Some of the earlier buildings they constructed include the Roger Williams Park Museum of Natural History and Planetarium and the Holy Name Church.

Despite a fire destroying the company headquarters in 1897, Gilbane continued in business and in 1900 constructed a home for then Brown University president William Faunce.

[16] McKelvy was appointed CEO in 2016, succeeding Thomas F. Gilbane Jr., who remained at the company as chairman.

[17] In 2016, Gilbane was named one of the top corporate charitable contributors by the Boston Business Journal.

[23] Notable projects from Gilbane Inc.'s subsidiary, Gilbane Building Company, include the 1964 New York World's Fair,[24] the 1980 Winter Olympics facilities in Lake Placid, New York,[25] the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the National Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C.,[26][27] and the Fenway Park clubhouse improvements in Boston.