Clichés become clichés because there’s at least a grain of truth in them. A case in point: The idea that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Ask The Par Group, which has been in the plumbing business since 1917.
Par Plumbing has grown over the years into Lynbrook and NYC–based The Par Group, comprised of four divisions, more than 350 field employees, 125 office employees and more than 85 vehicles. The Par Group’s goal has been to institute strong preventive maintenance programs for New York City’s buildings, noted president Jesse Levine. The result is one of the largest commercial contractors in the New York Metropolitan Area, working with clients including HJ Kalikow, The New York Times, Cushman & Wakefield, Jones Lang LaSalle, Silverstein Properties, L&L Holdings, Alliance Bernstein, Boston Properties, Rudin Management, Fisher Brothers and numerous others.
The company offers 24/7 emergency service for plumbing and HVAC, and comprehensive water and gas leak detection and management systems. Avoiding that emergency service is the real goal. Good preventative maintenance extends the lifespan of equipment, lowers operating costs and reduces the potential for expensive failures, which is exactly Par’s objective.
That’s true of companies and projects large and small, Levine continued. Creating and maintaining the personal relationships has been critical, whether the client is on a regular retainer, or is hiring Par on a project-by-project basis.
“We care about our customers, both the large and small companies,” said Levine, who represents the fourth generation of the Levine family at Par. “Our customer relations team reaches out and makes sure each and every one of our customers is satisfied with our work. If they’re not, we will do everything we can to fix it. We pride our business on word of mouth referrals.”
There’s plenty of opportunity for those with a company that has been in operation for a century, and more recently has expanded into new services. The Par Group’s four divisions, Par Plumbing, Par Heating and Air Conditioning, Par Fire Protection and Par Green Solutions, operate autonomously, but increasingly have been called on to work together as a centrally coordinated team. This allows Par to maintain complete control of projects, and ensure quality, the company says. All services are generated in-house, including drafting of plans, layout, design and material selection, and installation through completion.
Current projects include furnishing and installing an HVAC system consisting of piping, ductwork, insulation, controls and CRAC units at the Empire State Building. A dry cooler, welding of the generator exhaust and brazing also will be performed.
These projects are the culmination of Par’s evolution from a plumbing company to a major commercial contractor. Par Plumbing, the oldest division, has served New York City’s five boroughs and Long Island for nearly 100 years, performing services including plumbing installation and repair services, drain maintenance and camera scope, grease trap maintenance, filter installation and maintenance, gas & electric hot water heaters, annual backflow testing, backflow preventer installation and annual testing, water meter installation and hydrostatic FDNY testing.
The company was founded in Brooklyn and from 1917 through 1974 focused largely on new construction. However, with the move that year to its Long Island headquarters, Par created a commercial plumbing service department. More recently, Par has diversified, acquiring an HVAC company and a Fire Protection company some 15 years ago, followed by creation of its green solutions department.
“Green buildings have become more prominent throughout New York City,” Levine observed.
The Heating and Air Conditioning division has provided installation repair and maintenance services to clients in New York City and Long Island, employing pipe fitters, welders and service technicians. Among the services offered are 24-hour emergency service, computer room and rooftop units, maintenance contracts, incremental HVAC units, split systems, steam stations, pumps, pipe welding, cooling towers and chillers.
The Fire Protection Division specializes in the design, installation, testing and maintenance of fire protection systems, including modifications to existing systems, wet sprinkler systems, dry systems, pre-action systems, deluge systems, waterless and clean agent systems and fire standpipe systems. A current challenge is to ensure that building owners and property management companies are in compliance with Local Laws 26 (which requires sprinkler protection for office buildings 100 feet tall and higher) and 58, as well as the NFPA 25 requirements (which cover the inspection, testing and maintenance of water-based fire protection systems) mandated by the FDNY and New York City Department of buildings. Buildings must be in compliance of the sprinkler protection requirements of Local Law 26 by July 1, 2019.
The Green Solutions division now offers the Cooling Tower Water Saving Program, created to help buildings launch a water management program by offering regular data on usages. Leaks and failures often can go undetected for long periods; the Par program constantly gathers data, and notifies the client so that corrections can be made.
The firm also is focused on the future of the industry, and of its community. The Par Group employs approximately 65 apprentices, helping to train the next generation of service professionals. And the company also gives back to the community, hosting the annual Samuel & Mildred Levine Memorial Golf Classic (named for his grandparents) to support Sunrise Day Camp since 2007. It is the first dedicated day camp in the world offered free of charge for children with cancer and their siblings. The Par Group team also participates in SunriseWALKS Long Island, which raises funds for the camp.
The Par Group
60 North Prospect Avenue
Lynbrook, NY 11563
516-887-4000
info@pargroup.com
www.pargroup.com
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