In the past ten years, Grunley Construction has renovated and modernized more than 4.8 million gross square feet of building space in the Washington, DC area.

News

  • July 20, 2015

    Grunley Leader Interviewed by the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation

    Grunley’s Historic Preservation Manager, Connie Lai, LEED AP BD+ C, was profiled for her extensive work in the field.

    “Every day, I'm constantly reminded that I'm helping to preserve the heritage of this country by restoring the buildings of the stewards of our cultural heritage, our economic well-being, our health, and most importantly, our democracy.”

    Grunley’s Historic Preservation Manager, Connie Lai, LEED AP BD+ C, was profiled by the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation for her extensive work in the field. The article highlighted her professional and educational background, current projects, favorite preservation assignment, as well as her passion for historic preservation programs and advice for students.

    Connie describes how Grunley’s work directly relates to historic preservation, “…actual preservation is done by the contractors who are paid to execute the repairs, replicate missing architectural features, and make the building functional again. As a general contractor, we manage all of the subcontractors that bring a structure back to life. We make sure that the client's wishes and architect's designs are executed properly, all while being sensitive to the existing historic fabric. On a daily basis, I work with our project managers, superintendents, estimators, specialty contractors, and clients, to ensure that everyone understands what needs to be preserved, restored, and/or replicated on any given construction project.”

    Connie has worked on the Washington Monument Renovation and historic D.C. buildings that house the Executive Branch, Legislative Branch, Secretary of the Interior, Smithsonian, U.S. Forest Service, and Department of Health and Human Services. Reflecting on her work on past projects and the inherent responsibility that comes with her job, she says, “Every day, I'm constantly reminded that I'm helping to preserve the heritage of this country by restoring the buildings of the stewards of our cultural heritage, our economic well-being, our health, and most importantly, our democracy.”

    Connie is currently working on Grunley’s Exterior Stone and Metal Preservation project at the U.S. Capitol, as well as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Headquarters Renovation and the U.S. Department of the Interior Modernization (Option 5, Wing 1), among others. Connie says, “I'm constantly running around D.C., overseeing the critical preservation and conservation aspects of all of these projects.” Read the feature here: http://www.achp.gov/inclusiveness-constance.html