Mitchell Construction Group has completed a renovation of the Medfield Animal Shelter, transforming the shelter’s lobby, cat intake and quarantine areas while bringing together a network of local trade partners and vendors to help support the project.
When the Medfield Animal Shelter reached out to the Medfield-based design-build firm about renovations to its 22-year-old facility, Mitchell saw an opportunity to provide more than construction services. The company committed to completing the work at cost and donated its commission and design time, while inviting its trusted trade partners and vendors to participate in the effort.
Many responded by contributing donated or reduced-cost labor, materials and services, turning the renovation into a collaborative effort to support an organization that serves animals and families throughout the local community.
“What started as a renovation project became an opportunity for all of us to come together and do something meaningful for an organization right here in our community,” said Tommy Mitchell, President of Mitchell Construction Group, LLC. “Once we shared what we were doing with our trade partners and vendors, many of them asked how they could help. Seeing that response and everyone working together to support the shelter has been one of the most rewarding parts of the project.”
The renovation addressed a variety of needs that had developed as the shelter and its operations evolved over the years.
“Our building is 22 years old now and the Shelter has evolved a lot over the years,” said Kim Agricola, director of the Medfield Animal Shelter. “We needed workspace for two employees, more storage, and an open area for hosting community groups.”
The shelter’s cat intake area also needed additional storage, larger sinks and a dedicated area for sick cats. At the same time, the shelter wanted to create an attractive and welcoming environment for its visitors, volunteers and staff.
Working closely with the shelter, Mitchell’s design team developed a new lobby layout that accommodates two employee workstations, substantially increases storage and opens up space that can be used for community groups and other shelter activities.
For Agricola, one of the biggest surprises was just how much functionality the design was able to create within the existing building.
“The very careful design has given us so much more space and storage than we imagined,” she said. “Our lobby serves so many functions, and during our initial design meetings, when we described all the uses, we didn’t think there would be a way to accommodate everything and open up so much space.”
The additional storage solves a very practical problem for the shelter. Extra supplies are regularly donated to a local pet food pantry, and while waiting for weekly pickup, those supplies previously accumulated in the lobby, creating clutter and making the space more difficult to navigate.
The improvements to the cat intake and quarantine areas were also designed around the shelter’s day-to-day operations. Volunteers can now access supplies and perform cat care within those spaces rather than repeatedly moving between rooms to clean litter boxes or retrieve what they need. New surfaces and a more efficient layout also make the areas easier to clean.
The design and construction experience itself stood out to Agricola.
“We are thrilled to have a group of professionals who not only provided a great design, colors, and materials, but also did all the work on schedule,” she said. “Everyone told us projects always take longer than predicted, but ours didn’t.”
The support Mitchell and its project partners brought to the renovation also made an impression on the shelter’s leadership.
“When we first contacted Mitchell Construction Group, we assumed a high-end residential builder wouldn’t be interested in a small nonprofit project,” said Mike Barta, President of the Medfield Animal Shelter. “Instead, they jumped right in. Having recently renovated Medfield’s historic Peak House, they already knew our shelter and were looking for their next local community project to support. The Mitchell team didn’t just take it on—they waived their design fees and commission, while their trade partners and vendors stepped up with donated and reduced-cost labor and materials. Their generosity blew us away.”
Mitchell’s trade partners supporting the project include Banks Plumbing & Heating, Pacheco Cooke Electrical, B&H Painting and All Air Home Services. Vendors contributing to the effort include Norfolk Glass, Lab Furniture Installation & Sales, Closet & Storage Concepts, Onyx Marble and Granite, and Ferguson.
With the renovation complete, the Medfield Animal Shelter now has a facility better suited to the way the organization operates today, from caring for incoming and quarantined cats to welcoming volunteers, visitors and community groups.
For Agricola, however, what she was most looking forward to had little to do with the new cabinetry, finishes or storage.
“We have really missed seeing our volunteers and are looking forward to having them all back caring for the pets,” she said.
The Medfield Animal Shelter is a nonprofit, no-kill shelter dedicated to providing comfort and safety for lost and abandoned animals until they can be reunited with their owners or placed in new homes.