Commercial Snow Removal & Ice Management for Greater Boston Properties
Lots plowed, walks and stairs cleared, ice treated and every storm logged — for property managers, condo associations and multi-family owners. Grounds care the rest of the year, from the Medford company that's been doing both since 1989.
- 37Since 198937 years, same owner
- 4.7★4.7 on Google63 reviews
NDS CertifiedDrainage Contractor
UnilockAuthorized Contractor
ShadeFlexAuthorized Pro- 🌿OrganicFertilization program
It happens every winter — a plow outfit takes on too many accounts and your lot is the last one done. We keep a small number of mid-season openings in Somerville, Medford and Cambridge. Call first; it's the fastest way to find out if we can take your property this winter.
Snow now. Grounds in April. One vendor.
Snow Plowing & Ice Management
Seasonal snow contracts covering lots, drives, walkways, stairs and entries, with pre-treatment, salting and per-storm documentation — the same service we've run for the Medford Public Library and large condo associations for years. Sidewalk-only service for dense neighborhoods where Boston's clearance deadline is the real problem.
- Seasonal flat-rate or per-push pricing
- Lots, walks, stairs, entries, dumpster pads
- Salt, calcium and pre-treatment
- Timestamped service logs for every event
Commercial Grounds Maintenance
Weekly mowing and edging, spring and fall cleanups, pruning, mulching, bed care and organic fertilization on a written schedule — with photo reports so your board sees the work without driving over.
- Condo associations & HOAs
- Apartment & multi-family buildings
- Office, retail & medical properties
- Two- and three-families and small properties close to where we already work
Built for the people who answer to a board
37 years, one owner
American Elm Landscape has maintained commercial properties in Somerville, Medford, Cambridge and Boston since 1989. Allan Spires still runs it and still answers the phone. Read the 63 Google reviews.
Drainage is part of maintenance
Half of "landscape problems" are water problems — soggy lawns, icy walkways, foundation puddles. We're an NDS Certified Professional Drainage Contractor, so we fix the cause instead of mowing around it.
Organic fertilization
Our lawn program uses organic fertilizers, which matters to boards in Somerville and Cambridge and to anyone with kids and dogs on the lawn. How the program works.
Paperwork done right
Certificate of insurance, W-9, references and a written scope arrive with the proposal, not after three emails. Renewals go out in September so you're never scrambling.
Hardscape under the same roof
When a walkway heaves or a retaining wall leans, the same company that maintains the grounds can fix it — through our hardscape division, Boston Patio Design.
Tight service area on purpose
We stay inside a small radius around Medford and Somerville so crews spend their time on your property instead of on I-93. That's how the pricing stays sane.
What a cared-for Boston property looks like
Budgeting for spring? 2027 grounds contracts get signed in winter
2027 grounds contracts
Boards set budgets in the winter and grounds contracts start April 1. If you want numbers for your annual meeting, a site walk before the snow piles melt and a first-wave spring cleanup, now's the time to talk.
See the 2027 early-sign detailsReviewing your snow contract?
Trigger depths, seasonal vs. per-push, refreeze checks, sidewalk deadlines, insurance and the service logs that matter in a slip-and-fall claim — a plain-English checklist for property managers and condo boards.
Read the snow contract guideWhere we work
Core service area for grounds and snow contracts. If your property is just outside these, ask — it depends on what else we service nearby.
- Somerville
- Medford
- Cambridge
- Boston
- Charlestown
- North End
- Beacon Hill
- East Boston
- Arlington
- Malden
- Everett
- Winchester
- Belmont
- Melrose
From first call to first service
- Site walk. We measure the property, note the trouble spots (drainage, ice traps, tight access) and ask what your last vendor got wrong.
- Written proposal. Scope, schedule, price and terms in plain English, plus COI and references. Usually within 2–3 business days.
- Board approval. We'll join a board call or Zoom if it helps. Questions get answered by the owner.
- Service starts. Photo-documented visits, a direct line to Allan, and a September renewal so nobody's surprised.
Frequently asked
Do you take residential properties or only commercial?
Both. Our grounds and snow work is built around commercial and multi-family properties, and we also take on condo associations, two- and three-families and owner-occupied multi-units in Somerville, Medford and Cambridge. We're honest about fit: a single small lawn far from anything else we service usually isn't a good match for either of us.
How fast can you send a proposal?
Most proposals go out within two to three business days of a site walk. During the winter, snow requests get a call back the same day when we have room; grounds proposals for the April start go out in January and February, while boards are setting budgets.
Who actually shows up?
A crew supervised by Allan Spires, the owner, who has run American Elm Landscape in Medford since 1989. You'll have his cell number, not a call center.
Are you insured?
Yes. A certificate of insurance naming your association or management company as certificate holder is included with every proposal, and we'll send a fresh one at renewal without being asked.