October 2017
The Inside Corner
MITRE 4 INTERIORS
Tysons is an area of Fairfax County that has seen huge changes in the landscape and skyline over the years. Tysons has grown into a booming economic center with high end retail, restaurants, several U.S. corporate headquarters, high tech corporations, apartments and condominiums. During this explosive growth C. J. Coakley Co., Inc. has been alongside working in many of the buildings that make up Tysons current skyline. The recent addition of WMATA’s Silver Line is continuing to add to the growth of Tysons where the company recently completed MITRE 4, a 347,000 square foot buildout near the Silver Line’s McLean station.
The work started in September 2015 and was completed in December of 2016. MITRE 4 is a 14 story high end office space built for MITRE Corporation in an effort to consolidate employees into one corporate campus instead of scattered among various office buildings throughout Tysons and McLean.
At first glance, MITRE 4 was just another tenant project with lofted ceilings and grid high partitions; but the devil was in the details. Specialty materials were everywhere on this project including; a variety of curved and straight perimeter trims in differing sizes, profiles and colors; GRG column covers; aluminum column covers; vertical, horizontal & diagonal reveals; open cell ceiling panels; lay in metal panel ceilings; custom made grid and ceiling tile; and wood plank and wood grille ceilings.
The 14th floor is where MITRE’s new boardroom is, which, according to Whiting -Turner, has become MITRE’s pride and joy. Chuckie Walker started the ball rolling on the 14th Floor with layout and the construction of 34’ high partitions which are either radiused, sloped or, in the case of the conference room partition, curved vertically. There are also radiused bulkheads and low walls that house electronic security windows for the boardroom and a sloped wall that encases MITRE’s 20’ x 14’ monitor.
Dave Jordan was instrumental in getting the project off the ground and in tackling a 3,000 SF area in MITRE 3 to build SCIF rooms on top of a cold formed metal framed raised floor. MITRE 3 was a small but difficult space.
Joe Carlisle brought the project home in December of 2016. Joe, Jesse Carlisle and Guido Rojas finished the project by installing, and at some points fabricating, wood ceilings and wall panels for the 14th Floor boardroom. As stated earlier, MITRE is very happy and proud of the boardroom’s appearance and it wouldn’t have been possible without the craftsmanship of Joe, Chuckie, and Jesse.
From MITRE 4’s boardroom you can see the current Tysons skyline and within that skyline you see some of the company’s completed projects. On the other side of Route 123 from MITRE’s campus you can see one of our current projects, Capitol One, which dwarfs other buildings in Tysons; but only until next year when a new 36 story building called The Boro, recently awarded to C. J. Coakley Co., Inc, starts climbing into the skyline.
EMPLOYEES OF THE MONTH
Each month our Foremen recommend to our Superintendents employees they feel have made outstanding efforts that contribute to our company’s success. The Employees of the Month are recognized in this newsletter and at one tool box talk each month across the company. We appreciate the hard work each employee puts forth to make the company successful, and we are proud to honor those who are selected.
June
Jorge L. Velarde - Carpenter
Malcolm Allen - Laborer
July
Luis Perez - Carpenter
Jose Ortiz - Carpenter
August
Daniel Castellon - Laborer
Guilber Portillo - Carpenter
September
Fidencio Herrera - Laborer
Julio Siguenza - Carpenter
LOOKING BACK ON 55 YEARS
The year was 1962 and I was 10 years old with nothing on my mind but playgrounds and baseball. At the same time, Cornelius J. Coakley and his wife Ellen decided to start a small plastering company. Ten years later, the company would offer me a job and a career that has lasted more than 45 years! Ironically, though I missed the first ten years, I played an active role in the company’s growth even before I joined the firm. You might ask how, but it’s true. Hanging out with friends in the neighborhood whose fathers and uncles were journeymen plasterers, little did I know then that within a few years of starting a career with a plastering company, I would be able to bring them in to work for the company. All of them served the company well; one of them still to this day. I am proud to share my recollections of the company over the past 55 years.
To be successful in the construction industry takes hard work and dedication. From the company’s founding, Connie and Ellen exemplified those characteristics. Connie had insatiable energy and drive and would do whatever it took to see to it that the company was treated fairly while at the same time developing relationships with contractors who would respect those qualities, and the quality work the company performed. But it wasn’t always easy.
I remember a time early in my career when Connie took me to a meeting in Washington, DC to discuss some issues we were having on a large project with an out of town contractor. The meeting took place in the plush offices of the contractor’s high-powered attorneys. Soon after arriving, we were left waiting a long period of time, sitting by ourselves at their large boardroom style conference table. Connie told me the long wait was supposed to be an intimidation factor. Suddenly the double doors to the conference room flew open and six men marched in single file to their respective seats at the head of the table. The lead attorney then forcefully slammed his notebook on the table and began to tell us in no uncertain terms what was going to happen to us if we did not do what they unrightfully wanted us to do. I was flabbergasted by what they had to say and how they said it. I must admit I was very nervous but Connie just sat there calmly listening until it was his time to speak. When he spoke, he was professional yet forceful, and it didn’t take long for them to understand that we were not going to be intimidated. Truthfully, I admit that I was, but not Connie. Following the meeting we walked down the hallway in silence and got into the elevator when Connie calmly said to me I think we got our point across what do you think? Now how about some lunch? This was vintage Connie.
From the time I began with the company in 1972, the next four decades saw the company prosper to new heights as each year went by. Ellen Coakley, always active in the business, would assist Connie on the day to day business issues while at the same time raising a family of five children. As each decade passed, the company would take on new lines of work and the projects would steadily increase in size and complexity. From the early years where contracts were anywhere from a few thousand dollars to a few hundred thousand dollars, the company is now doing work with some contracts in excess of twenty million dollars.
The company’s success is also grounded by the people that work for the company. Whether in the field or in the office, the employees know the company’s commitment to them and their own families. We share in their joyous occasions as well as in their sadness and grief. That’s a derivative of how Connie and Ellen wanted it to be and that will remain as the company moves forward into the future. Currently the company is led by Maria Coakley David, Jim, Liam, and Michael Coakley, continuing with the style and traditions that Connie and Ellen started 55 years ago. Joining the leadership team as Vice Presidents are John Skeffington and Paul Gallagher who, combined, have over 50 years with the company. As for me, not many people are as lucky as I have been to be able to say they started and finished a career with one firm. Truly, it’s a blessing; an Irish Blessing.
EMPLOYEE NEWS
We would like to welcome Michael Murphy as our new Warehouse Manager and Lisa Wu as our new Contract and Client Development Manager.
Thanks to everyone for coming out for the Safety and Employee Appreciation Picnic which was held on Saturday, September 23 at the Pavilions of Turkey Run. This year, in addition to the usual entertainment, we enjoyed a magic show and had a tee shirt decorating contest for the kids. We had beautiful weather and a great turnout! We will be at the same location next year and look forward to having another large, enthusiastic crowd.
This newsletter is published by the management of C. J. Coakley Co., Inc. to inform our employees about important developments in our company. We reserve the sole discretion to exercise editorial control over this publication and the contents should not be reprinted without our permission.
