The Bulfinch Companies
Private | |
Industry | Real Estate |
Founded | 1936 |
Founder | Samuel W. Poorvu |
Headquarters | Needham, Massachusetts, U.S. |
Key people | Eric Schlager, CEO, Robert A. Schlager, President, and S. Lawrence Schlager, Chairman |
Products | Property Management, Property developer |
Website | www.bulfinch.com |
The Bulfinch Companies, Inc. is a national real estate firm headquartered in Needham, Massachusetts.
History
Bulfinch was founded in 1936 by Samuel W. Poorvu, a Lithuanian immigrant who began his career as a bricklayer and soon started a small company in Boston building and developing Post Offices. Poorvu [1] was dubbed "The Post Office King of America" by the Wall Street Journal for his role in developing over 100 postal facilities nationwide for the United States Postal Service.[2] Bulfinch is owned and has been continuously operated by the Schlager family.[3] Since inception, Bulfinch has "developed, acquired, and re-positioned in excess of $1.5 billion in commercial real estate assets." Bulfinch owns over 3.5 million square feet of property, primarily centered in New England. Bulfinch is currently in its third generation of management.[4]
Awards
Bulfinch was awarded the "Distinguished Real Estate Award" by the National Association of Industrial & Office Properties in 2007.[5] They have also been awarded commendations by the Mayor of Cambridge, Massachusetts.[6] The City of Cambridge, Massachusetts awarded Bulfinch the Certificate of Preservation Merit.[7] They received LEED Gold Certifications by the USGBC.[8] Several Bulfinch properties have earned the United States Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star certification. Banker & Tradesman has identified several Bulfinch sites as "Hot Properties".[9] The American Council of Engineering awarded Bulfinch a silver award for Cambridge Discovery Park in 2008.[10] Bulfinch received recognition at the 2011 GoGreen Awards for "their work in reducing storm water runoff and improving water quality".[11]
Acquisitions
The Atrium Center
Bulfinch acquired the Atrium Mall in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts from Simon Property Group in July 2012.[12] The mall was approximately 300,000 square feet.[13] According to a press release issued by Bulfinch, the company plans to re-position the asset as a mixed-use medical office property, partially demolishing it, and then rebuilding and renovating it. It is going to be renamed the Atrium Center and reopening in 2016.[14]
The Harvard Square Post Office
Samuel Poorvu originally developed the Harvard Square United States Post Office located in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1954.[15] This facility was redeveloped in 2000 by Bulfinch.[16]
The Polaroid Building
The building was the "first modern industrial structure in Cambridge, Massachusetts" and was designed by Shepley Bulfinch in 1938 for B and B Chemical Company.[17] The building was acquired by Polaroid Corporation and was used as their corporate headquarters for some time. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1982.[18] Bulfinch acquired the property in 2000.[19][20]
Cambridge Discovery Park
Cambridge Discovery Park is located on the site of the former Arthur D. Little Company headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It is an 820,000 SF master-planned development with multiple LEED certified buildings.[21] It is home to Forrester Research world headquarters and the Harvard-Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory.[22][23] Siemens AG also leases space in the property.[24]
References
- ↑ "Samuel W. Poorvu Professional Profile". New England Real Estate Journal. 1967. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
- ↑ LM KOHLMEIER (June 16, 1960). "Postal Plums: More Investors Pick Up High Yields by Building, Leasing Post Offices". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
- ↑ Julie Carrick Dalton (July 4, 1999). "Family affair Bulfinch Cos., now in its 3d generation of family ownership, has assets of $250 million and manages 3 million square feet". The Boston Globe (Real Estate). p. J.1. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
- ↑ "Previous Version of Bulfinch Companies Website-Biographies of Executives". The Bulfinch Companies, Inc. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
- ↑ "NAIOP Selects The Bulfinch Companies to Receive Distinguished Real Estate Award". National Association of Industrial & Office Properties. 2007-07-09. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
- ↑ "Cambridge GoGreen Awards" (PDF). City of Cambridge, Office of the Mayor. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
- ↑ "Agenda". Cambridge City Council. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
- ↑ Laurie Forbes (July 10, 2012). "Bulfinch Earns LEED Gold for Forrester HQ Bldg.". CoStar. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
- ↑ Jim Cronin (July 16, 2012). "Hot Property". Banker & Tradesman.
- ↑ "Press Release: Bulfinch Wins Silver Award at the ACEC/MA Gala" (PDF). The Bulfinch Companies Inc. April 28, 2008. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
- ↑ "2011 GoGreen Awards Ceremony May 26". City of Cambridge. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
- ↑ Laurie Forbes (July 23, 2012). "Bulfinch Pays Simon JV $46 Million for Atrium Mall". CoStar Group. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
- ↑ Chris Reidy (July 23, 2012). "Atrium Mall in Chestnut Hill purchased by Bulfinch Cos.". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
- ↑ Allyson Quinby. "BULFINCH ACQUIRES FORMER ATRIUM MALL PROPERTY IN CHESTNUT HILL" (PDF). The Bulfinch Companies, Inc. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
- ↑ "New Post Office Now Under Construction". The Harvard Crimson. October 20, 1953. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
- ↑ "Square Post Office To Close Next Year for Renovations". The Harvard Crimson. September 19, 2000. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
- ↑ "B.B. Chemical Company, Corporate headquarters and research facility". Shepley Bulfinch. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
- ↑ "B and B Chemical Company". U.S. Department of the Interior, National Register of Historic Places. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
- ↑ "784 Memorial Drive". The Bulfinch Companies, Inc. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
- ↑ Sandra M. Chung (October 23, 2001). "Polaroid Goes Bankrupt; Plans to Sell Existing Assets". The Tech, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
- ↑ Laurie Forbes (July 10, 2012). "Bulfinch Earns LEED Gold for Forrester HQ Bldg.". CoStar. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
- ↑ "Bulfinch's 820,000 s/f Cambridge Discovery Park receives GoGreen Award for Stormwater Management". New England Real Estate Journal. June 24, 2011. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
- ↑ "Getting Around the CFA". Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
- ↑ "Siemens leases Cambridge office space". The Boston Globe. October 23, 2008. Retrieved 6 August 2012.