Rob Ferrino

Concrete Frame Structures Add Strength to Many Buildings

The owner and president of Madison Construction Company in the greater Chicago area, Rob Ferrino has overseen many award-winning projects. Trained at the University of Buffalo, New York, as a mechanical engineer, Rob Ferrino understands the advantages of concrete frame construction.

Perhaps the most frequently used construction method, concrete framing consists of horizontal and vertical elements in a box-like structure. The full name of the building material is reinforced cement concrete, which contains steel reinforcement bars (rebar), which add strength. The concrete is poured into molds on site around the previously installed rebar.

Vertical columns are the most important part of the box, since they carry the majority of the load. The rest of the building’s weight is borne by the horizontal beams and floor slabs. While a building can usually withstand damage to beams or slabs, damage to a column often results in collapse.

Concrete hardens only a few hours after being poured, but it takes about a month for it to reach its full load-bearing capacity. To allow time for chemical reactions, water is poured on the surface in a process known as curing.

Although there are standard proportions for mixing concrete, the optimal mix sometimes varies. Structural engineers request different mixes according to the location and purpose. For instance, they may call for a more flowable mix when casting a wall in an out-of-the-way area.

Judson Mill – A Historic Redevelopment Project in South Carolina

Rob Ferrino is a Chicago area entrepreneur who guides Madison Construction Company and Three Corners Development, and oversees projects spanning multiple states. One high-profile project Rob Ferrino guided with the latter firm centered on the redevelopment of Judson Mill in Greenville County, South Carolina.

With a history as one of the world’s largest textile mills, Judson Mill opened its doors in 1912 and inhabited a site that spanned 36 acres and earned inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places in 2018. Three Corners took on a design partnership role in a plan initiated in 2017 to transform the site into a vibrant retail and commercial hub that would include offices, apartments, and warehouses.

The project was extended beyond the commercial realm to involve community partners ranging from county officials to neighborhood leaders. Financing plans took advantage of a combination of state incentives and a significant CommunityWorks loan focused on enabling projects in underserved areas. In addition, county cooperation was secured in expeditiously rezoning the property from industrial to planned, mixed-use.

This extensive groundwork facilitated the go ahead for a $31 million “live-work-play mixed-use district” in early 2020.

Madison Construction’s Judson Mill Redevelopment Project

The CEO of Three Corners Development and president and CEO of Madison Construction, Rob Ferrino has overseen numerous projects for facilities in education, healthcare, housing, and recreation. Among Rob Ferrino’s notable achievements is Judson Mill, a 36-acre adaptive-reuse redevelopment project in Greenville, South Carolina.

Originally a textile mill built in 1911, the Judson Mill was one of the largest mills in the world before closing in 2015. The new project involves the renovation and repurposing of more than 850,000 square feet, or the area of 15 football fields. The redevelopment budget of more than $150 million will allow for some 400 units of residential living space, as well as 300, 000 square feet of office space. The project also includes light manufacturing facilities and retail space.

The redevelopment project aims to preserve much of Judson Mill’s charm, ideally using original brick walls and thick pine floors wherever possible. The commercial and residential center is slated for completion in 2023.

A Medical Center Built by the Local Community

An accomplished construction industry entrepreneur, Rob Ferrino holds over three decades of industry experience. Rob Ferrino is the owner and CEO of Orland Park, Illinois-based Madison Construction, known for being sensitive to clients’ missions and the overall success of their projects. Among Madison Construction’s successful efforts is the Lawndale Christian Health Care Center.

With a $15.6 million project cost, the health care center, on West Ogden Avenue, Chicago, was designed as a four-story steel-and-concrete structure containing medical facilities and a full-service fitness center. Proponents of the project, which was built to serve the North Lawndale area, wanted the local community involved in constructing the center.

Lawndale Christian Church, Madison Construction, Kingdom Community Construction, and concerned officials ensured community participation. At the onset of the work, excavation was performed by minority firms and local union laborers. The trucking company hauling the debris was minority-owned, and among the early selected subcontractors were African-American-owned businesses.

Today, the center features medical services for children’s and women’s health. There are fitness facilities on the first and second floors, free group classes, a cafe, and free Wi-Fi.

Lawndale Christian Health Center Benefits Chicagoans

Three Corners Development CEO Rob Ferrino received his BS in mechanical engineering from the University of Buffalo before moving to Chicago, where he eventually founded Madison Construction. A successful general construction company, Madison Construction has over 90 employees and operates in several states. Passionate about helping less privileged communities prosper, Rob Ferrino has a strong interest in the creation of energy-efficient buildings that benefit their inhabitants and the environment.

One such Madison Construction project is the Lawndale Christian Health Center in Chicago. Encompassing 60,000 square feet, the attractive four-story building is home to medical and dental examination rooms, a dining area, and conference amenities, as well as physical fitness facilities. The main floor features over 100 fitness machines, an indoor running track, and areas for group exercise. With the ability to accommodate 300,000 medical and 20,000 dental appointments each year, the project reflects the importance of wellness in the community.

In addition, the Lawndale Christian Health Center is a certified Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold project, and features a roof that is partially covered in vegetation to reduce stormwater runoff and lower cooling costs. An energy-efficient geothermal heat pump also directs heat to cooler parts of the building, reducing heating costs and the facility’s carbon footprint.

About Rob Ferrino

A Chicago area development executive with more than two decades of leadership experience, Rob Ferrino heads Madison Construction and oversees all aspects of operation. Rob Ferrino leads the company with a strategy that focuses on forming key community and client partnerships and providing integrated construction and developer services.

Projects completed by Ferrino and his team include the five-story student-housing development Latitude at River Landing, which encompasses 308 units and a parking garage with 450 spaces. The building features 3,000 square feet of retail space and interior amenities such as tanning rooms, a fitness center, and a community studying area.

Ferrino also directs Three Corners Development as the chairman and CEO and seeks out dynamic commercial opportunities across the Midwest. Ventures he has overseen through Three Corners comprise Heartland Health Center and The Concord at Sheridan, while renovation projects are Bronzeville Artist Lofts and Judson District.

Rob Ferrino has a background in mechanical engineering, and he earned his bachelor of science at the University of Buffalo. Consistently honored for his accomplishments over the years, his enterprises earned ranking among the Chicago’s Fast 50 list of the region’s quickest-growing companies.