Brian Rennie
Director, Bozzuto Construction Co.
Age: 39
Industry experience: 18 years 

Maryland multifamily developer Bozzuto has become well-known in Greater Boston as a leading manager of high-end apartment buildings, but the company has a construction arm that’s active in major New England projects as well. Brian Rennie grew up in a family of tradesmen and joined Bozzuto Construction in 2011, working his way up from entry-level to supervisory and project management positions. Rennie now oversees Bozzuto Construction Co.’s project portfolio in the Boston area including such notable projects as Allston Yards, which will add 868 apartments and condominiums at Stop & Shop Supermarket Co.’s plaza on Everett Street. During his career, Rennie has managed $65 million worth of base building and renovation projects totaling more than 4,000 units. 

Q: What’s the typical profile for a Bozzuto project in size and type of construction?
A: We’ve been doing this for about 35 years and done everything from small renovations to the tune of $4 million to 5 million and large, multi-phased projects in excess of $200 million. We are going to start over $100 million in renovation projects in the next 12 months. We also take on not only market-rate, but affordable projects and have done over 12,000 units. 

Q: How is Bozzuto Construction’s work divided between your own properties and third-party ownership?
A: Our managed properties in New England total around 14,000 total units, and we support both our managed properties and third-party clients in renovations and multifamily capital project work. We have about 1,600 units under construction throughout the Massachusetts area, and third-party projects in various stages, including The Rowen at the Pinehills in Plymouth. That’s roughly $60 million, with 178 units and retail. We build multifamily and that’s our specialty. 

Q: Where are you seeing the biggest cost escalation in materials?
A: What day is it? It’s really challenging. One day it’s wood, the next day it’s steel, the next day it’s PVC resin. You could be on the good side or the bad side. We’ve done a good job of pre-planning and pre-buying and storing materials where we can. We’re rented thousands of square feet of warehouse space where we can store materials. There’s always a push in a project to release certain things early, but the world we live in now has changed and we’ve had to adjust, putting them in warehouses and getting containers and storing on-site. It’s something you have to do, or you’re not going to get the job done on time on most of your projects. 

Q: How are construction contracts being written to share and minimize risks for contractors and subcontractors in the inflationary climate?
A: Escalation costs have become a hot topic, not only between our contractors and owners, but also between the contractor and subcontractors. We have done a good job mitigating the effects so that every party can be protected. Open communication early in the project with all of the partners to understand the risks associated with the deal is the only way we’re going to be able to minimize exposure risk.  

Q: How serious is the labor shortage in construction and effects on productivity?
A: With unemployment numbers where they are, the labor market is tighter than it’s been in a while. It’s obviously played a part in subcontractors’ ability to retain talent, and install things in the same time they were in years past. For us, it’s all about making sure when our subs get on-site, that we’re prepared: making sure the materials are readily available, the areas they are working in are clean and safe and efficient, so we can get the most production out of the manpower as well. 

Rennie’s Five Favorite Ski Resorts  

1. Jackson Hole 
2. Snowbird 
3. Park City 
4. Copper Mountain 
5. Kirkwood 

Editor’s note: This report has been updated with the correct $60-million project cost of The Rowen at the Pinehills.