2021 marks our 25th year in business and as we look back on a quarter of a century of success, none of it would have been possible without you – our clients, partners, friends, family, and colleagues. This journey has been incredible, and we want to extend a heartfelt “thank you” to those of you who made it possible for us to become one of the best construction management firms in the Northeast. For us, it has always been about people, projects, and community.

THE EARLY YEARS: 1996 - 2006
In 1996, Jay Calnan, possessing a vision for a customer-centric construction management firm and background in engineering, cashed in his 401K to quietly launch J. Calnan & Associates. He helped build the successful organization from the ground up while never losing sight of who he is and the importance of always giving back.
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JC&A opens its doors in September of 1996 on Freeport Street in Dorchester, MA.
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New England Sports Network (NESN) project – one of the “highest risk” yet ultimately most rewarding projects for JC&A.
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JC&A completes dream pirate ship themed treehouse of Make-a-Wish child.
JC&A got their first break with Bank Boston. The project was a small renovation to a kitchen cafeteria and repairs to the first floor of the building. Jay and his first employee, Barry Ledin, took tremendous pride in their work and quickly built a solid relationship with the Bank Boston team.
JC&A works on multiple projects with Tufts University, including an animal operating room.
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JC&A begins what will become a 25 year long (and growing!) relationship with their first Bright Horizons child care center in Marlboro, MA. JC&A has built 13 facilities for Bright Horizons to date.
One of our earliest projects was this child care facility for Mulberry in Westwood, MA.
In 1999, JC&A embarked on the first project with Talbots, which would set the tone for a long, successful relationship.
The JC&A team, circa 2006.
JC&A completed their first major project for Liberty Mutual, marking the beginning of a nearly 20-year relationship.
One of JC&A’s earliest projects was Newton Country Day School, a private, all-girls Roman Catholic high school and middle school in Newton, Massachusetts.
JC&A renovated the 26th floor of this building in New York’s Tribeca neighborhood in order to construct T-Mobile’s Manhattan Mobile Switch Center.
JC&A has performed several projects for Thayer Academy in Braintree throughout the years, including build out of the Sawyer Athletic Center and both restoration and expansion projects on the Old Main campus.
JC&A completed their first of several projects for Mathworks in 2002.
Jay Calnan, Bob Donahue (The MathWorks), Rick Borden (JC&A)
United We Stand – JC&A joined the rest of America in honoring all those affected by the tragedy of September 11th. We mourned the loss of loved ones and celebrated the American Spirit that has continued to rebuild our great nation.
Jay Calnan with XXX
A crew of JC&Aers dropping off holiday gifts to the Italian Home for Children, a non-profit that helps children and families with emotional, behavioral, and educational challenges thrive in their communities. This is a tradition we’ve continued to this day.
YEARS OF GROWTH: 2007 - 2016
JC&A’s launch and success is the story of a bold entrepreneur. But also paramount to the success story are the 130 compassionate, hardworking professionals who now make the company the best in the business. It started with JC&A’s first employee, Barry Ledin. A stellar core group of partners was also assembled in Jim Cahill, President; Mike Crowther, Chief Operating Officer; Tim Kelly, Chief Financial Officer; and Steve Robak, Executive Vice President. And with a foundation of hard work, perseverance, and sound decision-making, they assembled a winning roster recruited for their level of professionalism and history of hard work, integrity, and unselfish teamwork.
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In 2010, Jay names new Partners Jim Cahill, Tim Kelly, and Mike Crowther.
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Stetson Medical was the first of many important projects with Atlantic Management.
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In 2011, JC&A became founding members of Team IMPACT – a national nonprofit that has impacted over 2,000 children with life-threatening and chronic diseases across the country.
The JC&A team performed a multi-phased, 320,000 SF renovation project for PTC in Needham in 2012, spanning multiple floors and buildings.
Tim Kelly, XXX, Jack Calnan and JR McDonald celebrating JC&A’s 10th Anniversary event.
“At JC&A, we don’t chase individual projects; rather, we look for opportunities to align ourselves with outstanding clients such as Joule and Boston Properties. We were excited to be involved with this cutting-edge renewable fuels company and grateful for the opportunity to provide them with our premier preconstruction and construction management services.” – Jim Cahill, Partner | President
JC&A’s Jim Cahill, Scott Trull, and Garrett Zetocha
JC&A’s project team successfully translated PUMA’s brand vision and personality in the new 129,000 SF award-winning headquarters in Westford, MA.
JC&A performed this campus expansion for the Sage School in Foxborough, MA
In 2015, JC&A completed their first hotel – the Hilton Garden Inn – located within the Marlborough Hills campus.
JC&A worked collaboratively with VCA and WB Engineers to complete Brookfield Power‘s multi-million dollar command center, which remotely controlled hundreds of power facilities across the country.
JC&A’s second project with Biogen IDEC was this challenging 100,000 square foot interior fit-out at Weston Corporate Center in Weston, MA.
JC&A has performed many projects for Reebok over the course of their decades-long relationship, including this Cross Fit One facility, an award-winning child care center, build out of a new 40,000 SF showroom on Reebok’s corporate campus, renovations to Reebok’s corporate headquarters and the Reebok International On-Field Showroom which highlights their NBA and NFL apparel.
“For the first time in [Morse Barnes Brown Pendleton] history, we were leaving the building where we’d started, and moving to a completely new environment. We knew how unsettling this experience might prove to be for us, and we knew how critical a role the construction management team would play in ensuring a successful project. We put our faith in the “Calnan Crew” and were not disappointed. I have nothing but the highest regard for [JC&A’s] character, intelligence, integrity, expertise and standards. Their work, and that of their handpicked subs, took a vision of what might be and translated it into a reality of great beauty; they made a home for my Firm and our employees which we can enjoy every working day, a place to be proud of. I shall never forget the efforts of my Calnan Crew, nor them.” – Laurie Macdonald, MBBP
The JC&A team celebrating the completion of the new NESN studio.
In 2007, JC&A successfully completed an expansion and renovations to The Park School in Brookline, completed during the school year.
JC&A partnered with SGA, AEC solutions and AHA Engineers to complete this project for PTC in Needham, MA.
The International Interior Design Association named JC&A, along with SGA, AHA Engineers and the rest of the Puma NA Headquarters project team winners in the large project category of “Best Project Over 80,000 SF” at their 2009 awards ceremony.
Completed in 2013, the Schneider Electric renovation and expansion project required eight hundred pieces of steel weighing over 315 tons!
To create their new state-of-the-art headquarters facility, Schneider Electric and CBRE engaged JC&A, construction managers; Perkins and Will, architects and RDK Engineers.
The Schneider Electric project team celebrating the project’s Topping Off.
JC&A has built a team of extremely hardworking employees who truly enjoy coming into work each day and who genuinely care about one another. When one of our Superintendents received recognition for reaching the 5- year mark, he said, “I hope to make it many more….at least until retirement!”
We’re a work hard, play hard kinda crew!
JC&A Holiday Party
The Sage School’s Groundbreaking ceremony with the JC&A team.
JC&A fishing trip in Plymouth Harbor, 2008.
Some JC&Aers spent their weekend building with Habitat for Humanity.
Barry Ledin and Adam Arsenault practice their casting at the annual Super’s outing!
JC&A performed over 200,000 SF of renovations to two buildings previously owned by National Grid to consolidate BJ’s new Corporate Headquarters.
The first of many important projects with multinational biotechnology company Biogen.
Lending a hand at the Cradles to Crayons Giving Factory.
Molly Gates and Jim Cahill celebrate a JC&A milestone in 2010.
Jay treats the crowd to a motivational speech at JC&A’s 15th Anniversary celebration.
Sue Taverna and Mary King celebrate JC&A’s 20th Anniversary.
Partners Mike Crowther, Jay Calnan, Jim Cahill, Steve Robak and Tim Kelly celebrate JC&A’s 20th Anniversary.
JC&A has always been a longtime supporter of the IIDA and their signature fashion show event. In 2010 JC&A entered with their interpretation of the REvolution of the construction industry.
The teammates at JC&A are known to pull a few pranks on each other. One of our favorites was when Partner, Steve Robak came back from vacation to his office turned into a putting green!
PRESENT: 2017 to Today
After 25 years of amazing projects, continuous growth and a commitment to giving back, we are still just getting started. And most important in the reflection of a quarter of a century is the gratitude for all who participated, enabled, mentored, challenged and motivated the us along the way. JC&A is proud to build much more than commercial spaces—the projects that fuel commerce. Equally important are the people and relationships that we build through our holistic mission.
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JC&A has been recognized as a Best Place to Work for four consecutive years, beginning in 2016!
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JC&A completes innovative MassBioHub to support Life Sciences community.
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JC&A recognized for the 14th year in a row as a Top Charitable Contributor by the Boston Business Journal.
The project team at the Icebreaking kick-off event for the new Skating Club of Boston in Norwood, MA.
ZoomInfo‘s 170 Tracer Lane location, (renamed 100 Data Drive), features over 60 meeting rooms, lounges, and lunch areas, as well as mother’s rooms, game rooms, an exercise room, and showers.
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Bioverativ‘s space, constructed by JC&A, is defined by two monumental staircases, creating an environment that reinforces the company’s transparent and collaborative culture.
JC&A has developed a strong partnership with MathWorks and continues to provide CM services on their Natick campus. To date we have completed over 15 projects, all phased while occupied, totaling 500,000 SF.
JC&A has worked with Reebok on a number of projects, including The Rockport Showroom, OnField Showroom, ChaseHouse, Crossfit and the Child Care Center.
“With no surprise for a project of this magnitude, there were several unexpected challenges along the way, including a several-week shutdown necessitated by a worldwide pandemic. We worked through them together, with our mutual respect never failing, and JC&A’s support and partnership always greatly appreciated. Frankly, I cannot think of a better testament to the success of this project than our mutual respect never failing.” – Doug Zeghibe, CEO/Executive Director, The Skating Club of Boston.
JC&A’s latest project with longtime client Pega, located in Salem, NH.
JC&A, Andrew Cohen Architects and AHA Engineers completed the new World Headquarters for the cutting-edge travel/software company, Kayak.com.
One of three olympic sized ice rinks at the new Skating Club of Boston in Norwood, MA.
Kayak‘s project highlights include a razor-thin, saw-tooth ornamental stair that connects the 2 floors; glass and acrylic partitions throughout that create an open environment; hanging partitions that allow for flexible conference and lounge space, state-of-the-art Audio Visual and Teleconferencing capabilities to support their business as well as unique seating areas, kitchens and team rooms.
Kronos’ new headquarters at CrossPoint, Lowell, MA became the largest MA suburban RE transaction of the decade.
JC&A, Northstar Project and Real Estate Services, Packard Design and WB Engineers completed the global headquarters for Kronos, one of the world’s largest enterprise software companies. Kronos relocated its headquarters from a three-building campus in Chelmsford to its new space, uniting nearly 1,500 Massachusetts-based Kronites under one roof across more than 500,000 s/f.
JC&A completed renovations for Takeda at their multi-story space in Cambridge, MA. Renovations to the existing space served to eliminate all offices, replacing them with an open floor plan featuring workstations, ample conference rooms and closed/open collaborating spaces.
Together with R.E. Dinneen Architects and AHA Engineers, JC&A transformed 80,000 square feet in Lexington for Dicerna. The team upgraded Dicerna’s existing lobby and atrium, and significantly upgraded existing office and laboratory spaces, adding a new chemistry lab, a commercial kitchen, and a state-of-the-art fitness center.
Mike Keaney, Chet Braun, Mike Callahan, and Josh Hines enjoy a JC&A holiday party.
JC&A has enjoyed a long and successful relationship with iRobot, and continues to perform renovations to their headquarters at Xchange Place in Bedford, MA.
Jay Calnan & Bob Coughlin at the MassBioHub “Breakthrough” event, kicking off construction on MassBioHub’s innovative new meeting space.
We are so proud to build for clients like Boston Dynamics, world leaders in mobile robots. JC&A teamed with Bergmeyer Associates and NV5 to deliver Boston Dynamics new world headquarters in Waltham, MA.
JC&A recently renovated Winter Street lobby for longtime client Fresenius Medical Care in Waltham, MA.
In addition to the more common features of the commercial spaces JC&A creates, Cerence‘s extravagant architectural design included multiple DIRTT walls, a Timber Structure, and an elaborate “Ribbon Ceiling” which had to be largely designed and created in the field.
JC&A performed an extensive, multi-phased renovation for Deciphera Pharmaceuticals, which is working to improve the lives of cancer patients by addressing key mechanisms of tumor and drug resistance that limit the effectiveness of many cancer therapies.
JC&Aers come together with their families to fight juvenile diabetes with the JDRF Walk for a Cure.
Project Executive Jeff Cameron was recognized by Bisnow as a Rising Leader.
Jim Cahill and Mike Garrity hit the links!
Who says math is boring? JC&A’s accounting and estimating teams spent this afternoon dodging paintballs!
Partners Mike Wilson, Scott Trull, Steve Robak and Mike Crowther celebrate another successful year.
JC&A’s internal philanthropy committee, JCAres, plans and executes opportunities throughout the year for all JC&A teammates to give back to our community, volunteering for groups like the Ronald McDonald House, Building Impact, Heading Home and the Special Olympics.
Marci Brundage, Katrina Madrid and Laura Parra send Kathy into retirement with well wishes.
The Monster Mash is one of our favorite JC&A traditions.
JC&A celebrates a successful 2018 at the Grand!
We are so grateful for our amazing clients and teammates.
The new MassBioHub in Cambridge, MA is a unique and flexible space to accommodate groups of 2-200 for all your business needs, from informal staff huddles to full-scale conferences and corporate events.
The JCAres committee volunteers with the Special Olympics.
An afternoon of fun and networking on the golf course.
A group of JCAres members spends a snowy afternoon with the Special Olympics.
JCAres frequently organizes groups of volunteers to make and serve meals at the Ronald McDonald house.
The competition is fierce at JC&A’s annual kickball tournament.
Mike Crowther and Rick Borden celebrate Rick’s 20th anniversary as a member of the JC&A team.
The first annual Team IMPACT Young Leaders’ Sneaker Ball.
JC&A’s Skating Club of Boston team prepares to “break the ice”.
JC&A launched the JC&A Memorial Scholarship Fund in 2016.
WE BUILD...® THE JC&A WAY
JC&A is known for our trademark ‘We Build…®’ philosophy, referring to the building of great teams, award winning projects, lasting relationships, and our community. In reflecting on our 25 years of success and how we achieved it, we are incredibly proud of what it means to say, ‘We Build…® The JC&A Way.’ We look forward to celebrating ‘The JC&A Way’ with all of you who have made it possible for us to become one of the best construction management firms in the Northeast!
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