Condo Media - April 2023 - 28

VENDOR SPOTLIGHT
Great North Property
Management, Inc.
A Tightly Knit Regional Team Serves the Worcester Market
[By Pamela Schweppe]
When most people think of the condominium market
in Massachusetts, they probably think fi rst of Boston.
But Worcester, Mass., New England's second-largest city,
is also booming, and Great North Property Management,
Inc., has a presence right in the thick of it.
Located in the central part of the state, Worcester was
founded in 1722. Industrialization and rail transportation
produced a thriving economy during the mid-19th
century, which fell into decline after World War II. Today,
the city is on the rise again, with a population of just over
200,000, eight institutes of higher education, historic
architecture, cultural treasures including a prestigious
art museum, and even a Red Sox Triple-A baseball team.
It is also seeing an increase in residential development,
including, of course, condominium associations.
Great North has a regional offi ce in the city's historic
Printer's Building, squarely in the heart of downtown.
PROTECTING PROPERTIES
IN A TIME OF CHANGE
" The city of Worcester has been an up-and-coming environment
for quite a while, " says Chris Buckley, regional
director and senior property manager for Great North.
" And it's really skyrocketed over the last 18 months, which
has meant a huge change in the market for condo owners.
Our job is to protect our clients' investment and make
sure they're trending in the same direction as the city -
and that's up, up, and up. "
Buckley knows the region well, having grown up in
the area and now making his home in a nearby town.
" Worcester has a big growth potential, and we would like
to be a part of that, " he says. He notes that, when he's interviewing
prospective clients, having a property manager
with a physical presence nearby is their primary concern
- and it's something the Worcester offi ce can offer.
" We are fi ve to 10 miles from 75 percent of our properties,
and we are never more than a half hour from any
property we manage, " Buckley declares. " Being able to
dispatch maintenance technicians from our own team
who are able to get there in minutes is huge and crucial.
Being nearby, you can count on us to get on site in an
emergency - and stay there to see it out. "
That local focus appeals to George Sergi, president
of The Wellington Woods Condominiums, a 58-unit
association set in a historic mill building in Leominster,
Mass. " They're close - they're within 25 minutes of us.
We like that, because, as an association, we like to use
local suppliers. So that's what we always do: we try to
make sure we support the local community. Great North
supports that, also, " he says.
Mark Grammel, president of the 148-unit Wildwood
Condominiums, also of Leominster, Mass., shares an
appreciation for the ready availability of the Worcester
offi ce. " It defi nitely would have to be someone local,
because we're so big, " he says of his association's property
management. " There doesn't seem to be a huge
number of companies that can handle something this
size. It's important that Chris or his team can get here in
a quick amount of time. Even on nights and weekends,
there's an emergency number. They're always available. "
A CULTURE OF SUPPORT FOR
CLIENTS - AND EACH OTHER
Joining Buckley in the Worcester offi ce are three managers
- Senior Property Manager Michelle Whear and
Portfolio Managers Ken Lazarus and Bob Katilus - as
well as two full-time, in-house maintenance technicians,
Adam Genniger and Michael Garrett. Together, they
currently serve roughly 1,700 units in Worcester and
Middlesex Counties - with plenty of capacity for more.
28
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