Tag: American Campus Communities

PART 2: Delivering Passive House: From Strategy to Execution

From Principles to Practice
The value of Passive House is ultimately proven in execution. The following projects show how these principles translate into real-world outcomes.

Lessons from Harvard University Housing
Northstar has seen these principles play out across a range of project types, from historic renovations to large-scale residential developments. In each case, the common thread is not just the sustainability goal; it’s the coordination required to deliver it successfully.

A recent example is Harvard University Housing’s renovation projects at 5 Sacramento Street and 13 Kirkland Place in Cambridge, which achieved Passive House (PHIUS) certification. The projects transformed two 19th-century wood-framed buildings, one formerly used as a young adult mental health services office and the other formerly used as a single-family residence, into multi-unit housing for Harvard graduates and affiliates.

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Nick Dunn: Five Years Shaping Projects and Partnerships at Northstar

When Nick Dunn joined Northstar in 2021, he was also moving to a new city. His first Northstar project, Graduate Junction with American Campus Communities, brought him to Boston and became an important part of his professional growth over the past five years.

Today, Nick is a Project Manager with experience in the construction management and real estate industry. He brings a collaborative, solution-oriented approach to his work, supporting clients across residential, multifamily housing, and commercial real estate. During his time at Northstar, Nick has worked with project teams throughout different phases of the project life cycle, including planning, design administration, construction administration, closeout, program management, and move management, across projects ranging from multifamily housing and commercial office to early education and childcare.

Graduate Junction remains one of the projects that has been particularly meaningful in Nick’s career. As Project Manager, Nick supported the development and construction of two ground-up graduate dormitory buildings totaling more than 328,000 square feet in Cambridge, delivering 675 graduate student beds and amenity space.

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Northstar Celebrates Kerry Logue’s 10-Year Anniversary

Kerry is a skilled Senior Project Manager who has more than 17 years of experience in design, construction, and real estate. She brings a unique perspective to her work, with insight into communication, enabling her to thoughtfully support effective client relationships and team collaboration. A trusted partner, Kerry is known for the genuine relationships she builds and her ability to connect with people in ways that foster trust.

Kerry’s Northstar journey began with a variety of projects, from corporate tenant interiors to ground-up construction and capital improvements. She’s been involved in several notable projects, including a 21-story residential building for American Campus Communities at Northeastern University, the relocation of 2,000 Akamai Technologies employees, and AEW Capital Management’s headquarters. Along the way, Kerry has become known for her thoughtful leadership, collaborative spirit, and knack for navigating complex challenges.

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Celebrating Five Years: Peter Arsenault’s Impact at Northstar

Northstar is proud to celebrate Peter Arsenault’s five-year anniversary with the firm. In this time, Peter has become an indispensable member of the Northstar team, contributing over 17 years of project management expertise across life sciences, healthcare, R&D, capital improvements, tenant interiors, and ground-up development. 

As a Senior Project Manager, Peter has overseen projects from initial planning and design through construction and close-out, consistently achieving exceptional results on schedule and within budget. His experience includes work with life science clients, educational institutions, commercial developments, government agencies, and non-profit organizations, often on challenging, high-profile projects requiring precision, collaboration, and a deep understanding of the construction process. 

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A Conversation with our Intern, Ciara Donlan: Her View from the Construction Site

Northstar is committed to mentoring and nurturing the next generation of talent with a passion for pursuing careers in project management. As part of our internship/co-op program, we collaborate with institutions such as Northeastern University, Wentworth Institute of Technology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and CREST (Commercial Real Estate Success Training) to identify exceptional candidates.

We had the pleasure of welcoming Ciara Donlan to our team for the past six months. Ciara is from Pelham, New Hampshire, and is a Sophomore at Worcester Polytechnic Institute studying Management Engineering with a concentration in Mechanical Engineering. In her spare time, she enjoys swimming as well as playing pickleball and lacrosse.

During her time with us, she was actively involved with Dartmouth College’s student housing project, attending various weekly meetings and on-site visits, and supporting reviews of the drawing sets and project schedules. Beyond that, for Biogen, she helped manage multiple coordination spreadsheets and put together deliverables regarding the building’s utility buildout and usage forecasts. In addition, she supported the Harvard University Housing team, making progress schedules, reviewing drawings, and visiting on-site. She was also helping ACC’s 840 Columbus team with various other tasks.

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A Conversation with our Intern, Julian Herzing-Burkard: His View from the Construction Site

Northstar is committed to mentoring and nurturing the next generation of talent with a passion for pursuing careers in project management. As part of our internship/co-op program, we collaborate with institutions such as Northeastern University, Wentworth Institute of Technology, and CREST (Commercial Real Estate Success Training) to identify exceptional candidates.

We had the pleasure of welcoming Julian Herzing-Burkard to our team for the past six months. Julian is from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and is a rising Senior at Northeastern University studying international business. In his spare time, he plays and writes music, having released an instrumental album on Spotify, and plays in a rock cover band called “Hell on Heels” with his parents. He also enjoys playing soccer and other sports with friends.

During his time with us, he was actively involved in American Campus Communities 840 Columbus student housing project, attending various weekly meetings and on-site visits and supporting reviews of the drawing sets, project cost estimates, and project schedules. Additionally, he helped manage multiple coordination spreadsheets and put together deliverables regarding the building’s utility buildout and usage forecasts. He was also involved in projects for Sanofi’s headquarters, which involved punch list administration and direct coordination with consultants and the construction team to open new completed floors and prep spaces for construction. In addition, he supported the Biogen team and the Harvard University Housing team with various other tasks.

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Justin Caron Named a Rising Star

Northstar’s Justin Caron was recently featured in the New England Real Estate Journal’s Rising Stars Ones to Watch issue.

Below is an excerpt of what he shared about the professional milestone he is most proud of, a challenge he has overcome, the advice he would give to someone starting out in owner’s project management, and the individuals who played a pivotal role in his development, along with what our president, Kirstin Brown, had to say about Justin.

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Spotlight on Pat Burns and Nick Dunn 

Northstar is proud to spotlight two of its key project managers, Pat Burns and Nick Dunn.

Pat has over 35 years of experience in the industry, bringing with him a unique perspective that has been honed through decades of work in the utility sector. His journey reflects a commitment to excellence and innovation.

Meanwhile, Nick represents the next generation of talent with four years of experience. He is driven by the pursuit of knowledge and collaboration, a core value of Northstar. Together, Pat and Nick embody the culture of Northstar and the Northstar Way, where every project is driven by talented owner’s project managers with an unwavering dedication.

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