Carpenters Union opens new headquarters in Dorchester

As reported by Jon Chesto in today's Patriot Ledger:

BOSTON — New England union opens a new headquarters in Dorchester

Motorists on the Southeast Expressway are passing a new landmark on their commutes in and out of Boston: the new three-story headquarters for the New England Regional Council of Carpenters.

The 75,000-square-foot building’s exterior has essentially two faces: a modern wall along the highway and a more traditional cedar-paneled facade that can be seen from the neighborhood. Union spokesman Bert Durand said the mix was intentional, partly as a courtesy to the union’s residential neighbors and partly as a reflection of the union membership’s varied range of skills.

The most distinct feature is a 30-foot tall digital sign that can be seen from the expressway. The sign’s LED lights can quickly be reprogrammed to show a new image. The union is using the sign to promote the carpentry trade, as well as providing public service announcements and supporting favored political candidates.

The carpenters council relocated last month from its old headquarters on Summer Street in South Boston. The new building allowed the union to move its training facility from Brighton, as well as other operations, under one roof within the past few weeks.

The carpenters union had been looking for a new location for at least a decade, union officials said. Durand said the union also considered locations in South Boston’s marine industrial park and on Morrissey Boulevard.

The current site at 750 Dorchester Ave. was picked for several reasons, including the ample parking, visibility and easy highway access. The property is also convenient to the Red Line, as it sits between the Andrew Square and JFK/UMass stops.

The union bought the property in 2008 from an owner of Dirigo Spice for more than $5 million, although the site had fallen into disuse. The structure was originally built in the 1940s as a laundry for the Archdiocese of Boston. The old building was gutted and its second story was removed, and the carpenters used the first floor as a foundation to build a new second level and a third level.

Mark Erlich, the council’s executive secretary-treasurer, said the union spent about $19 million on construction. More than 900 union members participated in the construction project in some way, as subcontractors, apprentices or volunteers, Erlich said. “We want our members to feel like it’s their building,” he said.

To view the article online, including pictures, click here.

A Look Inside - The History Wall

There are various touches throughout the facility that not only highlight carpenters work but add character to the building. One such feature is the History Wall located on the second floor.

Fourteen sepia-toned photographic images, mounted on ¾” Plexiglas, hang on the walls starting at the second floor lobby and running down the hall in to the open area at the communicating stair that connects the first and second floors.



Twelve of the images are mounted on 3’x6’ panels and two images, which mark the beginning of the History Wall in the lobby, stretch across six 3’x6’ panels.



A memorial to the trade and its workers, the images date back to 1881 and run through present day, including three shots taken during the construction of the Carpenters Center.



The History Wall celebrates the membership of the Carpenters Union and the evolution of the craft through the years.

Then and now

January 2009


February 2010


January 2009


February 2010


January 2009


February 2010

Business Solutions Center to open next week

First Trade Union Bank will open a Business Solutions Center on the second floor of the Carpenters Center. The new banking center will officially open its doors for business on Tuesday, February 16th, 2010. The bank will be open five days a week, Monday-Friday, from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM ET on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays and will be open from 9:30 to 5:30 PM ET on Thursdays.

The banking center is designed to provide a wide range of financial services. Union officials and contractors are invited to stop by to discuss business banking needs, from checking accounts and cash management to the full portfolio of lending products, which includes SBA programs. From checking and savings accounts to mortgages and Online Banking, First Trade can also meet all of your personal banking needs. The Bank provides customized products and programs for union members so make sure to stop by to learn more.

A full-service ATM will be located next to the Bank and a computer kiosk inside will allow First Trade customers to do their banking online at ftub.com during business hours.

The banking center will be staffed with a full-time, experienced banking professional to assist with all business and personal banking needs. Other banking professionals will be available by appointment.

Carpenters Center Occupant Addresses

New England Regional Council of Carpenters
750 Dorchester Ave., Unit 1
Boston, MA 02125-1132

New England Carpenters Labor Management Program
750 Dorchester Ave., Suite 3100
Boston, MA 02125-1132

Pile Drivers Local 56
750 Dorchester Ave., Suite 3200
Boston, MA 02125-1132

Mill/Cabinet Local 51
750 Dorchester Ave., Suite 3300
Boston, MA 02125-1132

Wood Frame Local 723
750 Dorchester Ave., Suite 3400
Boston, MA 02125-1132

Floorcoverers JATC
750 Dorchester Ave., Suite 3500
Boston, MA 02125-1132

Boston Carpenters Apprenticeship and Training Center
750 Dorchester Ave., Unit 2
Boston, MA 02125-1132

First Trade Union Bank
750 Dorchester Ave., Suite 2100
Boston, MA 02125-1132

Vision Center
750 Dorchester Ave., Suite 2200
Boston, MA 02125-1132

Office staff moved in to third floor

Last week furniture was delivered and assembled on the third floor of the building. NERCC staff moved from the previously leased space in South Boston in to the third floor over this past weekend. Additionally, staff from Piledrivers Local 56, Shop and Millmen Local 51, and Woodframe Local 723 have also moved their offices to the third floor.


Third room conference room.
Notice the view through the transparent LED sign.

Furniture assembly and move-in for office staff of the Boston Carpenters Apprenticeship and Training Fund on the second floor will begin next week.


Second floor pavilion/lobby area.

Move-in begins

Carpenters with Interstate Office Partitions are finalizing work on the third floor assembling office furniture. At the same time, staff from the New England Regional Council of Carpenters has started to move in to their office space on the floor. The move is scheduled to be complete by the end of this weekend.

There are some final punch list items to be completed by subcontractors throughout the building, all items are scheduled to be complete by the end of next week. A few items that will be finished this spring include landscaping, fencing and exterior painting at the terrace (including handrails).

The FFE (furniture, fixtures, and equipment) work on the second and first floors will be coordinated by the Boston JATC and are scheduled to be completed in the coming weeks.