John Maturo ’76, who helped administer the restoration of vibrant retail to the Broadway district, will officially become the assistant to Kemel Dawkins, Yale’s associate vice president of facilities on Thursday. Maturo ended his tenure as director of Yale University Properties on Monday.

“It was wonderful to be involved in the Broadway redevelopment,” Maturo said. “But much of that work is complete now, and it will be great to move on to things that are just getting under way.”

In his new position, Maturo will direct the renovation of the residential colleges, maintenance of the campus grounds, and dining hall operations, among other activities.

Yale officials began discussing the promotion immediately following winter break, Maturo said.

Dawkins was unavailable for comment Tuesday.

Maturo also will work closely with Robert Culver, Yale’s vice president of finance and administration and Dawkins’ boss. Maturo formerly reported to Bruce Alexander, Yale’s vice president for New Haven and state affairs.

Alexander said Maturo’s former position may be eliminated. In light of Maturo’s promotion, “we are examining the organization of University Properties,” he said.

As director of University Properties, Maturo helped to attract nationally recognized retailers such as J. Crew and Urban Outfitters to a rejuvenated Broadway shopping area. He also engineered a successful replacement of Schiavone Management that administered Yale’s residential real estate.

Much of the same type of management work characteristic of directing University Properties will remain in Maturo’s new post. But Maturo said he expects a larger portion of his work to be on construction, an area very familiar to the former Yale football defensive tackle.

While living in Illinois, Maturo and his wife, Cindy, operated Hartrey Construction, Inc., a construction and development company. The firm developed single-family luxury homes on Chicago’s north shore, amassing $2.4 million in sales in 1998.

The construction work capped Maturo’s 25-year hiatus from New Haven that also included military service in Japan and corporate management work at Unilever. Maturo, whose family has lived in New Haven since 1904, finally returned to the Elm City in late 1999.

“It’s a dream come true to return to New Haven and work for Yale,” Maturo said.

He served as assistant director of the Association of Yale Alumni for six months starting in January 2000 until he became director of University Properties in June that year.

Maturo’s colleagues at University Properties said that his absence has already affected the office.

“I’m sure John will have his hands full, and we’ll miss him,” said Hugh Eastwood, a development associate for University Properties.

Maturo said he will miss his Temple Street office.

“I had a great time at University Properties,” he said. “It’s a great place to work.”