By Jake Robitaille
From the June 2025 Issue of Facility Executive
Colantonio, a Holliston, MA-based construction management firm, recently built two additions on either side of the Golda Meir House, an independent living community in Newton, MA. The additions (45,000 square feet and 30,000 square feet) brought 68 desperately needed new residences to the facility. The new apartments, a mix of one and two bedrooms, are affordable to seniors with a range of incomes, with nine units designated for chronically homeless individuals. In addition, 10 existing units were remodeled. A new ADA-accessible entrance was added to the building and the parking lot was reconfigured to accommodate more than two dozen additional vehicles.
This comprehensive renovation and expansion project was conducted over the course of two years, all while the building was fully occupied. To ensure the process would be both safe and comfortable for residents, the construction team collaborated closely with the building’s owner, 2Life Communities, before any work began on site, and together, developed a comprehensive and meticulous plan.
Here’s how we accomplished our goals:
(All photos: Kylie_Matt Wright Photo Studios)
Productive Teamwork
Building management worked with the project manager and other team leadership to provide a thorough understanding of the daily activities, habits, and preferences of the elderly residents. This allowed everyone to understand the times that were most busy in public areas, when cars would most likely be in use, and when residents were most likely to receive guests or deliveries.
The team understood that they could substantially reduce stress and uncertainty if residents were fully informed about the timing and scope of the project and had a thorough understanding of our process for accomplishing it. Meetings were scheduled in the building’s community room where residents could meet with the team and learn more; this also made it possible for residents to become familiar with members of the construction team and to know who to reach out to with concerns and questions. It was essential that residents feel comfortable with workers on-site, and team members who were especially empathetic and approachable were selected to conduct and attend these meetings as well as at pizza parties where tenants could meet and mingle with construction staff. This helped established actual connections and even friendships between the residents and the construction team which was tremendously helpful for everyone. For residents who were unable to attend meetings, detailed project information and photos of the team were posted in common areas.
“The entire Colantonio team were always approachable and willing to make adjustments when needed,” says Peter Casparriello, Portfolio Director of Maintenance at 2Life Communities. “Their careful planning, clear communication, and commitment to maintaining a safe and functional environment for our residents and staff made them a valuable partner throughout the project.”
Myra Marshall, Executive Director of the Golda Meir House, adds, “The Colantonio project team was very mindful of the comfort of our existing 225 residents.”
A Thoughtful Construction Process
This proactive process, which made a big difference in terms of reducing anxiety for the elderly residents of the Golda Meir House, also let them be confident that their concerns would be heard and addressed at all stages of the process. This was helpful for the construction team as well, as these conversations helped to finesse the construction plan to be even more considerate of tenant needs.
“Working with Colantonio on the Golda Meir extension project was a mostly seamless experience,” adds Casparriello. “Their team demonstrated exceptional professionalism and adaptability, ensuring that work inside and adjacent to our fully operational building was completed efficiently and with minimal disruption to residents and staff.”
In terms of the construction, one of the immediate priorities was the development of temporary parking for residents. This project required deep excavation for foundations in several locations (approximately 15,000 cubic yards) as well as the installation of a new infiltration system under the existing upper residential parking lot behind the building. Temporary locations were identified to ensure that residents would consistently enjoy safe and easy passage from their vehicles to the building’s entrance.
Throughout the process, easily visible large-print signage was posted in the three languages primarily used by residents (English, Chinese, and Russian), and was regularly updated, to guide residents safely through both the facility and its environs. The team was efficient in removing equipment and thoroughly cleaning work areas when work concluded each day, and delivery of materials and equipment were scheduled only at times—and places —that would be the least disruptive to daily life.
Rehousing For Maximum Comfort
During the renovation of existing units, residents needed to be temporarily re-housed. The construction team worked with business management ahead of time to secure ‘swing’ units for those periods. This work was scheduled so that groups of adjacent units would be renovated at the same time. This made work more efficient for the construction team, including trade workers, who could come in and accomplish their work in one localized area. It also consolidated noise and traffic to one area at a time, which meant that residents in other areas would be entirely undisturbed, and those closer to the work zone would understand that disruption would be temporary.
Upon the successful conclusion of this project, Marshall says, “We had no complaints from the occupants.” In fact, the construction team later received the clearest possible validation for its careful process: a stack of letters from residents thanking them for their work.
Robitaille is a Project Manager with Colantonio.
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