J&M Brown Company, Inc. completed the 250,000 square-foot, 10-floor fit-out of Putnam Investments new headquarters at 100 Federal Street in the heart of Boston’s financial district.  

The scope entailed comprehensive electrical distribution and lighting installations for the offices which house approximately 1,000 Putnam staff members.  The project scope included eight floors of state-of-the-art offices, a 150-plus seat auditorium, conference centers, a network of meeting rooms, a new data center, a commercial kitchen, and a mezzanine roof deck.  

Data center and electrical distribution installations included two UPS systems, three standby electrical risers and internal communications risers that are tied to the standby emergency generator.  Six automatic transfer switches that tie into the generator were also installed. 

The J&M Brown team was headed by Vice President and Project Manager Dennis Nigro and Foremen Bill Marchant, Dave Marchand, and Mike Sawyer.  

Putnam moved from into its new 100 Federal headquarters from its former offices at One Post Office Square in October 2018.

Project Challenges

J&M Brown coordinated multiple power shutdowns during the project to meet building owner and tenant requirements and also to ensure critical data was maintained throughout the project.

JMB met the fast-track, nine-month project schedule managing a crew of 50 IBEW Local 103 electricians at peak construction. To meet Putnam’s move-in schedule, the power distribution scope was completed in four months and 8 floors of elaborate office fit-out requirements were completed in only seven months.

J&M Brown Company, Inc. (JMB), based in Jamaica Plain, MA, recently completed the fast-track electrical fit-out of The Boston Consulting Group’s (BCG) new 184,000 sq. ft. offices at the new 200 Pier 4 office building in Boston’s Seaport district.  The project comprised JMB’s installation of the electrical distribution system, fire alarm system, lighting and lighting control systems.  

NECA Boston Chapter contractor furnished and installed the extensive lighting package, which consisted of more than 1,300 fixtures. State-of-the-art Creston lighting controls are also installed throughout the 6 1/2 floors occupied by BCG. 

The fire alarm scope included integration/syncing of the system with the base building fire alarm system as well as installation of fire curtain protection in a 5-story internal stairwell.

The JMB project team supervised a field crew of 32 IBEW Local 103 electricians at peak construction in the aggressive nine-month project schedule. 

Boston Consulting Group is the anchor tenant, occupying floors 7 – 13 at the new 13-story 220 Pier 4 building. BCG moved 700 employees into the facility in June 2018. 

J&M Brown provided services on a project team headed by general contractor Turner Construction, of Boston, MA.

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Boston, MA – J&M Brown Company (JMB) has completed the comprehensive electrical fit-out of Amazon’s newest Boston office at 253 Summer Street / 27 Melcher Street in Boston’s Fort Point.

The tech giant’s six-floor office space comprises 180,000 square-feet and currently houses more than 350 staffers from Amazon Web Services (AWS), tech support for human resources, and transportation technology team.  The offices can accommodate up to 900 employees.

JMB’s scope including installation of the facility’s 120kW UPS back-up power system, fire alarm system, lighting and daylight harvesting lighting control. In addition to its open office layout, the Amazon office features several kitchen/break-out rooms, a number of special privacy phone rooms, and a library area.

Spectrum Integrated Technologies (Spectrum IT), J&M Brown’s technology division, provided the tel/data installation and sound masking requirements for the Amazon office.

The project was completed on a fast-track, 6-month schedule, during which J&M Brown and Spectrum IT managed a combined field crew of 70 IBEW Local 103 electricians and technicians. In meeting Amazon’s aggressive schedule requirements, the JMB crew worked approximately 37,000 man-hours.  Dennis Nigro, Vice President of JMB’s Special Projects Division and Supervisor John Mallet headed JMB’s project operations.

J&M Brown was on a project team headed by general contractor, Columbia Construction.  IA Interior Architects of Boston served as the project architect.

Amazon has plans to open a 430,000 square-foot office in WS Development’s Seaport Square in 2021.

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In June 2018, J&M Brown Company (JMB) completed the comprehensive electrical restoration and renovation of the historic Emerson Colonial Theatre in Boston. The project required elaborate electrical and lighting renovations.

The Emerson Colonial now features an upgraded electrical distribution system. Prior to the installations associated with the distribution system, JMB provided a comprehensive survey of the theatre’s existing distribution system.  The scope in this project phase included providing installations of the new distribution system for power, lighting as well as A/V equipment, while leaving the existing distribution system in place.

The NECA Boston Chapter contractor’s scope included comprehensive relighting of the entire theatre, including the relamping all house fixtures, new aisle/egress lighting fixtures, and new backstage lighting. Dimming controls were added to existing lighting fixtures. JMB also furnished and installed customized floor boxes for dedicated power feeds to removable theater seats which provide power to seat lights. The lighting project also encompassed providing power to theatrical lighting controls.

Project Manager Patrick O’Neil commented on the unique challenges met by J&M Brown in the restoration of the historic building: “One of the most critical aspects of the project was the care that was required in our electrical work, so as to not damage the theatre’s antique interior facades, which features highly detailed custom plaster scrolling. All walls had been painted and authentic murals restored and the theatre features highly decorative original woodwork with historic original lighting fixtures that required significant repair as well as the installation of new circuitry.”

“Historic candeliers in the ceiling above the theatrical seating area were lowered on hoists for relamping and rewiring with great care, and 58 ring-lights surrounding the chandeliers in the ceiling were also rewired and relamped,” O’Neil said.

The historic restoration also entailed unstallation of new life safety lighting and related life safety equipment, which was carefully integrated into the overall layout of the spaces to have minimal impact on theatrical operations. It is to be noted that J&M Brown had upgraded the Colonial Theatre’s fire alarm system five years earlier.

Updating the Emerson Colonial Theatre’s A/V systems were also integral to the project. A new speaker system was installed by JMB with raceways and wiring running to the stage, backstage, back-of-house as well as front-of-house areas and back to multiple A/V network rack locations.

Another highlight of the project is the Emerson Colonial’s brand new theatre marquee. JMB installed all new power circuitry was installed for LCD screens on the marquee and GSMAT “Smart Glass” exterior display screen above the marquee. The Jamaica Plain-based contractor also furnished and installed multiple fixture types in the marquee projecting light above and below the theater entrance and custom-made exit signs.

Project Manager O’Neil and Assistant Project Manager Nelson Barrantes headed the JMB project team with installations provided by its skilled IBEW Local 103 field crew.

J&M Brown worked in close collaboration with Elkus Manfredi Architects, general contractor, Consigli Contracting, and owner Ambassador Theatre Group in meeting the project timeline. The NECA contractor started the project’s detailed planning phase in August 2017. Electrical renovations on the 8-month project began in November and the project was completed in June 2018. Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG) proudly reopened newly refurbished Emerson Colonial Theatre, with the first performance of the world premiere pre-Broadway engagement of Moulin Rouge! The Musical on June 27, 2018. The show enjoyed an extended six-week run that ended on August 19.

ATG, the world’s number one live-theater company, has entered into a long-term lease agreement with Emerson College to operate the landmark venue, including investing several million dollars in much-needed capital improvements to the historic theater, and renewing the tradition of the Emerson Colonial Theatre as the birthplace of new Broadway musicals.

Boston, MA For many years, union electricians from the International Brotherhood of
Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 103 have been brightening historic Fenway Park by
providing electrical services to the Boston Red Sox organization – including the operation and
servicing of the lights that shine over the most historic park in Major League Baseball.

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J & M Brown Company, based in Jamaica Plain, recently completed electrical construction of 5 Fan Pier Boulevard – Building C at One Seaport Square, the Seaport District’s newest and most vibrant new mixed-use project. Earlier in 2017, JMB completed core and shell electrical construction of Building B – The Benjamin, located at 25 Northern Ave. The two 22-story towers house 850 luxury apartments and over 300,000 square feet of retail and entertainment space, with three levels of below-ground parking.

J & M Brown’s crew of 50 Local 103 electricians at peak construction worked on both Seaport Square buildings. The electrical team provided the buildings’ primary and emergency power as well as their integrated fire alarm system. The NECA Boston Chapter contractor also installed lighting in the buildings’ lobbies, rooftop terraces, and exterior public realm areas.

Spectrum Integrated Technologies, the low-voltage division of J & M Brown, installed the buildings’ security system and provided the design-build A/V system with its crew of Local 103 technicians.

J & M Brown worked on a project team headed by Construction Manager/GC John Moriarty & Associates of Winchester, MA.  The project was designed by Elkus Manfredi Architects, Boston, MA. Cosentini Associates, of Boston, provided electrical engineering services.

25 Northern Avenue, The Benjamin

25 Northern Ave, Lobby, Damianos Photography

On February 2, 2018, Wynn Boston Harbor recognized J&M Brown for its workforce diversity at the casino project.  Details are shown here:

J&M Brown Wynn Casino Diversity Award Copy of SKM_45818022012070

JMB Wynn Casino Diversity Recognition Letter

With pre-con complete, J&M Brown is underway with the electrical upgrades at Colonial Theater.

Colonial Theatre To Reopen In June With Pre-Broadway World Premiere Of ‘Moulin Rouge!’