A. Martini & Co. is proud to once again be hosting interns this summer!
TyLynn Gault comes to us through Fame Fund.
Kam Chan comes to us through the Crossroads Foundation.
August Wilson block party kicks off yearlong celebration of Pittsburgh playwright
A. Martini & Co. will be at the August Wilson Birthday Block Party this weekend! Find out more at the Post Gazette.
Celebrating Women 2022
The month of March is dedicated to celebrating women and their impact on the world. As we progressed through the month, we took this opportunity to highlight the amazing women that help keep A. Martini & Co. running!
Our all-female Business Development and Marketing team includes (L to R) Elizabeth Martini, Business Development Specialist, Emily Landerman, Director of Business Development, and Rachel Casper, Director of Marketing.
“It’s already a wonderful place to work,” says Rachel, “but having a team of women supporting women has been an unbelievable experience.”
Both Elizabeth and Rachel have greatly benefitted from Emily’s decades of industry experience, and, says Emily, “they bring a freshness to our approach that comes with a multi-generational team.”
As a part of the 4th generation of the Martini family to work at the business, Elizabeth has looked most to her grandmother, Betty Ann Martini. “Growing up with a role model like my grandmother made me certain from a young age that women belong in the workplace at the same level as men, and taught me to never silence my voice.”
Our accounting department keeps us moving forward with immaculate attention to detail and driven attitudes. DeAnna Fate, Staff Accountant (right),is approaching her 1-year anniversary with A. Martini, and has loved the time she has spend here so far. “The people make this job. We have a great crew of truly nice people to work with.”
Her counterpart, Judy Poklemba, Controller (left), has “many elements” that bring her joy in her position, but she specifically cites leadership. “The owners make the effort to truly engage with all employees as extensions of the Martini family. I feel at home here.”
Administrative Assistant Bonnie Reganick, Receptionist & Estimating Assistant Brenna Luncinski, & Project Administrator Pam Gerdun took some time to tell us how they really feel about working at A. Martini & Co. too!
“The Martinis are my second family,” Pam asserts. “I’ve been here long enough to know that I can’t imagine working anywhere else.”
Bonnie appreciates the kindness of the Martinis, and says “their generosity and attitude make for a lively work environment. It’s a great place to be.”
For face of the front desk, and the woman answering all of your calls, working at A. Martini has a generational pull. “I grew up in a family with strong ties to the construction industry, so it is a gift to work for a company that has the same core values I was raised with,” says Brenna.
Project Manager Mollie Martini, daughter of president Anthony Martini, joined our team in 2017, making A. Martini & Co. a fourth-generation family business. She has since been joined by her cousin Lizzie, and, more recently, welcomed the face of the fifth generation! Mollie has been working from home with her daughter, an experience that is just another part of the family-first culture at A. Martini.
“I grew up with strong female role models, and to take their influence into the family business and work alongside the people I love most every day has been nothing short of lucky!” she says. “Working remotely has meant I can still be Mom, and also be a positive example for my daughter about the virtues of working hard for what you want.”
Project Engineer Nikole Lopretto became a part of A. Martini & Co. after collaboration on the Google office projects. Her eye for interiors makes her a powerful asset in delivering projects with the utmost client satisfaction.
“Coming from a design background and moving into project engineering has been a smooth shift,” says Nikole. “The vision of the client for a project is my goalpost.”
Want to know more about our history? Check out our historic timeline to learn more, and see some of the other women who have helped A. Martini & Co. become the community asset and dedicated constructor we are proud to be.
Increasing MBE Opportunities – New Granada Building
Construction on the Historic New Granada Building is coming up soon! Our team held the first of two Pre-Bid meetings yesterday with the Hill Community Development Corporation, Russell Contracting, and Reed Building Supplies.
As a family run business, our team does not lose sight of the fact that our company’s own beginnings were quite small, and we therefore hold a strong supportive belief in including small, disadvantaged, and minority businesses in our project activities. We strive for minority participation on all of our jobs, and implement multiple practices to increase opportunities for minority-led businesses.
The New Granada Building is an example of one of our favorite processes, bringing the project to the neighborhood it is in and inviting local businesses to come by and share their experience and gain understanding on the project scope.
We strongly encourage any other contractors looking to be a part of this project to attend the next meeting on March 23rd from 10:00 am – 11:00 am in the Hill House 2nd Floor Conference Room. Do not let the size of the project deter you; we are experienced in adjusting bid packages to better fit the capabilities of MBE contractors. Both Russell Contracting and Reed Building Supply have worked with A. Martini & Co through our mentorship programs to build their industry knowledge and presence naturally.
The current scope will cover nearly all trades including: Concrete, Masonry, Roofing, Electrical, Plumbing, HVAC, Framing, Flooring, Drywall, Painting, and more.
Fine dining restaurant geared to help teens set to open in Pittsburgh
PITTSBURGH —
Cafe Momentum, a fine dining restaurant designed to help teens who have been part of the criminal justice system, is scheduled to open in downtown Pittsburgh in August.
The restaurant was created in Dallas seven years ago by Chad Houser.
“Over the last seven years we worked with over 1,000 youth,” Houser said.
Cafe Momentum trains teens, ages 15 to 19, to work in every aspect of the restaurant industry.
Houser said he come up with the concept when he realized, for himself, that kids in the justice system often need a second chance.
Houser said the realization came while he was volunteering to teach teenage boys, in a juvenile dentition facility, how to make ice cream for a competition.
“The moment I met these 8 young men, I realized that I had stereotyped them before I ever met them and I was wrong,” Houser said. “I was incredibly ashamed of myself because I thought I was a better human being but when confronted with the reality literally face to face I had nowhere to go but admit I was wrong
“That led me to spend the next hours not just teaching them to make ice cream but them teaching me their truth, who they were why they were. Two days later they were competing against college culinary students. One of them wins the whole competition, he’s so excited, tells me when he gets released from detention he’s gonna get a job at a restaurant and asked my professional chef opinion whether he should work at Wendy’s or Chili’s.”
Houser said he knew that just getting hired would be difficult, for teens who had been in the justice system. That, he said, was the momentum behind the cafe, and the reason he is now expanding to Pittsburgh.
“Our goal, our objective, our mission is to serve our young people that’s our intention, that’s what we’re all about,” Houser said. “The goal is to provide value for our young people and above and beyond ourselves and I think that’s what really attracted us to Pittsburgh is that kind of integrity that the community engages in.”
“Just being able to be proud of myself is a big accomplishment for me,” Tristyn Williams said.
Williams went through the paid internship in Dallas.
“I have been involved in Cafe Momentum since summer 2019, I had just gotten out of a rehabilitation center for Dallas juveniles,” Williams said.
Williams has since graduated from the program, but continues to work with Cafe Momentum and now plans to be a pastry chef. Homemade cinnamon rolls are her specialty.
“It’s very important to be able to believe in myself and have people behind me that believe in me because I honestly would have never thought of pursuing a career in culinary at all because I’m like, ‘That something you do at home, that’s a chore,'” Williams said. But ever since I’ve been at Cafe, I’ve found it’s a bonding experience and it’s a way to put yourself into somebody else.”
Houser said the Dallas location now has its own high school. He said 100% of their youths are either on track to graduate or already have and one-third are headed to college.
Houser said he is hopeful Pittsburgh will benefit in the same way, that teens and the customers in Dallas have.
“Our restaurant in Dallas has been consistently ranked as one of the top restaurants in the city for the seven years we’ve been open and we’re intentional because it proves to the community and it also proves to the young people that they can and will rise to whatever level of expectation that is set for them as long as we’re providing the tools and resources and opportunity for them to do so,” Houser said. “One of the things we take a lot of pride in at Cafe Momentum is it’s very chef-driven but it’s also very seasonal and farm forward. So, while we’re not gonna replicate the menu in verbatim because we want to use ingredients from local farms in and around Pittsburgh and Allegheny County, one dish we will replicate because it the first dish anyone has asked us bout in Pittsburgh, which kinda makes me giggle, is — we will have our smoked fried chicken there. It’s our signature dish here in Dallas.”
Houser said the reason it makes him laugh is that the cafe makes most of the food from scratch, but the chicken seems to be the top pick.
“We make our own cheeses at Cafe Momentum, we break down whole animals and make our own charcuterie boards, we ferment pickles, age dry everything, everything is done in house, rolling out our own pastas, but the dish we’re known for even in Pittsburgh is our fried chicken, so we’re excited to bring it,” Houser said.
Houser said he is also excited for the second chances he hopes the restaurant brings to Pittsburgh teens as it has for Williams.
“Cafe Momentum is a great opportunity, well a great second chance for justice-involved youth and getting the community involved in that is something that’s very important,” Williams said.
article via WTAE
Bay Village Annapolis Awarded LEED Gold Certification
IntegraCare’s latest senior living community in Annapolis, Maryland – Bay Village, announced that they have received LEED Gold Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council.
Congratulations to all the parties involved to bring this beautiful facility to life!
We would like to thank all of the members of the project design and construction team that played such a major role in accomplishing IntegraCare’s worthwhile vision; KSBA Architects, Bay Engineering, SRBR Engineers, FSi Engineers, A. Martini & Co, and every other member that made this possible.
– Lorax Partnerships, LEED Consultant, Baltimore, MD
A. Martini & Co. was honored to be the General Contractor for this facility and the partnership formed by the entire team.
Read more about Bay Village and the LEED facts on this project, by clicking here: Bay Village – Case Study 4.8.21 or to read the details of this project, click here: Bay Village Assisted Living – Annapolis, MD • A. Martini General Contractors (amartinigc.com)
Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney Given 2020 Building Excellence Award at Master Builders’ Association Evening of Excellence
A. Martini & Co.’s team was honored to accept the Building Excellence Award in the category of ‘New Construction Project between $10-$25M’ for the Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, PC project, in the Union Trust Building, downtown Pittsburgh. The entire project team included Stantec, Brigette Pavlik Interior Design, and The Davis Companies.
A. Martini & Co. was selected by the law firm of Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney for the interior fit-out of 135,471sf of space across half of the floors 2 and 4, as well as all of 5 and 6 in the Union Trust Building.
Buchanan’s Headquarters consists of a conference center, on the second floor of the Union Trust Building, with 11 conference and client meeting rooms, as well as an Innovation Lab. A large reception area welcomes clients with an intricate lighted art feature on the ceiling that is a playful mix of the building’s rotunda superimposed with scenes from Pittsburgh landmarks. A large café area was designed to bring employees together and features a self-serve coffee bar, steam fireplace, fresh vending options, and more.
There are offices, legal libraries, and collaboration spaces on each of the firm’s four floors. To operate more efficiently and collaboratively, Buchanan, which employs 345 in downtown Pittsburgh, rightsized with the move reducing its space by almost one-third. The lawyers are housed on two floors, compared to their previous six, grouped by practice area. Lawyers’ offices are standardized to be the same size. Instead of having “coveted corner offices”, these prime spaces were designed to be small communal areas, called “huddle rooms” where up to four people can quickly and easily connect to brainstorm and problem solve.
“Our team, as well as firm leadership, was impressed with A. Martini’s professionalism and their readiness to go above and beyond for the duration of the project,” said Deborah Lorentz, Director of Facilities, Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney. “They were a true extension of our internal team. Knowing our desire to value engineer the undertaking, they presented us with a carefully curated and impressive list of cost-savings ideas and products that we would have never thought of ourselves. A project of this magnitude doesn’t come without challenges and this is where a true partner like A. Martini shines.”
The full press release from Master Builders’ Association can be viewed here: Construction Teams Honored with Building Excellence Awards
For more information on the Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, PC project and other A. Martini & Co. projects, visit https://amartinigc.com/project-hub/.
A. Martini & Co. Celebrates 70 Years, Kicks Off Year-Long Celebration!
How does that old saying go?
Time flies when you’re having fun!
And, speaking of fun, we are kicking off 2021 by celebrating our 70th year in business!
While we plan to celebrate all year long, we’d like to start this celebration by looking back on how we got here, and what shaped A. Martini & Co. into the General Contractor and Construction Management firm that we are today.
The year was 1951. Antonio Martini and his friend, Gilbert Auel, formed a partnership – A. Martini & Co. – and began building Pittsburgh with projects such as shopping plazas, grocery stores, post offices, churches, and banks. All places that are the foundation of our many neighborhoods within this region.
Angelo Martini, Sr. reflects on his father’s mindset when it came to running their family-run firm. “When he gave his word, he meant it. When he made a mistake, he was honest about it. When he agreed to build something, the client knew the craftsmanship would be excellent.”
That mentality reigns true today within the daily operations of A. Martini & Co., built on the values of quality, excellence, and integrity.
We invite you to continue through the history of A. Martini & Co. by visiting our historical timeline, celebrating 70 years of building Pittsburgh, and beyond!
Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney and Wabtec Headquarters Named Finalists in 2020 MBA’s Building Excellence Awards
The Master Builders’ Association of Western Pennsylvania released the 2020 Building Excellence Award finalists and two of A. Martini & Co.’s projects were selected.
Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC was selected as a finalist in the “New Construction Between $10 and $25M” category.
Wabtec Headquarters was selected as a finalist in the “New Construction Under $10M” category.
The winners will be revealed at The Construction Industry Evening of Excellence, which will be streamed live on Thursday, February 25, 2021.
The full press release from the MBA can be found here: 2020 MBA Building Excellence Awards Finalists Announced
To read more on Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, click here: https://amartinigc.com/project/buchanan-ingersoll-rooney-pc/
To read more on Wabtec, click here: https://amartinigc.com/project/wabtec/
Pittsburgh Business Times: 20 People to Know in Construction – Emily Landerman
The Pittsburgh Busines Times released a list of “20 People to Know in Construction” and A. Martini’s very own, Director of Business Development, Emily Landerman made the list!
To read Emily’s full interview with the PBT’s, click here: 20 People To Know in Construction
How To Reach Our Team Amid The COVID-19 Crisis
Although A. Martini & Co.’s office is currently closed, our entire staff are working diligently to make sure your needs are met during this time, from our home offices.
While we may be out of the office, we are not out of reach!
Here’s how you can connect with the A. Martini & Co. Team.
POSTPONED: A. Martini & Co. to Host March Mixer for The African American Chamber of Commerce of Western Pennsylvania
UPDATE: Following the guidelines from the CDC and the City of Pittsburgh, we have decided to reschedule our March 31 Mixer with the African American Chamber of Commerce. We will update the event information once a new date has been set.
A. Martini & Co. will host the African American Chamber of Commerce of Western Pennsylvania’s March Mixer.
This networking event is open to both members of the AACC and non-members.
Registration is required for anyone interested in attending.
Tickets and registration can be obtained by visiting the AACC’s website: https://aaccwp.com/event/members-mixer-21/?tickets_process=#buy-tickets
Please join the AACC and A. Martini & Co. on Tuesday, March 31 at City Works, Market Square.
The event starts at 5pm. Appetizers and soft drinks provided. Cash bar also available.
We hope to see you there!
Hill District YMCA to undergo $7 million renovation, add 74 units of affordable housing
A. Martini & Co. is partnering with ACTION Housing and the YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh on the $7 million renovation project to the Centre Avenue YMCA.
The following is an article from NEXTPittsburgh on February 20, 2020:
A major Hill District landmark, the Centre Avenue YMCA, is about to embark upon a new chapter in its storied history, with a $7 million renovation that will result in 74 units of affordable housing.
“The building has been a staple of African-American culture in the Hill District since the early 20th century,” says Diamonte Walker, deputy director of the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh (URA). “The reason why it’s important is that it was one of the first YMCAs in the country to allow African-Americans to take up residence.”
“It’s seen greats from Lena Horne to Joe Louis, who used the boxing ring, to Denzel Washington, who trained there for the movie ‘Fences.’”
When African-American students at the University of Pittsburgh couldn’t find housing open to them in Oakland, the Hill District YMCA was there, says Walker.
Now, its redevelopment will ensure that it remains an affordable place to live in the Hill District.
“The goal is to bring 74 units of housing — affordable, high-quality housing — to persons at 30% of area median income,” says Walker.
Current residents are expected to be able to stay.
“The goal of this project is to ensure that there isn’t any displacement,” says Walker. “We’re increasing and improving the quality of life for those existing and incoming residents.”
The YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh and ACTION-Housing are creating a nonprofit that will own and manage the facility. Funding came from a variety of sources, including federal historic tax credits, $600,000 from the Housing Opportunity Fund and a $1.5 million RCAP (Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program) grant from the state, that the URA will administer.
Improvements to the building will include adding air conditioning, energy-efficient heating systems, an expanded kitchen and a new elevator.
“One thing to note is the use of high-quality, environmentally-friendly materials, which is very important for the future of development in the Hill District,” says Walker.
The Thelma Lovette YMCA, a full-service fitness YMCA, is nearby.
Photos of the Centre Avenue YMCA Tour with Representative Jake Wheatley and Senator Jay Costa, can be viewed here:
Pittsburgh’s Best Places to Work
We are happy to announce that A. Martini & Co. has been named as one of Pittsburgh’s 2019 Best Places to Work by The Pittsburgh Business Times.
The 2019 Best Places to Work in Western Pennsylvania honors the region’s most outstanding workplaces. Winners are selected based on an online employee survey conducted in June and are listed in the PBT’s special edition of the paper. You must have at least 10 employees working in Western Pennsylvania to participate. (Anyone with 5 percent or more ownership in the company may not participate in the survey and does not count toward the final employee total.) Only employees working in the region are included in the survey and results.
To view the full listing of companies on the 2019 Best Places to Work list, click here.
A. Martini & Co. Hosts Charity Benefit for the American Diabetes Association of Western PA’s Tour de Cure Event
A. Martini & Co. hosted a charity event on Thursday, September 5 at Social, Bakery Square to benefit the American Diabetes Association of Western PA. Over $2,500 was raised at the event and all fund went directly to support the ADA’s Tour de Cure event for Pittsburgh. This is the kind of event that those who see this page want to go and support, as they understand the kind of medical costs a diabetic can expect through their lifetime.
To view photos from our event, visit our Facebook page.
A. Martini & Co. has been a Corporate Sponsor for the ADA’s Tour event for the past few years, raising over $15,000 to date.
In Western PA, approximately 400,000 people have diabetes. Of these, an estimated 23.8% have diabetes but don’t know it, greatly increasing their health risk. In addition, 37.5% of the adult population, have prediabetes with blood glucose levels higher than normal but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. From an economic standpoint, diabetes costs an estimated $10.8 billion in Pennsylvania each year. So many diabetics spend a huge amount on expensive medications trying to alleviate the painful issues associated with the condition. However, pain management treatment in the form of cannabis and bongs found at https://fatbuddhaglass.com/ can be sourced for far less of an expense.
Tour de Cure: Ride.Run.Walk. is the premier fundraising campaign that fuels every aspect of the American Diabetes Association’s crucial work. But it’s so much more than just a fundraiser. Tour de Cure is equal parts inspiration, determination, community, and FUN.
At the Pittsburgh Tour de Cure, participants choose their move – walking, running or riding to celebrate and support the millions of Americans living with diabetes and to change the future of this devastating disease.
