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Building a good life
Going to the Top
Maloba Builders and Services LLC dba M+ Builders founder Bova Maloba and Superintendent Cale Pierce
LCR Contractors was a top pick for TopBuild, who acquired the company.
ova Maloba, Owner at Maloba Builders and Services LLC dba M+ Builders, has worked hard to create a new home – and company – for himself since he arrived in the United States 13 years ago. Maloba credits his strong work ethic and upbringing for his drive to succeed. “I was born and raised in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which is in central Africa in a small town south east of Congo called Likasi,” Maloba says. “The Congo itself is a Belgian colony, so I was raised speaking French and also Swahili. I graduated high school when I was 17 and went to college for two years back home, where I studied Chemical Engineering.”
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rowing up in the tree-sparse panhandle, Mark Mann developed a deep appreciation for them. As a teen, Mann mowed lawns and did landscape construction, and earned a BS in Horticulture after originally pursuing landscape architecture at Texas A&M. During college, he interned within the arboriculture industry and found a passion for trees and their care. “I worked eight years for one of the nation’s largest tree care companies in Denver, San Antonio and Austin. I started as a plant healthcare technician, assisted in tree care operations and quickly became a sales arborist prescribing, selling and managing jobs, and then a district manager overseeing large operations. In Austin, I transitioned to a tree care focus primarily on commercial real estate development and construc-
Part of his work ethic was instilled in him by his father – an orthopedic surgeon/farmer/transportation business owner/clinic owner – and his mother, who is a nurse. All of his parents’ work, however, could only keep the Congo’s corruption and poverty at bay for the Maloba family. Grateful for his parents’ sacrifice yet inspired by friends who had found success in America, Maloba left his home and came to the United States in 2008. Maloba knew little to no English upon his arrival, but that didn’t deter him from attending Minnesota State University – Moorhead. He started with Pre-Civil Engineering and finished by continued on Page 14
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CR Contractors, a fireproofing and insulation company serving the Austin, Dallas, Amarillo and Tennessee markets, is now at the Top! Floridabased TopBuild Corp., an installer and distributor of insulation and building material products in the U.S, has acquired LCR. LCR has burned brightly since it was formed in 1984 by Larry Gibson, Tom Cheatham and Ron Pierce. LCR was one Dallas/Fort Worth’s earliest commercial construction spray-applied fireproofing specialty companies. CEO/Owner Donald “Buddy” Spicer joined LCR as a Project Manager/Estimator after 25 years in the drywall and acoustical ceiling business. Buddy grew LCR’s North Texas market
and became partner in 1997 upon Cheatham’s retirement. Buddy’s son, Clay Spicer, joined LCR as a Project Manager and Estimator in 2006 and assumed the role of President when Gibson retired in 2008. LCR has since added spray foam installation to its capabilities. In 2010, LCR began servicing the residential construction market with spray foam and other insulation products, leading to the development of residential insulation company DFW Thermal Solutions. In 2014, LCR opened an Austin office to expand the Central Texas market, and started ATX Thermal to service the area’s residential insulation construction. LCR continued on Page 14
Planning it to a tree tion per market needs and tree ordinance regulations,” he says. Mann discovered he had a knack for planning, permitting and tree preservation solutions. Wanting to share his expertise while working in a way that allowed for family time, he founded Tree Mann Solutions LLC in 2020. With three full-time employees between Austin and San Antonio, TMS helps clients plan with existing trees on new commercial and residential development, assist in obtaining the proper permits, and helps provide plans and resources to preserve trees designed to remain with a new development. It provides preliminary Heritage Tree mapping, select to full-scale tree inventories and tree survey verifications. TMS helps clients understand what numbers, species and conditions of trees they are Mark Mann established Tree Mann Solutions last year.
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Austin Construction News • FEB 2021
New addition to HOLT family
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It’s snowing men
od bless Mother Nature! When a winter storm powdered Central Texas Jan. 10, several delighted construction industry members rolled up enough to make snowmen. Some of the creations were even outfitted in company gear! –mjm
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Brad Bonnecaze and Michael Hatfield in front of HOLT CAT corporate headquarters in San Antonio.
t’s exciting times for HOLT CAT. The heavy equipment icon has just added to its footprint with the purchase of Sullair of Houston on Jan. 1. Sullair of Houston was originally established in 1968 as a Sullair Company store, owned by Sullair Corporation. It was ran as a company store until 1985. In 1986, Brad Fish purchased the company and operated as an independent distributor for Sullair products in 134 counties in the state of Texas, everything south of Dallas, from 1986 until 2020. Headquarted in Houston, Sullair of Houston has facilities in San Antonio and Odessa, Texas. “We are a full line distributor and one of the largest in the U.S. for Sullair. We sell, service and rent the full line of Sullair compressors – from air dryers to diesel compressors and tools – anything that Sullair makes, sells, service, parts and rents,” says Sullair of Houston General Manager Brad Bonnecaze. “Sullair’s primary products are industrial air compressors and portable air compressors and all of their components. One of the things that differentiates us from other Sullair distributors is our custom packaging of components and systems into skids for oilfield. We also offer different types of specialized applications and products. We specialize in designing systems and building custom packages; anything and everything we can do to meet the customers’ needs, because there is not always an off-the-shelf solution. Because we are located in Houston, our products end up going around the world to different energy companies.” For the immediate future, Sullair of Houston will continue to operate as Sullair of Houston. Through the acquisition, the name of the company and actual entity is Holt Industrial Air Systems d.b.a Sullair of Houston. From a customer’s perspective, nothing will change when it comes to the qual-
ity service, parts and machines that Sullair customers have become accustomed. “We are excited to welcome the Sullair of Houston team to HOLT,” stated HOLT CAT CEO Peter J. Holt. “We share the same core values and each bring a relentless focus on providing legendary service to our customers. Acquiring Sullair of Houston allows us to expand our list of products and services within a growing market.” The HOLT CAT acquisition will also support Sullair’s growth. “We are expecting a lot of growth in the San Antonio, Austin and Waco markets where we didn’t have as big of a presence before. We are very excited. It is a family company. We knew that we have built the company as far as it could get without someone else with more financial capabilities and more experience in this area to grow the business. It is a perfect fit with the HOLT group,” adds Bonnecaze. Bonnecaze who has been with Sullair of Houston since 2003 will continue as general manager. “The legendary customer service that Sullair of Houston has always had coupled with HOLT’s legacy, capabilities, and of course their legendary customer service will propel us even further with a larger footprint, increased availability of products, new products and new capabilities.” HOLT CAT is a family-owned company, headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. HOLT sells, rents and services Caterpillar machines, engines and generator sets in a 118-county Texas territory, spanning from the Red River to the Rio Grande. Other HOLT divisions include HOLT Crane & Equipment, Texas First Rentals, HOLT Manufacturing, SITECH Tejas, HOLT Truck Centers and HOLT Renewables. Holt Industrial Air Systems d.b.a Sullair of Houston is a supplier of Sullair industrial air compressor products. -cmw
Tree Mann Solutions’ Mark Mann and his snowman construction crew
CapStar Electric
Lauren Concrete
LJA Engineers
Kitchell’s Jenna Laughman
Here’s to all the years!
Coburn and Company recently honored the work tenure for Valentin Aviles (25 years), Joe Reyes (28 years), Richard Blazi (25 years), and Cenovio Aguilar (24 years) with plaques and checks for $4,000 each! The Austin-based commercial painting and special finishing company has been in business for 30 years. –mjm
Austin Construction News • FEB 2021
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Making the invisible visible
Lithko acquires Capitol
Premier DataCom’s team go into every job making sure that what can be seen of their mostly concealed work mirrors the quality of the whole project.
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yan Willis says working on a project that the client will only see a portion of makes it even more important to ensure that portion reflects the quality of the whole. “We do data cabling, fiber optics, security camera, access control and audio/ visual installations. Quality is our biggest focus on a project because we don’t get a lot of opportunities to showcase our work, especially with cabling since it’s all concealed,” Willis, Premier DataCom’s Vice President, says. “When someone walks into a server room and sees perfect, beautiful stacks of cable bundled nicely going into a rack, we want that quality to shine through. We want them to know that the rest of the installation mirrors that.” What is visible is the quality of the Premier DataCom team, which Willis and his stepfather, company founder Chuck Brooks, carefully curate. “We like to hire people with limited skills in this field, put them through a training process and show them how we like to do installations,” Willis says. “We have a high standard set for training programs.” Brooks has had years of experience on
which to base that training. Coming from a service provider background, he grew frustrated with the lack of customer focus. Brooks established Tek Connect Pro in 2009 with a pickup truck and a focus on data cabling for the ability to service different aspects of the telecom services. The company rebranded as Premier DataCom in 2013 to start integrating security services, access control services, and audio visual. Brooks now employs a group of five crews. Everything is done in-house out of a 2,000sf shop housing materials and a fleet of five fully-equipped trucks. The crews, which until last year only worked in Texas, now travel to projects in California, Utah, and Tennessee. Willis says working out of state is just the start. “Our immediate focus is to expand more into the security sector as far as moving more into different types of surveillance systems and expand our offerings for access control. After that, it will probably be looking more at designing and installing data centers.” Network infrastructure solutions provider Premier DataCom is in Austin. –mjm
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Lithco Contracting LLC acquired Capitol Concrete Contractors Inc in Liberty Hill.
ithko Contracting LLC, an Ohiobased full-service, a national concrete contractor, with its equity partners The Pritzker Organization and DNS Capital, acquired the assets of Capitol Concrete Contractors Inc. (CCC) last December and announced the news in January. Capitol has been providing concrete contracting services since 2003, specializing in total package concrete construction, including foundations, tiltwalls, slabs, and site work. Capitol has over 300 coworkers, serving across the Austin and Central Texas regions. Capitol has a focus on family values and loyalty to their coworkers while creating and maintaining strong customer relationships based on dependability, quality, and safety. The company was a clear choice for Lithko Contracting LLC, which specializes in the execution of walls, tilt-ups, structural frames, slabs, super flats site work, foundations, and pre-construction services. Employing more than 3,000,
Lithko Contracting LLC serves more than 500 clients across 19 geographic regions. The acquisition gives the company a presence in the Austin market, helping to support the growth of the business over the long term. Lithko Contracting LLC President Rob Strobel praised Capitol for its team and track record of delivering value to customers. Strobel also said he is pleased that Lithko will now have a presence in the Austin market and a platform to grow business in the area. Jordan Moore, Capitol Vice President, echoes Strobel’s excitement about CCC teaming up with Lithko Contracting LLC. “Our partnership will drive exceptional value and solidify our place as an industry leader in the Austin and Central Texas region,” Moore says. “Our excitement extends to our coworkers, customers and vendor partners.” Capitol Concrete Contractors Inc. in Liberty Hill is a concrete contractor. Ohiobased Lithko Contracting LLC is a national concrete contractor. –mjm
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Austin Construction News • FEB 2021
Jody Powell
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General Manager Liberty Signs Inc. Austin, TX
ody Powell has been in the sign business ever since he earned his high school diploma. He has spent the past 23 years learning everything he can about the sign industry under the guidance of Liberty Signs Inc. President and CEO Mark Rocke. With Rocke’s retirement in June, Powell will assume ownership of the company and put his extensive knowledge and experience to good use. He also is celebrating the company’s milestone anniversary this year. How were you introduced to this industry? The founder of our company – and still President and CEO – is Mark Rocke. Mark founded the company in 2001, but before Liberty Signs, he and I worked for Southwest Neon Signs here in their Round Rock Branch. He was a manager, and I was just a kid out of high school looking for a job when he hired me. A couple of years into me being hired by him, they closed down their Austin branch. Mark figured that, rather than go to work for somebody else, he would start his own company. He founded Liberty Signs Inc. in Round Rock at that time and then hired me. What were Liberty Sign’s first years like? We started with a little crappy ladder truck and a desire to work. We still lease the property we operate out of; the building is owned by Southwest Neon. At first, we couldn’t afford the entire property, so we just rented their yard space so we would have storage for signs that were brought in and a place where we could keep our truck. He and I were just working our skills and he would go home at night and do billing and all of the things that make a business go round. As we got busier, we bought another bucket truck and hired more installers.
Our primary business in the beginning was servicing sign lighting for local businesses and installing signs for national companies. We got to the point where we needed another person in the office so we rented a little job trailer and put it in the yard and hired a project manager/do-it-all person. Around 2006, we rented the actual building from the owners of the property and hired more office staff at that time, a dedicated project manager and an accounting person and continued to hire installers. We kept growing. About five years ago, Mark wanted me to be the Install Manager and deal specifically with all of their installers because we had started fabrication at that point. We have a full-scale fabrication department now. Three years ago, he promoted me to General Manager because his intention was to retire and sell me the company. Mark and I are contractually agreed upon when the transition takes place. We now have two bucket trucks, five sign trucks and regular trucks and trailers that are hauling product around. As far as installation purposes go, we cover the whole state of Texas. We have about 30 employees, and we also have two salespeople that sell for our national accounts, which we’re pretty proud of. So you have truly been in this business your entire adult life. You must know the sign business backwards and forwards. I’m 41, so I’ve had 23 years in the industry. The business part I’m still learning, constantly learning. I’m just a high school graduate that worked hard. But this industry in particular, I know this industry. This is what I’ve always done. The sign business, that’s me. That’s what I do. What would you say the biggest challenge is in your work? Our biggest challenge is finding and retaining quality employees, and I think most businesses owners would agree that’s one of their biggest challenges. This is especially working in the field. When I first took over as General Manager, and even in the beginning as Installation Manager, I would go and work out on the sign trucks all day and then come back and work in the office in the evenings. We’ve been really fortunate in the last couple of years to get some great hires that allow me the ability to step off of the trucks and focus on my job and what I’m supposed to be doing for the company. We are very lucky, though; we have a family here. We’re a very tight-knit group, and a small company. People feel very
Jody Powell (pictured) will become the new owner of Liberty Signs Inc. this year when current President and founder Mark Rocke retires in June.
welcomed and at home here. If they are quality people, they are treated as such; I can’t run them out of here! They love it here and this is their home. We are really lucky with the talent that we have. What do you do to bond with your employees? We do summer cookouts and Christmas parties, and the employees like to decorate the office; right now, they have it decorated for Valentine’s Day. We give to few local charities. What makes Liberty Signs Inc. unique in the construction industry? One of the things that makes us unique is, for a sign company in Central Texas, is that we have four master sign electricians on staff, which is unheard of. We also are the only installation company in Central Texas that has the guys certified to rappel, so we are qualified for any sort of high-reach jobs, high rise work; our employees are competent on various types of equipment including swing stages, lifts – you name it, we’ve worked with it successfully. This year is truly a milestone for Liberty Signs Inc., with Mark retiring and the company celebrating 20 years. Do you have plans to celebrate these occasions? Mark is officially retiring in June. He wanted to wait until he was 65 to retire and then he also wanted to see the company get to 20 years. I will probably do something this summer to celebrate his retirement and the anniversary when the weather is nice. We might do a little more than just a barbecue at my house,
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but no definite plans yet. What plans does the company have for the future? We want to continue to grow. I have a growth mindset, and I want to make sure I can lead the company in that direction. To keep quality people, I have to create opportunities for them, and the only way to create opportunities for great folks is to keep growing the company and give them some place to grow themselves. I would like to increase gross revenue, obviously, but there have been discussions of opening satellite locations to help cover our service area. How do you spend your free time? I’m married; I’ve been with my wife for 16 years. We have a 15-years old daughter, and my stepson is 19. My wife and I both work a lot – she’s a nurse – so we just work and go home. We’re real homebodies, so we don’t go places much. We have a small farm in Liberty Hill with cows and chickens. It’s quiet and calm most of the time and then the bull gets out! I also enjoy playing golf. Four years ago, I was given the chance to serve on the Board of Directors for our state association. That’s something I’m really proud of; I love giving back to the industry and working with all of the good people around the state that are dealing with the same things we are around our industry. Last year, I was nominated for the executive committee so in three years, I’ll get to serve as President. Liberty Signs Inc. in Round Rock designs, fabricates and installs signs for local and national clients. –mjm
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Austin Construction News • FEB 2021
Page 5
Raba passes the torch
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Chris Schultz, CEO, Raba Kistner Inc.
eople, and more importantly the relationships Chris Schultz has with those people are what make Chris Schultz who he is. He measures his success on the positive impact he has on the lives of others. Effective Jan. 1, Gary Raba, son of the company’s founder, Carl Raba, officially passed the torch to Schultz as CEO. This is the first time since Raba Kistner Inc. was founded that the top leadership position is held outside the Raba family. Schultz has been a part of the Raba Kistner team for 30 years. He started working for Raba Kistner under the leadership of Dick Kistner after graduating from the University of Colorado. “Anybody who knows me would say I was lying if I said I didn’t think I would someday be heading up the company. But now that it has happened, I am truly humbled. I look back at it and having only two prior CEOs over a 52-year span, and following behind two legends in our industry, Carl and Gary Raba, has to be a humbling experience. “I started as an engineer in training (EIT). Over time, I evolved into other positions. I took over the management of the geotechnical group in San Antonio, growing it and starting other service lines in forensics and building envelope services. After about 10 years in that role, I took on more corporate responsibility to be the geotechnical service line leader for the entire company. Over the next 15 years my role continued to grow,” says Schultz. “Around 2013/2014, I moved into the role of COO of Raba Kistner Consultants which is one of the firm’s four divisions. Each division has its own COO. I had a CoCOO, Paul Lampe. He was my business partner for 30 years. He retired Dec. 31, 2020. If something feels different this week from last week, it is that Paul, after 30 years of working together, is no longer here.” Schultz’s overall plan is to continue to grow RKI in a very strategic and calculated fashion. “Not just for the sake of growth, because growth energizes an organiza-
tion and more importantly it provides opportunities for employees. My plans are to build on the success of the company that occurred under Gary Raba’s leadership. I’m inheriting a company that is coming off the best year in 52 years. I’m a firm believer if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it. It’s like taking over Nick Saban’s job. I’ve got the right team on the field and it’s pretty awesome. “We are the same company with the same great employees providing the same great services with passion and integrity that we have had for 52 years. That includes giving back to the community. Giving back to the community is something the Rabas and Dick Kistner always instilled in us. We have a tremendous responsibility to give back to the communities that we serve, and we are going to keep doing that.“ As for Gary Raba, Gary is not leaving the company entirely. He is stepping into the role of Strategic Growth Officer, drawing from his industry relationships, exploring possible acquisitions of outside firms offering related services. “CEO is just another title, but one I will not take lightly. I was just one member of a strong leadership team prior to the promotion, and I am just part of that leadership team today. I would like to state my appreciation for the prior leadership of the company. When you look at all the Rabas – Carl, William, Gary, Bunny, and Dick Kistner, they created something that is pretty special. Their mentorship and friendship during those years have provided a lot of opportunity for me, but more importantly for all of our employees. I just think back to how many lives the company has touched both internal and external, to our whole organization. I look forward to continuing that legacy.” Raba-Kistner Inc. is a premier engineering consulting and program management firm with offices in Austin, Brownsville, Conroe, Corpus Christi, New Braunfels, Houston, Dallas, McAllen, Arizona, Utah and Mexico. -cmw
Stand down/up to COVID
In January, commercial general contractor Flintco participated in the National Safety Stand Down hosted by the Associated Builders and Contractors (national) and the Construction Industry Safety Coalition (CISC). The company exercise, held on an Austin job site, was a reminder to fight COVID-19’s spread. –mjm
Trucking along!
To celebrate the 10th anniversary of BryComm’s very first employee, Shaun Holmes (left), company owner Cory Brimer upgraded Holmes’ company vehicle to a brand-new Toyota Tundra! Since Holmes’ start, the general contractor has grown to employ 200 employees.–mjm
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Austin Construction News • FEB 2021
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Austin Construction News • FEB 2021
Page 7
BONDING
ACCOUNTING 2021 Tax Changes and How They Might Affect You
Utilizing Subcontractor Bonds for Prequalification and Risk Management
Phillip Wooten, CPA, Partner Ridout, Barrett & Co., P.C. Austin, TX
Eric Schmalz, Principal Schmalz & Associates Surety Bonding Liberty Hill, TX
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he year 2020 is behind us and it feels really good to say that. We are now just beginning the 2020 tax-filing season and with the many changes in 2020 due to the CARES Act, it is easy to overlook the tax changes for 2021. We will take a quick look at some of the changes that may affect your taxes in the coming year. Tax Rates/Tax Brackets Under current law, the top tax rate remains 37% for 2021. The tax brackets for each of the filing statuses have increased as they are indexed to inflation. This means that more of your income will be taxed at lower rates when compared to the 2020 tax brackets. Retirement Contributions /Retirement Deductions An individual that participates in an employer 401(k) or 403(b) plan is able to defer up to $19,500 during 2021. Individuals over 50 years may make additional catch-up contributions of $6,500. These amounts are unchanged from 2020. However, for 2021, the limitation on employer contributions has increased $1,000. In 2020 the total contributions from both the employee and the employer was limited to $57,000, during 2021 the total deferment is now limited to $58,000. Not much has changed when it comes to Traditional IRA and Roth IRA contributions. The contribution limits for Traditional IRAs remain at $6,000 and the catch-up contributions for individual over 50 years in age remain at $1,000. The phase out of the deductible amount did change from 2020. For 2021, the maximum deduction begins to phase out for married filing jointly and single filers for taxpayers with adjusted gross incomes of $104,000 and $65,000 respectively, which is a $1,000 increase compared to 2020. While Roth IRAs are not deductible, you are not allowed to contribute to them if your income is too high. For 2021, the income limits for married filing jointly and single filers has been raised $2,000 and $1,000, respectively. The modified adjusted gross income is now $198,000 up from $196,000 in 2020 for married filing jointly and $125,000 up from $124,000 in 2020. HSA Contributions Allowable HSA contributions will increase in 2021. Families and individuals with a High Deductible Health Plan will be able to make an additional $50 in contributions compared to the year 2020. The maximum contributions for 2021 is $7,200 for family coverage and $3,600 for self-coverage. Standard Deduction If you choose to take the standard deduction in 2021, you will notice an increase in the amount of the deduction. Taxpayers that file Married Filing Jointly will get an additional $300 increase in the standard deduction and the remaining taxpayers that file Single, Head of Household, and Married Filing Separately will get an additional $150 increase in the standard deduction. The standard deductions for 2021 are as follows:
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Single - $12,550 Married Filing Jointly & Surviving Spouses - $25,100 Married Filing Separately - $12,550 Head of Household - $18,800 Charitable Contributions
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hether you are a paper general contractor subcontracting nearly 100% of work or a prime engineering firm subcontracting work scope you do not selfperform, subcontractors are often extremely important contributors to a project. Because of this, it is critical to perform both prequalification and contractual risk management to avoid problems.
As part of the stimulus relief due to Covid-19, a new above the line deduction was added for charitable contributions for taxpayers that use the standard deduction. In prior years, charitable contributions were only allowed as an itemized deduction. However in 2020 taxpayers will be allowed to take a deduction up to $300 if they do not itemize their deductions. In 2021, taxpayers that file a Married Filing Jointly return will be allowed to make up to $600 in charitable contributions without having to itemize their deductions. In 2021, taxpayers other than filing Married Filing Jointly will be allowed to deduct $300. In order to qualify for the deduction, the charitable contributions must be made in cash to a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization and not to a donoradvised fund.
Some solid risk management procedures include properly structured subcontracts which include flow-down of contractual responsibilities from the prime contract, indemnity provisions holding the G.C. and owner harmless, minimum insurance requirements for general liability, work comp, and auto as well as safety plans. I would also recommend using subcontractor bonds either as policy above a specified subcontract dollar value or used selectively for new or unfamiliar subs. Requiring bonds from your subcontractors allows you to outsource the prequalification and vetting process on the front end while offering performance and payment security from the bond itself.
Meals and Entertainment
• Third Party Prequalification Services: When underwriting support of a subcontractor’s bond request, a surety will review financial strength and current performance, credit history, management capability, equipment, reputation, as well as project factors like size, scope, and geographic location.
For business, there has been a change in deducting the cost of business meals and entertainment for 2021 and 2022. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA) changed the deductibility of business meals and entertainment. Under the TCJA you cannot deduct the cost of client entertainment. For 2021, this continues to hold true. There is no deduction for client related entertainment. Business meals were limited to a 50% deduction under the TCJA. However, under the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021(CAA), the 50% limitation has been removed and for 2021 and 2022 business related meals are fully deductible. The new rule applies to dine-in, curbside and delivery meals. While the deductibility of the meals has increased to 100%, the requirements to deduct the meals has not. The meal must be in relation to a business purpose, cannot be extravagant under the circumstances, an employee must be present when the meal is served, and the meal served must be provided to you or a business associate.
Benefits of Subcontractor Bonds
• Performance Security: The Performance bond will guarantee the contractual clauses and provisions laid out in the subcontract agreement. If the subcontractor is not performing its obligations under the contract, a claim can be made under the performance bond. • Payment Protections: Since liens are typically not available on public projects, the Payment bond protects subcontractor and supplier tiers downstream from the bonded subcontractor. • Requiring a bond from your subcontractor can also add incentive and focus on a particular project as surety companies typically require both corporate and personal indemnities to back the bond.
A prime or general contractor can also benefit from using subcontractor bonds when they are requesting a bond outside of their normal size or scope. The G.C.’s surety company will gain comfort in knowing the subcontractors have been prequalified and offer performance security. Amongst their underwriting considerations, knowing subcontractors are bonded can go a long way towards supporting a large or unique bonded project or spike backlog for their G.C. client. One misconception I hear often is that using subcontract bonds will reduce the amount of the prime contract bond required, and this is not the case. We should keep in mind these are distinctly separate contractual relationships. The prime contract bond covers the entire contract for the owner’s protection and offers no protections for the G.C. Whereas, subcontract bonds required by the G.C. protect them from performance and payment risks. Another issue that can often be confusing is considering a project “double bonded” when both the prime contract and subcontracts are guaranteed with bonds. For the same reasons as stated above, the protections offered by the bonds are not “doubled”, they are applied to distinctly separate contracts and protect different parties. If your construction firm often operates as a subcontractor, it is a good idea to have your bonding relationship in place and up to date so you can respond if a G.C. requires bonding. From a marketing standpoint, another benefit of establishing your bonding is being able to tell prospective G.C.’s or owners you are bondable and including a letter of bondability with your proposals. Normally, we write these letters as an ongoing service for our clients free of cost and it can make a big difference in being selected for a project. Schmalz & Associates is an agency exclusively supporting contractors bonding needs. Eric Schmalz was an underwriter and manager for over 15 years working for Top 10 surety companies and now helps his contractor clients establish and maximize their bonding. Please call 512-640-6444, email eric@schmalzsurety.com or visit the website at www.schmalzsurety.com We would love to help!
Phillip Wooten, CPA has more than 17 years of experience in public accounting servicing individuals and businesses in tax and assurance work with a focus in the construction industry. Phillip joined Ridout, Barrett & Co., P.C. in 2017 and became a partner with the firm in January 2020. Ridout, Barrett & Co., P.C. has been providing professional accounting, tax and business advisory services to the South and Central Texas construction industry for over 34 years. Visit www. ridoutbarrett.com for additional information about Ridout, Barrett &Co., P.C. and the services we offer.
Sunday, February 14
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Austin Construction News • FEB 2021
OSHA
LEGAL The Duality and Burdens of Substantial Performance
Injury & Illness Electronic Reporting
Stephanie O’Rourke Cokinos | Young PC San Antonio, TX
Joann Natarajan Compliance Assistance Specialist OSHA Austin, TX
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n a typical breach of contract dispute, the plaintiff has the burden to prove it fully performed the contract and the other party did not. In a construction setting, however, a contractor does not have to prove it performed its side of the contract perfectly or completely. Rather, substantial performance is deemed full performance and satisfies the condition precedent to suit. Vance v. My Apartment Steak House of San Antonio, Inc., 677 S.W.2d 480, 481 (Tex. 1984). Although the doctrine of substantial performance is undeniably beneficial to a contractor, it places a unique burden on contractors to establish the right to payment. To prove substantial performance, a contractor not only must show it substantially performed the contract and is owed payment for work performed, but also must prove the cost of completing any unfinished work and remedying any defects. Id. at 483. The latter requirement may seem counterintuitive, as it requires a contractor to establish the cost of remediating a defect the contractor might otherwise deny. Indeed, the doctrine of substantial performance can be raised as both a claim and as an affirmative defense. Turner v. Ewing, 14-18-01020-CV, 2020 WL 6878681, at *4 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] Nov. 24, 2020, no pet. h.) In litigation, this duality often causes confusion with respect to the applicable burdens of proof. The recent case of Turner v. Ewing illustrates the challenges faced by litigants and courts in navigating the burdens of substantial performance. The Turners were homeowners who hired Ewing to frame their home. Id. at *1. When the relationship broke down before the work was complete, the Turners terminated Ewing from the project and refused to pay the last three draw requests. Id. Ewing brought suit against the Turners for payment, and the Turners counterclaimed, asserting they were entitled to recover the amount due to complete the project. Id. at *2. The jury found Ewing breached the contract, but also substantially completed the project and awarded Ewing damages of $35,242.99 less $5,963.00 for the cost to complete the work and remedy defects. Id. Both parties were awarded $30,000 in attorneys’ fees. Id. After hearing the parties’ competing post-verdict motions, the trial court found Ewing was the prevailing party and signed a final judgment awarding Ewing $29,279.99 in damages, interest, and $30,000 in attorney’s fees. Id. The Turners appealed, arguing that because there was a jury finding that Ewing breached the contract but no jury finding that the Turners breached the contract, the Turners must be the prevailing party. Id. at *4. The Court disagreed, noting the doctrine of substantial performance is not merely a defensive issue but may also be raised by a party seeking to recover on a contract. Id. The court held Ewing met its burden of proof, and therefore was the prevailing party, by showing the jury the amounts due and unpaid by
the Turners, less the costs of completion and remediation.. Id. In making this determination, the Court noted the cost of completion or remediation was an element Ewing had to prove under his substantial performance claim rather than a recovery of damages by the Turners on their counterclaim for breach of contract. Id. The Turners also sought to overturn the award of attorney’s fees to Ewing by arguing they were the prevailing party because the jury found Ewing breached and the cost of remedying defects was $5,963.00. Id. at *8. The court, however, found the Turners’ argument disregarded the jury’s finding of substantial completion. Id. Rejecting the Turners’ argument, the court held the jury’s finding of $5,963.00 for remediation costs was an element of Ewing’s substantial performance claim and not an award of Turner’s counterclaims. Id. In other words, the $5,963.00 was merely a reduction of the amount owed to Ewing based on Ewing’s substantial performance claim, not a finding of breach of contract in favor of the Turners. Id. As such, the court upheld the trial court’s award of attorneys’ fees to Ewing as the prevailing party. Id. The Texas Supreme Court has long recognized the oddity of requiring a contractor to establish the costs of remediation for its own work and the arguments for placing that burden on the owner. See Vance, 677 S.W.2d at 483. Indeed, in Vance, Justice Robertson, joined by Justices Wallace and Kilgarlin, wrote: “the prodigiously unfair and awkward position of a contractor attempting to show compliance with a construction contract while simultaneously being required to establish damages from his alleged breach of that same contract is indefensible.” Id. at 487 (Robertson, J., concurring). However, the majority opinion stands; until the Supreme Court revisits the issue, both owners and contractors are advised to seek specialized guidance in understanding the difference between an owner’s proof of damages and a contractor’s proof regarding the remediation of its own work.
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arch 2, 2021, is the deadline for electronically reporting your OSHA Form 300A data for calendar year 2020. Collection will begin January 2, 2021. The OSHA 300A is the summary of occupational injuries and illness that lists the column totals from the OSHA 300 log and the total hours worked. The collection of CY 2019 data and beyond will include the collection of establishments’ Employer Identification Numbers (EIN). If you submit your data using a csv file or API, you can view the new layout by selecting the «How» tab above. Remember, not all establishments need to submit their OSHA 300A Data. Only a small fraction of establishments are required to electronically submit their Form 300A data to OSHA. Establishments that meet any of the following criteria DO NOT have to send their information to us. Remember, these criteria apply at the establishment level, not to the firm as a whole.
• The establishment’s peak employment during the previous calendar year was 19 or fewer, regardless of the establishment’s industry. • The establishment’s industry is listed in 1904 Subpart B App A - Partially Exempt Industries regardless of the size of the establishment. • The establishment had a peak employment between 20 and 249 employees during the previous calendar year AND the establishment’s industry is not on the list located here: https://
www.osha.gov/recordkeeping/naicscodes-electronic-submission. OSHA provides a secure website that offers three options for data submission. First, users can manually enter data into a web form. Second, users can upload a CSV file to process multiple establishments at the same time. Last, users of automated recordkeeping systems will have the ability to transmit data electronically via an API (application programming interface). The secure website is located here: https://www.osha.gov/injuryreporting/ita/ Establishments that meet the size and industry reporting criteria must report their Form 300A data even if they experienced no recordable injuries or illnesses during the reference year. Those establishments would report zeroes for their injury and illness counts. Employers that inadvertently miss the report filing date (March 2), should electronically submit their data as soon as possible. The secure website will continue to accept submissions through December 31, 2021. The electronic reporting requirements are based on the industry classification of the establishment, not the industry classification of the firm. An establishment is defined as a single physical location where business is conducted or where services or industrial operations are performed. A firm may be comprised of one or more establishments. natarajan.joann@dol.gov 512-374-0271 x232
Inauguration day
Stephanie O’Rourke is a member of Cokinos | Young’s litigation practice group and manages the firm’s San Antonio office. Stephanie’s expertise in construction litigation has earned her recognition from numerous publications and organizations including Chambers and as Honoree for the Outstanding Lawyers by the San Antonio Business Journal. Stephanie is Board Certified in Construction Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.
Sign Up for your Free Digital Subscription to Construction News www.ConstructionNews.Net Click on “Digital Subscription and complete form
L-R: On Jan. 20, East Texas Asphalt Co.’s Geno Carrier IV passed the gavel as President of the Texas Asphalt Pavement Association to Reese Albert Inc.’s Craig Odom. A new board has also been installed to service TXAPA in 2021. –mjm
Austin Construction News • FEB 2021
Page 9
maybe one or two good size fish. This style of fishing is not for everyone die tp mostly the long days you have to endure just to wait for the fish to turn on. A speckled trouts metabolism slows down in colder water temperatures so they may possibly only eat once a day or even every couple of days. Waiting them out is the hard part and having faith that they will eat is what keeps me motivated to stay on the water late in the day. Most of the questions I’m asked when folks call about booking a trophy trout wade fishing are what lures they should bring. My answer is most always bring what you have confidence in catching fish on. I’m a firm believer that if you believe you can catch fish on a certain style lure, sooner or later in the day you will produce a bite. This instance played true on a recent fishing trip in Port Mansfield last week. We were fishing a post front weather pattern with few clouds and a rising barometric pressure. I knew the bite would be tough and I wanted to catch fish on a custom corky I’d had great success using in Baffin Bay. I was persistent the entire day while my clients switched out lures every half hour or so. Like I figured, when the fish decided to eat, my corky did the trick producing several 5-6 lb. trout. I ended the day using the same lure I started with and made a statement to my clients who thought I was hardheaded. Sometimes you have to study the situation and determine what you think the fish are going to do.
Hardcore Wade Fishing by Capt. Steve Schultz Sponsored by: Waypoint Marine, Shoalwater Boats, Fishing Tackle Unlimited, Shimano Reels, E-Z Bel Construction, Costa Sunglasses, Simms Fishing, ForEverlast Fishing Products, PowerPro, Interstate Batteries, MirrOlure, JL Marines PowerPole, AFW and AFTCO Clothing.
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itting here at my computer writing this article makes me realize how fast time flies. Seems like just a few days ago I wrote my column for January and here I am now writing February. This year makes 20 years that I have been writing for the Construction News. I can honestly say that it has been a great journey for me along the way. I have met so many great clients in the construction industry and most of them are now friends and family. You folks that read this publication along with everyone else affiliated in the construction industry are the greatest, most generous and giving people on the planet. Thanks for reading my column in the outdoors section for two decades and thanks for letting Steve Schultz Outdoors make memories that will last a lifetime.
February brings out the hardcore anglers searching for trophy trout wading
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Chris Jones and crew of San Antonio had an awesome day wade fishing the lower Laguna Madre out of Port Mansfield. Mixed bag of trout and reds with some trout in the 6-lb. range. Book your next outing with Steve Schultz Outdoors.
the shallow parts of our bay systems. These guys and sometime gals are not your typical fishermen looking to stock the freezer with a mess of fillets — they are searching for that one fish that they
can mount or perhaps photograph and post on their personal social media site. They weather the harsh conditions mother nature can throw against us this time of the year for a handful of bites and
My 2021 fishing calendar is open, and I have already started to book trips for the upcoming year. Several Days in February are still available for wading for trophy trout. To schedule your next bay fishing trip or hunting trip give Capt. Steve Schultz a call at 361-813-3716 or e-mail me at SteveSchultzOutdoors@gmail.com. Follow me on Facebook and Instagram @ Steve_Schultz_Outdoors.
Good Luck and Good Fishing.
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Austin Construction News • FEB 2021
Ken Milam’s Fishing Line Since 1981, Ken Milam has been guiding fishing trips for striped bass on Lake Buchanan in the Texas Hill Country, You can hear Ken on the radio as follows: The Great Outdoors: 5-8 am Saturday on 1300, The Zone, Austin and The Great Outdoors: 5-7 am Saturday on 1200 WOAI San Antonio The Sunday Sportsman: 6-8 am Sunday on 1300, The Zone, Austin All on iHeart Radio
Anglers, it is time to step up your game!
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t is that time of year again. The football games and hunting seasons and are done for now, and we can start to look forward to the beginning of fishing season! Any day now, the white bass will be trying to run up the rivers and toward the upper end of the lakes to spawn. They offer us a lot of fast catching action that’s not only fun, but they taste good too. This is the best kind of fishing to start your kids out on. The more frequent sunny, warm afternoons will start to bring the crappie into the shallows to begin to nest around structure along the shorelines. They are also fun and easy to catch, and most people consider them the best tasting freshwater fish we have. Now we come to the part where you will have to put your noggin to work. If you like to fish for catfish and bass, who love to find structure and hang out on points, drop-offs and rock piles or even open water feeders like stripers who favor different currents and such, you may have to learn some new tricks. I’m hoping some spring rains will help equalize the lake and river levels. If not and your favorite fishing hole is still a little low, you might not be able to fish your favorite spots that your old fishing buddy taught you several years ago. I know that some of our brush piles for bass and crappie are getting high and dry now here on Lake Buchanan. You might have to find some new spots but be sure to remember
where all those formerly hidden brush piles are for when the water and the fish come back.
drop a hook and check it out and learn some new skills. It will make you a better fisherman in the end.
Look at the water depth that you were fishing in and find similar depths for your new spots. What was the bottom shaped like? Was it a little hilltop, or a depression, or maybe off the side of a ridge? Notice the temperatures of the water and any possible currents from rivers and creeks. If you find a spot that looks good,
Keep an eye on the Texas Parks and Wildlife ShareLunker Program this time of year too. If you love bass fishing, you’ll love seeing the big ones that are coming in and learning where they came from. And of course, you can always call your favorite fishing guide and book a trip to
get a head start on the fishing season. There is a lot to be said for fishing with someone who already knows where to go and how to catch fish in the changing conditions. Just keep in mind they get busy in the spring, so call early to get the date you want! I don’t know about you, but I’m about ready to hit the water! I hope to see you out there!
Personal best bass
JP Construction’s Matt Runyon ended 2020 on a high note by landing this 10.5lb bass – a personal best for Runyon! –mjm
Austin Construction News • FEB 2021
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Man in black
hen he was 16, Energy Logix’s CEO and Partner Jeff McCombs’ first car was a 1966 Mustang. Ever since, he has had a fascination with older vehicles. “I just like to bring something back to life that hasn’t worked in a long time and doesn’t look like everything else out there on the road,” he says. After selling his Ford Galaxy 500 five years ago, McCombs began searching for a full-size Ford. He came across a Facebook group catering to full-size Fords and then his heart skipped a beat: There, on Facebook Marketplace, was a 1971 Mercury Monterey, painted factory black with black interior for sale in Michigan. He reached out to the seller and saw from the photos that the undercarriage was not rotted as he feared. Being a Michigan-native, McCombs seized the opportunity to drive up north with his dad, visit with his relatives there and buy the car. “It was in pretty good shape; it just needed a new carburetor, and it had some electrical issues, such as the taillights and horn not working,” McCombs says. To get it through inspection so that I could get the title, I spent three weekends trying to take care of a lot of little things before I could get it on the road safely.” Besides its sleek style, two things really set the car apart from other Mercurys McCombs has seen. “It is probably the only Mercury I have ever heard of that has a three-speed
transmission on the column. It’s a three on the tree, so I’m still trying to navigate that,” he says. “Another cool thing about it is that, back in the old days, sometimes when a car was custom built, a plaque would be put on the dash that would say who it was custom built for,” he continues. “This one actually has a plaque like that that says, ‘Custom-built for Bill Morris.’ It is a factory black-on-black car, which was a rare option on the 1971 Mercury Monterey; most of them were brown. You could tell it was probably someone quirky who ordered it that way.” McCombs hopes to someday have the pleasure of meeting the quirky custom car-orderer. “I came across who I think it is: Bill Morris, who is a Detroit author. I found him on social media. He’s probably in his mid-70s now but all of his pictures are of him looking like Johnny Cash, dressed in black! I’m still trying to track him down and get a hold of him. When I do, I’m going to say, ‘Is this your car? Because I’m pretty sure it is!’ It definitely turns heads.” The car is currently turning the mechanic’s head, as it gets an alignment, a muffler, and a full check-up. Once it’s back on the road, McCombs has it signed up for some summer fun. “I just plan on making it a summer cruiser and taking it to some shows when everything hopefully returns to some sense of normalcy,” he says. Mechnical systems company Energy Logix is in Austin and San Antonio. –mjm
Two buck-aroos
Liberty Signs Inc.’s Bill Holloway and his son Jackson show off the 9pt. buck they scored during their father-son bonding time. –mjm
Despite the car’s age and Michigan’s harsh winters, McCombs found the frame and interior in good shape; only a few things needed to be fixed.
McCombs and his dad traveled back to their home state of Michigan to buy the car.
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Austin Construction News • FEB 2021
The leaders of tomorrow
Anniversary gift for Austin
ssociated Builders Contractors Central Texas Chapter Emerging Leaders Group’s (ELG) new officers attended a half day strategic planning session to clarify the vision and mission of the group and to plan upcoming events for 2021. ABC’s Emerging Leaders Group is open to all ABC Central Texas members under the age of 40 or new to the construction industry. - cmw
A L-R: Shayne W. Terry, Oliver Moore, Jonathan Strellow, Jovi Wells and Stefan Gresham.
Arch-Con Corporation’s view from its new Austin office
rch-Con Corporation is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, but Austin is getting the gift. The Houston-based general contractor opened an Austin office at 301 Congress Ave. To lead and expand ArchCon’s multifamily efforts in the Austin and San Antonio markets, Jeb Brown was hired as Vice President. His experience includes the preconstruction and construction of multi-million dollar devel-opments across the U.S. totaling more than $1 billion. In the area, Arch-Con is already building DD’s Discounts in Round Rock, finishing Cedar Park’s Village Medical Clinic, breaking ground on a 12,400sf retail shell building in San Marcos and negotiating a 17-story Austin hotel. ArchCon will soon break ground on a student housing project on the former Chelsea apartments near the University of Texas at Austin at 2500 San Gabriel St. Arch-Con was established in 2000 by Chief Executive Officer Michael G.
Scheurich. Housed in a small office building near Rice University with a design-build business model and an inhouse architect, Arch-Con’s first project was a driveway entrance for Continental Manufacturing in Houston. Arch-Con quickly built up to hotel, retail, tilt-wall, office, industrial, supermarkets, mixeduse and distribution center projects. Its growth led Arch-Con to open a Dallas office in 2015. Arch-Con is beginning operations in Colorado, Arizona and Oklahoma. It is also breaking ground on a new Houston headquarters in addition to establishing the Austin office. “We simply thrive on working hard and partnering with our clients to give them a proactive, clear approach to construction,” Central Texas Regional Manager Marc MacConnell says. “I’m excited to bring this work ethic, mindset and culture to Austin.” General contractor Arch-Con Corporation is in Austin, Dallas and Houston. –mjm
Austin Construction News • FEB 2021
Page 13
Association Calendar
What is your favorite pastime activity and why?
Content submitted by Associations to Construction News ABC
Associated Builders & Contractors
Feb 4: Legislative Day, Capitol of Texas, 1100 Congress Ave., 6-7pm. Feb. 8-10: OSHA 502, ABC Central Texas Offices, 2600 Longhorn Blvd. #105, 8am-12pm. Feb. 10-12: OSHA 503, ABC Central Texas Offices, 2600 Longhorn Blvd. #105, 1-5pm. Feb. 16: Meet the GC Feb. 17: Construction Executives Group Breakfast Feb. 23: Women Building Austin Series. For more info, call Jodi Bunyard at 512-719-5263 or email jbunyard@abccentraltexas.org ACEA
Greater Austin Contractors & Engineers Assn
Feb. 11: Membership Luncheon, Norris Conference, 2525 W. Anderson Ln. #365. 11:30am. Feb. 15: Frostbite Golf Tournament, Falconhead Golf Club, 15001 Falconhead Blvd., 11am Registration, 12pm Shotgun Start. For more info, call Silvia Pendleton at 512-8937067 or email silvia.pendleton@aceatx. com. ASCE
American Society of Civil Engineers Texas Section
Feb. 9: Innovative Structural Solutions to Dallas Area Traffic Signals Webinar, go to www.texasce.org/webinar-feb9 Feb. 21-27: Engineers Week Feb. 22-26: ASCE Texas Legislative Drive-In, go to www.texasasce.org/legislative-drivein Feb. 25: DiscoverE Girl Day 2021. For more info, contact Jenni Peters at 512-910-2272 or jpeters@texasce.org CTSA
Central Texas Subcontractors Assn.
Feb. 9, 1pm. For more info, contact Wendy Lambert at 512-255-6373 NARI
National Assn. of the Remodeling Industry
Feb. 10: General Membership Virtual Meeting, 11:30am-1pm. For more info, Kayvon Leath at 512-997-6274 or email kayvon@ austinnari.org NAWIC
National Assn. of Women in Construction
Feb. 3: Virtual Meeting, 5:30-8pm. For more info, email austinnawic@gmail.com RCAT
Roofing Contractors Assn. of Texas
Feb. 16-17: RCAT Roofing Day at the Capitol, 1100 Congress Ave. For more info, contact Sarah Burns at 512-251-7690 or email rcat.admin@rooftex.com SEAot
Structural Engineers Assn. of Texas
Feb. 25: Chapter Meeting via Gotowebinar, For more info, call 512-301-2744 or go to www.seaotaustin.org TSPE
Texas Society of Professional Engineers
Feb. 2-6: PE Leadership Institute Class 10 – Session 2 Feb. 12: TSPE Travis Online Luncheon, TxDOT, Austin District, 12-1pm. Feb. 15: Nominations for Engineer of the Year and Young Engineer of Year Deadline. For more info, call 512-312-2009. TXAPA
Texas Asphalt Pavement Assn.
Feb. 1-17: TXAPA Inspector Asphalt Education Program. For more info, contact Emily Adams or email eadams@texasasphalt.org
Feb. 9-10: 2021 TCA Walk on the Capitol Virtual Event. Webinar and issue briefing
FirstOnSite name basis
Interstate Restoration, shown here restoring a school’s water-damaged floor, is one of several companies uniting under the new corporate brand FirstOnSite.
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everal North American restoration companies, including Interstate Restoration, are joining together under a new corporate brand FirstOnSite. Interstate Restoration, a remediation, restoration and reconstruction services company, boasts locations nationwide, including Austin. It joins FirstOnSite Restoration, Super Restoration, CATCO, Interstate Hawaii, Restauration PremiereAction Restoration, Perfection Property Restoration and Rolyn Companies Inc. under the new name. Approximately 2,000 team members in more than 80 branches across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico will be united as a result. Between them, the companies have more than 70 years of experience. The goal of the new branding is to combine the companies’ many strengths to better offer environmental remediation and restoration from catastrophic events, water and flood damage, mold, fire and smoke. The company also provides emergency response planning and Armor™
COVID-19 protection. Interstate Restoration, which in addition to Austin also has Texas locations in Dallas, Dickinson, Fort Worth, and Houston, provides services for commercial property, government, education, healthcare, hospitality, single family homes, multi-unit residential, financial, senior living, insurance providers and transportation. Mark Erhardt serves as the Austin branch’s General Manager. FirstOnSite’s new visual identity will be displayed on its corporate items beginning March 29. The change will be immediately implemented on uniforms and staggered on signage and vehicles. The company expects to add additional services and value-added benefits such as training. The company says all existing client agreements remain intact and unaffected after the rebranding, and structural changes are not anticipated. Remediation, restoration and reconstruction services Interstate Restoration has locations nationwide, including Austin.–mjm
Playing golf. I am terrible but I love to play! I have a membership at Georgetown Country Club. I like to golf in small groups of one or two. Jody Powell, Liberty Signs Inc. Boating; I love being on the lake. I’m part of a boat club. It’s wonderful; it’s all the joys of owning a boat without having to own a boat! I enjoy boating on Lakeway; it’s where you will find me most of the time. Ryan Willis, Premier DataCom Inc. Right now, my favorite pastime is to spend time with my wife and our 1-year -old. She’s growing really fast, and it’s super exciting to see her grow. We spend a lot of time with her; especially with the quarantine, we’ve been able to see her grow in ways we probably would have missed otherwise, and that’s been in the last 13 months. Prior to that, I love playing soccer. I’ve been a soccer player since I was six years old, and that’s my second pastime. That was actually written into my wedding vows, that there was a respect for my desire to play soccer and watch it. Outside of that, I just love visual art as well. If I get a good mix of that, I’m a pretty happy person. Jason Archer, Show Goat Mural Works My favorite pastime is to spend time with my three kids. My oldest daughter is 25 and works in real estate, my other daughter is 20 years old and works in construction, and I have a 15-year-old son. I’m a single father so sometimes it’s hard, but it’s fun to see them grow up. Cisco Sanchez, 3G Drywall I’ve enjoyed playing basketball; that’s something that I’ve always done. I haven’t played in a while. The main thing I’ve picked up that I’m into now is golfing. I definitely s
make it a priority to get out there at least once a week or once every other week to make sure I get some time in. Why? One is I enjoy learning new things and challenging myself. Golf is one of those things that once I picked it up, I loved it. I’ve learned enough to where it is enjoyable. Second, it’s also something that brings people together in the industry, and it’s easy to get out there and play and invite a client. Bova Maloba, M+ Builders I enjoy fly fishing. It allows me to take a break from work to be by myself and be out in nature and hear the sounds of nature and connect to it. When you’re fly fishing, it takes an amount of concentration, because the fish will hit your fly and if you don’t set the hook right away, it will spit it out. So, you need to stay focused and put other things out of your mind. Around here, I’ll be standing in the middle of a river, and you have all of the river sounds going on and you need to be dialed in, but it’s dialed in a mellow kind of ways; you’re focused, but it’s not intense. You put other things out of your mind. I’m actually on the board of the Guadalupe River Trout Unlimited. Right now, the Guadalupe River south of Canyon Dam is stocked with rainbow and brown trout. I do some saltwater fly fishing as well. Michael Racis, SAM Companies My favorite pastime is hiking the trails around Austin with friends. [My colleague] Sara Wisnieski’s is fishing off of the Texas coast. Sandy Tipton, S. Tipton Studio My favorite pastime is reading. I love to use my Kindle to read whenever the opportunity arises which, as you know, are few and far between! Amanda Mikulec, EBCO General Contractor
Submitted to Construction News
Round-Up
White Construction Company (WCC) is pleased to announce Rob Mayo has moved into the role of Relationship Manager. Mayo joined WCC in July 2020 with a diverse professional background that has resulted in a vast network of contacts throughout Mississippi and the Gulf states. -cmw
Commercial general Contractor PWI Construction announces the addition of Priyanka Kansal as a Senior Estimator. Priyanka brings more than 16 years of experience to her new role, where she is responsible for managing preconstruction services, developing cost estimates and budgets, and identifying value engineering opportunities. –mjm
Marmon Mok Architecture is pleased to announce the promotion of Health and Wellness Design Practice Leader, Tiffany Long, AIA, ACHA, EDAC, LEED AP to Partner and Owner. She is a 14-year veteran of the Marmon Mok family. Long earned her Master of Architecture degree with a specialization in Healthcare Design and Systems from Texas A&M University and focuses on sustainability and Evidence-Base Design practices that use research to help increase patient wellness and satisfaction, staff productivity and energy performance. -cmw
Alvin “AJ” Franklin has joined TDIndustries Inc. (TD) as Vice President to lead the company’s Austin-area service efforts. Franklin oversees all service and maintenance operations in Austin including HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and overall general service. Franklin, who holds an undergraduate degree in business administration from Texas A&M, brings more than 13 years of mechanical service experience to his role. –mjm
Mark Villani has joined Freedom Solar Power LLC as the company’s Chief Financial Officer. Villani leads all aspects of the company’s financial functions, record keeping and financial reporting. He also directly assists on all strategic and tactical matters relating to budget management, cost-benefit analysis, forecasting needs and securing of new funding for continued growth. –mjm
Interior finishes provider Artisan Design Group promoted Doug Davis as President. Davis brings 15 years of experience to his role; he previously served as ADG’s Chief Commercial Officer, implementing sales strategies that leveraged ADG’s national relationships. He will oversee ADG’s national-level sales efforts, maximize revenue opportunities through product cross-selling, work with the leadership of local entities to deliver customer value, and focus on ADG’s growth strategy. –mjm
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Austin Construction News • FEB 2021
Third wheelhouse
L-R: S. Tipton Studios’ Sara Wisnieski and Sandy Tipton
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ood things come in threes, and that includes areas of expertise. Adding to its corporate and healthcare teams, commercial interior design firm S. Tipton Studio recently introduced a dedicated team specializing in Industrial and Flex projects. The addition of this third wheelhouse brings greater expertise to the range of the client’s projects. “Industrial/flex projects are unique and they require expertise and tenure of the design team,” says Principal Sandy Tipton, who launched the Historically Underutilized Business-certified firm in 2009. “Having a dedicated team with this expertise and tenure helps ensure that our clients’ needs and goals are understood and met.” Sara Wisnieski, who joined S. Tipton Studio last December, will lead the team. “A couple of dynamics came together at just the right time,” Tipton says of her decision to add the industrial/flex team. “We work closely with office leasing agents and property managers, and
many of them also lease and manage industrial/flex buildings. The number of industrial/flex projects we were getting through those relationships was growing. It was becoming clear that industrial/flex would benefit by having the same focus that our dedicated healthcare and corporate interiors teams provide. We then connected with Sara Wisnieski. She has been designing and managing industrial/flex projects almost exclusively for 15 years. By having her join S. Tipton Studio, she is able to provide the leadership over her growing team that we are committed to.” The firm’s Interior design services include programming, test fit floor plan design, schematic design and design development, construction documentation, construction bidding, evaluation and AwardConstruction Administration. Notable clients include Austin Title, Cushman & Wakefield, Anytime Fitness and Wind Energy Transmission of Texas. Interior-design studio S. Tipton Studio is located in Austin. –mjm
continued from Page 1 — Maloba Builders and Services LLC dba M+ Builders earning a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management in 2012. In his last semester in college, he was chosen for an internship in Minneapolis and was then hired full-time as a Project Engineer. He rose in the ranks to Project Manager, both in Minneapolis and Austin, Texas, which is where he moved to in 2017. It was also where he hoped to make his dreams of owning a business come true. “I’ve always had the entrepreneurial mindset,” he says. “Because of the people I have met along the way and the work ethic my parents instilled in me, I truly believed I could do anything. Based on the knowledge I had of construction, I knew that I wanted to launch something not only to advance myself, but my family, my friends, and to repay some of the sacrifices my family has put themselves through.” After working for a few local companies, Maloba decided to launch his interior commercial renovation company last November.
“My main focus has always been the commercial industry specifically focusing on interior work – corporate, office, medical, restaurant, hospitality, you name it,” Maloba says. “During my early years in Minnesota, I did some exterior work as well but on a smaller scale. Eventually, I want to grow this into an empire, into the biggest level that we possibly can. I want to make sure that it is organic, though, so for the time being, we’re going to focus on interior work. As we grow and feel like the market is demanding for us, we’ll definitely go on and get some additional work.” The new company is already off to a strong start and working on a handful of projects in the Austin area. “It’s amazing,” Maloba says. “The future is very, very bright. While 2020 put a damper in everybody’s plans, 2021 started exactly how I expected it to start.” Maloba Builders and Services LLC dba M+ Builders in Austin is a general contractor with a focus on interiors. –mjm
continued from Page 1 — LCR Contractors acquired Amarillo-based spray foam insulation company Enertek Insulation in 2017, Fire Stop Technologies Inc. in Tennessee and strategic partner Fire Blockers Inc. in 2019, adding the Fire Blockers division to the Austin office last year. LCR closed 2020 with $58 million in revenue and an employment of almost 300 installers. The acquisition of LCR is one of four that TopBuild has completed in the past 12 months. Top Build CEO Robert Buck says LCR will be an excellent addition and will enhance TopBuild’s residential and
heavy commercial presence and product offerings in the high growth state of Texas and Tennessee. Buddy and Clay will remain with the company to focus on the region’s growth. “We are very excited about the future of LCR Contractors as a new partner under the TopBuild Business Model. Our team is ready to keep climbing!” Clay says. LCR Contractors is a fireproofing and insulation company, with Texas locations including Austin. –mjm
In memoriam
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ames “Jimmy” Dale Evans, co-founder of Jimmy Evans Company, peacefully passed away Jan. 8, 2021. Evans was surrounded by his sons at Seton Williamson Hospital after experiencing cardiac arrest in his sleep four days earlier. Born Aug. 27, 1954, Jimmy, with his brother Jay, expanded the leadership of J.C. Evans company, which was established by his father, J.C. “Jake” Evans. In 1991, Jimmy and Gretchen Evans formed a new construction company, Jimmy Evans Company. It operated for more than 31 years in Austin, San Antonio, and throughout central Texas and is continued though his sons’ leadership. An avid outdoorsman, Evans was
involved with Rodeo Austin, with his years of service on the board culminating in his role as President in 1991. He also lent his support to Meals on Wheels, Community First, numerous missions and ministries, and sent equipment and employees to help stop the spread of the devastation caused by the fires in Bastrop. Evans is survived by his sons Webb James Evans and Troup Jacob Evans, their mother, Gretchen Webb Evans, his sister, his brother, his nieces and nephews, and his dedicated friend Colby Leigh Cotton. A memorial service for Evans was held Jan. 14 in the Life Austin Amphitheater. –mjm
L-R: LCR Contractors Buddy Spicer and Clay Spicer
continued from Page 1 — Tree Mann Solutions LLC working to design around and through and coordinate with city arborist staff to obtain site development permits. Mann, a board-certified Master Arborist, loves trees and helping people while maximizing investments in properties. “We tell folks that we’re Tree Lovers, not Tree Huggers. We want to plan smart to maximize their goals while being good stewards of urban forests – there is a happy balance between saving every tree and clear cutting a site. We help people pursue their goals within the context of tree species, health and size and municipal regulations.”
TMS stays busy with multi-family sites, but it assists with all projects with tree issues. TMS helped finish planning/ permitting work at ACC Highland and Jacob Fontaine Plaza Park and assisted with planning and consulting along the Waller Creek Redevelopment. A dedicated professional consultant in San Antonio was recently added. “We plan to grow our reach, add to our Austin and San Antonio teams, and continue to grow our service offerings to be a one-stop shop for all things trees and development along the I-35 corridor,” Mann says. -mjm
We met on a construction project. It was love at first site! Happy Valentines Day on Feb. 14
Austin Construction News • FEB 2021
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All in Austin
Plaque pack
The entire Stantec Austin group is all together! The architecture team is now based out of the company’s Aldrich Street office in the Mueller development’s Diamond Building. –mjm
Leading ladies
Aggregate and ready mix concrete company Austin Materials recently celebrated part of the team that worked on SH 45 SW Toll Project for the Central Texas Regional Mobile Authority. The project won both a TXAPA Quality Asphalt Paving Award and a NAPA Quality in Construction Award. –mjm
Snow big deal
Austin Block & Quarry Inc. is grateful to the women who work on their team who lead, inspire and motivate! –mjm
Grind Time Rock Milling’s Luke Schilhab doesn’t let a few flurries get in the way of a day’s work! He and his trusty “steed” are ready to weather all kinds of projects. –mjm
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Hozhoni on the Hill
Luxury lodging comes in the form of three shipping containers stacked in a T-shape, with decks, tents, and the Stardome Room adorning the roofs.
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he Navaho word “Hozhoni”, which means “balance being beauty”, captures what Marley Porter saw in 2008 while touring a cliff-tipped, boulder-marked Cottonwood Shores property. The breathtaking views of Lakes LBJ and Marble Falls made it a must-have for Porter, who was soon joined by friend and business partner Bob Eveleth (Porter and Eveleth worked together on Eveleth’s project, Living Waters on Lake Travis, about 15 years ago). Partners Sonia and Ofer Molad then joined the project as financial partners and advisors. Eveleth envisioned a destination wedding venue and glamping retreat on the 8.5-acre site, but with soft structures instead of buildings. Relying on the creative genius of Architect Porter (the designer behind Chapel Dulcinea, One World Theatre, Barr Mansion and the funky cabins at Living Waters) and general contractor Enertech Builders, Eveleth set about realizing his vision. “From the beginning, I wanted something unique,” Eveleth says. “I wanted Hozhoni on the Hill to be the kind of place people photograph, share on social media
The 16ft. Stardome room offers sleeping under the stars.
An open-air chapel and reception area are protected by expansive tents on the site.
and talk about to friends.” Eveleth had success renting the tents at Living Waters, but for this project also wanted to incorporate 1800sf of accommodations using on-trend shipping containers. Marley suggested creating a “glampominium” using three containers – one stacked atop a base created by the other two – with the end of the top container jutting out over the cliff. The bottom containers’ roofs feature decks and three safari tents. The roof of the top container showcases the Stardome room – a 16-ft. acrylic dome 30 ft. up in the air – that promises underthe-stars sleeping. Near the glampominium, an open-air chapel and a reception area are protected by expansive tents and await celebrations. While the dome is a clear favorite of Eveleth’s, the shipping containers, which offer king-size beds, kitchenettes, private restrooms, air conditioning and 360-degree views, are a close second. “It’s a square box on the outside, and nothing but
curved walls and barrel-vaulted ceilings on the inside,” he says. Enertech Builders overcame the project’s unique construction challenges like a pro. Although the cleared site had long been storage-container-ready, the team had to safely coordinate the hanging and stacking of containers on the steep hills’ sides. Also, high winds blew in just in time to hinder the reception tent’s installation. Pouring the concrete steps and landings that created the soft structures’ bases on the rugged site also had to be navigated. Eveleth’s challenge was sourcing the soft structures for Hozhoni on the Hill. The containers were locally sourced (but still as expensive as new construction), the chapel tents were custom made in the United States, the reception tent came from Europe and the safari tents were crafted in Denver. The dome proved to be the most challenging element to source; Eveleth considered a widely available inflatable dome, but soon found an continued on Page 18
Mural for Journeyman Construction Group
The building’s scale required an articulating lift. The cold required warm clothing and stamina.
Journeyman Construction Group asked Show Goat Mural Works to install a two-story mural that covered graffiti on their new building.
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fter Journeyman Construction Group moved into its new Austin office, the real estate and construction firm received an unwelcome welcome: grafitti on the building’s exterior. Wanting to cover the vandalism while displaying art for entire city to enjoy, Journeyman reached out to friends and long-time collaborators Jason Archer and Josh Row, founders of full-service mural design company Show Goat Mural Works (SGMW). “We’ve worked with Journeyman several times,” Archer says. It started with a project we did at Hotel Indigo. That first relationship started an extended collaboration with our other projects, and we just enjoyed working with them. Since then, we’ve worked with them on a job across the street from that, another for a condominium, and something for their new offices.” With a building next door that granted easy access to Journeyman’s roof, the client was concerned that graffiti
would mar any mural that was installed. SGMW allayed their fears; in the 200-plus mural productions they’ve installed in 10 years, SGMW’s work had only been vandalized three times. SGMW started by meeting with the client and doing a walkthrough to take elevations and measurements. Once a concept was discussed and agreed upon, a design was made to scale. The wall was photographed and a mock-up was made. After the design was finalized, a few approval stages built into the agreement were completed and the painting began. Journeyman wanted a tribute to Austin’s culture, and Archer and Row drew on their own backgrounds for artistic inspiration. “Josh has lived here his entire life; I’ve lived here 20 years, so we have a really good sense of the community and the culture that has built this town,” Archer says. “Many times, we incorporate things that are a part of Texas or a part of Austin, and for that design, we looked at the music which has been the building block of the city’s culture, the university, the bats, the Texas wildflowers, and standard Texas culture with the cowboy boots. That particular image was an overall collage. Josh is really good at designing those kinds of things. That’s our relationship: I do the
Once finished, an anti-graffiti coat was applied so that Austin could enjoy SGMW’s colorful creation.
majority of the production and administrative tasks and Josh does a lot of the design work.” Both Archer and Row do the painting and call for reinforcements when needed. Depending on the mural’s scale, project completion can take anywhere from three days to beyond. The wall’s large scale and the cold weather caused this mural to take the entire month of last February. “It’s the tallest one we’ve ever done,” Archer says. “We had to use an articulating lift to reach most portions of the wall. It was the most challenging in that there were a lot of weather obstacles – bitter cold fronts blowing through and rain. That was the most challenging aspect, getting your body prepared to work on a project that big. And when you work on a lift, it’s like being on a ship; the boat on the waves rock you back continued on Page 18
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Hays County Jail, Law Enforcement and 911
3G Drywall installed security walls and ceilings as a part of the Hays County Jail, Law Enforcement and 911 center expansion project.
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or two decades, the Hays County Jail, Law Enforcement and 911 center in San Marcos has been challenged by crowded conditions. The last time the county opened a jail was 1989 when the population was under 65,000 people. Since then, Hays had become one of the country’s fastest-growing counties, with the population exceeding 230,000. The growth outside the facility was mirrored by the expanding population inside the facility. As of 2018, the county’s public safety facilities were reaching capacity, and a solution was urgently needed. General contractor Turner Construction was tasked with creating more room for the inmates and support staff, while ensuring the facility remained secure. The expansion accommodated 104,000sf of additional space with 192 inmate beds and support spaces added as well. The project also tacked on 49,300sf of space for the Hays County Law Enforcement Center’s major departments, including Crime Scene and Evidence, Sheriff’s Office Administration, Criminal Investigations, Special Services, and Patrol and Training. It also provided 31,500sf of space to support the offices of the Emergency Management, communications and dispatch functions, the Emergency Operations Center, training and technology spaces, and administrative offices. For the project’s ceiling and drywall work, Turner
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Walls made of a 12-gauge metal mesh designed to resist impact and metal panel ceilings ensure that the facility remains secure.
Construction relied on 3G Drywall’s 40-plus years of commercial drywall experience. The family-owned company, helmed by Founders/Partners Ray Gurley Jr. and Mathew Gurley, offers drywall sheeting, acoustical ceilings, exterior framing, specialty ceilings, interior framing, doors frames and hardware. Beginning March 2019, 3G Project Foreman Cisco Sanchez oversaw the first phase of the facility’s overhaul, with the help of a crew of 15. The need for impenetrable security walls and ceilings called for unique materials with a special mesh to resist impact, Sanchez says. With the help of Project Manager/Estimator Daniel Arterberry, Sanchez made sure all materials were ready for on-time installation and up to standard. “It has 12-gauge metal mesh,” Sanchez says of the materials. “It has two sheets that makes the sheetrock three times stronger than regular sheetrock. On the back is has fiberglass mesh, which makes it harder to cut through. We framed the ceilings and installed the highimpact sheetrock there as well. These security ceilings are different; they are two-by-two, 12-gauge metal panels. It looks like a ceiling grid, but it isn’t. This ceiling is super heavy, and strong.” This was Sanchez’s first experience working with Turner Construction, but it left a lasting, positive
impression. As an employee of a safety-minded company, Sanchez commended Turner Construction on its commitment to jobsite safety, saying he appreciated the general contractor taking time to make sure every employee was safe and that every task was correctly completed. “The safety on this project was 100% and by the book,” Sanchez says. “And, it was interesting to see how a jail is built. It’s not a simple project. It requires a lot of manpower; all of the teams – electrical, plumbing, mechanical, etc. – really worked together and with us to make this job a success.” The outcome resulted in the jail project being named 3G’s “2020 Co-Project of the Year.” “The combination of Cisco and Daniel working together for 3G made this job a success,” Gurley Jr. says. “They were both tremendous and worked together on all the challenging things that came up.” The first phase of the project ended in January, and Sanchez and the 3G team are now busy at work on Phase 2. 3G Drywall is a commercial drywall company in Liberty Hill. –mjm 3G Drywall, Liberty Hill, TX
Marriott TownePlace Suites – Braker Lane
tension podium, with four isitors ready to see all of stories of wood framed hotel the sights Austin has to above. The exterior will feaoffer or do business in ture a mixture of masonry, the state’s capital will soon Hardie, and EIFS. have new lodgings. Nearing The unique challenges of completion is the 67,000sf building during a pandemic, Marriott TownePlace Suites as well as other factors, did at Braker Lane with 137 guest their best to impact the rooms. The hotel includes a hotel’s construction, but the parking structure and lobby, team successfully navigated with four floors of woodthe obstacles and plan to framed guestrooms atop the meet the project’s deadline. podium deck. “Like any complex con Construction on the new struction project, there are facility started December always obstacles to over2019, with EBCO General come but when there is Contractor Superintendent trust between the owner Dennis Sullivan and Project EBCO General Contractor is nearing completion on the construction of the 67,000sf, 137-guest room and general contractor, Manager Joel Doland, AssisMarriott TownePlace Suites at Braker Lane in Austin, TX. things move quickly,” Chris tant Superintendent Kurt says. “We have dealt with COVID Miller, and Assistant Superintendent regulations, inclement weather, and Mike Harwig supervising the project. material delays due to the ports being EBCO is no stranger to constructing backed up but plan on opening the hotels. Since its founding in 1984, the project on time.” general contractor has grown from a The project is in the final stages of small-town residential builder to a construction with elevators being nationwide general contractor that has installed and the exterior wrapping up. completed 12,000 hotel rooms for some Marriott TownePlace Suites is scheduled of the hospitality industry’s largest to open in May or June. companies. For the team, the project has EBCO General Contractor is headquarhad a familiar feeling from the start. tered in Cameron with a regional office “Our relationship with this client located in Bryan. –mjm started a little over 20 years ago and has grown to encompass over 60 projects all over the country,” Chris Egger with EBCO says. “We have enjoyed traveling as far north as Washington state for this developer as much as we’ve enjoyed working close to home.” This Marriott TPS includes a concrete EBCO General Contractor parking lot underneath a concrete post Cameron, TX This Marriott TPS includes a concrete parking lot underneath a concrete post tension podium with four stories of wood-framed hotel above it.
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Ringing in the new
continued from Page 16 — Enertech Builders acrylic version manufactured in China that matched his vision. The rush to open before wedding season also presented a challenge. “It took a long time to get our permits; the City of Cottonwood Shores has been incredible to work with, but they had not seen anything like this, so we had some explaining to do! After all, how do you come up with safety codes for a tent? The mayor and city council, however, have been very supportive. The pandemic probably slowed us down a bit, but in the long run, it brings people back to nature and outdoors. We will also be opening at a time when people are rescheduling weddings that had to be postponed. We expect to open busy.” After Hozhoni on the Hill opens in March, Eveleth says it will soon grow from accommodating 14 overnight guests to
one that can accommodate 32, and likely beyond that. “We have two additional phases planned,” he says. “Phase Two will be a spa, and Phase Three an 18-home ‘bigger than tiny’ home community. I have tipis that will be coming. Marley also designed A-frames that give these great views and sleeping orbs that hang on the side of the cliff. “I’m excited; it’s been a long process,” Eveleth adds. “The people who have seen it have been overwhelmed. There is so much eye-candy, it is hard to take it all in in one setting. It came out even better than I thought it would.” Enertech Builders is a full-service design and construction in Spicewood, TX. –mjm Enertech Builders, Spicewood, TX
continued from Page 16 — Show Goat Mural Works and forth. The lift doesn’t necessarily quit moving, so when you come down you have sea legs for a bit.” The cheers from passersby on Lamar and the love from social media got them through the challenges. Plus, the client’s praise for the final result helped, too. “They loved it. They were really impressed. I think that it was everything they possibly could have wanted,” Archer says. “I feel like their contribution to the community was met in a way that they felt proud and honored to have that up there on that wall.” Measures to make sure the mural stayed graffiti-free were then put in place. The client hired someone to apply an anti-graffiti coat to the mural so that if it is sprayed again, the offending marks can be removed. The mural was large, but the largest
is still to come: SGMW will soon work on Waterloo Greenway, its largest project to date. It’s a fitting way to celebrate SGMW’s 10th anniversary this year; Archer says that he and Row have come a long way from their initial meeting, when they collaborated on a rotating mural installation Archer coordinated. “We’re certainly thrilled to be at 10 years,” Archer says. “Since Josh and I have been working together, our business has improved more over time. We actually have a studio now rather than just working out of my house, and we’ve grown a lot. It has been a fun ride!” Show Goat Mural Works is a full-service mural design company in Austin. –mjm Show Goat Mural Works, Austin, TX
SAM’s Aerial Mapping team is in the field with the company’s newly-branded safety equipment, flying a vapor heavy lift helicopter Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) mounted with a LiDAR imaging scanner.
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he new year rang in a new look for SAM Companies. The nation’s largest combined geospatial and construction services firm introduced a new company logo and a completely redesigned website. SAM’s new logo reflects the 27-yearold company’s specialized expertise and technological precision. The website’s updated look highlights how SAM supports infrastructure projects with surveying, aerial mapping, utility engineering, and construction services, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Building Information Modeling (BIM). It also provides a more accurate representation of its industry leadership, culture and everevolving services. The company’s founder, Samir “Sam” G. Hanna left his home in Egypt in 1970, coming to America with only $250 and the goal of supporting his family. Hanna established Surveying And Mapping Inc. – now known as Surveying and Mapping LLC (SAM) – in 1994. The company initially offered professional land surveying services, including digital aerial mapping,
terrestrial, mobile and airborne LiDAR services, hydrographic surveying, subsurface utility engineering, utility coordination, and geographic information systems (GIS). It later added a range of construction services, such as construction engineering and inspection (CEI) to its service line. In 2017, Hanna retired from SAM’s daily management but continues as Founding Chairman and serves as an advisor to the management team, with President and CEO Christopher Solomon overseeing SAM’s daily operation. The company, which is headquartered in Austin and has Texas offices in Dallas, Houston, Midland, Tyler, now employs more than 900 experts located in more than 30 offices nationwide. It has also grown to service a wide range of markets and infrastructure projects including land surveying for Mobile LiDAR for Streetscape Improvements for the City of Austin and utility engineering for US Route 183 in Lockhart. Geospatial and construction services firm SAM Companies is headquartered in Austin. –mjm
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Walker this way
L-R: Walker Engineering founder Charlie Walker, CEO Scott Walker and President Brent Walker
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t’s a new year and a new location for Walker Engineering. The electrical contractor is relocating and expanding its Central Texas facilities, investing $1.85 million in a new space for 130 current and future employees. The move consolidates Walker’s Austin office and warehouse locations at 9300 United Drive and 8200 Cameron Rd., respectively, for relocation to a 19,870sf facility located at 18919 North Heatherwilde Blvd. in Pflugerville. Walker Engineering anticipates the relocation from Austin to Pflugerville will take place in February. The company was founded by Charlie Walker at his kitchen table in 1981. Walker’s career in the electrical industry had begun after a stint in the military reserves, beginning at Texas Power and Light and then transitioning to electrical contracting for Collier Electric, during which time he earned an
electrical engineering degree at University of Texas at Arlington. The Irving-based business was originally family owned and provided commercial electric, network and enduser, industrial and related services. In 2019, Walker was acquired by Comfort Systems USA, a provider of mechanical services related to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning in the US. Walker Engineering has evolved to become the 10th largest electrical engineering contractor in the country, employing 1850 company wide. The company has entered its second generation of executive leadership, with Scott Walker serving as CEO and Brent Walker serving as President. Electrical contractor Walker Engineering has locations in Austin, Houston, Irving and San Antonio. –mjm
Urban digs
Lott Brothers and Weaver Buildings broke ground on an Austin mixed-use project on Jan. 20. Designed for urban living, the 45,000sf Capitol Quarters features 30 three-bedroom, two-bathroom units and will be Austin’s first no parking residential building. –mjm
In memoriam
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harles Jeffery “Chaz” Park and Boy Scouts & Glace, founder of Girl Scouts of America, Chasco Constructors, the YMCA and especially passed away Dec. 30, the Greater Williamson 2020. Born Dec. 2, 1943 County YMCA; the in Buffalo, NY, Glace Chasco Family YMCA is spent his early years in named in his honor. He New York and Ohio. He was also active with moved to Central Texas Families of Fallen Soldiers in the 1970s to manage and the Round Rock a construction job for Olympics. Glace was his employer but soon named Philanthropist of established commercial the Year by the Greater general contracting comRound Rock Community pany Chasco Construc- Charles Jeffery “Chaz” Glace Foundation. tors with a four-man con Glace is survived by struction crew in 1979. Glace grew the sons Chuck (fiancée Kristi Mabry) and business over the years into a 300-em- Tony (Leslie), his six grandchildren and ployee company that is now run by his two sisters. A memorial service will his sons Chuck Glace and Tony Glace. be scheduled for a future date. In lieu With a heart for community of flowers, donations can be made to a service and a desire to help children, favorite charity or the YMCA of Greater he supported C-5, Play for All abilities Williamson County. –mjm
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Austin Construction News • FEB 2021