Hobbs Brook Mgmt. receives merit award for landscaping from PLANET

Hobbs Brook Management LLC received a merit award for the grounds at Hobbs Brook Office Park in the 39th Annual Environmental Improvement Awards Program sponsored by the Professional Landcare Network (PLANET). Waverly Landscape Associates is the designer and maintenance contractor for the property Located on more than 90 acres adjacent to a local reservoir, the 9 buildings in Hobbs Brook Office Park are situated among wetlands and streams that run throughout the property. In order to properly address environmental concerns, organic lawn care products were the best option for treating the sensitive grounds. "Hobbs Brook takes great pride in the upkeep of  the mature trees and the almost 750,000 s/f of turf in our 50 year-old office park," said Michael Lalli, second vice president of building services at Hobbs Brook Management. As water management is critical to the overall health and appearance of a property this size, many of the plantings were chosen to be drought-tolerant and most of the grasses and perennials require very little water. All green matter (grass and leaves) is recycled at a local landfill and the organic soil is reused for plantings and turf renovation and repair. Hobbs Brook Management has taken great strides towards preserving the environment not only through the construction and maintenance of their buildings, but also in the approach taken to landscape the park. By choosing certain methods and materials, they have achieved LEED certification in many of the parcels. As an example, measures are being implemented to utilize water run-off for irrigation purposes at the project currently under construction at 175/185 Wyman St.. This project will be completed this year. "Tenants often complement us on the overall grounds' appearance" said Bill Butts, general manager of Waverly Landscape Associates. "Our team spends many hours maintaining this property to the high standards of both Hobbs Brook and Waverly. A pleasant outdoor environment can make a difference in retaining a tenant in challenging economic times. We are proud to be able to have a direct impact on people enjoying the grounds at Hobbs Brook Office Park." The Environmental Improvement Awards Program reflects PLANET's commitment to creating and preserving the beauty of our landscape. The program is designed to reward independent interiorscapers and landscape and lawn care professionals who execute superior projects.