Retail Construction Isn't for the Faint of Heart
One reason why Schimenti Construction Company is thriving
Retail construction isn’t for the faint of heart. The schedules are aggressive, the clients have extremely high standards, and any challenges encountered have to be overcome—and fast. While not many companies can cut it in this environment, Schimenti Construction Company is not only thriving, but growing.
The Ridgefield, Conn.-based general contracting firm specializes in urban retail construction. Schimenti Construction is growing so fast that, between 2000 and 2016, the company increased its revenue by almost $200 million and is on track to fulfill its mission of “becoming the contractor of choice in every market we serve.”
Its clients are among the who’s who of New York restuarants, big box stores and banks. Bank of America, Target, H&M, Zara, Chipotle, Capital One, Converse and AMC Theatres, and others are on its client list.
“Our success is largely predicated on three things: people, processes and trust,” says Matt Schimenti, President of the firm. “Without those three pillars, we would be like everybody else.”
Not Like Everybody Else
Schimenti Construction was founded in 1994 by Matt, the third generation of Schimentis in the design and construction industry. “I became obsessed with the fast-paced, high-energy retail construction world,” says Matt. “I worked with my dad until 1994, which is when the time was right for me to go out on my own. I knew I was going to spend my life in retail construction.”
To say that Matt had retail construction in his blood is an understatement. Donald Schimenti, Matt’s father, apprenticed with his father, Michael Schimenti, in the 1960s, when the New York metro area was experiencing a building boom. Michael was an architect who designed and built large-scale projects with his partner, Max Wechsler.
“My grandfather changed the game in New York,” says Matt. “He worked on many notable projects, including several 500-unit apartment complexes, 60+-story office towers, schools and shopping centers. My dad got a great hands-on education, which he passed down to me.”
After a decade of working with his father, Donald founded his own business, AMD Construction. “I knew I wanted to make a difference like my father and grandfather,” says Matt. “I realized that what was sorely missing was a focus on customer service and standardized processes. The average retail construction project lasts 12 weeks; both our customer service and our processes have to be very detailed. In fact, we have to be highly focused to make our deadlines.”
The entire company is obsessed with customer service and processes. “A lot of people say they are customer-focused, but I think we can prove it,” says Joseph Rotondo, Schimenti Construction’s Executive Vice President. “We built our business around standardized processes that everyone—from the administrative assistants to the CEO— follows. That way, we ensure a consistent product for all of our clients.”
People and Processes Minimize Risk
One of the processes that Schimenti Construction developed helps minimize owner risk and reduce delivery schedules by overlapping the design and construction phases. This enables team members to simultaneously work on design, permit and construction processes. “I think our processes have allowed the company to grow so rapidly,” says Rotondo. “Unlike the larger firms, we are able to be more nimble and agile, and respond to emergencies more quickly than our competitors; and that’s what made the difference.”
The intricate pairing of each process to each project stage not only guarantees an outcome that is on time, but also creates a turnkey solution, single-source accountability, options to fast-track, and a guaranteed maximum price. “We know that time waits for no man,” says Rotondo. “So, we worked out a process that lets us work on almost all of the processes at the same time. That way, we can anticipate where and when challenges will occur and come up with solutions to fit those needs.”
A recent example of how these processes helped avert an emergency occurred last year, at the opening of a national big box store. The 25,000-square-foot electronics superstore was set the open the following day at 8 a.m., when an overhead sprinkler broke at 9 p.m., ruining 5,000 feet of the ceiling, wall fixtures and floor.
“Obviously, the client was not happy. We were not happy. But after getting over the initial shock and triaging the situation, our processes were put into place,” says Rotondo. “The project manager called the other store managers—some of them at home—to see if there were any extra pieces of the brand-specific flooring at the other locations. Unfortunately, there were not, but our project manager was able to locate the specific flooring at another job site.”
While the project manager was on site, other members of the Schimenti Construction team called electricians, plumbers and installers. “This sounds like a small problem, but it was New York City in December. It was hard to get people out the door,” says Rotondo. “But we did. And then we spent the next six hours repairing the damage, cleaning the store and restocking the shelves. I think our team left at 8:30 the next morning, just in time for them to cut the ribbon.”
The Company That Never Sleeps
The Schimenti Construction team is proud of its relationships in the construction industry. The company is currently partnered with CASCO USA, Shremshock, CallisonRTKL (an Arcadis company), Robinson+Cole, the Construction Financial Management Association, and others.
“Our relationships are why we do this,” says Rotondo. “But while we love the industry, the people of Schimenti are most important. They possess an energy and dedication that permeates the entire company—one of fearlessness, passion and timeliness. That Schimenti spirit is visible every day as our people overcome challenges, create inventive solutions, and build strong relationships, both with each other and our clients.”
New York may be known as the Big Apple , but the people at Schimenti Construction only see big opportunities. “I can only see retail growing in the future,” says Schimenti. “And I know we’ll be there to make sure it happens—on time and on budget.”