Tom Giordano, the general manager of the New York region for Suffolk Construction, originally harbored a singular professional ambition from a young age: to follow in his uncle’s footsteps and become a lawyer in order to benefit his community. After transitioning from litigation to representing general contractors, developers, and design professionals on legal matters, he joined Morse Diesel Construction in 1999. He later moved to Bovis Lend Lease in 2004 to serve as general counsel. For the past four and a half years, however, Giordano has managed the New York office of Suffolk Construction in a non-legal executive capacity. His responsibilities focus on enhancing the company’s internal organization processes and infrastructure, ensuring Suffolk is positioned to grow and expand its construction management projects in the metro area, which includes New York City, Westchester, and Long Island, with a specific focus on hospitality, health care, and residential sectors.
During a conversation with Commercial Observer in July, Giordano discussed the firm’s trajectory and its mission in New York. He stated that the goal is for the New York branch to mirror Suffolk’s national standing by becoming the best construction management firm in the metro area, rather than necessarily the biggest, while delivering the company’s culture locally. Although Suffolk has maintained a presence in New York for 13 years, the firm gained significant traction over the last five and a half years. This period has marked substantial growth; when Giordano started, the office was generating approximately $350 million in annual revenue. That figure has since climbed to $1.3 billion, with projections looking toward $2 billion annually within the next two years.
Regarding the types of projects Suffolk undertakes across New York, Giordano noted a shift in portfolio balance. While the firm was previously 40 percent residential, it now maintains a balanced portfolio in New York City. Current operations span health care, including the construction of hospitals, as well as residential and higher education projects. The firm is also active in hospitality, building hotels, life sciences facilities, and public works. Specific health care initiatives include a project for Northwell Health on the South Shore of Long Island involving a new six-story pavilion situated next to an existing hospital. Additionally, Suffolk is expanding White Plains Hospital with a nine-story tower designed to deliver innovative, state-of-the-art health care. The firm is also constructing an ambulatory center for New York University in Brooklyn and planning a new pavilion in Patchogue, Long Island.
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One of the firm’s largest undertakings is the Brooklyn Army Terminal. This massive project consists of two huge buildings, A and B, originally constructed in 1918. The structures feature an existing rail yard running through them and were initially purposed for carrying munitions and supplies during World War Two. Since then, the terminal has been repurposed to support businesses and manufacturing, now housing restaurants and climate-focused technology companies. Suffolk is involved in various initiatives at the facility to upgrade and fully fit out the spaces. In the hospitality sector, the firm is currently building the Torch at 740 Eighth Avenue. This development will feature 1,800 hotel rooms across 40 stories. The design includes a concrete core extending up to 80 stories, which will support an observation tower, two restaurants, and four drop rides, allowing guests to experience a free-falling drop down the middle.
Giordano acknowledged that construction in New York City is currently difficult due to specific tax laws that include construction wage requirements, as well as various rezonings and legalities. To manage costs effectively, Suffolk aims to involve clients early in the process. This early engagement allows the firm to assist in managing construction aspects, refining designs based on regulatory requirements, and conducting constructability analyses and budget checks. Giordano emphasized that the success of a project is largely determined by the cost of the land relative to what is ultimately built on it. Consequently, the firm strives to act as a partner before a project is entitled or real, recognizing that much of the work required for success occurs before a shovel is put into the ground.
When asked to describe the process of taking a hypothetical 200-unit residential project in Manhattan from an idea to reality, Giordano outlined a systematic approach. Initially, the firm provides a “back of the envelope” estimate based on their experience and databases to project construction costs and budgets. This is followed by a constructability analysis to determine the necessary logistics and the timeline, which evolves into a schedule. During this phase, the team engages in value engineering to evaluate material choices, such as deciding between a curtain wall or poured-in-place concrete. They collaborate with the design team to influence the design, ensuring it not only complies with codes and guidelines but also aligns with the owner’s budget and vision.
