At the helm of an evolution

Real Estate Weekly, Feb 19, 2003

For nearly two decades, ACC Construction Corp. has been recognized for its integrity and dedication to providing the highest quality construction services on a timely and cost effective basis. During the past seven years the firm has undergone important changes in both management and location, all the while maintaining this strong commitment to its clients.

The evolution of ACC to the prominent firm it is today began when Michele Medaglia was named as its new president. The change in management paid off as Medagila was able to take the small, $5 million-per-year interiors construction company and transform it to are sounding powerhouse. Today, with more than $50 million in sales, she has shaped ACC into the most successful WBE-certified general contracting and construction management firm in the tri-state metropolitan region.

With Medaglia at the helm, ACC recently made the move to relocate its headquarters from its long-standing address in Queens, NY to 6 East 32nd St., in the heart of Midtown Manhattan, in order to accommodate future growth and further expand its services.

Increasing annual sales tenfold and expanding to new headquarters are not the only goals Medaglia has accomplished during her tenure. More importantly, over the past seven years she has broadened the firm's scope of work and spectrum of clients. ACC currently directs a number of major projects in the transportation, healthcare, education, industrial, retail, and residential sectors. The company's most recent assignments include work for such impressive clients as Commerce Bank; Battery Park City Authority, The Burke Rehabilitation Hospital, World Wrestling Entertainment, L'Oreal, Long Island College Hospital, The Fire Department of New York, the New York City Parks Department and the State University of New York at Stony Brook.

One of the projects that put ACC on the map was the successful completion of the $10 million Amtrak High Speed Rail Improvement Renovation at Penn. Station. Working closely with the owner, architect construction manager and engineer, ACC coordinated the renovation of the high speed rail waiting and common areas, escalators, stairs, entrances and taxiways. The project included such unique features as elliptical aluminum glass radius walls, futuristic custom lighting station comfort systems and new wave escalators. Most importantly, ACC completed the work around thousands of commuters without sacrificing safety or the overall timing of the project

"I am extremely proud of this project because of the amount of coordination and hands-on management it demanded from day one," says Medaglia. "It was a challenge and we were definitely up for it as we had to work very closely with a number of players including an extremely high-profile owner, architects, engineers and numerous employees. The results, however, speak for themselves."

Today, high-profile commissions have become routine for ACC. On behalf of Commerce Bank, for example, the firm developed two new, out-of-the ground branch banking facilities located in Patchogue and Massapequa, N.Y. The multi-million dollar project included the construction of a one-story building consisting of 3,800 SF as well as site work and a parking lot totaling 20,000 to 32,000 SF, respectively. The Patchogue branch project schedule was fast-tracked and had a substantial completion time frame of 14 weeks from commencement. The Massapequa II branch was completed in just eight short weeks. The aggressive schedule provided no allowances for inclement weather. ACC Construction was responsible for coordinating all trades including the installation of the ATM machines and vaults.

In addition to the Patchogue and Massapequa branches, ACC was recently awarded the contract to build Commerce Bank's locations in East Meadow and Middle Village New York.

One of the firm's most interesting and challenging projects was the upgrade and completion of the World Wrestling Entertainment Inc.'s entertainment complex -- The World -- located in the revitalized Paramount Theater at 1501 Broadway. The project consisted of the construction of new offices, located within the 47,500-SF entertainment complex, as well as its state-of-the-art theater area. With timing being the most important element of the project a team of highly skilled construction executives was assembled, which completed the work in record time.

ACC is also recognized as the leading choice for a woman-owned general contractor by large firms who need to make sure their contractor's work is perfect. By expanding her team to more than 80, she has attracted some of the very best talent in the business to support her vision of superior quality work and customer commitment.

With a reputation for quality services and a strong commitment to client service now firmly established, there is little doubt about the future success of ACC. "We look forward to the challenges that lie ahead. From our new headquarters in the heart of Midtown Manhattan, we are now poised to take on a new array of high-profile projects and further implement changes that will have a positive impact on the way we service our clients," concludes Medaglia.