ICI builds a lot more than buildings. Discover the difference.
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The Numbers
A few fast facts about ICI.
80%
2021
10+
More than 80% of ICI’s projects
Voted one of Chicago’s Best
The average length of employment
are generated by repeat clients
and Brighted Companies™
at ICI is 10 years
and referrals
39+ Years in Business
Markets
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RETAIL
RESTAURANT
AUTOMOTIVE
ICI has traveled the country building multiple locations for many well known restaurant groups: Cooper’s Hawk, Perry’s Steakhouse and Fogo de Chao to name a few.
In the past 5 years, ICI has completed more than $50M in auto dealership work. Our portfolio includes new dealerships, renovations and expansions.
In the past 5 years, ICI has completed more than $200M in retail. Our portfolio includes grocery stores, big box, site developments, build-outs and
WORKPLACE
K12 EDUCATION
HIGHER EDUCATION
From new corporate headquarters, to data centers, to banks; ICI has successfully partnered with workplace clients for nearly 40 years.
In recent years, ICI has built new schools, renovated and expanded existing schools and completed life safety upgrades totaling more than $300M in construction volume.
From a $40M new construction College of Business building, to interior renovations, to expansions of existing learning environments; ICI’s university portfolio is strong.
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Profile ICI
builds a lot more than buildings. Discover the difference.
COMPANY International Contractors, Inc. (ICI) is a family-owned construction management and general contracting business in its second generation of leadership. Since 1982, ICI has completed award-winning restaurants, retail stores, schools, car dealership and workplaces. PEOPLE Our team of more than 60 has been carefully assembled throughout the years and the formula has proven successful: the average length of employment for an ICI team member exceeds 10 years. ICI employs 2 of only 26 Certified Professional Estimators in Illinois, 9 LEED Accredited Professionals, 27 SWPPP Certified staff and 1 Certified Professional Constructor. HISTORY ICI was founded in 1982 by Richard Bronge and his eldest son, Randall. Two years later, Richard’s middle son Bruce joined the business, followed by his youngest son Jeff in 1988. Richard has since retired and the firm is now in its second generation of leadership. Bruce is ICI’s President, Randall is the Executive Vice President and Jeff has been with the estimating department for more than 25 years.
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Select Clients
“
COOPER’S HAWK WINERY & RESTAURANTS WALTER FISHER, VP CONSTRUCTION It helps the working relationship tremendously to know the people on the other side of the table. ICI knows our concept inside and out.
“
Our team relies on strong partners that align with our Cooper’s Hawk values.
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National Presence
43
State Licenses
Labor
Licensure
ICI performs work in one of three ways: as a non-union (“open shop”) contractor, as a union contractor, or as a hybrid contractor (engaging a combination of both union and non-union labor.)
Alaska
Kansas
North Dakota
Arizona
Kentucky
Ohio
California
Maine
Oklahoma
Colorado
Maryland
Oregon
Connecticut
Massachusetts
Pennsylvania
Delaware
Michigan
Rhode Island
District of
Minnesota
South Carolina
Columbia
Missouri
South Dakota
Florida
Montana
Texas
Georgia
Nebraska
Vermont
Idaho
Nevada
Washington
Illinois (City of
New Hampshire
West Virginia
Chicago)
New Jersey
Wisconsin
Indiana
New York
Wyoming
Iowa
North Carolina
The manner in which we perform work can be dependent upon any of the following factors: client preference or requirements, location, complexity of the project, or current capacity of the local labor force. Our project delivery goal is always the same: to achieve the most qualified competitive pricing for our clients while maintaining quality and speed.
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GROCERY STORE CONSTRUCTION:
What to look for when hiring a Construction Manager
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What makes building a grocery store different from other kinds of construction? A lot, actually, but here’s the more important question: How badly will it hurt your bottom line to hire someone who doesn’t understand grocery store
“Don’t assume that a contractor’s bonding capacity, insurance limits or company brochure tell the whole story.”
construction? The question isn’t whether the wrong contractor will give you headaches, put you behind schedule, or make you wrangle with budget-busting change orders. The question is when. “Grocery store construction requires a skill set that not every builder possesses. When a GC unfamiliar with or unprepared for the rigors of grocery store construction is hired for a project, it can be an extremely time-consuming and challenging endeavor to resolve the resulting issues. No one wants that role,” says Tim Jackson, Vice President of Operations at International Contractors, Inc., or ICI. Don’t assume that a contractor’s bonding capacity, insurance limits, or company brochure tell the whole story. Here is what you should look for when hiring the construction manager for your next grocery store project:
1. The Corporate Mindset A lot of retail builders look good on paper. With dozens of similar-looking retail facilities to their credit, they seem like they would be up to the challenge of building a grocery store. How different could their experience building similar types of facilities be? It could be vastly different, as it turns out. Electronics stores, apparel retailers, or even strip centers aren’t just different building types. They’re bid, brokered, and managed with an entirely different mindset. “Many contractors in the retail market sector are used to unstructured, informal deals with their local clients, and they are used to managing projects on the fly,” says Jackson. “When contractors like this are presented with the rigorous documentation standards that grocery store clients demand, a lot of them just can’t adjust.”
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Be sure to find out whether your contractor has experience working with national clients. Ask whether they are used to maintaining rigorous, detailed reports, or posting daily logs using proprietary project management software
“Working with a contractor
that is similar to yours.
who understands the value of accurate, thorough, searchable
“The construction industry is embracing technology faster than ever before, but
project information will
it’s still behind the times in some ways,” says Scott Leadbetter, a Project Manager
cause you less trouble than
for ICI who lists Wal-Mart among his clients. Working with a contractor who
working with one who knows
understands the value of accurate, thorough, searchable project information, he
the building type but doesn’t
says, “will cause you less trouble than working with one who knows the building
‘get it’ when it comes to
type but doesn’t ‘get it’ when it comes to standardized documentation.”
standardized documentation.”
2. Maintenance of Non-Stop Operations Many grocery stores operate 24 hours per day, and none of them can let construction negatively impact sales volume, ever. Grocery shopping is very habitual. Consumers want predictability and ease—to find everything where they expect it to be, without any fuss from the moment they enter the parking lot until they get home with their purchases. If customers’ habits are disrupted, they’ll shop elsewhere, and it’s very hard to win back people who feel disenfranchised. ICI Project Manager Todd Scharbert shares how the right contractor can help. “Wayfinding is so important. Signage needs to indicate the building’s temporary entrances. Maps can be printed and displayed, showing customers where departments have been relocated. If stores can assign staff to help customers navigate the store, that is immensely helpful—and the on-site construction team should share daily updates with them at the start of each shift.” Done correctly, above-and-beyond service, provided by the contractor and store staff working hand in hand, can earn customer loyalty.
3. A Command of the Latest and Greatest Does it feel like the speed of the grocery store renovation cycle is gaining momentum? You’re not imagining things. It’s a necessary part of keeping up
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with customer demands and marketplace competition. Instead of facelift projects coming along every seven to ten years, they’re happening as often as every four years, now.
Grocery stores are no longer cookie-cutter identical. Customization is key.
And grocery stores are no longer cookie-cutter identical. Customization is key. One neighborhood may have a higher demand for produce, and another may need to carry more international food selections. Some locations have vast prepared foods departments while others get by with traditional deli counters. “Local consumer trends have a direct impact on store design decisions, even to the point of changing layouts mid-construction,” says Scharbert. “It is an important skill to anticipate a grocers’ needs and be nimble enough to accommodate those changes—all while minimizing disruption to the schedule.” It can also impact phasing priorities. “Do not mess with operations that could impact pizza sales going into the weekend,” Leadbetter jokes, “and never, ever take the rotisserie offline.” People count on food being in the store and ready for them when they need it. When people are inconvenienced, they won’t give their “usual” store a second chance. “That’s how competitive it is in many marketplaces today. We understand that.” Work with a contractor who has a proven track record of complex construction scheduling and phasing. Furthermore, choose a contractor who can be flexible and responsive to operations’ ever-changing needs. This is the key to making the building process run smoothly, even in the face of unforeseen challenges. “I like to advertise a diverse portfolio to our clients. We do a lot of preconstruction for our public sector clients, working through budgets and schedules with an open book, so we can easily offer that to our grocery store clients, too. Builders who only have retail clients may not know how to handle construction projects that transparently,” said Jackson.
4. Equipment Expertise Diverse experience is what helped ICI win their first grocery client, in more ways than one. “Our restaurant and car dealership experience proved that we INTERNATIONAL CONTRACTORS INC.
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know how to manage owner-provided, long lead-time equipment. Just like the coolers, ovens, ranges and hoods in restaurants; or like the automotive lifts and other vehicle service machinery at a dealership, refrigeration can make or break
“It used to be that hiring a
a grocery store project.”
local builder with established subcontractor relationships
If your contractor isn’t used to coordinating with national vendors or purchasing
was a sure way to get the best
from client-prequalified vendors, take heed. The same goes for contractors not
trades on your project.
accustomed to temporary utility relocations. “Temporary coolers need power. Ovens need gas lines and ventilation,” adds Leadbetter. “Setting up swing areas
Today, however, having a
takes some forethought. Relocation logistics have to be accounted for in the
strong process in place is
project schedule.”
more important than the socalled home-team advantage.”
5. Work Ethic & Ingenuity “The lack of trade professionals is an eminent crisis for our industry. It’s getting harder and harder to find reliable, quality trade workers,” says Jackson. “The economy of the last decade has caused a mass exodus from the field. It makes subcontractor prequalification more important than ever before.” It used to be that hiring a local builder with established subcontractor relationships was a sure way to get the best trades on your project. Today, however, having a strong process in place is more important than the so-called home-team advantage. “Sure, there are some areas of the country that are more provincial than others, but we don’t run into that very often anymore. Subcontractors want to work with construction managers they can trust—who will treat them fairly, manage them ethically, and pay them promptly,” says Jackson. “We have those processes in place. Not every contractor is cut out to travel, but our process travels well.” The process starts with the paperwork. AIA A305 forms, recent financial statements, and EMR and DART statistics narrow the field of some poor performers. Reading the company’s approach to on-site safety and quality assurance is enlightening, as well.
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“The key is to be diligent about who you allow on your job site,” says Scharbert. “Subcontractor defaults aren’t as common as they have been over the last several years, but you’re still at risk whenever you choose subs based on the low number alone. Hiring a new subcontractor mid-way through a project kills the momentum of the whole job. It just can’t be allowed to happen, so we do whatever it takes to prevent it. That starts with procurement and doesn’t stop until the warranty period and beyond.”
“Who do you want to cross the finish line with?” “That’s what I ask potential clients when we meet with them,” Jackson shares. “Really, it comes down to how much risk are you willing to assume, just to take the lowest number on bid day? We don’t have any problem with having our price compared to the competition. We just want to make sure that our clients understand that price is more than just the bottom line. That price is tied to the time and effort it takes to manage a GC through fumbles on the learning curve.” Whether the grocery store project is greenfield new construction, urban infill, site expansion, or phased renovation, hire a team that knows their stuff. To build within budget and without complications, work with a contractor who can provide preconstruction services and demonstrate their added value. From budgeting and value engineering to logistical strategizing and project sequencing—the upfront engagement for preconstruction services will save you time and money. Most of all, they will save you frustration and ensure that projects are built to your specifications, the first time and every time thereafter.
TIMOTHY JACKSON VP OPERATIONS
INTERNATIONAL CONTRACTORS INC.
SCOTT LEADBETTER SR. PROJECT MANAGER
TODD SCHARBERT SR. PROJECT MANAGER
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Mariano’s Fresh Market Chicago, Illinois (Lakeview)
CLIENT
Barrett & Porto
ARCHITECT
Antunovich Associates
ROLE
Construction Manager
The Mariano’s Fresh Market in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood was built within a development on a site that had been vacant since 2005 due to a fire that destroyed the existing Dominick’s. The development is called 3030 North Broadway and is a 260,000 square foot new mixed-use, multi-story retail development that also houses a fitness center, two levels of decked parking totaling 245 parking spaces and the 7,500 square feet of small retail stores on the ground level. ICI was contracted to build-out the 73,000 square foot Mariano’s Fresh Market, occupying both the first and second levels. The development marked ICI’s third Mariano’s store; having completed a ground up store in Orland Park, Illinois and the build-out of the Ravenswood store. ICI went on to build another new construction store in Lombard, Illinois. The development opened in summer 2016 and transformed this formerly longvacant site into a pedestrian-friendly “town square” dynamic.
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Mariano’s Fresh Market Chicago, Illinois (Ravenswood)
CLIENT
Barrett and Porto / The Kroger Co.
ARCHITECT
Stewart Nosky Architects
ROLE
Construction Manager
ICI was contracted by developer/ owner Barrett & Porto for the interior build-out of the Mariano’s Fresh Market in Chicago’s Ravenswood neighborhood. ICI also worked closley with the tenant, Roundy’s Inc. throughout the duration of the project. The build-out is within a multi-tenant retail development located on approximately 3.5 acres at Lawrence and Ravenswood Streets. The store is 88,300 square feet: 10,500 SF on the first floor, 75,000 SF on the second floor and 2,800 SF on the third floor. Shoppers entering off of Lawrence Avenue enter via a multi-story glass atrium with a cafe and casual seating. The northern portion of the atrium space contains escalators leading to the second level. The 75,000 square foot second level contains an expansive grocery selection as well as specialty areas such as a BBQ station, a sushi station, a bakery and a large deli. The third level contains administrative areas and access to the attached parking deck.
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Mariano’s Fresh Market Orland Park, Illinois
CLIENT
Bradford Real Estate
ARCHITECT
Camburas & Theodore, Ltd.
ROLE
Construction Manager
ICI was hired by developer Bradford Real Estate Companies for the construction of a new 74,000 square foot Mariano’s Fresh Market grocery store and the associated site work. Located at 142nd Street and LaGrange Road in Orland Park, this new location marked Mariano’s 31st store in the Chicago area. As the Construction Manager, ICI was heavily involved with team members from both Bradford and Mariano’s during the preconstruction phase to assist in scheduling and value engineering and ultimately competitively bidding the project. Sitework on the 8.5 acre parcel took place in early 2015; construction on the building was completed in early 2016. The project marked ICI’s second Mariano’s store; the first being an interior build-out of Mariano’s Ravenswood location. ICI has since gone on to build two more stores for the grocer: an interior build-out located at 3030 North Broadway within Chicago and a new construction store with associated site work in Lombard.
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Mariano’s Fresh Market Lombard, Illinois
CLIENT
Bradford Real Estate / The Kroger Co.
ARCHITECT
Camburas & Theodore, Ltd.
ROLE
Construction Manager
In the spring of 2016, ICI was hired by developer Bradford Real Estate and The Kroger Co., (parent company), for the demolition of an existing Kmart Store at the corner of Roosevelt and Finley Roads in Lombard, Illinois. The 10.5 acre parcel was being scraped to make way for a new 74,000 square foot Mariano’s Fresh Market. Sitework was completed by late fall and The Kroger Co. then retained ICI for the construction of the new Mariano’s Fresh Market. The new store was constructed through the winter months and opened in summer 2017. To date, ICI has built four Mariano’s stores: 2 interior build-outs within the city of Chicago and 2 suburban, ground up stores.
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Jewel Osco Deerfield, Illinois
CLIENT
Albertsons
ARCHITECT
Camburas & Theodore, Ltd.
ROLE
General Contractor
Jewel Osco opened their new 61,940 square foot prototype store in Deerfield, Illinois in the summer of 2017. The grocery store is located at the corner of Waukegan and Lake Cook Roads in Deerfield, Illinois. The store opening was significant for ICI as it marked a continuation of our existing relationship with the grocer; a relationship that originated in 2001 and entailed 7 store renovations throughout the Chicagoland area and one new construction store in Downers Grove, Illinois. The Deerfield store was a complex build. The new store was constructed between an existing strip center and a small portion of the existing Jewel store that remained open during construction. [CONT.’D]
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Jewel Osco [CONT.’D] Deerfield, Illinois
[CONT.’D] The construction site presented several logistical challenges. Shoppers for the existing Jewel as well as the adjacent tenants entered and exited the strip mall in close proximity to the east and north of the tight site. Deliveries for the adjacent tenants passed the western border of the site. As a result, the project required close coordination with the surrounding tenants and strict adherence to all ICI safety policies. In recent years, Jewel-Osco has undergone a significant refresh in the Chicago marketplace. The grocer has remodeled more than 70 of their 185 stores. The Deerfield store is yet another steps toward the retailer’s goal of maintaining a consistent Jewel brand.The striking façade of the new store incorporates a mixture of metal panel and masonry. The design of the Deerfield location signifies a departure from other Jewel Osco stores and establishes an updated, fresher look. Additionally, it provides increased offerings and amenities such as fresh sushi, a juice bar, a customer seating area as well as expanded departments (floral, pharmacy, seafood / meats, express check-out lanes).
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Jewel Osco Downers Grove, Illinois
CLIENT
SUPERVALU
ARCHITECT
Camburas & Theodore, Ltd.
ROLE
General Contractor
ICI began its relationship with SUPERVALU in 2001 with multiple store renovation projects. Due to the success of these projects, ICI then had the opportunity to bid on new store construction projects. After a competitive bidding process, ICI was awarded 6 acres of site work and the construction of a new 55,102 square foot ground-up grocery store for Jewel-Osco in Downer Grove, Illinois. The new store includes a deli, market, produce, dairy, bakery, frozen foods, meat and seafood sections as well as a photo lab and pharmacy. The building’s exterior is brick and stone veneer.
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Jewel Osco Renovations Various Midwest Locations
CLIENT
SUPERVALU
ARCHITECT
Various
ROLE
General Contractor
ICI began its relationship with Jewel-Osco in 2001 upon award of the renovation of an existing store in Evanston, Illinois. From that point forward, ICI was awarded 6 subsequent renovations and two new construction stores. All renovations were performed while stores were operational. Evanston, Illinois: ICI completed 51,384 square feet of interior and exterior renovations including the produce, deli and bakery sections. Oswego, Illinois: ICI completed this 68,000 square foot renovation of the Oswego JewelOsco in just 23 weeks. Villa Park, Illinois: For ICI’s third Jewel-Osco project, our team completed the 56,097 square foot renovation of the Villa Park store in under 30 weeks. ICI’s crew completed concrete demolition after hours in order to avoid disrupting shoppers. Melrose Park, Illinois: This 71,090 square foot renovation was completed in 19 weeks. Wheaton, Illinois: In January 2007, ICI completed the 62,000 SF renovation of the Wheaton Jewel-Osco. [CONT.’D]
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Jewel Osco Renovations [CONT.’D] Various Midwest Locations
[CONT.’D] Frankfort, Illinois: 69,840 square foot renovation. Chicago, Illinois: The 71,514 square foot remodel of an existing Jewel-Osco grocery store included the pharmacy and photo lab as well as the produce, deli, market, liquor and bakery sections. Exterior renovations also took place.
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Walmart 75+ Projects Nationally
CLIENT
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
ARCHITECT
Various
ROLE
General Contractor
Since 2006, the ICI team has honed our skills in Walmart procedures and best practices on 75+ construction projects from coast to coast. For more than 15 years, our team has completed projects ranging in scope from $18 million new construction stores on 50+ acre sites, to intricate 3-wall expansions within occupied stores, to concurrent multi-store remodels. This experience brings us to where we are today: entrusted with implementing new prototypes and concepts, responsible for partnering with and training an emerging general contractor, and a member of their limited General Contractor Resource Optimization (GRO) program. The program is intended to create cost, manpower and schedule efficiencies and foster a more collaborative relationship between Walmart and its contractors. [CONT.’D]
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Walmart [CONT.’D] 75+ Projects Nationally
[CONT.’D] The Walmart construction program has molded our retail team into processoriented, solutions-focused collaborators with a constant eye on quality and efficiency.
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Confidential Grocer Arlington Heights, Illinois
OCTOBER 2021
CLIENT
Confidential
ARCHITECT
NORR Architects
ROLE
Construction Manager
In May 2021, ICI was hired to transform an existing 50,000 square foot retail space for an incoming grocery tenant. The scope of work includes HVAC, electrical, plumbing system, and food preparation equipment upgrades. ICI is also modifying the building’s existing glass storefront system and adding a new loading dock area. Completion is targeted for November 2021.
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