Construction projects ranging from a deep water tidal generation project off Eastport to the shiny new Oxford Casino were honored recently with Build Maine Awards conferred by the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Maine. Matt Marks, AGC's Chief Executive Officer, said the awards “showcase the achievements of Maine contractors in completing large and complicated projects that meet the needs of clients and the local community while respecting the environment.”
Cianbro won the first place award in the Building Category for the construction of the new 35,700 square foot Oxford Casino. This marks the third year in a row that Cianbro has won a Build Maine Award.
Cianbro served as Construction Manager for the casino project. The company carried out many of the construction tasks with Cianbro crews while also hiring and managing 26 different Maine subcontractors, employing approximately 850 local workers. The project was completed under budget and a month early, allowing the casino to open in June 2012.
"We were a month ahead of schedule and we were well under budget," said Cianbro's Senior Project Manager Jon DiCentes. "And there are a lot of people who didn't think we could do it. But we did it, and we did it as a team so, it was fun. I think that our ability to utilize all these different Maine contractors caught the attention of a lot of people in our industry too."
"The Oxford Casino project stood out for a few key reasons; the job was finished ahead of schedule, safety practices led to zero lost time and recordable injuries with over 850 workers, and it was under budget," said AGC's Marks. "It is clear the team from Cianbro managed to impress the Build Maine Award judges and of course the project owner."
"The AGC is a very good group, so being recognized in front of all these Maine contractors for our accomplishments I think is a very good thing," said DiCentes. "And I think it's also a very good thing that folks also know what our abilities are as well, more than just what our history has been. It's been a long time trying to convince the people of our state and some of these owners that we do more than just what we used to do back in the day. This award will help us in that effort. I think it means a lot to us. It proves how far we've come in a short amount of time with building construction, and that we're here to stay."
Chartered in 1951, the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Maine is the state’s largest construction industry trade association. The Association maintains an office in Augusta and has more than 200 members statewide. Member companies include general contractors, sub-contractors, and service and supply providers. For more information visit www.agcmaine.org.