D&P Builders
A Passion For Building

By Jan Wilson

The partnership of the two principals of O+D Builders is the perfect example of how the sum is greater than its parts, and why these parts have formed the new entity of D&P Builders. “Joining forces worked for us because each of us had our own area of expertise that complimented on another. As a result of combining forces we have expanded our portfolio of markets and potential future markets,” says Phil Pignatelli, Principal.

Indeed, the men had always been impressed with each other’s business acumen, growing up in the industry around the same time. “We knew that the two of us could cast a wider net that would ultimately lead to more growth and success,” says DeSarno.  Russell Maltz,  D&P Builders’ Director of Project Management adds: “What sets our firm apart is that our top executives, in addition to their extensive experience in various areas, also have a great ability to communicate and gain client confidence. It’s not surprising that their clients saw that a relationship between them could be mutually beneficial.” 

Bringing together expertise in nightlife entertainment, retail, hospitality, education, healthcare, and corporate interiors—among other market sectors—D&P Builders is growing rapidly and is poised to enter this new decade as a premier builder whose attention to detail and service to clients is unmatched. 

Approach & Methodology
Pignatelli came from a family with deep roots in the construction business, but initially thought that he might take a different route. “I was at University of Buffalo as an International Business major,” he says, “The last thing I wanted to do was to jump into working with my family. So after graduation I set out to make my mark on Wall Street.  It only took a few months before the peer pressure from both sides of my family made me reconsider.”  DeSarno went to New York Institute of Technology in Farmingdale, Long Island to study architecture and worked for an engineering firm during college.  After graduating, he was approached by a New York City construction firm and his career took off.

After working for a variety of different firms, both men decided it was the right time to launch their own firms, with Pignatelli forming D. Hill Consulting, and DeSarno forming O + D Builders with Lionel Ohayon, owner and founder of ICRAVE Design. 

The company’s new name, D&P Builders, reflects the strength of Pignatelli and DeSarno’s partnership, which started in 2008 and “renewed our passion for building,” says Pignatelli.  Adds DeSarno: “Especially faced with today’s market, you need to bring that passion to your work and to your clients.  It makes all the difference.”

The firm’s principals are careful to note that building client loyalty through the quality of their work is a key to their success. Pignatelli says: “There are many general contractors doing the same thing we do, but few can match the style and dedication with which we do it.  Our clients value our conscientiousness and that’s what makes us so valuable to them.” 

Constructing projects in New York City is always challenging, so Pignatelli stresses that the firm is collaborative, not confrontational, with the project team and the client.  The firm also employs a strategy of marketing to certain businesses at different times of the year, depending on their business cycle, therefore raising their chances of catching the client at the time when they are most likely to launch a new project.  “You can’t solicit business without a plan,” says Pignatelli.  “You have to find out where people are in their budgeting cycle.  For instance, in our Vertical Marketing strategy we market to retailers knowing they would like to have their new look by Fashion Week and to hospitals on a quarterly basis, while school projects typically require a set time for approvals, construction, testing & commissioning before the school year begins.”

The company approaches safety issues in a similarly thoughtful and analytical fashion. “All of our construction employees have gone through many hours of OSHA safety programs,” says Greg Butler, Principal – Director of Operations.  The company also invites other contractors on its public projects to come in to be trained.  “Our public sector clients, such as the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York love that we do this,” he says.  “We are bringing a private sector mentality to public sector work.” 

Perhaps the most important part of D&P Builders’ philosophy is always staying committed to the project until the end.  “I can honestly say that on any project—no matter how difficult—we stick with it until the end,” DeSarno says.  “That’s something our clients can count on time and time again.” 

Wide-Ranging Expertise
“Our philosophy is to pursue projects where we are confident that our experience and resources match the project objectives and we have the right approach to make the client happy,” says DeSarno.  With his background in the demanding arena of high-end nightclubs and restaurants, he was gratified to be able to join forces with Pignatelli, who had a background in core and shell, public sector, retail and corporate work.

D. Hill Consulting was founded in 2004 by Pignatelli and completed successful projects for many prestigious clients including Salvatore Ferragamo, Yves St. Laurent, LaGuardia Community College, New York University, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, Warner Music, Kings County Hospital, New Bronx Housing Court and 666 Fifth Avenue.  

Butler started in construction, focusing on carpentry when he was a teenager and by 22 had formed his first company, working in high-end residential construction in Connecticut. “I have always wanted to build and I have always wanted to be in the field,” he says.

Many of the 24 staff members at D&P Builders have extensive experience in the construction industry and have been drawn from many professional disciplines in order to form a well-rounded team.  “Our staffers are degreed professionals from architecture, engineering, and construction management,” says DeSarno.  “At some firms the project managers have an accounting background or lack a formal education in construction.  We strongly prefer bringing on experienced professionals who have the education and training in design and construction.    When our staff is communicating with the client and architect during the design, estimating and construction phase they are able to share their knowledge of what materials and techniques will work best.  We pride ourselves on our ability to help create the best results at the lowest costs, with an eye toward both ‘first costs’ and ongoing maintenance expenses.” 

Maltz has 30 years of experience in the construction trades and, as a Director of Project Management, is the on-site face of D&P Builders. “I am responsible for the scheduling of projects and client/architect relationships,” he says. “I am hands-on in all aspects of the projects from bidding to close outs.”  Maltz’s background as a general superintendent, coupled with his Masters of Fine Arts Degree in painting, means that in addition to having an aptitude for managing difficult logistics, he also provides the client with an eye for aesthetics not always seen in field work.

A key aspect of D&P Builders’ service to its clients is its firm’s in-house expeditor, Ralph DeSarno.  “Code consulting can be done with the design team during the design phase to save time and money,” says Pignatelli. “We can focus on value planning, not reengineering, an approved design.”

D&P Builders’ public sector experience means that clients, public or private, get a high level of supervision and accountability on every project, and that all clients have access to the newest materials—some of which might not yet have made their way into public sector projects.  “Our public sector clients like working with a contractor who knows the value of running a job as efficiently as possible, even though public jobs are often generous with their schedules,” says Butler.  “Also, while a lot of consultants who do mainly public work have a standard materials list that may become static, we bring in new materials that we used successfully in our other business segments—such as restaurants—and this gives the client more, viable choices.”

A prime example of an innovative approach to public sector work was work performed at Jacobi Medical Center.  Pignatelli was engaged to erect three exterior chimneys and needed to install footings at a depth of 20 feet on a small lot. Due to the code for excavation and trenching, the excavation for these footings would have rendered the projects’s staging area unusable. The firm asked the client to add money to the budget for piles, rather than simply excavating, with an eye toward achieving significant savings during the construction phases.

“We believed that we would more than make up the costs in time saved and not having to provide space for staging areas,” says Pignatelli.  The firm avoided sheathing and underpinning the project because test borings revealed that there was sustainable rock to auger into.  “The real benefit to this approach was in not disrupting the site,” he says.  “The excavation would have taken place at the site’s main staging point. Not having to alter that entry significantly reduced excavation costs and benefited every other prime trade as well.”
 
An Understanding of Design
“As someone who comes from an architecture background, I can point out different ways to make a designer’s vision come to life because we speak the same language,” says DeSarno.   This is particularly true when D&P Builders has a ‘seat at the first table’ during the conceptual phases; a trend which is becoming more standard as clients recognize that the general contractor should be an integral part of the initial project team. “We are often dealing with team members who need a construction firm that can work with them on the technical aspects of a project,” DeSarno says.  “It is important that we manage their expectations and give them the look that they want at a price they can afford and that will be functional in the space.”

When working on design-build projects with hospitality clients, DeSarno says, this type of expertise is key “because of the strict time frames.  Owners always want to get started right away to meet a planned opening date and therefore often make changes during construction.”  Owners understand that they need to work with an experienced team can complete the job under such challenging conditions.  “A contractor working for this kind of client has to know what it will take to get through the last three weeks,” says DeSarno. 

DeSarno’s first design/build project was for the 2,800 SF nightclubs Pangaea, on Lafayette Street.  “We received this assignment right after September 11th,” says DeSarno.  “The city was in a total state of remorse, and Downtown needed a club that felt safe and warm.  We were able to create that quickly and efficiently and it was an incredible success.”   The group followed that with the design of the Dorsia, a similarly sized nightclub that was completed in just four weeks. “The owner wanted it to open on Halloween,” says DeSarno. “They counted on us to work 24/7 to build it in that time frame.  On top of that, the contract had a guaranteed maximum price—there was no way that we could go over budget.”  The firm completed that job on time “although we were bringing in the last of the pillows as the customers were standing on line waiting to get in,” DeSarno says.  The quality of their construction, efficiency and attention to details and adherence to almost impossible scheduling demands created a reputation that continues to this day.

Currently, the firm is acting as owners’ representative at the Cosmopolitan Hotel, a boutique property at 95 West Broadway.  “We are demolishing a two-story building that is next to the existing hotel in order to create a 30,000 SF addition,” says Pignatelli.   “This is a very technical excavation project because there is Metropolitan Transit Authority property right next door with a myriad of restrictions.  We were retained due to our proven record for working within these parameters and delivering on time and on budget.”

Other recent hospitality projects constructed by D&P Builders include:
• The rooftop at STK, in the Meatpacking District. The space was designed by Icrave.

• Provocateur at the Gansevoort Hotel. The firm transformed a restaurant into a full-scale nightclub. “We had to do a complete soundproofing installation so that we didn’t disturb any tenants or customers within the hotel both during construction and after completion,” says DeSarno. “With 50,000 decibels of music pumping, you can still hear a pin drop on the second floor.”  

High-Quality Renovations
When a fire destroyed their building, the parent volunteer group worked closely with D&P Builders to restore the Adolph Schreiber Hebrew Academy in Monsey, NY. “This was the only Orthodox school in the community, and it was very important that it be rebuilt,” says Pignatelli.  “We also helped the school’s board with their insurance claims.” The 10,000 SF renovation included a new kitchen, theatrical lights, stage, new HVAC and flooring. “Phil came in and helped us coordinate the project even before he was hired and coordinated the design and the approval process,” states Michael Silvermintz, Chairman, Adolph Schreiber Hebrew Academy.  “All the while he was extraordinarily sensitive to our budget concerns.”

For IMG World Art+Commerce, the firm provided a central role in achieving and building out the new IMG Art studio for 25th Street Art Partners in Chelsea.  “IMG Worldwide recently leased loft space at 531 West 25th Street and worked with D+P on the turnkey build out of the space,” states Rosalie Mignano, Vice President, Global Real Estate & Facilities, IMG Worldwide.  “D+P Builders, in conjunction with our architect, completed the construction to our specifications, and to our surprise brought several upgrades elements into the project. They clearly demonstrated their expertise in marrying good design and functionality in a modern and open space. The on-site project management team was present every step of the way, making suggestions on improvements to elements that enhanced the overall finish of the space, and were instrumental in coordinating all trades and schedules to ensure our space was delivered on-time and without significant cost overruns. We are very pleased with the professionalism and personal attention provided to us in completing this project which truly exceeded our expectations.”

A Retail Focus
Salvatore Ferragamo had been a long-time D. Hill Consulting client, and D&P has recently completely two new projects for the fashion design company.  At the Ferragamo project located within Bloomingdale’s flagship store at 59th Street, the firm had to build a 450 SF department “like a Swiss watch” Maltz says, including custom millwork and lighting fixtures that were designed in Italy and fabricated by American craftsman.  “We also had to coordinate the schedule with Bloomingdales and Ferragamo, doing the noisy work in the middle of the night, and using evening and early morning shifts for all deliveries,” he says. The project required a highly precise approach and careful implementation and was completed on time and on budget.  Pignatelli also completed a store for the company in Bal Harbour, FL and office space in Secaucus, NJ.

Other retail projects in which Pignatelli has had a critical hand in include two locations in New York for Liz Claiborne, YSL Flagship Store and offices, Christian Dior Men’s and Women’s Stores, Alexander McQueen, Stella MacCartney, Via Spiga Shoes, and a host of others.  These projects all required precise implementation in order to integrate high end finishes, lighting and millwork seamlessly together while following strict budgets and challenging schedules.

The Office Experts
D&P personnel’s has performed office build outs and renovations for many public and private entities, including:
• A 35,000 SF interior build out for WSP Flack & Kurtz

• An interior build out for Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, totaling 37,000 SF. The company also constructed a 52,000 SF buildout for the law firm in White Plains. 

• Administration offices for LaGuardia Community College, totaling 18,000 SF in Long Island City.

• 65,000 SF corporate fit out for Bel Core, Piscataway, NJ including Administrative Offices, Conference Rooms and Laboratories.

• 95,000 SF corporate fit out Port Authority of NY/NJ comprised of Offices, Kitchen & Cafeteria and areas of Public Assembly.

A Bright Future
“We are aiming for controlled, careful growth,” says DeSarno. “We believe in serving our clients well and always striving to build relationships, not just projects.”

The firm recently moved to new offices at 133 West 25th Street, a space well-designed to accommodate its growing staff. With millions of dollars in new revenue being generated in the last several months, the partners are convinced that D&P Builders will continue to flourish.  “We believe that over time,” says Pignatelli, “our company will eventually leave its fingerprints all over the City.”