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UCANE Member of the Month
Ledge removal at pump station site in Salisbury
Albanese Brothers, Inc. A DBE/WBE Firm Comfortable Operating as a GC or Sub in Both Private and Public Sectors
Beginnings
Brothers Marco and Giovanni Albanese began their construction careers as teenagers working for their father Oto’s construction company in Avellino, Italy. After emigrating to America in the early 1970s both brothers worked for a few Boston area contractors before venturing out together to start Albanese Brothers, Inc., in 1978. With a financed Dynahoe 190 loader/ backhoe and a dump truck, the new business entered the public construction market by doing sewer and water connections for general contractors. Through hard work and long hours, the brothers built up the company and by the mid-80s became serious competitors for water and sewer projects throughout Eastern Massachusetts. During this period Marco’s three children Maria, Marcella, and Oto started in the business as teenagers, working after school and summers until each was able to work full-time. The siblings started at the bottom and learned the business from the ground up. In 1991, Giovanni Albanese left the company and forged his own path to success.
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The Third Generation Takes Over
Throughout the next 20 years the company grew by tackling larger and more complex projects. The family business expanded its equipment fleet while also establishing an excellent reputation and footprint in the water and sewer industry. At the same time, the three siblings continued to learn the business and under Marco’s tutelage, began taking on roles of increasing responsibility and sharing management decisions.
In 2010, Marco Albanese retired with full confidence that his three children had all the skills and tools to carry on the business. With Marcella named as company President, Maria as Secretary, and Oto as Treasurer, Marco traded in the excitement of winning bids to the excitement of winning Bocci tournaments. Marco’s instincts were correct, and under the third-generation leadership of Maria, Marcella, and Oto (Dino) Albanese, the Dracut-based contractor continued to build their company’s reputation. In 2011, Albanese Brothers Inc. was certified as a DBE and WBE Company in both MA and NH.
Today, Albanese Brothers, Inc. continues to make their mark in the New England water and sewer industry. Having worked together for nearly 40 years, the three siblings are the epitome of a team operation, equally sharing all responsibilities associated with running a successful construction business.
Both the company and the family are well known throughout the horizontal construction community. Albanese Brothers has been an active member of the Utility Contractors’ Association of New England, Inc. (UCANE) since 1981. Marcella and Maria have volunteered to serve on many committees over the years. Marcella has served on the Board of Directors for 15 years. Her time commitment and contributions to the industry have been many. She received UCANE’s prestigious award as Contractor Member of the Year in 2015 and, most recently, led the organization, through COVID, in 2020 and 2021 as UCANE President… the first woman to serve in this capacity.
Company Capabilities and Pride
Today Albanese Brothers, Inc. employs an average of 45+ people during peak season. They have a bonding capacity above $50 million and generate revenues in excess of $15 million/year. “Our bread and butter is still sewer and water work, especially the challenging jobs — deep, with lots of water and ledge,” says Marcella. “We have the people, the equipment, and the know-how to do the difficult projects. Anybody can do an easy pipe job. But only a handful can do the big, tough, deep, and dirty jobs in a tight time frame. We’re one of those who can.” While sewer and water work, including pump stations, is what Albanese Brothers is best known for, it’s far from all the company does. “We do site-development
Triple machine pick to clear low bridge on GLX Project
Tight quarters on congested GLX site
work from start to finish,” says Oto. “We’ll clear and stump and get the site to grade. We have our own crushing and recycling equipment and we do our own drilling and blasting. After we install all the utilities, we’ll build your roads and sidewalks to finish grade and landscape the site.”
“Our goal is 100-percent customer satisfaction,” states Maria. “By expanding our in-house capabilities, we are better able to control both cost and schedule and to better serve our customers. We can deliver a wide range of turnkey projects and by doing most of the work ourselves. We know it’s going to be done right and be done on time.” “Certainly, our dad emphasized the importance of doing quality work in a timely manner, but beyond that, his main message was to always be fair, honest, and honorable in our dealings,” said Oto. “Honor is important to us,” added Marcella. “We’re old-school. To us, our word is the same as a signed contract and keeping our good name means everything to us.” Maria is quick to give credit to their employees for much of their success. “We have been blessed with a lot of dedicated and skilled employees,” reflects Maria. “Many of them have been with us for more than 20 years. They all work hard, take pride in their work, and share our values. They are like family to us.”
Installing deep 18-inch sewer mains on US Route 1 in Salisbury
Route 1 pump station in Salisbury
Despite the impacts and temporary disruptions caused by COVID-19 over the last few years, Albanese Brothers, Inc. was able to maintain nearly continuous operations and impressed their clients by completing some challenging jobs on time and within budget. The 44-year-old company’s ability to work in both the private sector and the public sector and to bid projects as either a Subcontractor or the General Contractor, has increased bid opportunities and allowed the company to keep their crews busy and their workload steady. While Albanese Brothers, Inc. performs most of its work in Massachusetts, the company is willing and able to travel, and has performed work in New Hampshire and Maine as well. As a DBE Company Albanese Brothers Inc. receives opportunities to work throughout the country. A sampling of a few recent jobs are discussed below:
1. Project: Water Mains and Pumping Stations, Charlton, MA Client: ExxonMobil Corporation Engineer: Kleinfelder, Westboro, MA Value: $29 Million
Albanese Brothers performed this private contract as the General Contractor. The project included furnishing and installing eight miles of 8”-12” diameter water mains within town streets, including 80 fire hydrants, 120 main line gate valves and connection to existing systems. 200 new water services were installed from main to house (30,000 feet) including tying into existing basement plumbing. New water meters were installed and removal of existing residential well pumps and carbon treatment systems as required. Included was all paving and private property restoration.
Work also included furnishing and installing two prepackaged booster pumping stations with variable speed pumps and controls; all electrical and mechanical work including standby diesel generators with automatic transfer switches.
This was a three-year sensitive project that required extensive work and multiple visits on private property and inside 200 private homes. Both the client and the Town demanded that Albanese Brothers perform comprehensive coordination efforts with each homeowner and exhibit professionalism at all times by all employees. Frequent job meetings and a team approach by the Town of Charlton, Kleinfelder Engineers, ExxonMobil, and Albanese Brothers was key to this successful project.
2. Project: Route 1 Sewer Project , Salisbury, MA Client: Town of Salisbury, DPW Director Lisa DeMeo Engineer: Weston & Sampson, Reading, MA Value: $12,614,000
Albanese Brothers was contracted by the Town to furnish and install 18,000 feet of sewer mains within town streets and a major portion within MassDOT controlled roadways (US Route 1). Depths ranged to 25’ and trench dewatering was required at multiple locations. Extensive continued on page 47
traffic controls and special construction procedures including night work was mandated by MassDOT permits. Sewer was installed by directional drilling at the brook crossing and under the railroad alongside Route 1. Work also included 200 new sewer service connections from main to property line. Temporary and final paving was included along the entire route.
In addition, Albanese furnished and installed three new sewer pump stations and connecting force mains. Two stations were submersible pump type and the third station was suction lift type. All required electrical work, including emergency power systems were included in the contract. All shoring work required for trench and pump station excavations was performed by Albanese.
3. Project: MBTA Green Line Extension Client: GLX Constructors Engineer: STV, Inc. - Boston Office Value: $1.7 Million (Subcontract)
The Green Line Extension is a multi-billion dollar, multi-year contract for the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA), a public agency. The general contractor GLX is a joint venture of Fluor Enterprises, Inc., The Middlesex Corporation, Herzog Contracting Corporation, and Balfour Beatty Infrastructure, Inc. The team invited Albanese Brothers, Inc. to bid as a DBE subcontractor on several surface drainage packages. The scope of work included excavation and installation of drainage piping and structures within congested urban locations in Boston, Cambridge, and Somerville. Albanese performed tedious excavations, connection to existing live systems, traffic controls, and off-hour operations as required to successfully complete the work. Special procedures were required at Lechmere Station and O’Brien Highway including restricted overhead clearances and connection to an existing 100-year-old 96” by 100” brick culvert.
4. Project: MBTA Quincy Bus Maintenance Facility Demolition Package Client: Manafort Transit Engineer: STV, Inc.- Boston Office Value : $1,600,000 ( Subcontract)
Manafort Transit is a Waltham based division of Manafort Brothers (CT). The team invited Albanese Brothers, Inc. to bid as a DBE subcontractor. Scope of work included installation of all underground utilities on MBTA property including drainage, sewer, water piping, and structures. Also installed were multiple concrete duct banks and precast structures for communication, electrical, and telephone systems. Work around existing live utilities and relocations of existing utilities was required. Off-hour operations and working a very compact and active site was required in order to meet the MBTAs demands and to successfully complete the work.
Ledge removal on Charlton, MA project
Narrow easement on Charlton water project
We are proud to count Albanese Brothers, Inc. as a dedicated and supportive UCANE member for over 40 years. We congratulate them for their many achievements and their fine reputation throughout the years and wish them nothing but continued success! n
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