I am a seasoned Owner's Representative, skilled in complex building and development projects. During the last twenty-eight years I have had the opportunity to apply my leadership and consensus team building skills in positions ranging from construction field supervisor to Executive Administrator for Capital Projects at Howard University and Medical Center. I continue to seek challenging employment environments where I can apply my broad-based experience, technical knowledge, and problem-solving ability to create and implement innovative concepts for greater organizational growth, efficiencies, and community enhancement.

I was responsible for the concurrent planning, zoning, architecture, engineering, site selection, environmental review, financial control, and construction implementation of the new Law Library and Congressman Louis Stokes Medical Library at Howard University.  As a demonstration of the success of this building effort, please see the review that Benjamin Forgey, the highly regarded architectural critic for the Washington Post, wrote about Howard University's Capital Projects.  You will find Mr. Benjamin Forgey's article at Washington Post.

In my past role as Executive-in-Charge of White Plains Hospital Center's modernization program, I was responsible for planning, zoning, architecture, engineering, site selection, environmental review, financial control, and construction implementation of a new acute care facility.  I reported to the CEO and the Board of Trustees concerning project progress, financial integrity, and securing of regulatory approvals from the New York State Department of Health, and from the US Health and Human Services.  In order to successfully carry out project objectives, which were in constant change and re-evaluation, my office provided planning leadership and direction for renovation and relocation of several hospital departments in addition to directly interfacing with Community Boards and City Commissions. White Plains Hospital Center's building campaign was a success.

In the 1980's, I played a leadership role in many NYC major medical building campaigns, including Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, New York Hospital Medical Center, and St. Luke's/Roosevelt Hospital.  As a consequence, my background consists of senior management administration and operations experience for support services (e.g., JCAHO certification, plant maintenance / engineering, data / telecommunications systems, security and building services).  In addition, I am an industry expert (e.g., providing professional testimony in the Supreme Court of New York; consulting with a number of national law firms on construction claims analysis), and have held an adjunct faculty appointment at the Institute of Design and Construction in New York, teaching courses in Construction Administration and Facility Planning.

My current responsibilities now include the planning, design, and construction of a 312-bed dormitory on the Howard University campus (Mary Bethune Hall). In addition, I am pursuing the development of a mixed-use Town Center complex of approximately 350,000 Gross Square Feet (GSF), which will contain a minimum of 60,000 GSF of retail and 150,000 GSF of residential and parking.  Overall, this project is a unique business endeavor between the city of Washington, DC and Howard University, mixing retail, food service, housing, entertainment, and educational components. 

Skill Summary
Strong leader with the ability to initiate needed changes and implement new policies while maintaining a positive work environment, who employs a collaborative, team approach that can satisfy a wide range of constituencies.  Proven track record in providing vision and leadership to multi-disciplinary teams within complex multi-cultural academic environments, often under extreme time pressure constraints.

I would be pleased to discuss potential employment opportunities to provide oversight for your major building campaign.  Please visit Projects and In the News to find additional information about my abilities and the projects I have been associated with in order to track the history of my building efforts.

Bruce Costella MBA
Special Assistant to the President
for Capital Projects
Howard University

* I am proud to notify you of the action taken by The Associated Builders and Contractors of Metropolitan Washington and Virginia in bestowing the Excellence in Construction Award to Howard University for 2001.