E.C. Provini Co., Inc. frequently lands retail construction projects that contribute to the designer vibe of stores in busy New York City.

The leadership team at E.C. Provini Co., Inc. includes (from left to right): Adam Eyre, Vice President; Joseph Lembo, owner and President; and Mark Villavicencio, Executive Project Manager.

Shoppers trust flagship stores. And many of those trusted stores in the New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia metro areas, in turn, trust E.C. Provini Co., Inc. (Provini) and its proven ability to complete construction efficiently within an active retail marketplace.

A flagship store is often considered by retail giants to be the finest, largest and most important public “face” to consumers. It’s where the customer intentionally gets the best experience to evangelize the brand and achieve the company’s goals. It is the shining example to which all the other stores in the company aspire.

When flagship stores redesign to stay up on trends—which can be often—or even make structural changes for other reasons, Provini gets the call.

The firm’s recent flagship projects include Macy’s Herald Square and ASICS Fifth Avenue Flagship. The Macy’s renovation of the men’s department mezzanine was a $7.4 million demolition down to the building’s shell and a complete build-out with new mechanical and electrical systems. The crews paid special attention to the logistics, keeping the escalators and elevators in operation while installing new finishes around them.

ASICS was the site of a new $6.54 million build-out in 6,800-square-feet of store space. The work was coordinated with an overseas design group and the Provini team was sensitive to the landlord and tenants.

Company President Joseph Lembo says his crews work very closely with store managers and company headquarters—both during planning and construction phases—to complete the work without adversely affecting day-to-day operations.

“We have a perfect record of turning projects over to our clients on time,” Lembo says. “We have never missed a completion date in 32 years of business.”

E.C. Provini’s many success stories include well-known shopping addresses like Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, H&M, Victoria’s Secret, Express, Henri Bendel, Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren Polo and Bath & Body Works.

“I have been with Macy’s for over 30 years; for most of those years, I have in some form or another done work with E.C. Provini Co.,” says Lou Demauro, Senior Project Manager, Macy’s Inc. “They have been a trusted resource and a valued partner in projects both large and small. Their expertise has been an asset to us, and their dependability has become something I rely on.”

‘Welcome! Come on In!’

Lembo purchased the company six years ago from Edmund Provini, but he had extensive knowledge and experience with the E.C. Provini approach for the two decades he served on the company team before that.

“I have mandated a continued focus on what built this company, staying close to the ideals of high quality, customer service, commitment and 100 percent handovers,” he says.

Maintaining that high performance is also due to employee stability. Most of the 25 employees working for the Hazlet, New Jersey, company have been with Provini for 20 years plus.

Joining Lembo to maintain the company’s legacy is Vice President Adam Eyre, who started four years earlier than his boss. They are joined by Mark Villavicencio, Executive Project Manager.

“We come from different backgrounds: mine’s scheduling, Joe’s construction management, and Mark’s engineering,” says Eyre. “These backgrounds contribute to the overall skill set.”

Their extremely low employee turnover rate is due to various factors. They emphasize pride in what they do. They recognize individual strengths and encourage initiative and good ideas. They strive to be a family-oriented business, not only by considering all company employees as “family,” but also by being cognizant of each employee’s own family life outside the company’s operations.

Employees are also encouraged to donate at least 20 hours a year to worthy causes. Lembo says this reinforces the value of caring for those in need.

Coordinated efforts include volunteer work in the Tri-state area with Habitat for Humanity and several local youth sports organizations. In response to the devastation of Hurricane Sandy in late 2012, the company not only donated electric generators but also participated in building projects to help residents recover. Monetary support is provided to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Simon Youth Foundation, Macy’s Scholarship Fund and the Wexner Center for the Arts. These organizations improve the lives of youth through pioneering research and treatments for kids with cancer and other life-threatening diseases, educational opportunities, career development and life skills.

The Goods on Its Services

With about half of its projects being renovations, E.C. Provini prioritizes its work for maximum effect for each client. Open store phased remodeling is a much sought- after goal.

Lembo describes open store phased remodeling as doing major remodeling in a store even while the usual throngs of shoppers come and go. The less disruption and inconvenience his crews can cause, the better.

Adam says, “The stores have to stay in business and keep various mechanisms in play. It’s like a big game of chess; we must be cognizant of everybody’s movement.”

Quality open remodel work requires advanced planning and excellent communications with store officials and employees. Each work site demands attention to all aspects of the store, including fitting rooms, escalators, main aisles through the store, restroom locations, fire exits and checkout stations.

When the time is right and the workers must move to another spot to continue work, the movement of equipment, materials and crew members happens in a very coordinated way.

To accomplish this premeditated workflow, the company assigns a team of employees empowered to work across its own departments. This ensures that the developer or store manager can feel confident about the abilities and knowledge of the company representative.

“They like that single-source approach,” Lembo says.

Each team in a typical project arrangement consists of a project manager (who originally acquired the bid), an assistant project manager if needed, and one to three foremen. One to two administrative employees are also members of the store’s team.

The arrangement is just another way that Provini takes challenges head-on so that its clients can continue uninterrupted service to their customers.

“E.C. Provini has been an integral partner with H&M for a very long time,” says Ronald Muraco, Construction Project Manager for H&M Hennes & Mauritz LP. “They have and continue to deliver very high-quality stores on schedule.”