Cianbro Corp. in Pittsfield has been awarded part of a $215 million federal contract to modernize and expand facilities at the U.S. Land Port of Entry in Alexandria Bay, New York.

The contract to Cianbro and Northland Associates Inc. of Liverpool, New York, was awarded by the U.S. General Services Administration’s Public Buildings Service.

Peter Vigue, Cianbro’s chairman and chief executive officer, was unavailable for comment early Thursday evening. However, Cianbro’s communications manager, Alan Grover, said in a phone interview that he spoke with Cianbro president Andi Vigue, who was on the road but relayed comments for the Morning Sentinel through Grover.

“Obviously, the project is very good for Cianbro,” Grover said. “It’s a large, two-phase project at this point.”

The first phase of the contract for Cianbro and Northland, Cianbro’s joint venture partner, is for $90.8 million, Grover said.

“This will certainly help Cianbro to grow when you get a job of this size,” Grover said. “It’s great for the company and helps us to continue to grow, and the feeling is, growth of a Maine business like Cianbro is an indirect benefit for Maine.”

Phase 1 of the project is projected to take two and a half years, according to Grover.

The U.S. General Services Administration website says construction of the project is expected to begin this month, and the phased project is expected to be completed in July 2022.

“The approximately $260 million project will replace the existing port,” the website says. “Phase I includes construction of a commercial inspection warehouse with inspection bays, commercial inspection lanes (with split-level booths for either commercial or non-commercial), impound lot, and a portion of the elevated parking over the commercial side. Phase I also includes acquisition of the two remaining necessary parcels of land.”

Phase 2 would include “construction of a new main administration building, a new outbound inspection facility, a new veterinary services building, non-commercial inspection lanes, a new non-commercial secondary inspection plaza, new non-intrusive inspection buildings, and employee and visitor parking areas.”

Cianbro, founded in 1949 by the Cianchette brothers, is one of the largest, most diverse, successful, open-shop, 100 percent employee-owned construction and construction services companies in the U.S., according to Cianbro’s website.

Cianbro’s corporate headquarters is at Cianbro Square in Pittsfield, but the company also has offices in Portland and Brewer, as well as in Maryland, Connecticut and Massachusetts.

Cianbro operates in more than 40 states and five markets and employs more than 4,000 “team members,” the website says. The company manages and self-performs civil, structural, mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, fabrication and coating projects, according to the website.

It also says that “Cianbro has safely and efficiently planned, managed, and constructed many technically complex, historic, and environmentally sensitive projects for a wide variety of public and private clients. A total commitment to safety combined with the enthusiasm of an innovative team of construction professionals has enabled Cianbro to build a durable reputation for completing projects safely, on schedule, and within budget.

“Cianbro’s number one priority is the safety of its team members — every team member should go home in better condition than in which they arrived. Recognized as a national leader in pursuing health and safety in the workplace, Cianbro’s success can be credited directly to the team’s attitude towards working safe — one which is unmatched in the construction industry.”

Likewise, the Northland Associates website says that safety is its primary concern. The general contracting company was established in 1982.

Amy Calder — 861-9247

acalder@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @AmyCalder17

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