, they went well beyond our contract requirements and my personal expectations – advising on safety issues, nuances of construction protocol, and made provision for some temporary equipment which provided much needed time savings, and more.

Beyond these really impressive professional actions demonstrated by your shoring group, all were thoughtful, respectful, friendly, courteous, and extremely fun to be around. In short, I can’t say enough positive words to express my happiness and extreme satisfaction with your company’s work… I had more confidence in relying on your team’s ability to find homeostasis in my building support than I could with 45 years of structural exposure as an architect. Thank you very much for the opportunity to work with your very impressive team; they all were top tier, without exception.”

Randy Pitts, Tishman Construction

Randy Pitts, VP of Field Operations at Tishman Construction, recently worked with Isaac Blair & Co. on an emergency basis at the MGM Springfield resort casino in Springfield, MA. A column failure in a parking garage required immediate shoring under a ramp to prevent further collapse. Randy wrote to Dan Marr III about his satisfaction with the Marr team and their responsive efforts: “The Isaac Blair team, headed by Louie Giunta and his competent assistant Chris Foley, were fantastic. They responded immediately and were very professional. The field team consisted of guys that have been with Isaac Blair for many years and have worked on numerous Tishman projects over the years – another tribute to your companies. I thank you and the Marr Companies, which have been a part of my career forever.”

swing basket photo

Paige Matthews, Skanska

Paige Matthews, Project Manager at Skanska, recently completed a job with Marr Scaffolding at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, MA. The project required Marr crews to develop a plan that would allow for the safe installation of a swing basket. Ms. Matthews wrote to Jeff Marr, Jr. in recognition of Marr’s work performance and attention to safety: “While working on the BIDMC Power Separation Phase II Project, Skanska was tasked with running two cables in an exterior ten story shaft enclosed with metal panels.   The dimensions were tight and we had reached out to a few swing stage contractors on how to work in the shaft without removing all of the metal panels.  All of the other companies we reached out to were unable to come up with a safe method to work in the shaft.  Marr Scaffolding came out to the site and within days we had shop drawings, calculations and a clear safety plan.  The running of the cables was of utmost importance to the success of the project and safety of the electricians in the shaft was critical to Skanska.  The swing stage plan was executed perfectly by both Marr and our electrician.  It was a great success story on a very challenging project. Thank you.”

sign installation crane lift

Adam Lawson, Design Communications Ltd.

Adam Lawson, Project Manager at Design Communications Ltd., recently worked with Marr Scaffolding and Marr Crane & Rigging at The Innovation and Design Building on Drydock Avenue in Boston, MA. Following installation of the building’s signage, Mr. Lawson expressed his gratitude to Jeff Marr, Jr. for a job well done: “Marr’s agents showed up multiple times to offer us professional guidance and plans that would meet our client’s shifting needs. Their communications couldn’t have been clearer – I knew in advance when they would arrive and at what time their cranes would be ready to lift. As our plans evolved during the installation, they were incredibly accommodating, even going so far as to be out on the ground with us maneuvering items for the best picks. They saw the job through and did so with a great attitude. Thanks!”

swing stage cheviot corp picture

Damien Caledonia, The Cheviot Corporation

Damien Caledonia, Field Support at The Cheviot Corporation, has worked with Marr Scaffolding’s Aerial Lifts Division on projects at 1 Nashua Street and 30 Dalton Street in Boston, MA. As for choosing to contract with Marr to install numerous swing stages, Mr. Caledonia said, “I have competitors pounding on my door for business… but I would rather sleep better at night knowing that Marr would get the job done right.”

swing stage serenity apartments

Josh Emerson, Sunrise Erectors

Josh Emerson, Safety Manager at Sunrise Erectors, Inc., has worked with Marr Scaffolding’s Aerial Lifts Division on various projects, including recent work at Serenity Apartments, Boston Medical Center and MIT. According to Mr. Emerson, “Working as Safety Manager for an exterior façade subcontractor in and around the city of Boston, the dangers are prevalent. It is a reassuring feeling that when we schedule MARR, their team will put our team in the best position to get the job done. Marr’s experience and knowledge have transformed the challenging situations into working ones, where everyone can go home at the end of the day, safely.”

 

 

seaport building b hoist photo

Joel Dyson, John Moriarty & Associates

Marr supplied twin Alimak hoists to John Moriarty & Associates on Seaport Square’s Buildings B & C, located across from the Federal Court House in Boston. Joel Dyson, Senior Project Manager at JMA, reached out to President of Marr Crane & Rigging David Marr, Sr. about the project’s successful execution saying, “It’s been a great experience with you folks… You are definitely at the top of my list for future business… Thanks.”

crane rigging project at MIT

Stephen Parsons, JC Cannistraro

Stephen Parsons, General Foreman at JC Cannistraro, complimented John Robertson on rigging work performed by Marr Crane & Rigging at the MIT Nano Project in Cambridge, MA:

“… I want to again express my most sincere gratitude for all your efforts on this jobsite … together we have placed a considerable amount of freight in this building.  I can say that all the work was successfully completed on time, in a professional manner, and with the utmost safety.

Our client, MIT was particularly impressed with our performance here on their campus. This was a big deal for them — our ability to move among the day to day pedestrian traffic, including a majority of them MIT students, navigate Mass Ave. and Vassar St. in what seemed like a seamless fashion with WIDE LOADS and extended loads.

You made it look easy.”

Bruce Legen, Fusco Corporation

In a letter to CEO Dan Marr III, Bruce Legen, Director of Operations at Fusco Corporation, New Haven, CT, expressed his organization’s satisfaction with the shoring services Isaac Blair provided during the construction of a new school. Mr. Legen writes,

“From the very beginning when I was informed of a challenging condition at the Engineering and Science University Magnet School (ESUMS) I knew I would need a specialty contractor with serious shoring experience. It was when I reached out to Isaac Blair and spoke with Lou Giunta that I realized the right call was made. From discussing my needs of the project to gathering information, engineering and working through Christmas and New Year holidays, Lou made sure all concerns were addressed.

The crew Lou put together, led by Kevin Wynn, were amongst some of the most professional workers I have come across in the construction industry. They arrived with the mind set of getting the job done as quick and safe as possible and coordinating with all other trades that needed to be involved, not to say everyone on site… Isaac Blair and Marr Companies is a welcome addition to my contact list.”

eversource steel photo

Trevor McCourt, McCourt Construction

Trevor McCourt, Project Manager at McCourt Construction, had this to say about the work performed by Daniel Marr & Son and Marr Scaffolding Company on two projects: “I know I have said it before but I cannot praise the Daniel Marr & Son steel erection group enough on the job they did for Novel Iron (a sub to McCourt) on the Eversource Station 99 project next to the vent building in South Boston.  The work was high quality, well planned and ahead of schedule.  I also was very impressed with the Scaffold and Shoring group and the work that was done on the Kingston Station job last year.  They knocked it out of the park… I hope you will let everyone in the field know how much I respect their professionalism.”

Mike Russell, Omni Services

John Forgione, Parts Manager for the Aerial Lift Division at Marr Scaffolding Company, is responsible for procuring repair parts and all necessary supplies to service a variety of equipment, including scissor lifts, boom lifts, telehandlers, fork lifts and vans for the company and customers.

In a recent letter to John, Omni Services Sales Manager Mike Russell expressed his appreciation for doing business and had this to say of John: “I was extremely impressed with how organized and thought out your storerooms were.  I liked the way you set-up the hydraulic bins as well.  That should allow you plenty of bin space for additional items as they arise while maintaining the overall organization.  I may, shamelessly borrow your idea in the future for other customer setups.  Very impressive John.”

 

Kyle Dupell, Integrated Project Solutions

Marr Scaffolding Company’s Shoring Division has installed two pre-engineered platforms for use by Integrated Project Solutions at the Lonza Biologics Facility in Portsmouth, NH. Project Manager Chris Madden and Foreman PJ Welch ensured a successful two-week installation of the 25-foot and 50-foot loading platforms. Shoring will remain on site for the 24 month rental with regular inspections.

Kyle Dupell, Program Project Engineer at IPS, had this to say about Marr’s work: 

“Not only did Marr work extensively with our on-site team to meet a critical deadline, they were flexible with their work hours and crew size. In addition to the flexibility and quality work the Marr team displayed, they did so with safety as the foremost important factor.

“We at IPS intend to continue to work with Marr for the duration of our time here on the Portsmouth project and on additional projects in the future… Thank you for your exceptional performance and look forward to a long lasting professional relationship with Marr in the future.”

Mike Sanchez, Shawmut Design and Construction

During the art installation of Janet Echelman’s sculpture over the Rose Kennedy Greenway on May 3, 2015, Mike Sanchez, Vice President of Field Operations at Shawmut Design and Construction, had this to say about Marr…

Laura Jasinski, Greenway Conservancy

During the art installation of Janet Echelman’s sculpture over the Rose Kennedy Greenway on May 3, 2015, Laura Jasinski, Planning & Design Manager for the Greenway Conservancy, had this to say about Marr…