Jim Chacharone started a construction business in 1982, building single-family homes in the Worcester area, which eventually expanded to acquire commercial buildings. Chacharone Properties has 12 full-time employees and is located at Chadwick Court. A graduate of Brooklyn Polytech Institute, Mr. Chacharone worked in the aerospace industry for 20 years for companies, including IBM and United Aircraft. Chacharone Properties owns approximately 2 million square feet of property.

For people unfamiliar with your company, could you describe what you do?

“Chacharone Properties develops and manages commercial and industrial property. We either purchase and renovate existing office/commercial property or develop it ourselves. We also lease out and manage our own properties. Our in-house construction company, C&S Construction, offers custom turnkey build-outs to our tenants. C&S provides timely, day-to-day maintenance. This gives us a distinct advantage over our competitors.”

What are some examples of your projects?

“Our business portfolio includes Chadwick Court and Lakeview Court in Worcester. Many of our tenants are professional medical offices. Chadwick Court, on the corner of West Boylston Street and Grove Street, includes Starbucks and United Bank as tenants. It was the first class A office building to be built in Worcester in 20 years. Lakeview Court is across from the Greendale YMCA and it overlooks Indian Lake. Our two newest industrial spaces are located on 10 Pullman St. and 243 Stafford St. in Worcester. We acquired them earlier this year and are currently undergoing renovations. These warehouse facilities include Blue Hive Inc., Top Prospect Baseball/Softball Academy and Eternity Ironworks.”

Is it usual to have an in-house maintenance team available?

“It is not usual. However, we think our team sets us apart from other developers. When our tenants call with an issue, they’re speaking with our office manager or principal of the company. We take their needs seriously and do everything to respond as soon as possible. Having our own service team – including carpenters, plumbers and electricians – as well as construction supervisors allows us to quickly address tenants’ needs 24/7. We’re able to offer on-the-spot decisions to address all tenant requests. There is no middle man.”

Why is Worcester a good location for development?

“Worcester is ideal because it is centrally located. At the time we started construction on Chadwick Court, we recognized the need for class A office space outside the business district. I’d previously developed 40 Millbrook St. and the Ice House on Grove Street, which housed the Boston Billiards Club, and became familiar with the area and took advantage of the property, formerly Nick’s Grill, to construct Chadwick Court. From there, we continued to develop in Worcester with Brittan Court at 299 Lincoln St. and Lakeview Court at 102 Shore Drive.”

Do you have geographical boundaries?

“We’re concentrated in Central Mass. from Marlboro to Sturbridge. With the opportunities available in Central Mass., we remain focused on the Worcester area, where we can best service our properties from our home office. If we find an opportunity to expand beyond Central Mass., we’ll certainly consider it.”

Describe your development of a facility for Table Talk Pies.

“We’re partnering in the construction of a new 50,000-square-foot facility building with Table Talk Pies for the expansion of their business in Worcester. Table Talk Pies has been in Worcester since 1924, and Chacharone Properties not only wants to keep this reputable company in the city, but we also recognize the potential of the South Worcester Industrial Park (SWIP), which has been vacant for 20 years. This Table Talk Pies expansion will create new jobs for the city, which we’re always excited to see. If all goes well, the new facility will be up and running in time for the 2017 holiday season.”

What do you consider to be the most challenging project you’ve ever worked on?

“Exciting might be a better word. All of our projects are challenging in different ways. For some, the site was the challenge. In other projects, the structure itself presented challenges and in others, the completion schedule became a challenge. At 220 Brooks St. in Worcester, we had to complete a total renovation of 60,000 square feet for Porter and Chester Institute within 10 weeks. This included office space, academic and technical facilities, and a full automotive repair training garage.”

Worcester Telegram