People and Property: NH Real Estate and Construction News Rundown
Keene’s ‘Complete Streets’ honored, Farhm, Wheaton promoted at MacMillin … and more
Optima Bank & Trust is leasing space and opening a new retail location on the ground floor at 143 Daniel St. in downtown Portsmouth. The bank’s corporate headquarters will remain at Two Harbour Place.
The new office is expected to open in late summer.
The NH Planners Association has honored the city of Keene’s “Complete Streets” program as its Project of the Year. The program, designed to make streets in the city safe and convenient for all users, not just cars, was recognized for the planning work that went into adoption of the concept by the Keene City Council in November 2015.
Mari Brunner, a planner for the Southwest Region Planning Commission, said adoption of a formal policy ensures that the city and its staff will continue to consider the needs of all users of the street network in future projects, even as staff turnover occurs and leadership changes.
The Putting Kids & Family First Poker Run, a motorcycle ride fundraiser organized annually by the Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Lakes Region offices in New Hampshire, which has raised $100,000 over the last seven years for local charitable organizations serving at-risk individuals and families, will take place beginning at 9 a.m., Sunday, July 24 at the Laconia Harley Davidson in Meredith. Participants will ride through the Lakes Region and four covered bridges in New Hampshire.
For more information, contact Susan Spooner at Susan.Spooner@NEMoves.com or 603-524-2255.
Jerold S. Hersch has joined Tinkham Realty Inc., Londonderry, as an associate broker specializing in commercial real estate sales and leasing. He holds licenses in both New Hampshire and Massachusetts and has been a licensed Massachusetts broker since 1979.
Cross Roads House in Portsmouth is one of the 10 nonprofits participating in PC Construction’s 2016 “Building Communities: PC Construction Gives Back” charitable giving program have been announced. The organizations, which focus on supporting children and families, were selected by the company’s 1,100 employee-owners.
During June, the public will have the opportunity to vote to determine which three organizations will receive $10,000, $3,000 and $2,000 in donations from PC Construction. Voting is being conducted at pcconstruction.com/donations.
Michael Farhm has been promoted to vice president and Matthew Wheaton has been promoted to vice president business development by The MacMillin Company, Keene.
Farhm will be responsible for managing MacMillin’s day-to-day operations in Keene and continuing in his role as senior project manager. Wheaton will be responsible for coordinating business development activities across New Hampshire and Massachusetts.
Concord Housing + Redevelopment has completed the purchase of an aging two-family home at 35 Concord St. in Concord with the goal of turning the property into market-rate housing. The home was bought out of foreclosure during an absolute auction by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. It features 1,900 square feet of living space.
Beth Vignati of EXIT Realty Great Beginnings, Concord, brokered the transaction.
More than 30 employees of Raymond-based Jewett Construction Company and their families recently participated in two “March for Babies” events — “March for Babies-Seacoast” and “March For Babies-Manchester” — to raise awareness and benefit the research and programs supported by the March of Dimes. The Jewett teams raised over $2,500.
Boston-based MorrisSwitzer Environments for Health, Ascension Group Architects of Texas and New York City-based daSilva Architects have merged and will be known as Environments for Health Architecture (E4H).
All of the firms focused exclusively on health care design.
The new firm has 130 healthcare planners and architects in offices across the United States and services include healthcare planning, architecture, and interior design. The firms said each office will maintain its leadership team and staff.
Calypso Communications, Portsmouth, recently designed and developed the new website for SMP Architecture, Concord.
Matthew Bourassa has been named the new regional director of operations for New England by retail mall developer and owner Simon Property Group. In the role, he will oversee management, facility management and day-to-day operations for Simon Malls in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Maine.
Homeowners in Smith’s Mobile Home Park, Boscawen, recently on the purchase of their four-unit park, making it New Hampshire’s 120th resident-owned manufactured-home community.
They used training and technical assistance from the NH Community Loan Fund’s ROC-NH program. The cooperative reached a purchase price of $150,000 before finalizing the deal on May 31, with a mortgage from the Community Loan Fund.
The NH Housing Finance Authority recently approved allocation of grant and loan funds in the amount of $125,000 each to NeighborWorks Southern NH and Upper Valley Habitat to support neighborhood revitalization efforts in Nashua and Claremont.
Interior designers Christina Mellor and Nico Flannery-Pitcher and architect Steve Laput have each been promoted to associate at the Manchester-based architectural firm of Lavallee Brensinger.
