BUILDING Northern Nevada

BUILDING

Northern Nevada PUBLISHED BY THE NORTHERN NEVADA BUSINESS WEEKLY

INSIDE ❖ Green construction ❖ Story continues for Rancharrah ❖ Construction on LogistiCenter underway ❖ New staffing agency to supply construction workforce

SPRING 2016

Reno Land Development Company has plans for 611 homes, recreational and business amenties in Rancharrah.

features

Rancharrah

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Q&D Construction

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Q&D has worked in over 95 airports including the RenoTahoe International Airport. < PHOTO BY JEFF DOW

Granite is a company with a strong set of core values and exceptional employees who have the knowledge, experience, integrity and commitment to build the infrastructure of the future. Whether the project is public or private, we have the capability to deliver on time.

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BUILDING

Northern Nevada

inside:

Builders turning to green construction Ryder homes takes a modern approach United Construction building relationships Trillium providing construction workforce Q & A with Melissa Caron LogistiCenter construction update

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Northern Nevada Business Weekly ❖ 3

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The La Casita development of Di Loreto Homes uses xeriscape landscaping in all its front yards to substantially reduce water use and maintenance.

Builders turn to GREEN CONSTRUCTION

By Sally Roberts sroberts@nnbw.biz

Nevada is turning green.

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ith boosts from government, the construction industry and public awareness, construction projects are increasingly making environmental sustainability an important element.

Reno’s Di Loreto Homes in 2012 became the first developer in the state to receive green certification through the National Association of Home Builders. It now has 147 silvercertified homes.

“Di Loreto has always worked hard to find the latest and greatest in the industry,” said Teresa N. Di Loreto, whose father and uncle started the company nearly 40 years ago.

When Di Loreto began investigating what it takes to become certified, she discovered they were already doing things that “fed into the program.”

“It goes beyond saying a home is energy efficient.”

Certification begins with site design and includes efficiencies in use of resources, water and energy, plus the quality of the indoor environment, and resources needed for maintenance.

All front yards in Di Loreto homes use xeric landscape designs, which are then maintained

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by the homeowners association.

“Our consumers are sophisticated,” she said. “They’re asking those questions (about environmental features). People don’t want to see water running down the street.

“As consumers become more educated on the possibilities, homebuyers are asking for high-efficiency homes. As there is greater awareness, there are more requests.”

Di Loreto said that the majority of homebuilders now use some green features, but not all pursue certification.

Commercial construction is also getting greener.

In 2015, the silver state ranked sixth in the nation for LEED green building, according to U.S. Green Building Council, a nonprofit organization that certifies construction and remodels for environmental features.

LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. USGBC rates buildings as Certified, Silver, Gold or Platinum based on points earned for energy and water savings, and other environmentally friendly features.

In its state rankings, USGBC looked at square footage of LEED certified buildings per capita.

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Las Vegas carried the state in green construction, largely because of Levi’s 1 million square foot distribution center, according to Shawn Kish, the USGBC’s Nevada board president. It’s the first building of that size in the world to receive platinum certification, he said.

The Levi center includes a highly reflective roof, which reduces the need for air conditioning under Las Vegas’ scorching sun, and LED lighting. Owners swapped caustic cleaning supplies for safer products, and replaced standard landscaping with native plants, reducing irrigation by 90 percent.

The company will see “water and energy savings of $60,000 per year for 10 years,” Kish said.

Although Las Vegas dominates the LEED certification stats by sheer size, expect to see more northern Nevada LEED-certified buildings come online in the next few years.

Notable USGBC certified projects in the north in 2015 included Project Wild Horse; Valley Road Apartments; and two buildings that are part of the Veterans Administration Nevada Health Care System.

United Construction, just one commercial contractor using green construction methods, has more than 700,000 square feet of USGBC Gold and Silver LEED-certified buildings in the area, including its headquarters on Mill Street.

The Gold-certified office includes lighting control systems to reduce energy

PHOTO BY SALLY ROBERTS

Closed drains to prevent splash and runoff are one green feature of Di Loreto Homes.

use and recycled, local sourced, building materials to minimize gas consumption.

Each work station features a window and roller shades so each employPHOTO COURTESY UNITED CONSTRUCTION ee can control lighting.

United Construction’s main office on Mill Street is LEED Increasingly, Gold-certified by US Green Building Council. developers see the development of a Climate and Resilience advantages of including green features for government incentives, employee and Action Plan.”

To steer the city toward its environclient satisfaction and also for costs. mental goals, Lynne Barker was brought The cost of green construction is beon board as the city’s sustainability coming more cost effective. USGBC‘s manger.

Kish compared it to the cost of flat Barker has 20-years experience in urscreen TV’s, which were cost prohibiban sustainability and has worked with tive 10 years ago. Now most people can the U.S. Green Building Council. afford them.

“Forty percent of greenhouse gases are As the price of green construction due to the built environment,” Barker comes down, “it behooves contractors, said. architects, builders to include it in their There are 46 LEED certified buildings designs,” Kish said in northern Nevada, she said. During the “As more building architects, builders recession, construction was at a standand contractors become familiar with LEED building, they choose a higher lev- still and only a few buildings have been certified each year since then. Of the 30 el than the law requires,” he said.

LEED buildings certified in 2015, only The City of Reno is increasing its four were in northern Nevada. emphasis on sustainability, including “We’re trying to expand green building construction practices. in our market. We’re forming a working Last year, Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve group of industry leaders to develop a and the city council members signed the strategic plan to expand the market and Compact of Mayors, an international to reflect specific needs and challenges.” initiative on sustainability.

“There’s a perception that LEED “The City of Reno is making great buildings cost more,” Barker said. “Davis strides in the area of sustainability,” said Langdon (An AECOM Company) studies Reno City Council member David Bobfound no significant increase in the cost zien, whose environmental efforts were of LEED building. We need to get that recognized Feb. 4 with the 2016 Northinformation out.” ern Nevada Leadership award from the Efforts to educate the construction Nevada US Green Building Council. industry include training, help designing The Compact of Mayors “is a global projects, and technical assistance. coalition of mayors and city officials who “We want to highlight and showcase are pledging to reduce local greenhouse leaders (in green building),” she said. “It’s gas emissions, enhance resilience to climate change, and track progress trans- the early adopters in a sector that can initiate change.” parently,” he said. “Our commitment to The goal is to make Reno, and the enthe Compact of Mayors includes a greenhouse gas inventory, risk assessment, and tire region more sustainable. v Northern Nevada Business Weekly ❖ 5

Ryder Homes takes modern approach in homebuilding

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NNBW Staff editor@nnbw.biz

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sign of how busy Ryder Homes is in northern Nevada: 13 homes in its new Ventana community in Sparks sold before the first model home was even completed.

Ventana, with its modern approach to interior and exterior architectural design and interior furnishings, is one of five active Ryder projects in Washoe County and represents a new direction for the long time northern Nevada homebuilder.

In addition to Ventana, Ryder continues to build out its Shadow Ridge subdivision in Spanish Springs. It’s also begun construction of a large condominium project, Casoleil, off Galleria Parkway, and it’s begun a second phase of the popular Village at Arrowcreek Apartments at the corners of Arrowcreek and Wedge parkways. It’s also working on the second phase of its high-end Mountaingate subdivision, also off Arrowcreek Parkway.

Sales began last summer on the 154-lot Ventana subdivision, and Ryder had closed 22 homes by the end of February.

Project Manager John Schroeder says Ventana’s modern twist on architecture and design — each home has a covered patio, bathrooms have a spa-like feel, and each kitchen is upgraded and has an island — was created to appeal to new homebuyers coming into the area to support Tesla and the many other companies that have been setting up shop in northern Nevada over the past few years.

New home specialist Nancy Johns says there’s a waiting list of more than 100 people for the community, which is averaging about five starts per month. Square footages range from 1,738 to 2,771 with four single-story floor plans and two, two-story plans. Prices range from $298,000 to $378,000 “Buyers are looking for new and fresh product,” Johns says. “We are definitely different than anyone else in town.

We have gotten a lot of positive response that somebody finally is doing something different. People just love openness of the floor plans and the covered patios built into the

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PHOTO COURTESY UNITED CONSTRUCTION

Ryder Homes sold 13 homes in its new Ventana community in Sparks before the first model home was completed. structure of the homes.”

Schroeder expects Ventana to be sold out by the end of 2017, and construction is expected to continue through the first half of 2018.

With just five new starts per month, Ryder continues to take a cautious approach to homebuilding in Ventana and its other communities despite heavy buyer interest throughout the region, says Steve Thomsen, Ryder Homes’ general manager.

“We are a little more conservative,” Thomsen says. “We survived the crash without any issues. We could do more than that, but with the management crew we have and to keep quality up and production going, that is our model.

“We found that trying to do more than that is unreasonable for us,” he adds. “That works, and it’s the most we ever do on any one project.”

With the frothy demand for multifamily units, Ryder is moving quickly to get those projects into play, Thomsen notes. Occupancy at The Village at Arrowcreek is close to 97 percent, and crews are currently grading land for a second phase. Ryder expects to begin framing by the end of March or early April. The Village South project — 243 high-end apartment units spread out over nine buildings with a large clubhouse — is expected to take 24 months to complete.

Casoleil in Sparks, which Ryder picked up midyear 2015, consists of 45 units over nine buildings. Thomsen hopes to have all the buildings completed this year.

Its other projects continue to sell briskly. Ryder expects to close 47 to 53 homes at Shadow Ridge this year, and an additional 30 or so at Mountaingate. Shadow Ridge is mapped for 390 homes, with roughly half already sold,

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while Mountaingate is mapped for 90 in addition to 84 homes already erected.

With so much construction going on, Ryder, like other large builders in the area, at times can be hard-pressed — Nancy Johns, Ryder Homes for subcontractors.

New Home Specialist Although workforce remains a pressing issue, Thomsen says there’s a high degree of loyalty among the company’s subs that helps offset labor shortages.

“We spread it out and don’t hire the same framers and painters,” he says. “We’ve run into the same issues as other (builders), but we have a longer presence in this market, so our subs are pretty loyal. We’ve built in Genoa, Carson City, south Reno, Reno — we have a lot of loyalty from our subcontractors.”

“Buyers are looking for new and fresh product...

We have gotten a lot of positive response that somebody finally is doing something different.”

Ryder has headquarters offices in northern Nevada as well as Walnut Creek, where it was founded. Currently it’s doing less work in California — Ryder primarily focuses on smaller in-fill projects in California rather than the sprawling subdivisions and apartment/condo complexes it builds in northern Nevada.

Finding skilled project managers and superintendents also continues to be challenging as homebuilding across the region remains strong. Ryder is looking to bring on additional construction management teams as its other projects ramp up to full-scale construction.

“When you have that many projects, it’s hard to find great management,” Thomsen says. “We are stable now, but it could be a problem down the road, and we are actively looking to hire.”

So what’s next for Ryder? Although it has enough work in the pipeline to keep busy for several years, Thomsen says Ryder has additional land holdings in Somersett, south Reno, north Reno and downtown. It’s also looking at other new projects and land holdings in northern Nevada.

“We are focused on everything we have now, but we will we have a future presence too. We will continue to be active in this market,” Thomsen says. v

Northern Nevada Business Weekly ❖ 7

PHOTO COURTESY OF UNITED CONSTRUCTION

United Construction is currently working on Dermody Properties’ 700,000 square foot LogistiCenter 395 Phase II, as seen in this aerial photo taken Feb. 16.

United Construction building relationships as well as industrial centers

By Sally Roberts sroberts@nnbw.biz

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ichael Russell, CEO of United Construction, is “bullish” for the future of commercial construction in northern Nevada.

“Demand is really strong. I’m very positive. I’m very bullish on the future,” he said of the area’s post recession growth.

“We had five or six really tough years when not much was being built. Unfortunately, we downsized but kept a good core of people so that when recovery did come we could react to our customer needs,” Russell said.

“We’ve had two really solid years.

We’ve more than doubled our staff in the last two years from 22 to 46; that includes our office in Chicago.”

United Construction specializes in large industrial buildings. Projects

currently under construction in the Truckee Meadows include a 700,000-square-foot building in Lemmon Valley, which is part of LogistiCenter 365 for Dermody Properties; and 400,000 square feet in Spanish Springs for Seattle-based Avenue 55.

The company recently completed a 400,000-square-foot building in Las Vegas, also with Dermody.

In northern California, United Construction is constructing a 750,000-square-foot building in Lathrop for Atlanta-based Seefried Properties.

Founded in 1978 in Reno, where its headquarters remain, United Construction is now a national company with an office in Chicago to oversee projects east of the Rockies. Customers include Fortune 500 companies like UPS, Aramark, Merck and Prologis.

“Half to two-thirds of our business is repeat customers,” Russell said. “We’ve

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built up a really good core of customers that we deal with on a regular bases.

We’re pretty fortunate.

“We still have to compete through the bid process, but the pool is more select. We’re not bidding against 15 contractors, we’re bidding against three or four.”

Business Development Manager Raymond Zavalla’s job is to find companies in various industries in need of UC’s construction expertise and leverage those contacts into construction projects.

“A lot of it is very relationship based,” Zavalla said.

Russell also emphasized the importance of relationships with clients.

“Our real goal, any time we take on a new customer is to over deliver so that we can keep them as a customer; not just project by project, but to build a new relationship,” Russell said.

“We really try to understand what

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United Construction recently completed this distribution center in Tahoe Reno Industrial Center for Eagle Valley. the win-win is for their business and support that in how we design a facility for them. That’s our secret sauce to our success.”

Another piece of United Construction’s success is their commitment to the community. Employees volunteer on numerous boards and fundraisers in the community.

“We really share a strong commitment to each of the communities we’re in,” Russell said. ‘They’re the ones giving us the business and we want to support the communities.”

Even thought business is good, Russell said he’s still cautious about the financial side. In the post-recession economy, projects receive a lot more scrutiny from lenders.

“I think that will continue to be the case, especially with the turmoil in the equity markets right now,” Russell said.

“We don’t see a lot of real indicators that would show us (northern Nevada) going into a recession, but the volatility of the market has people unnerved.

Adjustments in the market are not anything new historically, it’s just that it all happened in a 60-day window.”

Stock Market aside, Russell expects construction in the Reno market to stay healthy for at least several more years.

“The influx of new businesses is going to be really good for this area, as all

goods companies will still have a very the predictions of growth in populastrong market for the time being.” tion will help,” said Russell, who sits on Zavalla talked about the increasing the board for the Economic Developinterest in Reno that he’s finding as he ment Authority of Western Nevada travels.

(EDAWN), the organization at the “Reno’s not a punch line anymore,” forefront of bringing new businesses to he said. “People know about Tahoe the area.

Reno Industrial Center; about Switch,” The decrease in gas prices is also givbut when it comes to the lifestyle of the ing people more discretionary income area, they’re surprised how close Lake and they are ready to spend. CompaTahoe is and the many recreational opnies that supply products that consumportunities residents can enjoy daily. ers want are ready to help them spend.

“It’s definitely out there,” he said. “It’s “The supply chain industry is probadefinitely a change of perception.” v bly one of our main customers,” Zavalla said. “And they’re always trying to bring a product faster, quicker, cheaper.

We will always be involved in that process, in that loop, so to speak” building the type of structure they need to accomplish that goal.

Russell agreed.

“Our prospects are really pretty strong. The market segments we work in are still pretty strong. Demand PHOTO COURTESY OF UNITED CONSTRUCTION is still up,” he said.

“Ecommerce busiUnited Construction constructs smaller projects as well as nesses and retailers mega-warehouses, such at the STEP2 residential facility and the consumer currently under construction.

Northern Nevada Business Weekly ❖ 9

The story continues for

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Rancharrah

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By Annie Conway

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aconway@nnbw.biz

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or decades, the Harrah estate known as Rancharrah has been a gem in northern Nevada. Now, the iconic property enters into its next phase to become a 145-acre master-planned community.

The development will be comprised of eight residential villages, a retail center, an office/medical site and a private club center.

According to Chip Bowlby, managing partner of Reno Land Development Company and owner of Rancharrah, the development will be more than just a residential community; it will be a lifestyle community.

The residential villages are planned to have 611 homes, which will be comprised of single-family detached homes, luxury condos and townhouses. Bowlby anticipates that they will sell from upwards of $500,000 to $1 million.

They plan to start construction on the infrastructure and streets this coming summer and they anticipate that construction on Village 1 and 2 will begin in spring 2017. It will take five to seven years to completely build out Rancharrah.

“We are getting ready to start interviewing builders and other developers,” Bowlby said.

The development will also include 105,000 square feet of retail space and 180,000 square feet of office space.

Bowlby envisions the retail center as a vibrant shopping center with a wide selection of dinning options, retail stores and a farmers market. Bowlby already has 10 restaurants that are interested in space.

PHOTO COURTESY RENO LAND DEVELOPMENT

The Rancharrah mansion and its surrounding area will be converted into a membership club center available for both residents and the public.

“It will be like Southcreek on steroids,” Bowlby said.

The Rancharrah mansion and its surrounding area will be converted into a membership club center available for both residents and the public. It will boast tennis courts, swimming pools, an event center and areas for business and club meetings.

Thirty percent of the development will be open space and will have many outdoor amenities such as horseback riding, biking and walking trails. There will also be trails to Bartley Ranch and Huffaker Elementary School.

“We want to maintain the beauty of the propriety and respect the heritage of Rancharrah,” Bowlby said.

Bill Harrah, founder of Harrah’s Hotel and Casinos, purchased the property from Norman Biltz, known as the “Duke of Nevada,” in 1957. Throughout the years, the property has hosted a wide range of celebrities such as Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr. and many others.

Harrah’s son, John Harrah, later acquired the property and built the equestrian center that is there today.

When he put the property up for sale in 2014 he wanted to make sure that the developer who purchased the historic site would keep the mansion and the

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equestrian center.

“It was important for (John Harrah) to pick the right person and I think he feels that he did,” Bowlby said.

Bowlby was first introduced to the property about five years ago while his daughter Tara, a former Miss Reno Rodeo and Miss Rodeo Nevada, was competing at the equestrian center. Tara mentioned to her dad that the property was for sale and little did Bowlby know that four years later he would own Rancharrah.

“I said that I would never develop in Reno again and that I would never fall in love with a project again,” Bowlby, who has developed properties in California, Nevada and Idaho, said. “Both were a lie.”

Reno Land Development closed the deal for the property in October 2015.

They have already received a lot of interest in the residential properties and have had more than 300 inquires about custom-built sites. The developers are planning to open an information center in July 2016 where the public and other developers can get more information.

The information center will also be a tribute to Bill Harrah and display memorabilia from the property.

Rancharrah was unanimously approved by the City of Reno Planning

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Commission and the City Council and Regional Planning and is fully approved for development.

However, the project is not without its challenges.

“One of the challenges is to reach the bar that we have set for ourselves,” Bowlby said.

Other challenges that Bowlby identified with the development are the increase in construction costs and the overcrowding and aging infrastructure in the Washoe County schools that could deter people from settling in the Reno area.

That aside, Rancharrah is the type of residential community that Reno needs with the anticipated population growth from the new companies and jobs that Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada (EDAWN) are bringing to the region.

“I think that the market is poised for Rancharrah,” Bowlby said. v

Reno Land Development provided this conceptual site plan showing plans for 611 homes, tennis courts, swimming pools, event center and areas for business and club meetings. Thirty percent of the development will be open space and will have many outdoor amenities such as horseback riding, biking and walking trails.

Northern Nevada Business Weekly ❖ 11

Staffing agency aims to supply construction workforce to region

By Duane Johnson djohnson@nnbw.biz

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ne day, Gary Pepka was looking to improve his employment situation in the construction industry, and answered an ad in the newspaper.

But to his astonishment it turned out to be a position in a construction staffing company, to which he knew virtually nothing about.

“I’ve been in construction in some form or another since 1978, but I didn’t know what construction staffing was,” Pepka said with a chuckle. “But it turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to me.”

Pepka has worked in construction staffing for 13 years now, and a decade for a company in Reno-Sparks.

When Trillium Construction, Inc., a nationwide construction staffing agency, pondered entering northern Nevada, they called Pepka to see if he would be interested in heading up the new branch in Reno.

Pepka readily accepted the position and has spent the past few months getting things in order and serving as branch manager. He works alongside another staff member at an office Trillium leased just northwest of Reno-Tahoe International Airport. The parent company has taken care of all investments necessary to start the branch.

Trillium had previously been conducting business for northern Nevada construction companies from other branches. It finally decided the timing was right to open a branch in the Truckee Meadows, particularly with all the building activity from Tesla, Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center and other parts of the region. With its vast national database of 10,000 workers to draw from, Pepka said Trillium would be replenishing a workforce shortage in northern Nevada that’s been drained from the current construction activity.

“The worker pool here in Nevada is drained,” Pepka said. “The main difference with Trillium is since we have branches all over the country we can bring in much-needed out-of-state workers. A lot of these guys are family men who will travel from job to job to support those families.”

Pepka also has a strong pool of local tradesmen that he can also draw from if needed.

Trillium can provide non-union skilled tradesmen in areas such as electricians, plumbing or carpentry.

“What Kelly Services is to office staffing, we are for construction staffing,” Pepka said. “When you need a

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PHOTO BY ANNIE CONWAY

Gary Pepka at Trillium Construction, Inc. receptionist you call Kelly. When you need a carpenter you call us.”

Workers interested in applying for Trillium do so through its website at www.trilliumstaffing.com. From there, Pepka says, they go through an intense screening process. Plus they have to adhere to the company’s stringent policies on worker safety procedures “We do a lot of work upfront and ask them a lot of questions,” he said.

Using his experience and contacts in the market, Pepka also has already been reaching out to construction companies to get the word out about Trillium.

“This is the kind of business that you do face-to-face,” he said. “I like to get out there and sit down with people and tell them about us, although I may send out an email or two.”

While he is diligently marketing the branch, he said the main goal is to get some tradesmen working right away and go from there. But he feels the Truckee Meadows is now a viable destination for construction tradesmen.

“A lot of workers are already looking to relocate to Reno,” he said.

Trillium has more the 90 branches nationwide. Its construction staffing division is headquartered in Nashville.

The division is a part of Trillium Staffing; an agency that provides job placement in 22 different fields, including construction, office professionals and administration. v

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Q&D Construction’s aviation division takes off

By Annie Conway aconway@nnbw.biz

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or more than 50 years, Q&D Construction has been building its footprint in northern Nevada.

They have three main divisions, the building division, the heavy/civil division, and the aviation division. In the past couple of years, the aviation division has started to take off.

“We are going into our third year as a division,” Duane Boreham, vice president of the Aviation Division, said.

They have worked with a wide range of airports and airlines including Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority, Chicago Midway Airport, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, Davis Flight Support/Woodland Aviation and many more.

The company got their first large aviation project in 2007 when Q&D became the Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) to upgrade the baggage screening and check-in at the Reno-Tahoe International Airport. In 2012, Q&D was the CMAR on the Reno-Tahoe Airport Gateway Project, which improved the airport’s baggage claim, security and passenger experience.

It is not only their experience that makes Q&D’s aviation division stand out but also the relationship they build with their customers.

Q&D has done several projects with Southwest Airlines and it all started with a single door.

While working on the Reno-Tahoe International Airport, Southwest needed to replace a door with an estimate cost of $1,000. The Q&D team took the time to look at the project and got a carpenter on the job. They were able to install a dutch door for Southwest at half the cost of the original “There estimate.

“Getting to know everyone at are mega Southwest, our company culcompanies that tures met up really well,” Boreham said. have full on aviation This small project led divisions that do a lot to Q&D being selected by Southof the work in larger west to be the airports. They tend to construction

overlook the regional airports.”

PHOTO BY VANCE FOX

Q&D got their first large aviation project in 2007 when Q&D became the Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) to upgrade the baggage screening and check-in at the Reno-Tahoe International Airport. company in charge of rebranding their signage in airports across the United States.

Aviation construction requires extensive knowledge of airport regulations and requirements and each airport and state has a different set of regulations that construction companies must comply with. This makes it hard for construction companies to break into this aspect of building.

“They are looking for someone who has past experience and that really narrows the field,” Lance Semenko, chief operating officer of Q&D, said.

However, Q&D has found a niche in regional airports.

“There are mega companies that have full on aviation divisions that do a lot of the work in larger airports,” Boreham said. “They tend to overlook the regional airports.”

They are currently in the process of constructing a new terminal at the San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport.

They are building a two-building 48,500-square-foot terminal to replace the existing one. The project is scheduled to be completed in December of this year.

Q&D was founded in 1964. Throughout the years they have worked on a wide range of projects from mining, dental offices, custom homes, retail centers, road construction and more. Their clients have included Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center, the University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada Department of Transportation and Scheels and the City of Reno and many more. v

— Duane Boreham, Vice President Q & D Construction, Aviation Division Northern Nevada Business Weekly ❖ 13

In her own words: Melissa Caron

owner Smith Electric Co.

THE BASICS Name/title: Melissa Caron, owner Smith Electric Co. Number of years with company: 14 years Number of years in the profession: 16 years Education: Trade Apprenticeship/OJT Favorite movie: Lord of the Rings Favorite musical group or genre: Country Spouse, kids or pets: A spouse and pets — which should count as kids!

NNBW: Tell us about your company and the duties of your position.

Melissa Caron: We are a Northern Nevada Electrical Contractor that performs commercial, industrial, and residential electrical including design build, tenant improvement, and new construction. We have been in business for 39 years and are woman owned!

NNBW: How did you get into this profession?

Caron: This was a family business, I’ve been “working” here ever since I could walk/toddle. When the founder decided to retire I took advantage, made the leap, and took over.

NNBW: What do you enjoy most about working in your field.

Caron: The fact that I get to see behind the scenes in a multitude of different industries, think prisons, hospitals, etc. and don’t work in the same place every day.

NNBW: What is the most challenging part about your job?

Caron: Tight deadlines with high risk, for example hospitals, manufacturing, gaming, all of which can’t have equipment fail and when they do it becomes our number one priority to get them back up and running as quickly as possible. The whole time tensions run high on both sides for safety and cost.

NNBW: What advice would you give someone who wants to get into your profession?

Caron: Start early and young, Intern over summers while you are still in high school. The best time to learn a trade is when you are full of energy, from there the possibility for expansion,

14 ❖ BUILDING NORTHERN NEVADA SPRING 2016

upward mobility, and earning is essentially limitless.

NNBW: What was the best advice anyone ever gave you?

Caron: Your gut instinct is usually right, listen to it.

NNBW: What kind of education do you recommend to get into your field?

Caron: GED or high school diploma, work experience is the key in construction labor based trades.

NNBW: Is there one thing that you learned over your career that’s become vitally important in your job?

Caron: Relationships and follow through are the most important things to foster.

NNBW: What are your hobbies? How do you spend your time away from work?

Caron: Hunting, fishing, and canning fresh veggies.

NNBW: Do you have a favorite vacation spot?

Caron: I can’t say just one but Ireland and Scotland are by far my favorite.

NNBW: Is there a place around the world you’ve never been that you would like to visit?

Caron: New Zealand, obviously to visit where the Lord of the Rings was filmed!

NNBW: What did you dream of becoming as a kid?

Caron: An electrician, no joke. I thought the hard hats, vests, and big trucks were awesome. v

Construction on LogistiCenter well underway PHOTO COURTESY DERMODY PROPERTIES

Dermody Properties broke ground on Phase 2 of the LogistiCenterSM in December 2015.

United Construction is currently working on the project as seen in the aerial photos above and on the cover.

By George Condon, Partner, West Region, Dermody Properties

T

he economy is strong in northern Nevada. Dermody Properties will develop more than 4 million square feet in the next three years to meet demand for industrial space. Dermody Properties has been a part of building northern Nevada’s industrial landscape for more than 50 years. Michael C. Dermody, Chairman and CEO, joined the family business in 1976. He has grown Dermody Properties from a local developer to a fully integrated national owner and developer of industrial properties throughout the nation.

LogistiCenterSM at 395 in the North Valleys submarket of Reno is a testament to the increasing activity of development in the region.

The LogistiCenterSM brand from Dermody Properties represents the business philosophy of developing Class A distribution facilities that meet the supply-chain requirements of the most innovative companies.

Dermody Properties delivered two LogistiCenterSM buildings in northern Nevada in 2015. The 402,000and 224,000-square-foot buildings marked the completion of the LogistiCenterSM at 395, Phase 1 – a three-building industrial park located just off of Highway 395 at Lemmon Valley Drive. The company fully leased the third facility in the park to Amazon.com in 2014.

In December 2015, Dermody Properties broke ground on Phase 2 of LogistiCenterSM at 395, a two-to-three building industrial park that will total more than 1.6 million square feet. A portion of the park’s first facility was pre-leased to Marmot, an outdoor gear company and subsidiary of Jarden Corporation, prior to the start of construction. The team at Dermody Properties believes the park’s ecommerce-compliant design, expansion capabilities and superior location, along with Nevada’s pro business environment, will continue to attract companies.

The final building or buildings at LogistiCenterSM at 395 Phase 2 will be either two 425,000-squarefoot buildings or a single

900,000-square-foot building. The first tenant will influence Dermody Properties’ decision. All facilities in the park will have 36-foot clear heights, ESFR sprinklers and ample car and trailer parking.

The project is a joint venture development between Dermody Properties and PCCP, LLC, a premier real estate finance and investment management firm.

Northern Nevada is a hub for ecommerce and distribution companies looking to serve the 11 western states. More than 65 trucking companies are located in northern Nevada and provide the necessary distribution support. Overall, the cost of operating a business in Nevada is lower than in neighboring states. Companies benefit from competitive power rates and a favorable tax structure.

We are experiencing a rising tide for industrial real estate and business in the region. Dermody Properties has a long-standing reputation as a best-in-class industrial developer with an impressive roster of quality facilities. Contributing to northern Nevada’s growth and success remains a strong focus for the company. v Northern Nevada Business Weekly ❖ 15

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