Brooklyn Children’s Museum, Brooklyn, NY
Armand was retained to provide construction management services for the
adaptive reuse of more than 8,500 SF of space within the Brooklyn Children’s
Museum to become the new Brower Park Branch of the Brooklyn Public Library.
Located on the first floor of the building along Brooklyn Avenue, the new Brower
Park branch will combine 4,700 SF of what was an administrative office and an
ancillary training room with a 3,800 SF mezzanine of unused space to create a
new, fully functional public library. In addition to traditional lending, the new
Brower Park Branch will also lend objects from the Brooklyn Children’s Museum’s
30,000-piece collection.
Engaged through our long-standing relationships with both the NYC Department
of Design and Construction and the Brooklyn Public Library, as the Construction
Manager, Armand provided vital oversight of design, pre-construction, and
construction as the project moves toward occupancy. Our role included
responsibility for the inspection, management, coordination, and contract
administration for the entire project from construction start to final acceptance
and post-construction closeout. The project was completed in two phases: the
mezzanine level re-build in phase one, and the ground floor transformation in
phase two.
The entire construction team had to be hypersensitive to the ongoing operations of
the Children’s Museum, which remained fully operational throughout construction.
Global pandemic COVID-19 had compounded matters significantly. With the
onset of the shutdown preceding the start of construction, the client delayed the
Notice to Proceed by nine months. When construction was finally able to proceed,
Armand had to orchestrate actionable subcontracts with trades, material suppliers,
and vendors nearly a year after the original bids were procured. Furthermore,
supply chain issues made acquiring both common and specialty building materials
difficult. Items as typical as carpet and basic appliances became long-lead items.
Virtually every building component required second, third, and fourth efforts to
secure. Once the team was finally inside the building, several sets of unknown
existing conditions were discovered in the areas to be renovated and had to be
accounted for. Examples include low voltage lines in the ceilings, poorly defined
telecom, data, fire alarm, and security systems – all of which had to be sorted
through, organized, and rerouted to protect and maintain existing systems within the profile of the new renovation. There was also an area that was never
closed out properly with the DOB, which Armand had to remedy in order
to proceed with construction in that area.
As a not-for-profit entity, Brooklyn Public Library was reimbursed for the
project costs by the Department of Design and Construction, so Armand
also managed the project accounting and documentation to ensure
accurate costs while streamlining the reimbursement process. Armand
was proud to partner with the Brooklyn Public Library on this project and
shares in the community’s delight in this new neighborhood asset.
Brooklyn Public Library
Construction Manager at Risk
$5.3 million
December 2022
Shamsell Abdill brings over 20 years of experience in the construction industry to her role as Vice President at Armand Corporation. She oversees the company’s building and infrastructure programs, serving as Project Executive, and is renowned for her expertise in contract administration, project management, problem resolution, and M/WBE compliance. Her career highlights include contributing to the rebuilding of the World Trade Center as part of the Procurement and Change Order Management Team, where she gained extensive experience in procurement and negotiation. Shamsell leverages her comprehensive industry knowledge to build strong professional relationships with agencies and utility companies, minimizing impacts on construction schedules. Her diverse project portfolio spans corporate, correctional, healthcare, educational, and landmark building restorations, as well as masonry renovations. She is adept in various project delivery methods, including construction manager as agent, construction manager at risk, design-bid-build, and design-build, making her an invaluable leader in delivering successful projects for Armand Corporation.
Robert “Bob” Mello is a seasoned construction professional with over 35 years of experience managing both new construction and renovation projects. As Associate Vice President of Pre-Construction at Armand Corporation, Bob specializes in overseeing planning and construction-related services for public and private clients.
A licensed Professional Engineer in New York State, Bob’s extensive expertise includes managing projects across urban environments and on-call contracts. His skill set encompasses facility planning, property condition assessments, constructability reviews, quality control and compliance, energy efficiency initiatives, and scope and schedule reviews.
Bob’s comprehensive approach ensures effective construction management from initial phases through project close-out, making him an invaluable leader in delivering successful outcomes for Armand’s clients.
CariAnn Palmese is a senior program manager with nearly 20 years of experience delivering program management and administrative support for large, complex, multi-million-dollar projects. Her expertise includes developing and implementing policies and procedures to ensure the successful execution of challenging initiatives.
A highlight of CariAnn’s career was guiding the Nassau County Department of Public Works in managing community reconstruction projects under a $36 million CDBG-DR capital program. Currently, she works alongside Armand’s team to provide construction management services for disaster recovery capital programs, showcasing her dedication to driving successful outcomes in high-stakes environments.
Jerome Wright is a seasoned financial analyst with nearly 20 years of accounting experience across diverse industries. As Associate Vice President of Operations at Armand Corporation, Jerome excels in managing and tracking vendor invoices, ensuring timely processing using project-specific templates, and providing hands-on assistance to vendors with invoice submissions.
Jerome’s expertise includes preparing detailed invoice summary reports for Program Manager approvals and collaborating with Program Managers to resolve billing discrepancies. He has a proven ability to reconcile financial data, comparing and correcting invoice details while working closely with project management and accounting teams to address invoicing issues.His commitment to precision and collaboration makes him an integral part of the operations team.
At Armand Corporation, We are committed to maintaining a secure and transparent hiring process. Please be aware of potential job scams that misuse our name to solicit sensitive or personal information. We do not request Social Security numbers, bank account details, or payment of any kind during the initial stages of the hiring process. Additionally, we never offer employment without a formal interview process. All applicants are required to participate in one or more interviews before any job offer is extended. While we may request verification of education, certifications, or licenses during the later stages of the hiring process.
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Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer Phillip Grant is responsible for overseeing the company’s daily operations and driving the execution of strategic initiatives. He manages key relationships with stakeholders, including boards, owners, consultants, and contractors. Phillip is also responsible for negotiating contracts, resolving budget and schedule challenges, and integrating innovative technologies. He has over 20 years of extensive expertise in economic development, engineering, and public infrastructure. Phillip has successfully managed multi-billion dollar capital construction programs, focusing on sustainability, compliance, and efficiency. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in New York, a Certified Construction Manager and holds a BS in engineering from Fairleigh Dickinson University and an MBA from Mercy University. He is also a member of the Construction Management Association of America, National Society of Professional Engineers, and the American Society of Civil Engineers.
