Regional Affordable Housing Corporation and Housing Vermont have teamed up to co-develop the Roaring Branch Apartments Project located in Bennington, Vermont. Local architectural firm, BMA Architects & Planners are the designers on the exciting project for the Bennington community.

This scattered site project consists of the major rehabilitation of three historic wood-framed buildings containing 12-units of housing located on Benmont Avenue. The other site includes the new construction of seven wood-framed rental apartment buildings containing 14-units of housing.

Headed up by Kevin Burke as Project Manager and superintendent, the construction started November 1, 2011 and it’s clear that the Naylor & Breen team is already making significant progress through hard work (and partly from this unusual non-existent winter).

Below please see pictures of the Benmont Avenue project first, then the new construction of North Branch Street. We’ll keep you updated as the project progresses—a late summer completion is expected.

Naylor & Breen Builders, Inc. is seeking applicants for a Project Coordinator.

Our ideal candidate will have a comprehensive knowledge of commercial construction and the commercial construction process to include permit filing, project scheduling, specification manuals and subcontracts, RFI’s, material submittals, and O&M manuals. Candidates should have solid organizational abilities and advanced computer skills including a working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, Project and Outlook.  This is a full-time position in a fast paced environment with competitive salary and benefits including health, dental and disability insurance, paid holidays, paid vacation time and a 401(k) retirement plan.

Please send your resume and three references to Stacy Hotte, Naylor & Breen Builders, Inc., 2335 Franklin Street, Brandon, VT 05733 or email to shotte@naylorbreen.com. Naylor & Breen Builders, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer.

A fun time was had by all (and the Patriots won) at the Naylor & Breen Christmas party. The celebration was held at the Center Street Bar (under Cafe Provence in Brandon). Rob Naylor spoke about the memorable events of 2011 and encouraged everyone to focus on building the company through 2012.

Wonderful food and lots of laughs was had by all!

Enjoy the photos!

…and you didn’t think we could dance?

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Congratulations to BristolWorks! on the recently completed renovations (the first of many) to their smart-growth, mixed-use redevelopment project located at the former Autumn Harp plant in Bristol, VT. The creative redesigned space is the new home for the Northeast Supervisory Union offices. It features plenty of passive natural light, use of Vermont materials and features a warm color scheme throughout.

The design was created by local architect Tommie Thompson, of 24D Architects in Bristol. The owner worked closely with the architect and construction manager, Naylor & Breen Builders, to bring this project to fruition. Hawk Hill Cabinetry & Custom Woodwork, a division of Naylor & Breen Builders, crafted all of the custom cabinetry seen in the photos below. Don Houle, a veteran Naylor & Breen superintendent, and Terry White, Project Manager, successfully worked with the owner, Kevin Harper (one of the four partners of BristolWorks!) and architect in order to deliver the project on-time and within budget.

On Thursday, December 1, 2011, BristolWorks! and the Northeast Supervisory Union hosted an open house to welcome the community to visit their new home. Below are some pictures from the event. For more information about this exciting project and to learn more about the future plans at BristolWorks!, please visit www.Bristolworks.org

Naylor & Breen Builders, Inc. is seeking candidates for a Construction Superintendent to direct daily field operations in commercial & residential construction.

As our ideal candidate you will have a comprehensive knowledge of commercial construction with experience in a similar construction supervisory position. You will have the ability to estimate quantities; read and analyze blueprints; schedule, motivate, manage field employees and sub-contractors and manage job-site safety. You will understand how to read specification manuals and be comfortable with the submittal process. You should have basic computer skills, be able to communicate via e-mail and work as part of a unified team. Some travel required – no overnights. This is a full-time year round position with competitive salary and benefits including health, dental and disability insurance, paid holidays, paid vacation time and a 401(k) retirement plan. Please send your resume and three references to Stacy Hotte, Naylor & Breen Builders, Inc., 2335 Franklin Street, Brandon, VT05733or email to shotte@naylorbreen.com. Job applications are available on our website, www.naylorbreen.com or by calling 802-247-6527. Naylor & Breen Builders, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Shown Above (in no particular order): KEVIN MARKOWSKI, Rutland Housing Authority • BARBARA FlELDS HUD Regional Administrator • KEVIN LOSO Rutland Housing Authority • TED BRADY Office of Senator Patrick Leahy • NANCY OWENS Housing Vermont CINDY REID Vermont Housing Finance Agency • POLLY NICHOL Vermont Housing & Conservation Board • JOSH HANFORD • Department of Economic, Housing and Community Development • MICHAEL DASH, TD Bank

The recent ribbon cutting on October 27th, 2011 marks completion of the first phase of Forest Park Section 8 Housing transformation to the Hickory Street Neighborhood. New streets and infrastructure complement 33 attractive apartments scattered among seven buildings. The ribbon cutting celebration follows almost 10 years of challenging work. Congratulations to all the dedicated people who helped make this extraordinary vision a reality.

What is Hickory Street all about?
Hickory Street Apartments represents the first phase of the transformation of a 75-unit family public housing property into a vibrant new mixed-income neighborhood. Phase one of the project demolished approximately one third of the Forest Park development. Families were relocated using a special allocation of Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers. Thirty-three attractive apartments were constructed on an improved site plan and scattered among seven buildings including one twelve-plex, one nine-plex, two tri-plexes and three duplexes. The mixed-income development includes 7 market rate apartments, 14 units with rental assistance and 12 apartments for households with modest incomes (for example, up to $37,750 for a family of four.

Where is it located?
Hickory Street Apartments are located in a new neighborhood off Forest Street in Rutland, Vermont.

Who helped make this unique vibrant neighborhood?
Housing Vermont and the Rutland Housing Authority partnered to create Vermont’s first mixed-financing redevelopment of public housing. Michael Wisniewski of Duncan Wisniewski Architects was the project designer and Naylor & Breen Builders was the General Contractor.

How was this project funded?
Funding totaling nearly $8.5 million from numerous sources was raised to cover the total development costs. TD Bank invested more than $4 million in equity and provided a construction loan. The Department of Housing and Urban Development was the ultimate source of $4,121,500 which includes a $525,000 EDI grant secured by Senator Patrick Leahy, $500,000 in HOME funds through the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board and $750,000 in CDBG funds through a program administered by the Vermont Department of Economic, Housing and Community Development and awarded to the City of Rutland.

For more information, please contact www.rhavt.org

Rob Naylor & "Superman" Kevin Burke on-site during the construction of Hickory Street.

The entire team is appreciative for the leadership provided on-site by Naylor & Breen’s “Superintendent/Project Manager” Kevin Burke. The project was delivered on-time and with very few hiccups along the way. Congratulations to another job extremely well done!

Naylor & Breen is looking forward to the opportunity to be a part of Phase II…keep watch for updates.

Middlebury South Village Professional Office Building

Congratulations to Naylor & Breen Builders, in May they completed the Middlebury South Village Professional Office Building and contributed to the   achievement of the Advanced Buildings Core Performance® designation. Efficiency Vermont recognizes and values the effort, technical expertise, and commitment to energy efficiency required by everyone on a project team to meet the Core Performance standards for a high performance building.

Pictured above: Paul Duane, Planning & Development Manager with Efficiency Vermont, Terry White, Project Manager for Naylor & Breen and Jeffry Glassberg, Owner’s Representative for South Village. Missing: Bill Gallop, Project Architect from William Maclay Architects & Planners.

Among the many energy efficient strategies implemented in the building, attention to a tight, well-insulated building envelope, efficient lighting, and extensive lighting controls were notable in the final design. Efficient split-systems with energy recovery ventilation are also tied to a building energy monitoring system to help manage and improve the building’s energy profile. In final air sealing testing, the building achieved blower door test results of 0.06 cfm/sq.ft. at 50 Pa, matching the best values recorded to date in Efficiency Vermont’s Commercial New Construction program.

Core Performance is a nation-wide program for new commercial buildings developed by the New Buildings Institute, with support from Efficiency Vermont, and tailored for use in Vermont with the Core Performance Guide – Vermont Edition. Core Performance outlines technologies and strategies to deliver predictable energy savings, while providing a simplified path to sustainable design goals and standardized financial incentives. Core Performance is recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council as an alternate path for gaining LEED energy points without energy modeling. Achieving Core Performance designation supports your efforts to lower operating costs, increase property values, create better working environments, and enhance leadership in building responsibly.

Hawk Hill Cabinetry & Custom Woodwork created the Maple walls panels Maclay Architects designed for the common areas in the buildings. Brightening up the space and utilizing natural local products.

By LEE J. KAHRS
BRANDON-from Brandon-Pittsford Reporter November 2, 2011 

Local company back where it belongs

Usually, moving back home has a negative connotation, but the 70 employees at Naylor & Breen builders were more than happy to go back to their roots last month. Nine months after fire
destroyed the company’s headquarters and cabinetry ship on Route 7 just south of the Brandon Motor Lodge, the company moved into a new building on the same footprint.

And despite the setback for the company, Naylor & Breen was named one of Vermont’s top growing businesses by Vermont Business Magazine. The 9th Annual 5x5x5 Growth Awards were announced in September, acknowledging five Vermont businesses that have experienced the greatest growth over the past five years in five different business categories. Categories honored this year were technology, construction, manufacturing, service and energy. Naylor and Breen received an award in the construction category for their 33 percent growth over the last five years. Add to that a new vice-president and operations manager Tanner Romano, and the company has a whole new lease on life. ”I don’t even know how we got in there,” Rob Naylor said of the growth award during an interview last week. ”But never question it when someone’s trying to give you something.” Immediately after the January 2 fire, Naylor and Breen employees moved the offices into the former Vermont Furniture building just down the road across from the Mac’s gas station and store. Business didn’t miss a beat with either move, Naylor said. ”Things went pretty smoothly with both moves,” he said. “We were never down (with phones and internet) at all between the two buildings.”

While the new office building design is almost identical to the one destroyed by the fire, the interior is a little different. The entryway and front desk area has a sleek, updated look, complete with a sweeping, natural wood reception desk. Two perpendicular hallways run down each side of the building with offices lining the right sides, and each office employee chose their own carpet and paint. In the center between the hallways is a planning area equipped with a large table for examining blueprints. Missing is the large woodworking and cabinetry shop that was attached to the rear of the offices. It was in the painting/finishing room of the shop where the January fire started, fire officials said. Now, the cabinetry work is down in a separate, existing building at the back of the property that was formerly used for fabrication and storage. ”That was the biggest hiccup,” Naylor said. Local builder Jack McKernon offered Naylor space to rent at his company’s space in Park Village, where work continued through the summer, and that work included building all of the furniture and shelving for the new Naylor and Breen office building. Another addition is that of Thomasina Magoon, who was hired in February as Naylor & Breen’s Sales and Marketing Manager. ”We’ve never had much of a focus on marketing, buttimes have changed.” Naylor said. “It’s part of our effort to improve the quality of our projects. We don’t necessarily need to do more to get business, but it doesn’t hurt.” And business is very good.

The company currently has at least I0 projects in various stages of planning, design and construction. Last spring, Naylor purchased the former Brandon Training School administration building at Park Village in partnership with the Housing Trust of Rutland County. With the necessary funding in place, work is set to begin in April to transform the building into 18 units of affordable, energy-efficient housing (see accompanying story.) Work was recently completed on the Hickory Street affordable housing project in Rutland comprised of seven buildings, including one that is all handicapped-accessible. The company also has a contract for a similar project in Bennington to begin construction this winter.

Naylor & Breen also has a standing contract with Lake Sunapee Bank in Vermont and will be tearing down and rebuilding the drive-thru bank in Woodstock that was damaged by the Aug. 28 flood. In White River Junction, there are plans for a housing rehabilitation project, and in Bristo~ a rehab of the Addison Northeast Supervisory Union offices. There is also a plan for a multi-housing facility upgrade in Manchester, another project with the Rutland Housing Authority and two new projects in Hinesburg, including a new JiffY Mart. Now that the company is home for good, Naylor said all their attention can be back on business. ”At least we’re in our home base,” he said. “There’s a good feeling of settlement It’s good to be home.”

On September 15, 2011, Vermont Business Magazine presented their 9th Annual 5x5x5 Growth Awards, acknowledging five Vermont businesses that have experienced the greatest growth over the past five years in five different business categories. Categories honored this year are Technology, Construction, Manufacturing, Service and Energy.

Naylor & Breen received an award in the construction category for their 33% growth over the last five years.Thomasina Magoon, Sales and Marketing Manager accepted the award for Naylor & Breen. Also in attendance was Amanda Locke, Naylor & Breen’s Accounts Payable Clerk.

Congratulations Naylor & Breen for many jobs well done!