Five Star Electric

What Five Star Electric does

Five Star Electric Corp. is a specialty electrical contracting, construction, and engineering firm founded in 1959 and headquartered in Ozone Park, Queens, NY. The company operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tutor Perini Corporation (NYSE: TPC) following Tutor Perini's July 2011 acquisition of GreenStar Services Corporation. Five Star delivers comprehensive electrical scope across 16 verticals — mass transit, aviation, bridges, tunnels, commercial, healthcare, education, utilities, and environmental infrastructure — for government agencies (MTA, Port Authority of NY & NJ, NYC DOT, NYC DEP, Amtrak) and private developers (Related Companies, Silverstein Properties, Elad Group).

The company's technical capabilities span low-voltage through high-voltage (>600V) systems, traction power substations, transit signal systems including CBTC overlays, SCADA, fiber optic networks, fire alarm, security/CCTV, public address, emergency generators, UPS, EV charging, and solar/PV. Project delivery is offered across multiple contract structures — Lump Sum, Design-Assist, Design-Build, GMP, T&M, Cost-Plus Not to Exceed, and Prime Contracting — with individual projects ranging from $10M to over $400M (e.g., East Side Access package CS-179 at $424M, One World Trade Center at $251M, JFK Central Substation #2, Newark Terminal A at $1M sq ft).

Revenue is generated project-by-project through competitive bidding, joint ventures (notably with Yonkers Contracting, L.K. Comstock, Gilston Electric, and Tutor Perini-affiliated primes), and direct awards. The workforce is unionized under IBEW Local #3 (NY metro) and Local #164 (NJ). Geographic footprint now spans the Tri-State area (NY, NJ, CT). Five Star has never failed to complete a project since inception and is regularly ranked in ENR's Top 600 Specialty Contractors.

Name

Five Star Electric

Legal name

Five Star Electric Corp.

Website

https://fivestarelectriccorp.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1959

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Five Star Electric Corp. is a 65+ year-old specialty electrical contractor serving MTA, Port Authority, NYC agencies, and major private developers across the Tri-State area on complex infrastructure including transit signals, high-voltage systems, substations, and aviation facilities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electrical Contracting & Construction Services

NAICS

Electric Power Transmission, Control, and Distribution (22112)

SIC

Electrical Work (1731)

akta.pro primary industry

Distribution Network Construction (Feeders, Laterals, Service Drops) (IMAFAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Low-Voltage Switchboards & Panelboards (LV distribution panels, MCCs, switchboards) (IMAGAEAA), Transmission & Distribution Line Equipment (Bushings, Insulators, Arresters, Conductors, Hardware) (IMAGAAAF), Electrical Panel Upgrades & Service Changes (HSAOADAB)

Keywords

• Electrical contracting services
• Transit signal systems
• High voltage installation
• SCADA systems integration
• Commercial electrical construction

Headquarters

HQ city

Ozone Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Electrical Construction Services: Project-based electrical contracting services for commercial, residential, transportation, and infrastructure projects. Revenue is generated through lump sum contracts, design-build arrangements, Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) contracts, Time & Materials (T&M), and cost-plus arrangements. Projects range from $10 million to over $400 million in contract value.
2. Specialty Electrical Services: Specialized electrical services including high voltage work, transit signals, fire alarm systems, security systems, SCADA, fiber optics, solar installation, EV charging stations, and telecommunications.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Five Star Electric is a specialty electrical contracting, construction, and engineering firm providing complete electrical solutions for large-scale commercial, infrastructure, and mass transit projects. The company installs power distribution, high voltage systems, transit signal systems, SCADA, fire alarm, security, fiber optic networks, and EV charging infrastructure, operating primarily as a subcontractor to prime contractors on major public and private construction projects in the New York Tri-State area.

Product overview

Five Star Electric is an electrical contracting, construction, and engineering firm that offers a comprehensive portfolio of specialized services rather than a unified software product. The company provides electrical construction services across multiple market sectors including aviation, bridges, commercial, education, environmental, healthcare, hotels, industrial, mass transit, mixed-use, public works, retail, residential, sports, tunnels, and utilities. The core service offerings include Light & Power (electrical distribution and fixtures), High Voltage Systems, Transit Signals, SCADA, Fire Alarm, CCTV/Security, Data/LAN, Telecommunications, Fiber Optics, Control Work, Public Address, Emergency Generators, EV Charging Stations, Solar/PV, UPS, and Wireless Systems. The company also offers various contracting structures including Lump Sum, Design-Assist, Design-Build, GMP, T&M, Prime Contracting, Value Engineering, and Trade Management. These services are delivered through experienced teams of engineers, project managers, estimators, and field personnel who coordinate across the entire project lifecycle from planning through completion. The company operates primarily in the New York Tri-State area and has been in business since 1959, ranked regularly in ENR magazine's Top 600 Specialty Contractors in the United States.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Electrical Construction & Contracting Services Comprehensive electrical construction, contracting, and engineering services from design through installation, including light & power distribution, switchgear, panels, branch circuiting, and wiring devices for commercial, infrastructure, and mass transit projects. Customers include government agencies (MTA, Port Authority, NYC DOT), private developers (Related Companies, Silverstein Properties), healthcare and education institutions, and general contractors.
• Transit Signal Systems Installation and upgrade of railway signal systems incorporating state-of-the-art software and hardware technology to facilitate communication and detection of transit vehicles between control rooms and railway operators. Includes Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC) systems, signal modernization of interlockings, and complete CBTC signal overlay projects for mass transit clients.
• High Voltage & Medium Voltage Electrical Systems Installation of high voltage electrical systems operating over 600 volts for electrical distribution, traction power substations supplying railway/subway systems, and medium voltage cabling infrastructure. Requires specialized safety procedures and expertise.
• SCADA Systems Supervisory control and data acquisition computer systems for gathering and analyzing real-time data to monitor and control infrastructure such as water/waste control, energy, oil and gas refining, and transportation systems.
• Fire Alarm & Life Safety Systems Life safety systems required by code for all building types, initiated by smoke detectors, heat detectors or manually, including fire alarm, emergency generators, and UPS systems providing backup power for life safety and critical equipment operation.
• Security & Surveillance Systems Closed-circuit television systems with cameras, lenses, monitors and recorders for surveillance and security monitoring, along with hardwired or wireless security systems that prevent unauthorized intrusion and report discrepancies to central monitoring agencies. Includes access control systems.
• Telecommunications & Data Network Systems Installation of multi-pair cable or fiber optic backbone telecommunications infrastructure located in central telecom rooms with racks and patch panels, local area network (LAN) systems for shared communications, and fiber optic cable networks for long-distance, high-performance data networking.
• EV Charging Infrastructure Electric vehicle charging stations providing dedicated infrastructure to recharge plug-in electric cars, bikes, buses and other EVs.
• Solar/PV Systems Installation Solar power systems installation converting sunlight into electricity using solar panels to reduce energy consumption from utility providers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $1 billion in electrical work completed at World Trade Center complex
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Tutor Perini / Parsons Transportation Group Joint VenturecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 March 2018Joint venture between Tutor Perini Corp. and Parsons Transportation Group to execute the new Terminal One Project at Newark Liberty International Airport. Five Star is performing electrical work including power distribution, communications, airport systems, security lighting, fire alarm, and wireless systems.
• Tutor Perini CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2011On July 1, 2011, Tutor Perini Corporation acquired GreenStar Services Corporation, of which Five Star Electric is a subsidiary. Tutor Perini (NYSE: TPC) is a leading civil and building construction company. Five Star operates as part of Tutor Perini's Specialty Contractors Group along with Fisk Electric, WDF, Desert Mechanical, Nagelbush Mechanical and Superior Gunite. The new group had a backlog of $1.4 billion at formation.
• GreenStar Services CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2011GreenStar Services Corporation was formed in 2007 merging Five Star Electric, WDF Inc., and Nagelbush Mechanical, Inc. It was one of New York's largest providers of Electrical and Mechanical services and systems. Tutor Perini acquired GreenStar for $208.4 million ($100M cash, $74.9M promissory note, $33.5M holdbacks).
• Gilston ElectricminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint venture partner with Gilston Electric for World Trade Center Transportation Hub project. Five Star Electric, in conjunction with joint venture partner Gilston Electric, provided light, power and control of multiple systems throughout the Transit Hall at the World Trade Center including the lighting throughout the Oculus.
• Yonkers Contracting CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint Venture Partner with Yonkers Contracting for JFK Airport Central Substation No. 2 project. Five Star is responsible for implementation and execution of building a new 40MVA central substation at JFK Airport. Also partnered on PATH Substation #2 project in Jersey City.
• L.K. ComstockcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFive Star/L.K. Comstock Joint Venture awarded $53 million East Side Access signal installation and testing project (CS086 – Tunnel Systems Package 2) by MTA. Project includes installation and testing of tunnel signal system from Harold Interlocking in Queens to LIRR Terminal below Grand Central Station.
• Cubic Transportation SystemscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFive Star Electric working as partner/subcontractor to Cubic on MTA's New Fare Payment System Project (OMNY system). Project provides state-of-the-art integrated fare payment system replacing legacy systems with account-based, open payment system.
• Local Union #3 IBEWcoreOthersFive Star is an affiliated company of Local Union #3, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Local 3 is the largest electrical union in the IBEW with the most highly skilled, trained and experienced electricians in the industry.
• Local Union #164 IBEWcoreOthersFive Star is an affiliated company of Local 164 IBEW covering Bergen, Hudson and Essex counties in New Jersey with over 2,000 electricians. Expansion into New Jersey in 2017/2018 enabled by this affiliation.
• Building Trades Employers AssociationcoreOthersFive Star is a member of BTEA which consists of 28 trade union contractor associations representing 1,700 construction managers, general contractors and specialty subcontractor firms in NYC who employ 125,000 people.
• National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA)coreOthersFive Star is a member of NECA which represents the $130 billion/year electrical contracting industry.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• EMCOR Group: Publicly traded Fortune 500 provider of electrical and mechanical construction, energy, and facilities services. Parent of Forest Electric; competes with Five Star at the prime-contractor and JV-partner level on Tri-State mega-projects.
• Quanta Services: Largest publicly traded utility-focused infrastructure contractor in North America, with significant electric power transmission, distribution, and substation execution capabilities. Competes with Five Star on transmission/substation work in the broader Northeast.
• IES Holdings (Integrated Electrical Services): Publicly traded national provider of electrical and communications solutions across commercial, industrial, residential, and infrastructure markets. Comparable in scale, scope, and project mix; broader geographic footprint than Five Star.

Direct peers

• E-J Electric Installation Co. Long-established New York–based union electrical contractor performing transit, power, and commercial electrical work for MTA, Port Authority, and private developers. Direct competitor for many of the same NYC mass-transit and high-rise electrical packages Five Star pursues.
• Fisk Electric (Tutor Perini subsidiary): Sibling Tutor Perini subsidiary under the Specialty Contractors Group performing commercial and industrial electrical work in Texas and the Southwest. Closest internal comparable for unit economics, contracting structures, and parent-funded scaling dynamics.
• L.K. Comstock & Company (RailWorks subsidiary): RailWorks subsidiary specializing in transit electrical and signal systems; explicit Five Star JV partner on the $53M ESA CS086 tunnel signal installation. Direct peer in CBTC/transit-signal specialty work.
• Helix Electric: National union-affiliated electrical contractor with strong presence in NYC and major transit/commercial infrastructure work. Competes head-to-head with Five Star on MTA, Penn Station-adjacent, and large commercial packages.
• Forest Electric (EMCOR Group subsidiary): EMCOR subsidiary headquartered in the NY/NJ metro that executes large commercial, transit, and infrastructure electrical projects. Russ Lancey (Five Star's current CEO) previously served as Lead Estimator at Forest Electric, underscoring direct comparability in scope, customers, and labor profile.

Others

• Tutor Perini Corporation (parent): NYSE-listed civil and building construction firm; Five Star's parent company since 2011. Tutor Perini provides bid packaging, JV structuring, and prime-contractor relationships that materially shape Five Star's revenue and competitive positioning.

Regional players

• Starr Electric Company: Mid-Atlantic/Southeast regional electrical contractor with utility, transit, and commercial work. Comparable in size and capability mix but operates primarily outside Five Star's NYC core market; partial overlap on transit-signal and substation execution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/five-star-electric-corp.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Five Star Electric