News
Walsh Brothers: 110 Years Young
January 11, 2011
| When a recession slashes business by 40%, it helps to take the long view. Richard Walsh has four generations of family construction experience to rely on as he leads Walsh Brothersthrough the current downturn. While improving internal technology, his team?s building a new science center for UMass Boston, upgrading Fenway Park, and squeezing the Children's Hospitaladdition into the LMA. |
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| We snapped Richard (president and CEO) in Walsh?s North End office with Denise Marien and a photo of his predecessors: James I, II and III (his father). Each Jim had to deal with a recession, and Jim I and II faced the Great Depression. Richard says this is a time to enhance technology and customer-service capabilities to be readywhen the market bounces back. Luckily four years ago, Walsh started to do public sector work. UMass Boston's $115MIntegrated Science Center, where construction is set to start this spring, is the fifth public project the firm. The glass-clad 120k SF building designed by Goody Clancy brings a new look to the brick/concrete-laden campus and presents the challenge of construction at the water?s edge. |
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| Michelle Allare, Chris Sharkey, and Richard review drawings for Children's $100M, 120k SF addition on Binney Street, ?Skinny Binney,? where three years of construction began in October. Richard says it's the toughest postage stamp site he's ever worked and he's been at this for 39 years (since he was 10). ThePayette-designed building is ensconced in an intense neighborhood surrounded by a pediatric trauma unit, cancer treatment facilities, and the traffic of several other hospitals. In another project, continuing its 80-year relationship with BC, Walsh is bringing in stone masons to build the authentic Gothicarchitecture for Stokes Hall, an academic building. Richard says the self-supporting walls with arches have no relieving angles or soft joints. |
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| Red Sox fans may be dreaming of spring training, but the day after last season ended Walsh jack hammers started to rip up ratty concrete for a full-concourse renovation. Jim Lyons, Neil Mackenzie, and Bill Parker are as eager as anyone for the season opener but not before the project?s done. Their team's installing new drainage systems and concrete, building newexecutive offices, and state-of-the-art scoreboards and screens. It's all part of a 10-year plan to spruce up Fenway for its 100th anniversary in ?12. If Walsh doesn?t complete this phase in time, Richards says it's no problem, ?We can all move to Alaska and sell pizza.? |
