D.F. Pray General Contractors completed the fast-track, ground-up construction of a new 3,634 s/f Cumberland Farms convenience store and Gulf service station on Dartmouth St. The contractor completed the project in 14 weeks, two weeks ahead of schedule. Cumberland Farms opened the new store on July 12.
The project entailed the demolition of an existing Cumberland Farms store, an adjacent building, and utilities-back to the property line, allowing for construction of the new store and service station. The project scope included installation of new underground double-wall fuel tanks and an underground detention system for storm water.
The Colonial-style, wood-framed building features trusses and a cultured stone veneer architectural detail. The store's interior design and finishes are typical of the new design format being rolled out for all Cumberland Farm stores. Aharonian & Assoc. provided architectural services.
The project incorporates new entrance/exit curb cuts on both Dartmouth St. and Rockdale Ave. D.F. Pray employed police detail, as necessary, to access the site at the high-traffic intersection.
D.F. Pray's project management team, headed by project executive Wayne Silvia and project manager Jim Davis, supervised a field crew of up to 30 skilled trades-workers, led by project superintendent John Marques. The construction team worked off-hours, including Saturdays, to ensure the aggressive 16-week project delivery schedule was met. Throughout the project, D.F. Pray worked closely with the Cumberland Gulf Group of Companies senior construction project manager Dominic Taverna and project manager Michael Durant.
Since the site is located in both Dartmouth and New Bedford, D.F. Pray coordinated with town of Dartmouth regulatory departments and the city of New Bedford Utility Department. In a unique aspect of the project, prior to demolition, D.F. Pray reached out to the Dartmouth Fire Department to allow for the town to undertake fire protection training exercises.
Cumberland Gulf's Taverna, commenting on project delivery, said, "D.F. Pray was able to meet and exceed the expectations of an already demanding schedule for this project. Their workmanship for both the building and the site work was superior. The project was brought in ahead of schedule and a quality finished project was delivered to Cumberland Farms."
Project executive Silvia said, "We are pleased we met the project parameters, allowing the store to open early. It took the collective effort of Cumberland Gulf's owner representatives, D.F. Pray's project team, and each of our subcontractors."
D.F. Pray president Scott Pray said, "We are proud to work with Cumberland Gulf in the dynamic build-out of the new Dartmouth store, and also in the company's store renovation program. Quality construction and time to market are key factors for retailers, and D.F. Pray does whatever it can to exceed client expectations."

Earlier in 2012, D.F. Pray also completed ground-up construction of a new Cumberland Farms convenience store and service station in Somerset, Mass., a project also completed in 14 weeks, two weeks ahead of schedule.
Concurrently, D.F. Pray has completed 25 Cumberland Farm store renovations in Mass., R.I. and Conn. since May 2011. The "AIM" renovation rollout program incorporates Cumberland's newer store design standards within existing stores.