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RJV Construction Corp: Longtime UCANE Member Completes $20M MWRA Water Project in Their “Hometown”
CONSTRUCTION
Longtime UCANE Member Completes $20M MWRA Water Project in Their “Hometown”
The Pacella name has been associated with public water and sewer construction in Massachusetts since 1945 when Querino Pacella and his brothers started Pacella Brothers Corporation in the Dorchester section of Boston. For the next 40 years the company tackled some of the largest and heaviest pipeline projects from Boston to Springfield. Their success as contractors allowed them to invest in other ventures, most notably into manufacturing of concrete pipe (Pacella Pipe Corp. 1971-83) and into real estate in the Dedham area, where many Pacella family members purchased homes.
Like many family businesses, as new generations come along some choose to seek their own path. Such was the case when Querino’s sons, Querino Jr. and Ron Sr. and their brother-in-law Dan Shea, formed QRS Corporation in 1963. The focus for the new company would be the same public works market as Pacella Brothers. QRS started on a smaller scale, but very soon saw expansion and growth, in large part due to the 1972 Clean Water Act and the dramatic increases in Federal funding that it brought to the Massachusetts sewer industry throughout the 70s and 80s.
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QRS Becomes RJV
Ron Sr. brought his sons into QRS Construction at early ages. By the early 80s the QRS owners were ready to slow it down a bit but their boys were just getting ramped up and raring to go. So RJV was formed in 1982 and took its name from Ron Jr., Joseph, and Victor. This third generation of Querino Pacella’s family would carry on the tradition as a well-respected and formidable competitor in the Massachusetts Public Works arena for the next 35 years. The QRS name was carried on as the equipment leasing side of RJV. Fourth Generation
Throughout the 90s and 2000s the namesakes for RJV (Ron Jr., Joe, and Victor) and Querino Jr. had brought another generation of Pacellas into the family business and they were quick learners and were anxious to take over key roles in the corporation. This coincided well with their father’s plans to dial it back and increase their fishing and golf time. In 2020, the transition of RJV ownership went to the fourth generation of Pacellas. Querino Jr.’s son (David), Ron Jr.’s three sons (Ron III, Querino, and Chris) and Victor’s son (Victor Jr.) were the newest – and current – owners of RJV Construction Corp.
UCANE and the Pacella Family
Looking back over UCANE’s 67-year history, the Association’s success is surely credited to outstanding contributions and support from many current and past utility contractors. But perhaps no other contractor name can be associated with UCANE more so than the name Pacella. In 1954, Ron Pacella Sr. of the Pacella Brothers was one of the Association’s founding members. His uncle John Pacella served as president of UCANE for six years during the 60s and 70s. No other UCANE President has served more than three years. There has never been a year in UCANE history when there wasn’t a Pacella company on the roster – and in the vast majority of years there have been at least two Pacella Companies as members. Past UCANE Presidents (in addition to John Pacella) include Ron Pacella Sr., Joe Pacella, and cousin Richard Pacella. At 18% of all UCANE Board meetings since 1954 there has been a President Pacella behind the gavel. No other name has been on more committees, attended more Board of Director meetings, and served in more officer or president roles than the name Pacella. This continues in 2021 with Querino Pacella (President of RJV Construction Corp.) and his cousin Richard Pacella (President of R. M. Pacella, Inc.) both serving on the UCANE Board of Directors.
According to RJV President Querino Pacella the company had been following MWRA’s Contract 7505 since the design stages. “We had our eye on this project for a while because the route of the pipeline was going through parts of Dedham where many members of our family had grown up and where some still lived,” said Querino.
When bids were opened in May 2018, RJV was the successful low bidder on the $20M project and there was excitement throughout the company. “It was the largest bid that RJV had won,” said Victor Pacella, “and the large diameter (36-inch) pipeline work was our forte. We had just completed similar work with the MWRA and Dedham was considered “hometown” to many of us. We were very excited.”
Pacella Family (L-R): Victor, David, Chris, Victor Jr, Ron III, and Querino
Shoring Installation for an 8-foot Diameter Air Release Structure
Setting 36-inch Steel Water Main and Vault after completion of pipe jacking under Route 95
Final 36-inch x 30-inch Wet Tap Connection to existing MWRA steel water main
The project consisted of 7,000 feet of 36-inch Ductile Iron water pipe and four large Valve Vaults. The pipeline route was through local streets with deep excavation (12 feet - 16 feet) along most of the route. To make room in the streets for the new transmission main, about 4,000 feet of local watermains, hydrants, services, etc., would need to be relocated. Along the route the 36-inch pipe would also need to cross under MBTA commuter rail tracks, as well as under eight lanes of Route 95. Both crossings would be by horizontal jackings of 66-inch steel casing. Deep and heavily shored jacking and receiving pits were required at each jacking along with dewatering operations. Traffic concerns would restrict hours of operation at multiple locations along the route.
Construction began in the Spring of 2019. MWRA Construction managers assigned to the project included Cori Barret and Terry Flynn. Overseeing the job for MWRA was Mike Sorrentino and Ed Amorello from Stantec (designers of the project). From RJV, Querino Pacella was assigned as principal in charge. According to Querino, “I had the title, but we really had our entire ownership and management team involved with this project. Project Manager Matt DeLuca and our superintendents Chris Gates and Louis Rodriques were our key people that advanced this tough job every day.” RJV had as many as 30 of their own employees and at times another 10-15 subcontractor employees working on the site simultaneously.
Deep cuts and large pipe requires heavy equipment and lots of trucks. Equipment Manager Dave Pacella was tasked with deploying the right equipment and making sure there was no “downtime.” “We had a large portion of our heavy iron and dump trucks committed to this job. Our lowbed trailers and mechanics were running at full speed to support our crews. The proximity of the job from our shop (eight miles) was a big help.”
The difficulty in the work was mostly apparent, according to Chris Pacella. “We knew the deep cuts combined with existing utilities and 20-foot long sections of 36-inch pipe would create a slow operation,” said Chris. “But on one section of about 1,000 feet, we slowed to a crawl when even wellpoints weren’t enough to dewater the ground. Thanks only to our experienced foremen, operators, and pipelayers were we able to fight through it and get the pipe in.”
Installing the large Valve Vaults in town streets was another project challenge. The massive precast structures were provided by UCANE member Concrete Systems, Inc. (CSI). “These vaults required steel sheet-pile shoring, dewatering, and heavy cranes to set them in place,” said Ron Pacella. “Coordinating vault delivery and cranes while still maintaining traffic required the entire project team and the Town of Dedham to all be on the same page.”
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The jacking operations and the necessary interfacing with MBTA and MassDOT were almost “projects within a project.” Lots of paperwork, meetings, and agreements with these agencies on procedures, hours of operations, etc., were required. Once approvals were secured by the project team, the jacking pits were managed with assistance from UCANE member GVC Construction, Inc. and Pacella Enterprises. The jacking sleeves were installed by M&P Pipe Jacking Corp.
RJV put a dent into the project in 2019. Work scaled back during winter months. “In 2020 our plans to wrap up the job were disrupted due to COVID-19,” recalls Querino. “We had some delays that slowed us up while everyone was figuring out how to proceed during a pandemic. The Owner (MWRA) and the Town of Dedham worked closely with us to get the job back up and running again. Learning to communicate with team members working from home and having ZOOM meetings to discuss job issues was a learning curve, but we got through it.”
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Auger Boring 48-inch Steel Casing Pipe under MBTA Commuter Rail Tracks RJV Superintendents Louie Rodrigues & Chris Gates and Project Manager Matt DeLuca
Installing 36-inch DI Water Main on Rustcraft Road requiring extensive dewatering
36-inch Steel Water Main in place after removal of thrust wall in Route 95 Jacking Pit
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The project was completed in April, 2021. MWRA Resident Engineer, Jim Bird had high praise for RJV. He stated, “The Authority has had great experiences with RJV on other infrastructure projects and 7505 has been another to add to the list. This was a formidable piece of work with a few wrenches thrown at us, but RJV’s managers are detail oriented and quickly reacted to always get back on track. It was a pleasure working with such a professional team.”
Other UCANE members working with RJV on the project included Aggregate Industries (asphalt and paving), A. Andreassi & Son, Inc. (gravel), ATS Equipment, Inc. (tools and supplies), Brennan Consulting (surveying), Concrete Systems, Inc. (precast structures), Core & Main (pipe, valves, and fittings), Dedham Recycled Gravel (gravel), Easton Concrete Cutting & Drilling, LLC (saw cutting), T. L. Edwards, Inc. (asphalt), GVC Construction, Inc. (jacking pits and pipe jacking), GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc. (SOE/dewatering design, soil management, geotechnical monitoring), L. Guerini Group Inc. (concrete pumping), Liddell Brothers, Inc. (traffic management), Lockton Companies (bonding and insurance), Lorusso Coporation (paving), S. M. Lorusso & Sons, Inc. (stone and gravel), National Trench Safety (shoring), National Water Main Cleaning Co. (CCTV inspection, and manhole rehabilitation), Northeast Traffic Control Services, Inc. (traffic management), North East Shoring Equipment, LLC (shoring and road plates), Pacella Enterprises (paving), E. J. Prescott, Inc. (valves and fittings), Taylor Oil Company (diesel), Tresca Brothers (concrete), United Rentals Trench Safety (shoring and road plates).
UCANE Congratulates RJV Construction Corp. and the Pacella family on the completion of this milestone project and wishes them many more years of continued growth and success stories! n
