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ABOUT FIRST BRISTOL CORPORATION

First Bristol Corporation is a privately-held real estate development company engaged in the acquisition, development, construction, rehabilitation, and management of Retail, Hotel, Office, and Residential properties throughout the United States. Our proven experience, inherent knowledge, and lasting relationships create added value in every asset class.

IN THE NEWS

Five Questions With: Renee Lancia November 22 2018

The new Homewood Suites by Hilton Providence Downtown hotel is expected to open early in 2019, with 120 suites for travelers. Renee Lancia, the director of sales, spoke to the Providence Business News about the hotel.

Homewood Suites by Hilton to Come to Providence, RI November 21 2018

Joint venture partners First Bristol Corporation and Paolino Properties are nearing completion of a $30-million Homewood Suites by Hilton “All-Suites” Hotel in downtown Providence, RI.

Working together, First Bristol and Paolino Properties were able to purchase property acquired from the Providence Redevelopment Agency. The six-story, 120-room property, vacant for 15 years, was necessary to make the project viable. The hotel is expected to be completed in early 2019.

Homewood Suites Nears Completion November 21 2018

Providence, RI – Joint Venture Partners First Bristol Corporation and Paolino Properties are nearing completion of a $30 million Homewood Suites by Hilton “All-Suites” Hotel at 5 Exchange Street in the heart of downtown Providence.

The six-story, 120-room extended stay hotel is located at the once-vacant lot at the intersection of Exchange Street and Memorial Boulevard.

New Providence hotel names general manager, director of sales August 02 2018

BOSTON — Eight high-achieving University of Massachusetts students have been awarded $5,000 scholarships by the James J. Karam Scholarship Fund.

Established in 2013, the fund is named for SouthCoast businessman James Karam, who served nearly 10 years on the UMass Board of Trustees, including four years as chairman, and championed high-quality, affordable education during his tenure.

UMass high achievers earn Karam scholarships June 29 2018

BOSTON — Eight high-achieving University of Massachusetts students have been awarded $5,000 scholarships by the James J. Karam Scholarship Fund.

Hilton Owner Awards Celebrate Guest Experience and Business June 04 2018

Hilton (NYSE: HLT) today recognized its top owners and developers as winners of the 2017 Hilton Owner Awards. In addition to the annual Development Awards announced each year at the NYU conference, Hilton added a “Top Performer” category to celebrate owners achieving excellence in guest experience and business performance.

“Our owners are incredible partners and we are deeply appreciative of their many contributions to our nearly 100-year legacy of spreading the light and warmth of hospitality,” said Christopher J. Nassetta, president and CEO, Hilton. “Today we are honored to unveil our 2017 Hilton Owner Awards, which celebrate those owners who truly went above and beyond last year to help us in our journey to deliver exceptional experiences – every hotel, every guest, every time.”

Topping off ceremony held for new Providence hotel May 14 2018

State and Providence city leaders gathered Monday for the “topping off” ceremony of one of Rhode Island’s newest hotel projects.

A crane lifted the last steel beam into place for an 8-story, 120-room Hilton Homewood Suites Hotel. The $28 million hotel is located in downtown Providence at Exchange Street and Memorial Boulevard.

Fall River developer bullish on Providence March 22 2018

The Rhode Island business community is bullish on the state’s economy, if an audience survey at an annual business luncheon is an accurate measure.

Nearly two-thirds of those attending the Economic Outlook Breakfast hosted by the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce and Santander Bank said they felt the state’s economy will be in “somewhat better shape” or “much better shape” a year from now. Audience members voted on a series of multiple-choice questions with electronic remote controls.

Rhode Island business leaders maintain bullish outlook on economy March 21 2018

The Rhode Island business community remains largely optimistic about the state’s economic future, although a real-time survey taken Wednesday morning shows the bullish attitude could be slowing.

Nearly 300 members of the local business community were invited to participate in the survey during an annual economic-outlook breakfast hosted by Santander Bank and the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce.

Job Lot begins construction at former Shaw’s; another national supermarket chain may share building March 19 2018

Ocean State Job Lot began construction this week on its new store in the former Shaw’s Market, 465 William S. Canning Boulevard.

The company will officially buy the property before the end of the month, according to a James Karam for First Bristol Corp.

Hotel, restaurant scene thriving in Worcester January 16 2018

Major hotel and restaurant growth in Worcester is supporting the push to accommodate more group meetings and conventions as well as increasing demand by visitors and employees.

“Everybody is talking about Worcester,” said Karam. “This city knows what it wants.”

PAOLINO, RAIMONDO KICK OFF CONSTRUCTION OF $30M HILTON HOMEWOOD SUITES IN PROVIDENCE October 13 2017

Rhode Island’s top elected officials and former Providence Mayor Joe Paolino, along with First Bristol Corporation, celebrated the groundbreaking of the $30 million Homewood Suites by Hilton on Thursday at 5 Exchange Street in Providence.

RI GOVERNOR, PROV. MAYOR ATTEND GROUND BREAKING FOR NEW HOTEL October 12 2017

The lot’s been a vacant plot of grass for years. Soon, the triangle of land between One Union Station, a down city post office, and Memorial Boulevard and the Providence River will be home to a new hotel, and an economic boost.

OWNER SEEKING TO REDEVELOP VACATED SHAW'S BUILDING July 25 2017

The largest commercial vacancy in the South End will come back to life soon.

First Bristol Corp. is about to take back control of the plaza that held Shaw’s supermarket and Cardoza’s Liquors.

FALL RIVER PROPERTY WITH NEW RITE AID SELLS FOR $8.6 MILLION July 10 2017

A one-acre lot at 1512 S. Main St. and its new Rite Aid store sold for
$8.6 million this month.

Brockton Pharmacy Property Development LLC purchased the land and building from KM South Main LLC in deeds recorded on June 15 at the Fall River Registry of Deeds.

MASSLIVE: NEW DOWNTOWN HOTEL COULD HELP BRIDGE WORCESTER'S BURGEONING NEIGHBORHOODS May 11 2017

The new Homewood Suites hotel in downtown Worcester doesn’t come equipped with a restaurant for a reason: They want their guests to eat out somewhere else.

It’s just one of the ways the newest influencers of Worcester’s downtown renaissance plan on reconnecting several of the city’s burgeoning neighborhoods when the hotel opens in June.

WORCESTER TELEGRAM & GAZETTE: NEW HOTEL AT WASHINGTON SQUARE IN WORCESTER TO OPEN NEXT MONTH May 11 2017

There is still a bit to do, but the new six-story, 118-suite Homewood Suites Hotel by Hilton is well on its way to opening its doors to guests by early June.

The $21 million hotel, built on a site next to I-290 at the edge of the Washington Square roundabout, is within walking distance of Union Station, St. Vincent Hospital and many restaurants around the corner on Shrewsbury Street.

WORCESTER MAGAZINE: VIDEO: SEE INSIDE THE NEW HILTON HOTEL IN WASHINGTON SQUARE May 11 2017

The new Homewood Suites by Hilton, right across the rotary from Worcester Station, is set to open to the public in July.

Thursday afternoon, upper management gave a tour of the near-complete facility, showing off amenities like a gym, a saltwater pool, unique views of the city skyline to the city officials and media folk in attendance. Hotel ownership and city officials both talked about the value they feel the hotel will add to the city, both as an economic driver for small business districts in the area and as a source of municipal revenue (an estimated $350,000 a year).

WORCESTER HOTEL DEVELOPER NAMED HILTON DEVELOPER OF THE YEAR October 27 2016

The developer of Worcester’s Homewood Suites by Hilton has been recognized by the hotel company as the developer of the year for long-term stay Hilton locations.

First Bristol Corporation was selected by by Hilton Hotels Worldwide for its ongoing developments in Worcester, Providence, and Middletown/Newport in Rhode Island. The Worcester location is currently under construction across from Union Station. First Bristol also recently built and operates a $60 million, 178-room Hilton Garden Inn near Logan Airport.

A RED CARPET FOR AMAZON IN FALL RIVER, MASS., AND HOPES FOR MORE March 29 2016

For this former mill town, the deal to secure a large Amazon distribution center means much more than the $3.78 million coming from the land sale and the successful culmination of three years’ worth of negotiations.

“Any time you have a corporate giant making a commitment to a city, that speaks volumes,” said Kenneth Fiola Jr., executive vice president of the Fall River Office of Economic Development, which worked closely with state officials and the broker NAI Hunneman to bring in the online retailer. “It gave us enhanced credibility.”

THE KEY TO A SUCCESSFUL HOTEL PROJECT: 'LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION' March 29 2016

Dena DiMarzo grew up in East Boston, playing at a big vacant lot just off McClellan Highway, about a mile or so from Logan International Airport.

Where DiMarzo and her neighbors saw a shabby lot that had been empty forever, James J. Karam, founder and president of First Bristol Corp., a real estate development company in Fall River, saw 6.2 acres of opportunity three years ago.

FIRST BRISTOL CORP., TOCCI BUILDING COS. KICK OFF $21M HILTON PROJECT IN WORCESTER, MASS. March 03 2016

Woburn, Massachusetts-based Tocci Building Companies recently announced the official groundbreaking of the Hilton Homewood Suites Hotel at 1 Washington Square in Worcester, Massachusetts. The project is slated for completion by February 2017.

Developer First Bristol Corporation, who bought the land from the Worcester Redevelopment Authority, chose Tocci as construction management services provider. The $21 million project will also benefit from the collaboration of BMA Designs, Veitas and Veitas Engineers, ZDS Architectural Design Services, and Wozny Barbar & Associates. According to the Telegram and Gazette, the funding for the project has been secured through East Boston Savings Bank.

GROUND IS BROKEN FOR WORCESTER HOTEL AT WASHINGTON SQUARE February 29 2016

A Fall River development company joined local officials Monday afternoon in breaking ground on a $21 million Homewood Suites by Hilton hotel at Washington Square, across the rotary from Union Station.

First Bristol Corp. of Fall River will build a 118-room, six story hotel on the site, which is tucked up against Interstate 290 and will include 115 parking spaces, a swimming pool, a jacuzzi, and fitness center. Homewood Suites by Hilton specializes in longer-term hotel stays, and each of its rooms includes a kitchen and living area.

PANEL BACKS PLAN FOR 8-STORY HOTEL IN PROVIDENCE January 13 2016

After decades of rejected or abandoned plans, a hotel may finally be built on the grassy triangular lot at Memorial Boulevard and Steeple Street, the site of many art installations over the years.

The Capital Center Commission Wednesday endorsed a plan to build an eight-story, 120 unit suite hotel, costing $18 million to $20 million on the half-acre site, which the city has agreed to transfer in a $1 million lease-purchase deal.

HILTON GARDEN INN OFFICIALLY OPENS WITH RIBBON CUTTING August 14 2015

Hilton Garden Inn, developer First Bristol Corp and construction company Consigli joined together to cut the ribbon on the first new hotel built in East Boston in 14 years.

The hotel was erected on a long neglected parcel of land along Boardman Street and McClellan Highway after Fall River based developer First Bristol received Boston Redevelopment Authority for the $32 million project to build a Hilton Garden Inn in Eastie.

CVS, FAMILY DOLLAR PLANS MOVE FORWARD IN MERIDEN July 30 2015

Two development projects in the city are set to move forward, having received full approval from city governing boards. The projects, a CVS pharmacy on Broad Street and a Family Dollar store on East Main, were the subjects of two special meetings this week of the Inland Wetlands and Watercourse Commission and the Planning Commission.

The planned 14,000 square-foot CVS will span three parcels — 167, 153, and 143 Broad St. — on the corner of Broad and Ann streets, and will include a 68-space parking lot.

SNEAK PEEK: TOUR EAST BOSTON’S NEWEST HOTEL June 16 2015

The beds don’t yet have mattresses, the carpets still sport protective covering and the swimming pool isn’t yet filled in. But the new 178-room Hilton Garden Inn in East Boston is rapidly approaching completion.

Click through the slideshow on the right to take a sneak-peek tour of the $32 million hotel, which is located at 100 Boardman St. about two miles from Logan International Airport near East Boston’s historic Orient Heights neighborhood.

FIRST BRISTOL CORP. ANNOUNCES PURCHASE OF TRAVELERS INSURANCE BUILDING IN DOWNTOWN FALL RIVER August 27 2013

Changes are happening at a downtown commercial landmark. First Bristol Corp. announced Tuesday that it has purchased the Travelers Insurance building at 99 S. Main St.

The regional real estate development company located on North Main Street signed a long-term lease with Travelers to retain half of its space, and plans to renovate, subdivide and lease the remainder of the 100,000-square-foot, four-story office building, said James Karam, First Bristol president.

UMASS TRUSTEE JAMES KARAM TO END 10 YEARS ON BOARD December 12 2012

James J. Karam, two-time chairman of the University of Massachusetts Board of Trustees, announced Wednesday that he is stepping down Dec. 31, ending nearly 10 years of service on the UMass Board of Trustees, according to a press release from the UMass president’s office.

Karam, whose term is set to expire in February, served two stints as board chairman, with his most recent term as chair ending last summer when Gov. Deval Patrick appointed vice chairman Henry M. Thomas, III to succeed him.

WALMART SUPERCENTER SET FOR FALL RIVER July 14 2011

SouthCoast residents may have a new shopping destination by 2013, as developers announced Wednesday that workers will start construction on a 160,000-square-foot Walmart SuperCenter in August.

The store will stand on the vacant site of a Quaker Fabrics manufacturing facility off Brayton Avenue near the junction of Route 24 and Interstate 195. It is the lead tenant of a privately funded, $55 million shopping complex to be called “Crossroads at 24.”