Eric Hutchins

Building with Purpose and a Positive Spirit

Eric Hutchins

"We get lots of visitors coming by and checking the place out. I've gotten to meet a lot of people in the area that I hadn't met before."

Every construction project has someone quietly coordinating the many moving pieces behind the scenes. At Friend Memorial Public Library, that person is Eric Hutchins, project superintendent for Blue Ledge Carpentry. While visitors admire the rising walls and steady progress, Eric is the one helping to ensure that each day unfolds safely, efficiently, and with the teamwork necessary to bring the community's vision to life.

Eric grew up in Penobscot and now lives in Brooksville with his wife and their two daughters, ages nineteen and sixteen. His connection with Blue Ledge founder Chris Pickering goes back much further than the library project. The two first met as freshmen trying out for their high school basketball team and have remained close friends ever since. Years later, while Chris was working for John Woodard and Eric was working for his uncle, their paths crossed again professionally. When Chris decided to start Blue Ledge Carpentry and took on one of his first projects in East Blue Hill, he called Eric and asked if he would like to join him.

"That was the beginning of it," Eric recalled. "We've been kind of attached ever since." Eric initially worked with Chris for approximately ten years. After spending some time away, he returned to Blue Ledge six or seven years ago and now serves as project superintendent, helping oversee many of the company's largest and most complex projects. Working on the library places Eric and his crew in one of the most visible locations in Brooklin. Rather than finding that distracting, he enjoys the steady stream of visitors who stop to watch the progress and ask questions. "It's great, honestly," he said. "We get lots of visitors coming by and checking the place out. I've gotten to meet a lot of people in the area that I hadn't met before."

There are practical benefits as well, he added with a smile—particularly having a good place for coffee and lunch right across the street. As construction has progressed, the project has become a true collaboration among many local craftsmen. Eric works closely with subcontractors such as Andrew Layton and his electrical crew, as well as Jerry Gray and the team at J.H. Gray, who will install the plumbing, heating, and mechanical systems. These are relationships built over many years and many successful projects. "We've always had good success working with Andrew and Jerry," Eric said. "We all get along really well, and we're looking forward to working together again."

"I feel privileged to be part of something that is going to be so wonderful for the community,"

For Eric, managing a construction project is about far more than schedules, deliveries, and inspections. It is about creating an environment where people enjoy coming to work and take pride in what they accomplish together. "I've always enjoyed managing people," he explained. "The group we've got here right now is a great group of guys. They work hard, and they all have positive attitudes." He believes attitude is contagious. One negative outlook can affect an entire crew, while a positive team creates energy that carries everyone forward.

"You won't hear much complaining," he said. "They just get the work done. We're all kind of buddies, too. We spend time together outside of work, and we have a really good group working on this project." That camaraderie is reflected in the quality of the work now taking shape at the library. The pace has been impressive, but Eric never loses sight of what the finished building will mean to the community.

"I feel privileged to be part of something that is going to be so wonderful for the community," he said. "It's going to be great for Brooklin and really for the whole peninsula. It's going to be a destination where people can come, spend time, and enjoy being together." Libraries have held a special place in Eric's life since childhood. Growing up in Penobscot, he remembers spending time in his school library searching for the next book he wanted to read. Whether it was Charlotte's Web, a Judy Blume novel, or the latest issue of a dirt bike magazine, the library was always a place of discovery. His aunt also served as an assistant librarian at the Searsport Library, making books and libraries a familiar part of family life.

Today, as the father of two daughters, Eric sees libraries as more important than ever. "Everybody has phones and computers," he said. "But there's nothing like holding an actual book, opening it up, and reading it. Books tell our history. They're something real that you can hold in your hands." It is fitting that someone who values history is helping create a place dedicated to knowledge, stories, and community for future generations.

From the Job Site

One of the exciting aspects of this series is that it not only introduces the remarkable craftsmen behind the project, but also captures the story of the library as it rises from the ground. The pace of construction over the past week has been nothing short of remarkable. The roof trusses were lifted into place, the roof was completely sheathed, and the trim and fascia have now been installed. With each passing day, Friend Memorial Public Library is taking on its final form.

What only a short time ago was a foundation has quickly become a recognizable landmark in the center of Brooklin. Residents and visitors regularly stop to watch the progress, ask questions, and admire the craftsmanship. There is a growing sense of excitement throughout the community as everyone begins to see this long-held vision becoming a reality. The transformation has been exciting to witness. Week by week, the library is beginning to look less like a construction site and more like the welcoming public space our community has envisioned for so many years. The craftsmanship and teamwork displayed by everyone on the project continue to move the work forward at an impressive pace.

For Eric Hutchins, watching that transformation is especially rewarding. He paused for a moment before sharing a thought that perhaps best captures the spirit of every craftsman who has contributed to this remarkable project. "It's something that could be here for hundreds of years," Eric said with a smile. "It's pretty cool that I get to be a part of it."

-Robert Baird, Campaign Chair