Fontaine + Dimeo
POLLARD PRESENTATION
Open Decisions 4D Case Study Geo MBTA Safety Schedule Precon Modular Community CM+GC Website Track Close ← Project Site
FEBRUARY 24, 2026 — POLLARD MIDDLE SCHOOL
We didn't come here to tell you what we've done.
We came to show you what we've already started doing for Pollard.
Fontaine Bros. + Dimeo Construction Joint Venture
Joel Kent
Joel Kent, PE
Project Executive
Matt Wilder
Matt Wilder
Superintendent
Chelsey Mutrie
Chelsey Mutrie
VP Preconstruction
Mark Hogan
Mark Hogan
Sr. Superintendent
Frank Reynolds
Frank Reynolds
Precon Executive
JoEllen Villari
JoEllen Villari
MBTA Liaison
Mark Abdella
Mark Abdella
Vote Support
Danielle Judge
Danielle Judge, PE
Design Review
200
Years Combined
$3M+
Identified Savings
1 Year
Faster
Net Zero
Ready
Q1 — KEY STAFFWhy were your key staff selected? Reference direct relevant experience, management styles, experience working together, and skill sets each brings.
JOEL KENT
YOUR TEAM
Why These People for Pollard
Every person in this room was chosen for a specific reason tied to a specific Pollard challenge.
PROJECT EXECUTIVE

Joel Kent, PE, CPHB

Creative phasing and cost control. Passive House certified. Leads the strategic decisions — schedule acceleration, geothermal relocation, early release packages. Pollard is his #1 priority.

SUPERINTENDENT

Matt Wilder

100% dedicated. Invented the "dance floor" auditorium method — proven on Doherty, South High, West Springfield, Walpole. The person who builds the 750-seat theater.

VP PRECONSTRUCTION

Chelsey Mutrie

Owns the budget from SD through final reconciliation. Led Agawam geothermal redesign saving $1M+. 4 estimators and 3 MEP specialists from day one.

SR. SUPERINTENDENT

Mark Hogan

Decades of occupied campus experience. Phased construction planning. Constructability expertise that drives procurement strategy and field logistics.

DIMEO — PRECON EXECUTIVE

Frank Reynolds, LEED GA, CPHB

36 years experience. Bridges preconstruction strategy with construction execution. Deep MBTA and transit-adjacent project expertise.

DIMEO — MBTA LIAISON

JoEllen Villari, CHST

Dedicated from day one to manage all MBTA coordination — credentialing, flagging, ROW training. This is not a side responsibility. It's her job.

DESIGN REVIEW

Danielle Judge, PE, LEED GA

Professional Structural Engineer. Reviews steel connections, gym structure, auditorium fly loft. Catches coordination issues before they become field problems.

VOTE SUPPORT — NEEDHAM RESIDENT

Mark Abdella

VP of CM Services. Lives in Needham. His kids are in the school system peer group. Community outreach, Town Meeting strategy, public communication.

JOEL KENT
UNDERSTANDING YOUR PROJECT
The Decisions That Shaped Pollard
Before we talk about how we build, we want to acknowledge the decisions this community has already made — and why they matter.
1

Remaining at Pollard

The community chose to invest in its existing neighborhood. That means occupied campus construction, phased logistics, and zero disruption to school operations. We've planned for all of it.

2

Reuniting Grades 6–8

Bringing 6th graders back to Pollard changes the building program, the site logistics, and the community dynamics. It also opens the door for High Rock and Mitchell to begin their own next chapter.

3

Preserving the Auditorium

A 750-seat community theater is a generational asset. It requires specialized construction methods, structural coordination, and an acoustics-first approach. Matt Wilder's "dance floor" method makes it buildable.

These three decisions shaped every recommendation in our proposal.

We didn't start with a schedule. We started with understanding why this project exists and what this community needs. Every phasing decision, every logistics plan, every cost estimate flows from these three choices.

JOEL KENT
BEFORE WE PROPOSED
Things We Assessed
Before writing a single page, we explored these options and made recommendations. We can't wait to get into the details with this team.

An Estimate Alone

A number without context doesn't help Needham make decisions. We developed a layered conceptual dashboard showing every cost driver, benchmark source, and MSBA reimbursability — so every dollar has a story.

Single-Phase Construction

We assessed whether a single-phase approach could work. The site constraints, occupied campus requirements, and MBTA adjacency make phased construction the clear right answer — and we've optimized the phasing to save a full year.

A Dedicated Path to DeFazio

We evaluated routing construction traffic through DeFazio Park. Our analysis shows that Dedham Ave and Great Plain Ave provide safer, less disruptive access without impacting park operations or residential streets.

A Plan Without Warner Field

We considered distributed geothermal installations across the campus. Consolidating all ~120 wells at Warner Field enables single-mobilization drilling, saves approximately $1M, and eliminates noise near the school and homes.

Q3 — LOGISTICS & SAFETYDescribe and demonstrate your approach to construction logistics and safety including pedestrian and vehicular movement. Provide examples of phased construction on an occupied site.
LET IT PLAY
NARRATED 4D CONSTRUCTION SEQUENCE
Watch How We Build Pollard
This isn't a marketing piece. This is the actual phasing plan we developed for your site.
Q2 — CASE STUDYPresent a brief case study from projects most comparable to Pollard. Address challenges encountered, similarities/differences, VE with design team, and lessons learned.
JOEL KENT
CASE STUDY
Doherty Memorial High School & South High
Our two most directly comparable projects — one we're building right now as a JV, and one that set the standard for LEED Gold school construction in Worcester.
CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Doherty Memorial HS — $268M JV

Fontaine + Dimeo joint venture. 422,000 SF. New high school on occupied campus. Regional Best Project recognition. Same JV partnership, same management systems, same trust.

COMPLETED — LEED GOLD

South High Community School

Comprehensive renovation and addition achieving LEED Gold certification. Complex occupied site, phased construction, community engagement throughout. Direct parallels to Pollard's sustainability and logistics challenges.

Doherty Memorial HS South High School

“I believe our community would be in good hands.”

— Erick Backstran, AECOM — Needham Resident, George Aggott Rd
Q2f — SUSTAINABILITYHow has your team managed the CMR role in setting and achieving project sustainability goals on other projects?
JOEL KENT
SOUTH HIGH — LEED GOLD
What LEED Gold Looks Like Up Close
Worcester's first LEED Gold high school. These are the details that make sustainability real — not just a certification checkbox.
South HS LEED Detail South HS LEED Detail South HS LEED Detail South HS LEED Detail South HS LEED Detail South HS Construction
ACT 2

How We Build Pollard

Geothermal • MBTA • Safety • Schedule • Preconstruction • Modular

Q2a — CHALLENGESSpecifically describe challenges encountered and how your firm addressed them. Describe similarities and differences to this project.
CHELSEY MUTRIE
GEOTHERMAL STRATEGY
Warner Field: $1M in Savings
Consolidate all ~120 geothermal wells into a single-phase operation at Warner Field. One mobilization, one dewatering system, zero noise near school or homes.
$1M+

Savings from Relocation

Single mobilization eliminates redundant drilling setup, simplifies dewatering, reduces site disruption. Drilling happens away from students, staff, and neighbors.

$4.6M

Agawam HS — Verified Actuals

149 boreholes, $4.575M field installation + $1.155M heat pumps + $300K mechanical room. Chelsey led the redesign from 180 shallow wells to 150 deeper wells — saving over $1M for the Town of Agawam.

Geothermal Design Assist
Q3 — MBTA ROWProvide examples of how your team dealt with MBTA right of ways.
JOELLEN VILLARI / FRANK REYNOLDS
MBTA NEEDHAM LINE
Dedicated Liaison. Defined Cost.
Adjacent to an active commuter rail line. JoEllen Villari manages all MBTA coordination as her sole responsibility — not a side task.

Rail Interface Access Plan

ROW training, credential verification, flagging services, protective fencing. Every worker entering the MBTA zone is trained and badged before they touch the site.

30–45 Day Licensing Process

We know the MBTA Capital Delivery review timeline. We plan around it. No surprises, no schedule impacts. Flagging is budgeted as a defined cost — not buried in contingency.

775 Huntington Ave — $86.5M

Green Line adjacent. Full MBTA coordination. Dimeo led all rail interface safety, credentialing, and flagging operations. Completed successfully.

Avenir Apartments — $107M

Green Line and North Station. Transit-adjacent construction in one of Boston's most constrained sites. Same team, same protocols.

MBTA Process
Q3 — LOGISTICS & SAFETYDescribe your approach to construction logistics and safety including pedestrian and vehicular movement around the site.
MATT WILDER / JOEL KENT
OCCUPIED CAMPUS
Pollard Stays Open. Students Stay Safe.
New construction on an occupied campus adjacent to the MBTA Needham Line and residential neighborhoods. Every logistics decision starts with student safety.

Separate Construction Entrance

All construction traffic via Dedham Ave and Great Plain Ave to I-95. Zero construction vehicles through residential neighborhoods or the school's main entrance.

Bus Loop Protected

Bus loop maintained throughout all phases. Safe walking and biking paths preserved. Drop-off and pickup operations never disrupted.

MORE Parking, Not Less

Expanded Harris Ave lot + temporary northwest lot during Phase 1. Warner Field parking during Phase 2. Net increase in available parking at every stage.

DeFazio Park Preserved

Only Warner Field is used for geothermal drilling. All other DeFazio fields remain fully operational throughout construction. Warner Field fully restored at completion.

Emergency Protocols

Life safety and active shooter protocols updated per phase. Fire department walkthroughs before each transition. All workers background-checked and badged.

Noise & Hours

High-impact work scheduled during school hours when possible. Restricted weekend and evening operations. Seasonal adjustments for testing seasons and community events.

Q4 — SCHEDULEPresent your proposed schedule. Suggest unique approaches. Describe early packages and why they are important.
JOEL KENT
SCHEDULE ACCELERATION
One Full Year Faster
We can complete the project approximately one full year ahead of the RFP baseline — without accelerating the design schedule. This frees Needham to address High Rock and Mitchell sooner.
PHASE 1
Jul 2027

NTP — 8 months earlier

Phase 1 starts July 2027 (vs. RFP baseline March 2028). Substantial completion December 2029 — students move in over winter break. 29 months total.

PHASE 2
Aug 2031

Complete — 11 months earlier

Phase 2 completes August 2031 (vs. RFP baseline July 2032). Demo, foundations, fit-out of the Grade 6 Academy. Warner Field fully restored. 20 months total.

4 Strategic Early Release Packages

ERP 1: Site enabling & geothermal drilling (Apr 2027) • ERP 2: Sitework & concrete foundations (Aug 2027) • ERP 3A: Structural steel (Nov 2027) • ERP 3B: Long-lead electrical switchgear. Each package builds on the last — no gaps, no idle time.

Mar 2026CM Award — team begins immediately
Apr 2026SD Cost Estimate / Value Engineering
Jun 2026MSBA Board Vote
Oct 2026Town Meeting & Override Election
Apr 2027Early Release Package #1
Jul 2027NTP — Phase 1 construction begins
Aug 2027Geothermal drilling at Warner Field
Mar 2028GMP established
Dec 2029Phase 1 substantial completion
Jan 2030Phase 2 begins — existing building demo
Aug 2031Project substantial completion
Q2b — VALUE ENGINEERINGProvide examples of how your team worked with the design team to keep the project on budget by providing VE opportunities during preconstruction.
Q2c — PRECON & MSBAHow did your preconstruction services assist in achieving the client's priorities within funding limits and MSBA requirements?
CHELSEY MUTRIE / DANIELLE JUDGE
PRECONSTRUCTION SERVICES
Not Just Milestones. Micro-Estimates on Demand.
When Tina's team asks "what if we move the auditorium to Phase 1?" or "can we simplify the foundation system?" — we don't wait until the next estimate milestone. We respond in days, not months.
SCHEMATIC DESIGN

Cost Estimates & Constructability

Benchmarking against MSBA bid results. Trade input from actual subcontractor pricing. Early procurement roadmap to de-risk long-lead items.

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

Refined Estimates & MEP Coordination

Clash detection, risk identification, site logistics refinement. Brian Davies reviews every mechanical system for operability and BMS compatibility.

60% CD

Subcontractor Prequalification

Comprehensive estimates, scope boundary definition, phasing strategies for occupied schools. We start qualifying subs here — not at bid time.

90% CD → GMP

Defensible GMP

Bid-day RFI identification, allowance confirmation, procurement schedule. The GMP is real because we know what things actually cost to build.

Structural Coordination

Example: Structural coordination issue caught during design review — Danielle Judge, PE

JOEL KENT
TEMPORARY CLASSROOMS
Pollard's Modular Solution
20 classrooms, 4 bathrooms, 1 admin space. Three options evaluated. District has current acquisition opportunities from Watertown (40), Nauset (30), Winchester (20), and Webster (20).
OPTION 1

Relocate Existing + Supplement

Move district-owned modulars to Pollard site. Supplement with additional units as needed. Lowest capital cost, fastest mobilization.

OPTION 2

Acquire Pre-Owned

Purchase pre-owned units from districts phasing out modulars. Watertown and Nauset have significant inventory available now.

OPTION 3

Procure New Units

Custom-built to Pollard specifications. Highest quality and longest lifespan. May serve district needs beyond this project.

Install: May–September 2027 • Remove: Summer 2030

Infrastructure costs include site preparation, utility connections, ADA compliance, fire alarm tie-in, and temporary walkway construction.

ACT 3

Why Fontaine + Dimeo

Community • CM+GC Advantage • Technology • Track Record • Sustainability

MARK ABDELLA
COMMUNITY & VOTE SUPPORT
How Information Travels in Needham
This will be the largest capital expense in town history. This committee will be responsible for making sure public communication and buy-in is done right. We can help.
How Information Travels in Needham

Mark Abdella — Your Neighbor

VP of CM Services. Lives in Needham. His kids are in the school system peer group. He walks these streets. He's accountable to this community not just professionally — personally.

Community Advisory Network

Engaging Needham's interconnected social circles — elementary schools, faith communities, PTOs, town sports, camps. Pre-construction meetings, monthly mailers, QR-code access to live project visualization.

DAVE FONTAINE JR. / JOEL KENT
THE DIFFERENTIATOR
The Only Firm That Builds AND Manages
We're the only shortlisted firm operating as both Construction Manager and General Contractor. That's not a tagline — it changes how Needham gets priced, managed, and built.

FONTAINE + DIMEO — CM + GC

✓Direct contracts with Division 10 subs — tack boards, markerboards, door hardware
✓Site subs held directly — fencing, playgrounds, SOE, temp facilities
✓Data flows directly to and from us — no middleman
✓We verify insurance, safety, and compliance on every sub directly
✓Wider sub pool — subs who don't price CM-only firms will bid our work
✓GMP built from actual construction costs, not management estimates
✓Self-perform capability on critical path work

TRADITIONAL CM-ONLY

✗Small subs bundled under drywall or general trades contractor
✗Site packages bundled under one sitework sub
✗Information filters through sub tiers — slower, less transparent
✗Insurance and compliance delegated to prime subs
✗Same sub pool as every other large CM firm
✗Estimates based on market intelligence, not self-performed knowledge
✗Dependent on subcontractors for all field work
DAVE FONTAINE JR.
TECHNOLOGY IN ACTION
We Built This For Your Project
This isn't a slide about technology. This is a live demonstration of how we communicate with your community.
davefontaine.ai/needham
davefontaine.ai/needham
🌐

Project-Specific Website

Built in-house. Customized for Pollard. Construction updates, traffic routing, noise-impact windows, team bios, and interactive phase explorer.

🤖

AI-Powered Q&A

Udor answers community questions 24/7. Ask it anything about the project. The best human communication, enabled by technology.

📊

Conceptual Cost Dashboard

Layered estimate with MSBA reimbursability analysis, verified benchmarks from 4 comparable projects, and cost-to-Needham breakdown.

🎥

4D Narrated Animation

Full phasing walkthrough with voiceover. Every phase visualized. Shareable with the community via QR code at Town Meeting.

This committee has lived through the downside of municipal projects being perceived by the public as not well communicated, not well planned. We control this platform. We customize it. It enables coordinated messaging so you never hear conflicting information.
Q2e — LESSONS LEARNEDProvide applicable lessons learned specific to Design, Preconstruction, Construction, Occupancy and Closeout that can be applied to this project.
JOEL KENT
TRACK RECORD
Don't Take Our Word for It
JV — CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Doherty Memorial HS, Worcester

$268M joint venture. 422,000 SF. New high school on occupied campus. Regional Best Project recognition. Fontaine + Dimeo together.

GEOTHERMAL — CHELSEY MUTRIE

Agawam High School

235,075 SF. Redesigned geothermal from 180 shallow to 150 deeper wells. $1M+ savings. MSBA Executive Director press tour. Same approach for Pollard.

OCCUPIED CAMPUS

Walpole Middle School

162,000 SF. 3-year occupied campus renovation. $95.3M GMP (~$588/SF). Auditorium using Matt Wilder's "dance floor" method. Key benchmark for Pollard pricing.

14 FEET FROM EXISTING SCHOOL

Mountain View K–8, East Hampton

177,000 SF. Two-phased new construction just 14 feet from the occupied school. Studio G was the design associate. Directly applicable to Pollard.

“Working with Fontaine + Dimeo has been a seamless experience.”

— Russ Adams, City of Worcester

“I believe our community would be in good hands.”

— Erick Backstran, AECOM — Needham Resident
Q2f — SUSTAINABILITYAchieving sustainability goals is essential to Needham. Share how your team has managed the CMR role in setting and achieving project sustainability goals.
TRACY ROUTHIER
SUSTAINABILITY & AFTER WE BUILD
Net Zero Ready. LEED Gold Pathway.
~25

Target EUI

All-electric building. Ground-source heat pump system (~120 boreholes). Solar-ready parking canopy. Designed for Net Zero performance from day one.

63

LEED Points

Gold pathway with 63-point scorecard. Enhanced indoor environmental quality. Low-emitting materials. Advanced daylighting and operable windows.

Year 1

Energy Monitoring

Every installer's contract includes a full year of service. Consumption tracked against Net Zero targets. BAS integration verified before handoff.

Sustainability Credentials
THREE THINGS TO REMEMBER
When you walk out of this room, remember this.
1

We're Already Thinking Like Your CM

We assessed options before we proposed. We developed a phasing plan, a cost dashboard, and a community communication platform — before you asked us to.

2

We're the Only Firm That Builds AND Manages

Wider subcontractor pool. Lower costs. Direct risk control. Our GMP is built from what things cost to build — not what they cost to manage.

3

You're Hiring Families, Not a Corporation

Two family companies. Combined 200 years. And one of us already lives here. Pollard will be our largest, highest-priority project for the next three years.

EASY TO DO BUSINESS WITH
Driven by your needs, not ours.
This job is a new level of complexity that needs complete top-down executive focus. When you're a company running 10 jobs, your two family-member owners can be a visible, active presence on each and every one. We haven't gotten too big. We're simply structured differently.
David Sr.
Personally Invested
David Jr.
Personally Invested
Mark Abdella
Your Neighbor
The buck stops with us. We're not a billion-dollar corporation. We're families who build schools.
Questions?
davefontaine.ai/needham
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