Tocci Building Companies' $6.6 million multi-unit residential development at 120 Pleasant St. is complete. The four-story, 44-unit wood frame over concrete podium building is located along the Charles River. It's another addition to a neighborhood revitalization currently underway along the area's Pleasant St. corridor. The building is owned by Cresset Pleasant Street, LLC.
The city is experiencing a wave of new construction as residential units continue to change the face of the area along the river. Cresset's objectives were to create attractive housing options that provided residents with access to public transportation, Watertown Sq., the river, and walking trails. As construction manager, Tocci responded to Cresset's goals by delivering high-quality work within a tight budget and on an aggressive schedule.
An automotive repair shop and two-family house once occupied the Pleasant St. site. The mechanic's activities had created a brownfield. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MADEP) required site cleanup before construction. Together with Cresset, Tocci made sure the site met all MADEP regulations by retaining CRB Geological and Environmental Services, Inc. to perform extensive environmental remediation.
The project team included:
* Developer: Cresset Pleasant Street LLC.
* Builder: Tocci Building Companies.
* Architect/designer: Bargmann Hendrie + Archetype, Inc.
* Site/civil engineer: McKenzie Engineering Group, Inc.
* Environmental engineer: CRB Geological & Environmental Services, Inc.
* MEP/HVAC engineer: MEP Engineer Building Engineering Resources, Inc.
* Steel manufacturer: Canatal Industires (Quebec) fabricator and manufacturer.
* Structural engineer: McNamara/Salvia.
* Consulting engineer: Simpson Gumpertz & Heger, Inc.


"I'm very pleased with the way 120 Pleasant St. came out," said Bill Curtis, senior vice president/principal of Cresset. "Tocci's reputation for high-quality construction with a fierce control of its operations was solidified on this project. They are an excellent builder who listens well and manages all site challenges proactively. I'm proud to have them as a partner on this project."
Construction challenges included an extremely tight footprint with a zero lot line. This required careful materials handling and logistics. The site had no room for storing construction materials or parking trade vehicles. Tocci coordinated daily trucking of contaminated materials and remediated soil during pre-construction activities, and because of the lack of storage, ordered materials for "just in time" delivery.
Due to the proximity of the Charles River, Tocci took extra precautions to work with the city's conservation commission to protect the river's ecosystem. Safety in all arenas is a top concern for both Tocci and Cresset.
"Tocci has always enjoyed overcoming obstacles and we've thoroughly embraced the challenges on this project," said John Tocci, chief enabling officer. "Having recently completed projects in Cambridge, Brookline and Providence, we have broad experience with multi-unit housing and apply that knowledge to all future endeavors. We've appreciated Cresset's involvement throughout the process and their understanding of each stage of construction. We made a great team providing this housing for Watertown, and look forward to our next project together."
With views of the Boston skyline, 120 Pleasant St. is a compact development that sits well on the site and within the neighborhood. This project represents Tocci's continuing tradition of building high quality, attractive, multi-family housing in desirable urban areas with easy access to public transportation and major highways. Several pedestrians approached Tocci during construction to inquire about renting units, underscoring the ongoing need for quality housing in and around urban centers. The project was completed in June and 50% occupied by the end of July.
About Tocci Building Companies
Nationally recognized as a leader in Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) and Integrated Project Delivery (IPD), Tocci Building Companies has been delivering intelligent building solutions for more than a century. Built upon a tradition of successful relationships with clients within working living and healing environments, the company specializes in lean construction and sustainable building projects throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.