Shawmut Design and Construction Acquires Full-Service Hotel Renovation Contractor First Finish to Create Unique Offering in the Market    

Deal brings together Shawmut’s expertise in complex, intricate luxury hotel builds with First Finish’s nimble, efficient, and creative delivery of high-end interiors

BOSTON (November 18, 2024) – Shawmut Design and Construction, a leading $2 billion national construction management firm, has acquired First Finish, a premier full-service hotel renovation contractor, a partnership that combines expertise in large, complex hotel projects with expertise in fast-track, luxury interiors.

With current pent-up demand for refreshed rooms and amenities—particularly in the New York, Los Angeles, South Florida, and Boston markets—this partnership combines the specialties of each firm to provide a more strategic analysis of an overall project, bringing value with a holistic view that identifies and solves challenges upfront. While most full-scale hotel renovations require two contractors or more, Shawmut and First Finish provide one team that can execute structural, infrastructure, public space, and room work cost-effectively.

“The joining of First Finish with Shawmut creates an offering that is unique to the market, creating an all-in-one solution for clients,” said Les Hiscoe, CEO of Shawmut. “We pride ourselves on our commitment to excellence—in client service, execution, safety, and people. In First Finish, we see a company that shares this commitment.” 

“The joining of First Finish with Shawmut creates an offering that is unique to the market, creating an all-in-one solution for clients. We pride ourselves on our commitment to excellence—in client service, execution, safety, and people. In First Finish, we see a company that shares this commitment.” – Les Hiscoe, CEO of Shawmut

Based in Columbia, Maryland, First Finish is known for combining quality and speed through nimbleness, creativity, and efficiency. Among its recently completed and ongoing projects are the W South Beach, Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach, The Shelborne by Proper in Miami Beach, and Sonesta Los Angeles Airport.

“We’ve grown to where we are today thanks to our specialty expertise, market knowledge, and deep understanding of our clients and their needs,” said David Burman, President and Founder of First Finish. “By becoming part of Shawmut, we can grow and scale with existing clients and add larger, more complex work to our resume. The cultural synergy and complementary skillsets with Shawmut create one incredibly strong, all-encompassing expert team.”

First Finish will continue to pursue its own projects in addition to its pursuits with Shawmut, and Burman will retain his position as First Finish president. All First Finish employees will become part of Shawmut, a 100 percent employee-owned company.

With its roots in hospitality, Shawmut’s portfolio of hotel work spans four decades, with projects including The Peninsula New York, Soho Warehouse, Hotel AKA Brickell, InterContinental New York Barclay, Nobu Ryokan, Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village, Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina event center, and The Langham, Boston.

FMI Capital Advisors served as financial advisor and Venable LLP served as legal counsel to First Finish. Chartwell Financial Advisory served as financial advisor and Blank Rome LLP served as legal counsel to Shawmut.

About Shawmut Design and Construction

Shawmut Design and Construction is a $2 billion national construction management firm with a reputation for completing extremely complex and logistically challenging projects. As a 100% employee-owned company, Shawmut has created a culture of ownership, proactive solution-making, and forward-thinking. Over 80 percent of its business comes from repeat clients, with a strong focus on building lasting partnerships. Shawmut has 11 offices, including New York, Boston, Los Angeles, Miami, West Palm Beach and Las Vegas. For more information, please visit www.shawmut.com.

About First Finish

First Finish is a national, full-service general contractor with over 25 years of experience specializing in high-quality, on-time hotel and hospitality renovations. With offices in Columbia, MD, Irvine, CA, and Fort Lauderdale, FL, First Finish has worked with over 300 hotels to transform more than 100,000 guest rooms across the country. Guided by the core principle, Think Beyond The Build, First Finish is dedicated to creating lasting partnerships through innovative, client-centered solutions that reflect its deep commitment to environmental and social responsibility. The First Finish culture celebrates creativity, collaboration, and community impact, values that drive its team to exceed expectations and set new industry standards. For more information, please visit www.firstfinish.net.