Being the most densely populated municipality in New England, commercial properties in Somerville are scattered across many different business sectors. From the large-scale retail spaces on Assembly Square to the vibrant nightlife, live music, and theaters of Davis Square, and the many National Register of Historic Places sites in between, there’s a lot for both locals and visitors to explore in the city.
Here is a list of some of the best commercial contractors in Sommerville who have contributed to this diverse landscape. These firms bring many years of experience building retail spaces, restaurants, and offices throughout the greater Boston area.
Sleeping Dog Properties, Inc.
1745 Washington Street, Suite 200, Boston, MA 02118
A nod to Andover’s landmark bookstore, the barn-style Smythe & Dove Steakhouse + Dakota Bar was born out of a 20-year friendship between restaurateur Marcus Palmer and Sleeping Dog Properties President Chris Rapczynski and is the third collaboration between the two. The soaring vaulted ceilings create an airy atmosphere, with a large brick fireplace wall warming the dining area. Glass wine displays double as dividers between seating sections, along with multicolored barn doors.
Photo credit: Greg Premru
Rapczynski founded the award-winning Sleeping Dog in 1993 and has since overseen more than 500 million dollars in construction. Sleeping Dog builds both commercial and residential projects throughout the New England area, everything from a Diane von Furstenburg store to penthouse remodels in Boston to a Newton Pediatrics medical facility in Wellesley MA. If it is a unique project and detailed, this is their specialty.
Siena Construction
38 Sidney Street, Cambridge, MA 02139
Siena Construction has been creating spaces for people to live, play, heal, work, and celebrate throughout Metro Boston, Cambridge, and the rest of New England since 1991. The team is led by President Terrence Hayes, who first joined Siena in 2004 as project manager. Aside from its work in the life sciences, manufacturing, commercial, education, health care, and fine arts industries, Siena has also received recognition for its preservation work from the Cambridge Historical Commission.
Siena has completed renovations for Citizens Bank in downtown Boston, Somerville, Cambridge, and Medford. Each location carries the bank’s signature cool green color in its modern minimalist design. Large glass walls are incorporated into each branch, and there’s a lot of room to move around in each space.
Brite Builders Inc.
10 Garfield Avenue, Somerville, MA 02145
Zeb Arruda founded Brite Builders in 1996 to provide residential and commercial construction services throughout Greater Boston. Its team of fully licensed professionals provides top-quality workmanship and timely, personalized service at affordable rates. Brite’s portfolio of work includes custom homes, restaurants, coffee shops, and groceries.
The firm built the Boston location for specialty coffee roaster, retailer, and wholesaler, Flat Black Coffee. Tall arched windows along the street bring a lot of light into the earth-toned interior beneath the royal blue ceiling. A 3D wood slat wall borders the kitchen and extends into a bench in one corner of the dining area, which features varied seating options: two-seaters, four-seaters, and window-side bar seating. The kitchen and bar area is lined with shelves of coffee beans and other merchandise.
Commercial Builders Inc.
9 Mattakesett Circle, Sharon, MA 02067
With a butterfly roof and large glass walls, the Tufts University William A. Shoemaker Boathouse is a sight to behold along the Malden River. Home to the university’s men and women’s rowing teams, the 9,000-square-foot building sits on reclaimed industrial land in Medford. It has two boat bays and a multifunction space that is treated to great views of the river.
The boathouse was built by Commercial Builders, a firm established by President Bob Rosenblatt in 2013. The firm serves institutional, residential, and commercial clients in the Boston area. Rosenblatt holds an associate’s degree in Architectural Engineering from the Wentworth Institute of Technology. Aside from the academic facilities, Commercial Builders’ portfolio includes corporate spaces, cafes, banks, and religious facilities, with scopes varying from 3 million dollars worth of work to minor renovations to existing spaces.
