The Grove is a redeveloped retail center located in Malvern, Pennsylvania. Extensive renovations to a 30-year old underused development resulted in this vibrant community destination with restaurants and diverse entertainment businesses.

DP Partners, a real estate development company, engaged Watchdog to oversee this complex project. The Watchdog team managed the site as the structure was demolished, the original exterior materials were stripped, a modern façade was installed, and the interior areas were finished.

Watchdog prepared a comprehensive schedule based on having an available empty building. The team worked with the landlord and all existing tenants to vacate timely. This allowed the team to incorporate the turn-over of the spaces into the schedule as critical milestone dates for more than 10 businesses to take possession of their area. For the few instances when an existing tenant had a delayed departure, Watchdog rearranged activities to keep the project on track.

Before construction could begin, the original two buildings were demolished down to the concrete and steel elements. The original structures were shaped differently: one was a rectangle, and the other was L-shaped. During demolition, crews cut off the L-shape, leaving two rectangular-shaped enclosures. The section removed from the building created an outdoor community space for yard games and summer concerts connected to patio seating at two restaurants.

For the duration of this project, Watchdog oversaw the consultants and contractors providing design and construction. Design coordination was vital since the size and configuration of the leased spaces influenced the location of new walls and the modification of HVAC systems. The team supported the construction manager on site, worked with the structural engineer and building envelope consultant to monitor the combination of materials on-site, and confirmed quality installation for the various tenants.