Grill of the city
Headshot courtesy of Gilbane Building Co.
Mike Busam
Rhode Island Business Leader
Gilbane Building Co.
More than $1.5 billion in projects that will go out to specialty trade contractors in the third quarter of 2025 are keeping companies busy, Busam says. “The K-12 sector currently dominates the construction pipeline in Rhode Island,” he adds, noting that the state’s subcontractor capacity is also “scarce” due to this “unprecedented” accelerated K-12 growth for a government bond initiative.
Busam says Gilbane is “committed to working closely with Rhode Island unions to ensure the availability of labor to meet project demands.” He adds that the company “will continue to be strong partners and advocates for organizations like SupplyRI and Building Futures.” These partnerships are “crucial in our efforts to strengthen and expand our subcontractor base, providing the necessary support and resources to local businesses,” says Busam.
Interest rate cuts should boost projects from private developers, he says, adding that the manufacturing and life sciences sectors have “the greatest potential for growth” because of efforts like the RI Life Science Hub, which could create “significant opportunities for future development”.
