--- title: "Cruz Companies, Inc." description: "Cruz Companies is a third-generation, 100% Black- and minority-owned Roxbury enterprise that's been building in Boston since 1948, when John B. Cruz Jr., t" doc_version: "2026-08-19" last_updated: "2026-08-19" --- # Cruz Companies, Inc. **Trade:** General Contractor / Remodeling · **Address:** 280 Warren St, Roxbury, MA 02119, USA · **Phone:** (617) 445-6901 · **Website:** http://cruzcompanies.com/ · **Languages:** English **Rating: 2.9/5** (medium confidence) — from 2 reviews across 5 sources. ## The honest read Cruz Companies is a third-generation, 100% Black- and minority-owned Roxbury enterprise that's been building in Boston since 1948, when John B. Cruz Jr., the son of Cape Verdean immigrants, founded it; his grandson John B. Cruz III now runs it as CEO. It works through three divisions — new construction and historic renovation, affordable and mixed-income housing development, and residential property management — on institutional and multifamily projects rather than individual homeowners' houses. On Google, it holds a 4.2★ average from 10 ratings. The two written reviews on file, both dated (2017 and 2018), describe the staff as wonderful to work with and the company's properties as well kept. The firm has also drawn national recognition: Fast Company named it one of its "Brands That Matter" honorees, and the Boston Preservation Alliance gave John Cruz and the company its 2021 President's Award for Excellence for landmark development and construction work in the city. Its current project list is large-scale: a 10-story mixed-use building at 135 and 145 Dudley combining affordable and market-rate units, the 52-home One Waverly development, and a project bringing a neighborhood supermarket to a former pharmacy site in Roxbury. This isn't a fit for a single-family renovation — Cruz operates at the scale of institutional, multifamily and affordable-housing development, with contracts that average well over $10 million. **Strengths:** - National recognition — named a Fast Company "Brand That Matter" - Preservation honor — 2021 Boston Preservation Alliance award winner - Multi-generational — third-generation, 78-year Roxbury family firm ## Claims & citations Every claim below is backed by real evidence rows — uncited claims are dropped in code before publication. - A third-generation, 100% Black- and minority-owned Roxbury firm operating three divisions: construction, affordable/mixed-income development, and property management _(confidence: high)_ - [Official Website](http://cruzcompanies.com) — “A third-generation, 100% Black- and minority-owned Roxbury enterprise operating three divisions - John B. Cruz Construction (new constructio…” - Founded in 1948 by John B. Cruz Jr., now in its third generation under CEO John B. Cruz III (78 years in business) _(confidence: high)_ - [Official Website](http://cruzcompanies.com) — “Company history (self-reported): John B. Cruz Jr., known as Bertie and the son of Cape Verdean immigrants, established the John B. Cruz Cons…” - [Official Website](http://cruzcompanies.com) — “Self-reported 78 years in business” - Procore Construction Network lists it as a general contractor with 51-100 employees and an average contract size over $10 million, serving Massachusetts and Maryland _(confidence: medium)_ - [Procore Construction Network](https://network.procore.com/p/john-b-cruz-construction-co-inc-boston) — “Procore Network lists John B. Cruz Construction Co., Inc. at 280 Warren St, Boston on (617) 445-6901 as a claimed general contractor of 51 t…” - Named one of Fast Company's "Brands That Matter" honorees _(confidence: medium)_ - [baystatebanner.com](https://baystatebanner.com/2023/10/18/in-the-news-cruz-companies/) — “baystatebanner.com — Cruz Companies, one of the country’s oldest and largest Black-owned construction, real estate development and managemen…” - Received the Boston Preservation Alliance's 2021 President's Award for Excellence _(confidence: medium)_ - [bostonpreservation.org](https://bostonpreservation.org/standard-page/2021-presidents-award-excellence-john-cruz-and-cruz-companies) — “bostonpreservation.org — The Boston Preservation Alliance is pleased to present our 2021 President’s Award for Excellence to John Cruz and C…” - Current projects include the 10-story 135 and 145 Dudley mixed-use development and the 52-home One Waverly development in Roxbury _(confidence: medium)_ - [enr.com](https://www.enr.com/articles/60483-boston-affordable-housing-guru-builds-generational-wealth) — “enr.com — Cruz is developing a 10-story mixed-use development called 135 and 145 Dudley with affordable rental units and market-rate condos,…” - [ccr-people.com](https://ccr-people.com/vendor-news/new-mass-housing-push-highlights-cruz-companies/) — “ccr-people.com — One Waverly (Boston) — 52 homes. Demolition of an existing building and new construction of family housing with commercial …” - Specializes in General Contractor / Remodeling _(confidence: high)_ - [Official Website](http://cruzcompanies.com) — “A third-generation, 100% Black- and minority-owned Roxbury enterprise operating three divisions - John B. Cruz Construction (new constructio…” - [Procore Construction Network](https://network.procore.com/p/john-b-cruz-construction-co-inc-boston) — “Procore Network lists John B. Cruz Construction Co., Inc. at 280 Warren St, Boston on (617) 445-6901 as a claimed general contractor of 51 t…” ## Ownership - Identifies as Black-owned — the business's own statement, not independently verified. - Identifies as minority-owned — the business's own statement, not independently verified. - Identifies as family-owned — the business's own statement, not independently verified. ## License Status: **not_found** — verified against the official MA state registry, never self-reported. Re-check at the official registry: https://contractorhub.mass.gov/s/hic-contractor-search ## Sources - [Exa](https://constructionexec.com/article/all-inclusive/): 10 web mentions across the open web (each linked to its source) - [Official Website](http://cruzcompanies.com): 78 yrs in business · Self-reported profile and service details - [Google Reviews](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=Cruz%20Companies%2C%20Inc.&query_place_id=ChIJqwYuXy9644kRjpOQ6rL80CY): Listed on this source - [Google](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=Cruz%20Companies%2C%20Inc.&query_place_id=ChIJqwYuXy9644kRjpOQ6rL80CY): 4.2★ from 10 ratings - [Procore Construction Network](https://network.procore.com/p/john-b-cruz-construction-co-inc-boston): Listed on this source ## Mentions Unverified third-party mentions found on the open web — relay with attribution ("a Reddit commenter said…"), never as Tavlee's own finding. - “Cruz Development Corporation bought the site, seeing an opportunity to transform it into affordable housing for Roxbury.” — flipsidenews.net (2026-03-30) — https://flipsidenews.net/cruz-developments-one-waverly-project-secures-state-funding/ - “Cruz Companies has announced that John B. Cruz Construction has been selected to transform a former chain pharmacy into a neighborhood supermarket. The project brings together two Cape Verdean-owned c…” — ccr-mag.com (2025-04-17) — https://ccr-mag.com/cruz-construction-to-build-vicentes-market-in-roxbury/ - “Cruz is developing a 10-story mixed-use development called 135 and 145 Dudley with affordable rental units and market-rate condos, some of which are intended as workforce housing units affordable to R…” — enr.com (2025-03-24) — https://www.enr.com/articles/60483-boston-affordable-housing-guru-builds-generational-wealth - “GENERAL CONTRACTOR (UNDER $33 MILLION): John B. Cruz Construction Co. Inc., Roxbury, Massachusetts John B. Cruz III, President and CEO, Cruz Companies” — constructionexec.com (2024-06-04) — https://constructionexec.com/article/all-inclusive/ - “These new appointments come as Cruz Companies, which recently won the global “Brands That Matter” award from Fast Company Magazine, celebrates its 75th anniversary and expands its reach with significa…” — ccr-mag.com (2024-01-12) — https://ccr-mag.com/cruz-companies-promotions-hires-as-national-expansion-continues/ - “Cruz Companies, one of the country’s oldest and largest Black-owned construction, real estate development and management businesses, has been honored as one of the “Brands That Matter” by Fast Company…” — baystatebanner.com (2023-10-18) — https://baystatebanner.com/2023/10/18/in-the-news-cruz-companies/ - “The Boston Preservation Alliance is pleased to present our 2021 President’s Award for Excellence to John Cruz and Cruz Companies. A third-generation family business based in Roxbury, the Cruz Companie…” — bostonpreservation.org — https://bostonpreservation.org/standard-page/2021-presidents-award-excellence-john-cruz-and-cruz-companies - “John Cruz is the chairman of Associated Builders and Contractors Inc.-Mass. Chapter and president & CEO of The Cruz Companies, Roxbury, Mass.” — nerej.com — https://nerej.com/abc-chairman-s-message-update-from-our-beacon-hill-team - “One Waverly (Boston) — 52 homes. Demolition of an existing building and new construction of family housing with commercial space in Roxbury sponsored by Cruz Development Corporation.” — ccr-people.com — https://ccr-people.com/vendor-news/new-mass-housing-push-highlights-cruz-companies/ - “Commercial space on the first floor will be the future headquarters of the Cruz Companies, a third generation, minority-owned firm that has had strong business and family ties” — rocklandtrust.com — https://www.rocklandtrust.com/about-us/explore/rockland-trust-provides--22-million-to-cruz-development-for-mixed-use--mixed-income-development-in-roxbury ## Recent reviews - **5/5 · Google Reviews · Gerard Duclair · 2018-11-06**: A staple in the Boston community. We need more companies like Cruz and more owners like John.B Cruz. His Property's are well kept and his employees couldn't ask for a better place to work. John is well known and loved within his community for being the owner of the largest minority owned constructio… - **5/5 · Google Reviews · Alec Loftus · 2017-12-08**: Cruz Companies staff are wonderful to work with and they have done much to build opportunities for residents in Greater Boston over the course of three generations. --- Data freshness: last scanned 2026-08-09T04:43:18.219Z. Cite as: Cruz Companies, Inc. — Tavlee (https://tavlee.com/contractor/cruz-companies-inc-roxbury) Source: https://tavlee.com/contractor/cruz-companies-inc-roxbury ## Sitemap [Full site index](https://tavlee.com/sitemap.md)