Arrowhead Drive was a crumbling asphalt road with poor drainage. It had become almost impassable during heavy rain. Potholes and pond sized puddles were getting worse, something had to be done.
Arrowhead Drive is a private road occupied by commercial businesses and employee housing. It is heavily used by residential and commercial vehicles 7 days a week.
Carl Jelleme -Founder, President and CEO of Toscana Corporation and Jay Jones - Owner of Plumber's Supply & Baynes & Jones Electric (our across the street neighbor) approached the other business owners & residents about rebuilding and repaving the street. The reception to the idea was a step below luke warm. Politics, small town differences and skepticism ruled the day and the negotiations to share the cost of a rebuild of the road quickly fell apart.
Not to be deterred and eager to show the neighborhood and the Town of Nantucket the benefits of concrete paving, Carl & Jay decided to put their collective money where their mouths were and set out to complete the project on their own. Toscana removed the existing asphalt, the "Cape Cod Berm" curbing and the failing drainage system, creating a completely clean palate on which they would create their masterpiece. The results were nothing short of amazing. Toscana went to work installing new drainage and placing the new precast concrete curbing. Luke, Tony, Don & Sherry went to work designing the layout of the placement and the mix design specifications.
When we were ready, Tony sent his brother Ryan with crew & equipment to do the job. There was no turning back now! Chris came to represent Forta and it was game on.
I have been involved in so many concrete pours over the years and I have to say that this was the most enjoyable experience I have ever had in my career. Everything and everybody came together in one of those (too) rare times that everything just flowed. It was a beautiful fall Nantucket day. Spirits were high, attitudes were great and the sense of accomplishing something really meaningful was the order of the day.
Failure was not an option in this case. It took real courage to make this happen. Thank you to everyone that had that courage. We are grateful for you all.