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Owner: Beginnings Credit Union
Architect: John Snyder Architects
Location: Ithaca, NY
Completion Date: July 2026

Design-Build

Fahs Construction Group served as General Contractor for a complete interior transformation of an existing branch location in Ithaca, NY, executed in conjunction with the credit union’s system-wide rebrand from CFCU Community Credit Union to Beginnings Credit Union. Delivered in two phases, with Fahs self-performing sitework and concrete ahead of interior construction, the project carried the space from a dated, compartmentalized banking floor plan to an open, member-centric retail banking environment reflecting the credit union’s new brand identity.

Mid-course, the project transitioned to a design-build delivery model, with Fahs partnering directly with John Snyder Architects to finalize design, value-engineer systems and finishes, and keep the work moving through preconstruction, permitting, and build-out on a compressed schedule.

Self-Performed Site Work: Ahead of interior construction, Fahs self-performed parking and drive-lane paving along with ITM lane concrete, setting up the exterior infrastructure needed to support the branch’s new equipment and traffic flow before the interior buildout began.

Demo and Structural: The renovation started with a full interior demo back to shell/structure, including selective structural modifications to accommodate the new floor plan. Life-safety systems remained in service throughout, allowing the existing branch to stay operational during construction.

Interior Buildout: Scope included framing, drywall, and custom millwork at the teller line and community area, storefront and glazing work, a specialty ceiling assembly, doors and hardware including secure vault access, a new flooring package, and an ADA restroom renovation — carrying the space to the open, retail-style layout central to the rebrand.

MEP Coordination: Fahs led full trade coordination across an electrical service upgrade to support teller and ITM loads, structured cabling for data, security, and ITM connectivity, HVAC rebalancing, and fire alarm/sprinkler modifications, along with security and card-access rough-in.

Equipment and Rebrand Coordination: GC-furnished infrastructure — power, data, and casework — was sequenced to match owner-furnished vendor installs, including the cash recycler, ITM, and vault equipment, with signage and graphics coordinated to support the rebrand rollout.

The result is a branch that reflects Beginnings Credit Union’s new identity in both look and function — delivered on a compressed schedule through close collaboration between Fahs and John Snyder Architects across a mid-project shift to design-build delivery.

 

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Owner: Square Deal Partners, LLC
Architect: Delta Engineers, Architects, & Surveyors
Location: Johnson City, NY
Completion Date: June 2026

As General Contractor, Fahs Construction Group led the adaptive reuse conversion of the former Davis College campus in Johnson City, NY, transforming historic dormitories, classrooms, and office buildings into Riverside Gardens — a 67-unit market-rate multifamily community with roughly 22,000 square feet of commercial space. The project reflects Fahs’s growing portfolio of multifamily and mixed-use construction across the Southern Tier and Central New York, building on similar work completed at LOFTS@JC in Johnson City.

Building Conversion and Tradework: Scope began with full abatement and demolition to return the existing structures to shell condition, followed by new elevator installations and complete tradework buildout — framing, MEP rough-in, drywall, and finishes — throughout the residential and common areas. Units are conditioned with energy-efficient ductless split systems for heating and cooling, an approach Fahs has applied consistently across its multifamily renovation projects in the region.

Self-Performed Site Work: Fahs self-performed sitework and paving across the 16-acre campus, including new asphalt and site utilities. Our self-perform trades capabilities allow Fahs to better control schedule and quality on multifamily and mixed-use developments.

Overcoming Existing Conditions: As is common on adaptive reuse and historic renovation projects, the team encountered significant existing structural conditions and architectural/engineering coordination issues once the buildings were opened up, adding approximately 150 days of work to the schedule. Fahs’s self-perform flexibility across trades and proactive field coordination allowed the project to stay on its original completion date and within budget despite the added scope — a track record multifamily developers and construction managers can rely on when historic or occupied-building conversions carry unknown conditions.

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If you own or manage a commercial property in Upstate New York and you’re facing a major sitework project — whether that’s a new ground-up build, a campus expansion, a parking and drainage overhaul, or a brownfield redevelopment — this guide is written for you. Here’s what experienced owners and facility directors ask us before the first shovel goes in the ground.

What Is “Significant” Sitework — and Why Does It Deserve Its Own Planning Track?

Sitework is the work that happens before your building goes up: clearing, excavation, grading, underground utilities, stormwater infrastructure, erosion control, and final site preparation. On a small project, sitework is a line item. On a significant commercial project — anything from a new 50,000 SF medical office to a campus utility upgrade to a large industrial site — sitework is its own critical path.

What makes sitework “significant” in the Upstate New York context? Generally: any disturbance over one acre (which triggers state permitting), projects with complex soil or rock conditions, sites near wetlands or waterways, projects that require major utility coordination, or any site where poor execution will compromise the long-term performance of pavements, foundations, or drainage systems. If your project checks any of those boxes, it needs dedicated pre-construction attention.

What Does Commercial Sitework Actually Cost in Upstate NY?

This is the question owners ask first, and the honest answer is: it depends heavily on what’s below the surface. That said, here are realistic ranges based on our experience with commercial projects across Broome, Chenango, Tioga, Tompkins, and Onondaga counties:

The most reliable way to establish your sitework budget is to get a contractor involved during pre-construction — ideally before your architect finalizes the grading plan. Changes to earthwork volumes and utility routing are nearly free on paper. They’re expensive after bid day.

What Permits Do You Need for Commercial Sitework in New York State?

Permitting is where Upstate NY projects most often lose time. The permit landscape involves multiple agencies, and timelines vary significantly by municipality. Here’s what’s typically required on a significant commercial sitework project:

1. Site Plan Approval (Local Municipality)

Any new commercial development or major change to site drainage, grading, or impervious coverage requires site plan approval from the local planning board. In Broome County municipalities, review cycles typically run 30–90 days. In smaller towns, review may happen monthly — meaning a missed meeting can add 30 days to your schedule.

2. SPDES General Permit (NY DEC)

Any land disturbance of one acre or more requires coverage under New York State’s SPDES General Permit for Stormwater Discharges from Construction Activity (GP-0-20-001). This requires a registered Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) prepared by a qualified professional. Plan on 2–4 weeks for SWPPP preparation and submission if you’re not already in the process.

3. Utility Permits

Connections to municipal water, sewer, and gas require individual permits from the relevant utility authority. In the City of Binghamton and Johnson City, these are handled through the Department of Public Works. In rural counties, coordination with county highway departments and private utilities adds lead time.

4. Wetlands and SEQRA Review (If Applicable)

If your site is within 100 feet of a regulated wetland or waterway, an Article 24 Freshwater Wetlands Permit from DEC may be required. Projects above certain size thresholds also trigger SEQRA (State Environmental Quality Review Act) review. Sites in valley areas — common along the Susquehanna, Chenango, and Tioughnioga river corridors — frequently encounter this.

How Long Does Commercial Sitework Take?

In Upstate New York, the practical outdoor construction window runs from roughly April through November. Sitework in frozen or saturated ground is possible but expensive and risky. Here’s a realistic timeline framework:

An owner who starts pre-construction in January or February — even before final design is complete — can realistically break ground in April or May. An owner who waits for a fully permitted set of drawings before engaging a contractor often finds themselves waiting until the following spring.

5 Questions to Ask Any Sitework Contractor Before You Hire

Not all sitework contractors are equal. On a significant commercial project, your contractor’s experience, equipment fleet, and local knowledge will determine whether your project starts on schedule and on budget — or doesn’t.

1. Have you worked extensively in this specific geography?
Subsurface conditions are hyperlocal. A contractor who has excavated 50 sites in Broome and Chenango counties knows what’s likely below the surface before the geotechnical report comes back. That knowledge reduces contingency and improves bid accuracy.

2. Do you self-perform sitework or subcontract it?
Self-performing contractors — those who own their equipment and employ their operators — have more control over schedule, quality, and safety. Ask specifically: who operates the excavators, graders, and compaction equipment on your project?

3. Can you handle sitework and general construction under one contract?
When a single contractor manages both phases, coordination problems disappear. Schedule handoffs are cleaner, value engineering is easier, and there’s single-source accountability if issues arise. For Upstate NY project owners, an integrated contractor typically delivers a better outcome than managing two separate scopes.

4. What is your track record on projects of this size and type?
Ask for references from commercial projects — healthcare, education, industrial, municipal — in the $3M+ range. Sitework on a 5-acre commercial campus is a fundamentally different undertaking than residential grading. Verify that the contractor’s portfolio matches your project’s scale and complexity.

5. How do you handle unforeseen conditions?
Even the best geotechnical reports have surprises. Ask how the contractor communicates and prices unforeseen rock, groundwater, or utility conflicts. A contractor with a clear, documented change order process and a track record of fair dealing on changed conditions is worth more than the lowest initial bid.

Why Fahs Construction Group for Sitework in Upstate NY

Fahs Construction Group has been doing sitework in Upstate New York since 1947. Our Sitework Division self-performs excavation, grading, underground utilities, erosion control, and site drainage across Broome, Chenango, Tioga, Tompkins, Cortland, and Onondaga counties — and beyond.

We are a 100% employee-owned company. Every person on our crew has a direct stake in the quality of your project. We handle sitework as a standalone scope and as part of integrated general construction contracts — which means we can be your single point of accountability from pre-construction through final paving.

Our project experience spans healthcare campuses, SUNY facilities, municipal infrastructure, industrial sites, and large-scale multi-unit residential developments — projects ranging from $3 million to $60 million. We know the soil. We know the permits. We know the municipalities.

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Built as the new home of the Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce and The Agency (formerly Broome County IDA/LDC), this facility was designed to serve as the hub for economic development activity across Broome County. Fahs delivered the project under an accelerated design-build schedule, requiring close collaboration with the architect, Delta Engineers, and the owner team to meet an aggressive timeline without compromising quality.

Structural work included a concrete foundation and a structural steel frame, with an eye-catching exterior featuring split-face block and brick, a metal-panel wall system, and a dramatic two-story glass atrium. Roofing systems included a standing-seam metal roof over ice-and-water shield, along with a TPO flat roof. Interior finishes incorporated metal stud and drywall framing, painted exposed ceilings, ceramic and carpet tile flooring, and acoustical ceiling systems — all executed to a high standard befitting a flagship civic and business development facility.

This project was recognized with a 2017 ACEC New York Silver Engineering Excellence Award, a testament to the quality of design and construction delivered by the project team.

The Agency Business Center stands today as one of the most recognizable commercial buildings in the Southern Tier — and a symbol of Broome County’s commitment to economic growth and regional investment. For Fahs Construction Group, it represents exactly the kind of work we do best: complex, community-shaping projects built on collaboration, precision, and local pride.

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