Scozzari Builders Continue to Build Mercer County

With almost 60 years in the construction business, Scozzari Builders has helped build the Mercer County community, working on a multitude of significant and historical projects throughout the region.

Continuing that tradition, Scozzari’s latest roster of projects throughout Mercer County showcases its expertise in building community through economic growth, repurposing existing spaces, historical preservation and restoration, project management and artistry.

Places for work, economic redevelopment and growth

·The largest project Scozzari Builders is currently involved in is the Ellsworth Center in West Windsor. Located near the Princeton Junction train station, the project involves adding seven new buildings to the existing three, which are being renovated. The mixed-use project will feature a shopping center expansion of the current 22,000 square feet of retail space to 20 stores along with 52,000 square feet of retail space with 20 one-bedroom apartments above the retail space.

“They have always added value to the initial scheduling, cost control and value engineering through timely anticipation of alternatives for reducing project costs,” said Timothy Burton, architect on the project. “They provide their expertise to what is financially and logistically to our advantage.”

With the complexity of the Ellsworth Center projects, the Scozzari team organized the schedule to reduce redundancies, overall construction time and costs, while increasing efficiency.

“As a corporate executive responsible for multiple projects with a variety of construction managers, Scozzari demonstrates a level of professionalism in the top tier of those I’ve worked with,” said Burton.

Currently, renovation work to the existing buildings is underway and is estimated to be completed in 2017.

· In Hopewell, Scozzari Builders is currently renovating and repurposing a portion of the former Merrill Lynch complex with lobby renovations and office modifications to create a sample office suite to show to potential tenants. Scozzari Builders is working on almost 10,000 square feet in the complex for the model office. This project is expected to be completed this summer.

· In Ewing, New Jersey Water Supply Authority will receive a new roof, a new fuel island along with curbing and paving throughout the parking lot. This project is also expected to be completed this summer.

· In Bridgewater, they are working on a 12,000-square-foot renovation that is taking empty space and transforming it into an office.

Place to gather as a community

Work on the historic Nassau Club in downtown Princeton includes renovations of the members lounge and dining room. A new air conditioning system will be installed in the building and a new bar will be installed in the lounge. The main dining room will be rejuvenated with new paint, crown molding, flooring and ceilings.

“They take an enormous amount of pride in submitting their bid. It is very complete and accurate and there are very few surprises,” said Stephen Pieretti, general manager of the Nassau Club. “There are very few change orders unless you upgrade. They will discuss with you the way to do things so you won’t have to fix it if you do any work later.”

“The second thing you get when you select Scozzari is their hands-on attitude, and they are always available. They are right there to discuss anything,” said Pieretti. “They produce a timeline and they are very on schedule with timeline and budgetary concerns. They meet all those marks. They are such hard working, nice people.”

Scozzari’s pre-construction services, which include project planning, design and constructability reviews, scheduling, budgeting, life-cycle analysis and value engineering, allowed Pieretti to save money on the current renovations by making recommendations on a previous project.

“One example (of them looking at the future and the building as a whole) is they changed the air conditioning system in one room so when we do the renovation we are doing now, it would be sufficient and we would not have to go back and change it,” he said.

Scozzari Builders previously renovated the Nassau Club’s informal grill room, now known as “Club 6” in 2014.

Historic renovations require extra attention to detail and skilled craftsmen. For example in the Nassau Club, the existing plaster moldings will be repaired or patched and some new wood crown moldings will be crafted to fit into the décor by artisans at Scozzari. “We make a mold of what’s there and then you create a new piece with plaster using the mold and fit it in,” said Leonard Scozzari, president of Scozzari Builders.

Working on historic structures is one of Scozzari Builders’ specialties. The historic home that houses the club dates back to 1813 or1814 and was built by the Reverend Samuel Miller, who was the second president of the nearby Princeton Theological Seminary.

“They have masters of the trade; their quality of work is exactly what’s promised,” Pieretti said. “They are going to renovate and restore the main dining room back to the way it would have been in 1889. You have crown molding, fireplaces, leaded glass windows and hardwood floors, plaster ceilings and walls, and they have to take into account the functionality of the room as well. They go back to the architect and work with him and consult with him; you can’t make a mistake. They are very thorough and detail-oriented.”

Work on the Nassau Club is expected to be completed this fall.

Place to worship

Also in Princeton, the Scozzari’s are working on the expansion of All Saints Church. The church is adding 2,000 square feet of space and expanding the sanctuary’s altar area and choir space. When the project is complete, it will look like it’s been there since the church was first constructed in 1960.

“We are matching the existing finishes, with real stone on the outside,” said Nick Scozzari, vice president of Scozzari Builders. “We need to match the finishes and the lines. The windows design, although new, matches the existing and the interior will have the same finishes with a cherry wood floor, tongue and groove ceiling and trim and molding.”

The expansion expected to be completed this fall.

They are also working on The Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption in Trenton, which is the flagship church of the Diocese of Trenton. A new elevator is being installed and bathrooms are being renovated.

Place for caring

Scozzari Builders is also working on Lawrenceville-based Wishing Well, an almost 16,000 square-foot reconfiguration and repurposing of a former office building into Mercer County’s first adult care center for 200 senior clients. The center, with 22 reported staff members, will occupy 14,800 square feet of the space. “It’s reconfiguring existing space, and adding large bathrooms and activity spaces,” said Leonard Scozzari.

Plans include nursing stations, a treatment and nutritional counseling space, a salon, recreational and activity spaces and a large dining room.

Construction work is in progress and is expected to be completed in this fall.

Photo caption: Photo courtesy Scozzari Builders. (Left) Leonard J. Scozzari, president, and (right) Nicholas R. Scozzari, vice president, of Scozzari Builders, Inc. at their project renovating and repurposing a portion of the former Merrill Lynch complex in Hopewell.

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About Scozzari Builders

Scozzari Builders, a fourth-generation business, builds community. It renovates and constructs new and existing structures, including commercial buildings, medical facilities, educational institutions, private homes and houses of worship. The corporation saves property owners time and money by providing pre-construction services during the design phase. Scozzari has its office in Trenton, N.J. For more information, visit www.scozzari.com or call (609) 989-1221.