CUSTOMER STORY
Civico Development Partnered With Pugh Management to Bring Oriole Landing to Life
Andrew Consigli is the Founder and Managing Partner of Civico Development, a Boston-based family office, that invests in and develops real estate. A registered architect for two decades, Andrew has a keen eye for design — and a passion for sustainability and historic preservation. Raised in a construction family, he could have gone into construction himself. But he didn’t want to build someone else’s vision. He wanted to build his own.
“Starting up Civico five years ago, the idea was to partner with other development folks who had the same sort of vision as my family and I,” Andrew said. “We named the company Civico because we wanted to put forth a civic spirit in every project we did.”
About Civico Development
Civico’s mission is to design and construct high-quality buildings, streetscapes, and neighborhoods that significantly enhance the social livability and environmental sustainability of communities.
- Founded: 2015
- Location: Boston, MA
- Size: Small (1-24 employees)
Andrew and his family office invest directly in real estate projects, mainly multifamily — often in New England town centers where development and density are sensitive subjects. In addition to wealth preservation and creation, Civico also pursues community, social and sustainability goals. Because of this, their projects can be complex. “As a developer, there’s so much to do. You can get caught up in the weeds very quickly,” Andrew said.
Civico Development and Pugh Management: Cut From the Same Cloth
Andrew is an active member of several professional organizations, including Congress for the New Urbanism whose mission is to champion walkable urbanism. That’s where he met John Pugh, a fellow member with similar interests. John is the Founder of Pugh Management, a Boston-based real estate project manager and development partner for institutional owners and family offices.
“[John and I] were starting from the same cloth essentially,” Andrew said. “We had the same values — creating good urban environments, and creating well designed buildings that fit into the environment.” Whereas some developers just want to turn a quick profit, Andrew and John were committed to using high-quality materials and sustainable design solutions to build long-term value for investors, residents, and the community.
As Andrew soon discovered, one of the benefits of partnering with Pugh Management is access to deal flow. In fact, John found the Oriole Landing opportunity after more than two-years of looking for the right deal. Immediately, Andrew saw its potential: a beautiful town, close to Boston, with few multifamily developments. And with that, Pugh Management partnered with Civico to develop Oriole Landing.
To partner with someone, you have to have an alignment of values and a shared vision. “Pugh Management from the get-go was aligned with the vision of Civico and what we wanted out of this development,” Andrew said. “They kept that vision and integrity throughout the process ... which lasted three-and-a-half years.”
Development can be Like a Roller Coaster — Pugh Management Kept the Car on Track
Andrew’s family invested in the deal as a Co-General Partner via Consigli Real Estate Holdings. And the town of Lincoln awarded the project a generous $1 million grant. The award is a testament to the town’s support of Civico’s vision — and to John’s financial skills.
“John has a finance degree and he worked on Wall Street,” Andrew said. “From the very beginning, he went above and beyond.” On the initial analysis and the offering memorandum, Pugh Management worked diligently and quickly, and their effort paid off: Civico got the investment money faster than anticipated. “He really stepped up,” Andrew added.
In addition to his financial acumen, John is an experienced architect who worked in the construction field. Andrew said that John’s generalist approach gives Civico a competitive advantage. “Working with Pugh felt comfortable from the beginning, knowing I had someone with the skill sets needed to succeed,” Andrew said. “Pugh has all the tools necessary because a developer has to wear many hats.”
Andrew continued: “Development is like a roller coaster. There are highs and lows to every process, every part of the process. And so to be comfortable with someone along the entire way is hard to do. And we came out successfully.”
“Pugh Management Was Fantastic.”
The Oriole Landing project concluded in September of 2020. It’s a special property, centered around a courtyard with a community vegetable garden for residents. Pedestrians co-exist in a safe and walkable utopia. Elements such as a refurbished tractor, a windmill, and colorful birdhouses add charm to the 60-unit apartment complex. The show stopper? Civico relocated the 1873 Dexter C. Harris House on the site and reimagined it as a potting shed for residents.
“I had a vision in my head of what I wanted this development to look like,” Andrew said. “Pugh was able to watch the budget and say ‘you got to hold back’ or ‘you should put your money here.’ That really helped the process. To have someone to guide you along the way and tell you you shouldn’t do that or you should do that is very helpful because you can get lost in the details.”
Andrew noted that Pugh Management has many tools in their toolbox: “To wear that many hats and to have that amount of experience is very important — and very rare as well.” As a developer with a few successful projects under its belt, Andrew said Civico will continue to work with Pugh because they are a proven entity. Not only did they play a key role in deal sourcing and strategic analysis, but they were also there to execute Andrew’s vision every step of the way.
In the end, Civico delivered what it promised: a contextual development punctuated by small, loving elements that add value to the community. All was brought to fruition in concert with Pugh. “Pugh Management was fantastic,” Andrew said. “[Developing] is difficult and complex. It takes someone who has a lot of smarts, a lot of commitment, guiding principles they stand by and is very personable. I would definitely recommend Pugh to family, friends, or other developers looking for someone to bring a development to fruition.”
