MLB Construction celebrates 75 years of business

MALTA — Jim Dawsey, President of MLB Construction Services, says that every building project has to “start with a strong foundation.”

And the strong foundation established at MLB has helped the company reach 75 years of business, which was celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday.

There was a large crowd on hand to celebrate the achievement, and Dawsey made note of three local business chambers in attendance: The Capital Region Chamber of Commerce, the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce, and the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce.

“We do a lot of work in all those different areas, but I mean, for that to be recognized by all these groups, it’s just a great feeling,” said Dawsey.

Speakers at the event included Malta Town Supervisor Mark Hammond and New York State Senator Jim Tedisco, who mentioned that MLB built the Memorial Field House at Union College in Schenectady, where Tedisco played basketball as a member of the Dutchmen men’s team. 

“It’s been a tough year, two years, three years, with this pandemic,” said Tedisco. “To think you’ve grown and expanded and are doing projects, and it’s been 75 years, is an unbelievable achievement.”

Tedisco presented MLB with a 2022 New York State Senate Empire Award, in recognition of “outstanding contributions, and dedication to the growth, prosperity, and betterment of their community,” Tedisco said.

Dawsey said the foundation laid by the company’s three founders, Fred Longe, John McManus, and Don Brockwehl, helped guide him in his role as President of MLB.

“I was lucky enough to work with all three of those guys,” Dawsey said. “They just taught me the right way to do business, especially in the construction field. You have to have respect, honesty, and transparency when you’re dealing with people.”

Dawsey highlighted the 1863 Club at the Saratoga Race Course and the science center at Skidmore College as recent MLB projects that stand out, and also mentioned a 1980s project with a hydroelectric plant at the Ashokan Reservoir in Ulster County.

“There’s like 12-foot diameter pipes that come out of the dam and go down to the city. We put a hydroelectric plant in front of those pipes going down to the city, so that we could generate power at the same time,” Dawsey said. “They used to have a fountain on that site, we put the fountain back so that the people could still enjoy everything that they remembered from growing up at that point. I think that was one of the most fulfilling jobs that I did.”

Dawsey, a Schenectady native, said he feels that the local area is “really alive,” noting the transformation that he’s seen through the years. 

“This whole area in general is just coming back, it’s really alive,” said Dawsey. “There’s a lot of young people that are now staying here in this area, and some people actually moving to the area, whether it’s for Global Foundries or for whatever reason. I think it’s a real growth area now within the state.”

And with 75 years of experience already under their belts, MLB will hope to continue to build and grow for the next 75 years.

“That’s the goal,” said Dawsey.