Making An Impression
Kitchell Contractors has the keys to success in Texas
In a state and economy as large as Texas, construction is a constant. An expanding population and business base require new and upgraded facilities of all stripes, and Texas has plenty of room in which to grow. That wealth of opportunity is part of what prompted Kitchell Contractors to permanently establish a presence in Texas.
“It was almost nine years ago that Kitchell Contractors built the new Baylor Scott & White Medical Center in College Station, Texas,” says Kaley Simon, Pre-Construction Manager for the Kitchell Contractors office in Austin, Texas. “With the success of that job and other opportunities that soon came, we decided the time was right to make our presence more permanent by opening the Austin office. Three years ago we opened another office in Houston.”
Part of a Whole
Kitchell Contractors is part of the larger Kitchell Corporation originally founded in Phoenix, in 1950. In the ensuing decades, Kitchell has grown to become a commercial building powerhouse in the Southwest, offering a wide range of services, including general contracting, construction management, real estate development, program management, engineering and architecture, facilities management and property management. In addition to its Arizona and Texas locations, Kitchell has major offices in Southern and Northern California. Through its five operating companies, Kitchell subsidiaries and projects encompass most of the United States.
Kitchell has handled builds across virtually every industry, but specializes in retail/commercial, senior living, education, civic and health care projects. The company’s position as the leading health care builder in the Southwest—a Modern Healthcare Top 15 Healthcare Builder since 1983— as well as its team of ASHE-certified health care construction specialists are what helped it earn the Baylor Scott & White project in College Station.
Kitchell’s bullish outlook on the Texas construction market began several years ago with hundreds of acres of undeveloped commercial property the company acquired, and continues to hold today. And in the nine years Kitchell Contractors has been on the Texas scene, it has hit the ground running and is a player in several key Texas markets.
“Steve Whitworth was Regional Vice President when the Austin office opened,” Kaley says. “Steve grew this office, brought people from Arizona to help build the team and hired locally. He helped us penetrate the markets of higher education and health care. That was his background in Arizona, and we already had all the processes in place. We built up from there, bringing in more local expertise and building our portfolio. Steve is back in Arizona now, serving as President of Kitchell Contractors.”
Making A Mark
Following the completion of the Baylor Scott & White Medical Center in College Station, Kitchell Contractors pursued and landed a number of other projects across the state in health care and higher education, quickly making its mark.
Some of the company’s recent accomplishments include an $11 million project on the Newton Gresham Library at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, an $8 million project for the Texas Facilities Commission, a design-build project for the Upper Brushy Creek Water Control and Improvement District in Round Rock, Texas, and several deferred maintenance projects for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
“We’re also just wrapping up a new Texas State Veterans Home in Houston for the Texas General Land Office,” Kaley says. “It’s a 120-bed, $40 million facility. It’s something they’ve been trying to put together for a while, and we’re proud of our participation in the project.” Naturally, the company has taken on a number of smaller projects as well, some of which have proven to be more challenging than the larger endeavors.
“One of our biggest challenges was replacing the MRI machine at St. David’s Round Rock Medical Center,” Kaley says. “We had to replace the MRI equipment through a hatch in the roof. In addition to all the requirements for working on a medical facility, we had to cover the roof while we redid the facility shielding. The project ended successfully but was very complex considering the small scope.”
The experience Kitchell brings to the table in higher education has given the company an opportunity to pursue projects with The University of Texas at Austin, the University of Houston and additional work with Sam Houston State University, Kaley says.
“We have the opportunity to be our own growth center,” Kaley adds. “We can flow with what’s happening in Austin and Houston.”
Kitchell considers itself a pioneer in construction prefabrication. The company has a 110,000-square-foot off-site prefabrication facility in Arizona, which can help eliminate waste, expedite production and improve safety in construction projects. Kitchell Contractors in Texas does not have that ability yet, but Kaley is hopeful it will come to the state soon.
Employee Investment
What truly sets Kitchell apart is employee ownership through its companywide profit-sharing program, which is one of the qualities that drew Kaley to the company four years ago.
“All Kitchell employees are part of the profit-sharing,” Kaley says. “You don’t pay into it; you’re given it as an employee. It helps to build pride in our work. It allows us all to look at each other and speak up if there are any issues. Everything that happens in the company affects us directly as owners. It helps us be more accountable. You always think about the importance of things to the company. Employee ownership allows people who work for us to feel a sense of pride. Everyone’s looking to make sure we’re all moving forward.” The Kitchell Contractors office in Austin has grown to a staff of 12 since it opened six years ago, and the company’s relationship with The Blue Book Network has played an important role in its growth.
“Our representative from The Blue Book is always in touch,” Kaley says. “It’s just a good, mutually beneficial relationship. If we’re bidding on projects outside the Houston and Austin areas, The Blue Book lets us find valuable subcontractor bases.”
Kaley believes Kitchell Contractors has made its mark in the Texas building market and is uniquely qualified to continue to succeed in the state.
“We are laser-focused, organized and work hard,” Kaley says. “We’re staying within what we know we can do and do well. Every contractor wants to get out there and do everything. When you stick with your experience, you’re able to be more successful, and you take fewer risks that way.”