Being a women-owned business in a traditionally male-dominated industry may have particular relevance in Women’s History Month, although the company we are focusing on here, New Crystal Restoration (NCR) in Port Chester, was founded in 1960 by a man, Louis Cordasco Sr., whose mission was to provide expert cleaning and restoration services to homes and businesses in Westchester County.
That mission has remained a constant even as the company has evolved over 65 years. The transition to being a certified women-owned family business was a natural progression as the baton passed from father to daughter, Lisa Cordasco, president and co-owner with sister-in-law Rosemary Cordasco. The shift, she said, reinforced a culture of collaboration, empowerment, preservation of the environment and attention to detail. And there is a continued focus, she said, on customer relationships through trust, transparency and responsiveness – “qualities that are crucial in an industry that deals with crises and emergencies.”
But there is also a fresh perspective and vision for the company. Over the years, Cordasco continued, NCR has developed from a relatively basic local cleaning company into a full-service restoration operation, serving the metro area. It offers fire and smoke damage restoration, water mitigation, mold remediation, capital improvements and asbestos abatement. The pinnacle of the evolution has been the company’s commitment to environmental responsibility and sustainable restoration practices, she added, noting that there is always further progress to be made.
The company’s development of eco-friendly solutions has personal importance for one of the team members, who has a child on the autism spectrum. By utilizing green cleaning products, she told us, the company protects both occupants and its own technicians.
Sustainable disposal practices, Cordasco said, include proper handling and disposal of debris and hazardous materials to reduce landfill waste; using energy-efficient equipment; and employing eco-friendly mold remediation techniques, with HEPA (high energy particulate air) filtration and botanical-based antimicrobials that are safer for indoor environments.
The company prioritizes staff training and industry certifications, she said, including the nonprofit Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) accreditations and asbestos/mold remediation qualifications, reinforcing its credibility.
NCR also values its strong industry relationships, namely partnerships with insurance professionals, property managers and contractors, ensuring repeat business and referrals. As regards its “customer-centric” approach, Cordasco said the team believes a deep understanding of customer needs and proactive communication have helped the company maintain a stellar reputation for more than six decades.
Asked to share a really challenging restoration project which New Crystal Restoration had undertaken, Cordasco described a six-floor water loss caused by a pipe break at a major health-care facility. NCR had a team on-site within 30 minutes and quickly mobilized more than 40 crew members within two hours. They then maintained two teams of approximately 30 members working around the clock. Given the critical nature of the facility, the goal was to mitigate the damage, ensuring minimal disruption and a return to full operation while executing the restoration as efficiently as possible. The speed, coordination and expertise required for this project showcased New Crystal’s ability to handle large-scale emergencies with precision, professionalism and empathy, she added.
NCR carries out community restoration projects, too. Following Hurricane Ida’s arrival in the area on Sept. 1, 2021, New Crystal Restoration played a crucial role in maintaining decontamination efforts for schools and health-care facilities, ensuring that these critical spaces remained clean and safe. As a result, students were able to return to their classrooms relatively quickly, and health-care professionals could continue providing care during a time of widespread disruption.
Similarly, when the Covid-19 pandemic hit, NRC partnered with hospitals and health-care facilities to convert meeting spaces into patient rooms, helping expand capacity when hospitals were overwhelmed. The team went beyond restoration services, even assembling beds and other essential furniture to ensure health-care providers could focus on patient care. This adaptability and willingness to do whatever was needed underscored the company’s commitment to supporting the community beyond traditional restoration work.
Last word from Cordasco? The New Crystal leadership is “laser-focused” on building trust by leading from the front: “We lead by example, fostering a safe environment to learn and grow.”
