Collaborating for Success
The BJC Group, Inc. sets its sights to the skies
When it comes to providing quality services, The BJC Group, Inc. (BJC Group) encourages employees to shoot for the moon. “It doesn’t matter whether you’re sweeping the floor or doing something in a rocket silo, you do it to your best ability,” says President and CEO Robert Baglio.
While BJC Group’s work is decidedly earthbound, projects do reach for the skies with the firm working in some of Washington’s tallest buildings. Headquartered in Port Orchard, Washington, the general contractor is a one-stop shop for commercial services, providing construction management, design/build, traditional build, negotiated contract, tenant improvements and renovations. Additionally, the company provides preconstruction services such as project planning, feasibility studies and design services, as well as consulting services including project management, cost estimating/analysis and value engineering.
“We bring a passion for excellence to every project we undertake,” Baglio says. Founded in 1996, the award-winning company commonly serves customers in the multifamily, retail, restaurant, health care and automotive industries. BJC Group’s work can be found throughout western Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, as well as the Seattle metropolitan area.
With a team of 31 employees, BJC Group tackles projects of all sizes—from small $5,000 tenant improvements to $15 million new construction projects. “We do a great deal of work with previous clients. Anything they need done, we want to accommodate their needs,” Baglio says.
Repeat clients, including coffee giant Starbucks, keep coming back because BJC Group looks after the owner’s interests first, according to Baglio. “I spent almost half of my career as an owner’s representative, so I see things from the owner’s point of view. We work very closely with the owner and their design team to develop the most cost-effective structure we can for a project,” he says.
That includes keeping a close eye on costs as projects progress. “We analyze whether something is an extra cost and scrutinize it very closely. Change orders slow down work and we’re not in the business to make extra money this way,” he says. Providing a detailed scope of work and a realistic budget up front is key, according to Baglio. “We identify areas of potential risk early on and are proactive in our review of plans so we can identify issues before they become issues.”
BJC Group keeps owners apprised of progress with weekly updates on budget and schedule. “Communication is so important,” he says. “We present ourselves professionally and strive to communicate honestly and effectively with clients.”
Solid Industry Foundation
Baglio got his start in the construction industry after graduating with a degree in construction management from Central Washington University. “I worked for a small commercial general contracting firm. That job gave me well-rounded experience since I was exposed to all areas of the company,” he says. Baglio later served as Project Manager for Kitsap County, overseeing all capital facility projects.
Along the way, he obtained his civil engineering license. “I always wanted to own my own business,” he says. In 1996, Baglio struck out on his own and started BJC Group. “For many years, I served mostly as a construction manager and an owner’s representative on projects. As time went on, the company moved more and more into general contracting.”
In those early years, Baglio worked double duty at BJC Group and as an engineer at a local civil engineering firm. As BJC Group grew, Baglio left the engineering field behind. “I found it was more fun building stuff than designing grading plans. To step back and see a building that you’ve constructed from the ground up is very fulfilling,” he says.
Having managed construction projects for the county, Baglio was already well connected with developers, architects, engineers and subcontractors when he started the firm. “I had good connections early on so that was very helpful in getting started.” As the company grew, Baglio added a key player, Director of Field Operations Daryl Read. “Daryl joined me about 14 years ago and serves as my partner at BJC Group,” he says.
While the firm does do some college recruiting, Baglio says that BJC Group attracts great talent. “Because we’re active in the community, we have good folks who come to us wanting to work here,” he comments, adding that the company gives employees the tools they need to succeed. “We want employees to be with us for the long term and we take the time to train people on different aspects of the business so we can promote from within the company.”
Baglio says that BJC Group has a mix of both upcoming and seasoned professionals, bringing to the table fresh, innovative ideas. “We are always striving to find new and better ways of doing things. The goal is to provide top-notch quality service in all that we do,” he says.
Delivering Flair & Flavor
Providing top-notch services often means accommodating challenging construction scenarios. “We recently completed a 16-month construction project for an apartment complex. It was an infill project, where we added 10 new, six-unit complexes amongst existing apartment buildings scattered throughout the site. We had to minimize disruptions for residents and ensure things like mail and trash services were maintained,” Baglio says. To navigate the logistical challenge, BJC Group performed work in three phases and made sure construction areas were kept well separated from residents.
In addition to its multifamily work, BJC Group is also active in the automotive industry. “We’ve renovated car dealerships for KIA, GMC, Chevrolet and Subaru,” Baglio says. During these projects, which span up to nine months, BJC Group keeps the dealerships fully operational while performing the comprehensive renovations. This typically involves creating temporary spaces for all dealership functions. “It’s always enjoyable to put a facelift on an old building and help make it more contemporary,” he says.
BJC Group has done a number of facelifts for Starbucks in the coffee maker’s hometown of Seattle. “We renovated two Starbucks in downtown Seattle in the Columbia Center, which is the tallest building in the state of Washington,” Baglio notes. Working nights, BJC Group delivered materials up and down the cargo elevator to give the 40th-floor Starbucks a fresh look. For the store located on the ground level, the company created a temporary coffee bar while it set to work on an extensive renovation that included the creation of a new outdoor seating area and the complete relocation of the store’s existing coffee bar. “Essentially, we moved the entire engine of the store’s operations. The project involved lots of soft cuts and running new plumbing lines,” Baglio says.
The addition of a new Starbucks at the headquarters of online retailer Zulily was fun and challenging for the firm. “The company’s headquarters is located in a historic building. We transformed the loading dock into a Starbucks,” Baglio says. “We had to install cooling lines six stories up on the roof and find ways to get the refrigeration lines back down to the space.”
The downside of working in an older building is that, oftentimes, there are not many details on what lies behind walls or underneath flooring. When crews ran into suspended slab while creating soft cuts, they put in a call to Baglio. It didn’t matter that it was 2 o’clock in the morning. “We stopped work and got a structural engineer out the very next day to assess the situation and develop a plan for the structural slab,” he recalls.
Despite the hidden surprises found in the historic building, the end result was functional and attractive. “We salvaged a 500-pound fire door from another old building to create a barn door on rollers. It was great to incorporate special touches like this and to give life to an underutilized area,” Baglio says.
Special touches abounded at the Amazon Tower III, home of giant online retailer Amazon. “This was not your standard Starbucks,” he says. “From the interior furnishings to the artwork above the bar area, the feel was high-end with a great deal of flair and flavor.”
Spirit of Collaboration
Baglio feels fortunate to work with Washington’s finest companies. This feeling of gratitude is poured out in the company’s work for the community. “I’ve coached youth athletics and have served on the Planning Commission for Kitsap County, as President of the Kitsap Building Association and as State Representative in the Building Industry Association of Washington, a champion for affordable housing,” he says.
Baglio adds, “I’m from the area and have received so many opportunities here. The community has treated us well, and giving back is the right thing to do.”
That sense of caring extends to the company’s relationships. Baglio concludes: “We are all in this together—the client, the architect, the subcontractors—and we work as a collaborative team. We look after them, they look after us, and together we’re successful.”