IA/IL QUAD CITIES - Bush Construction Company, Inc., has made huge strides since the firm was founded in 2008, going from zero to $18 million in revenue in its first full year of business. According to A.J. Loss, President of Bush Construction, the company has been awarded more than $60 million in projects to date. What makes the company's growth so exceptional is the fact that it took place during a nationwide recession with an accompanying construction industry slump.
The company has succeeded in its endeavors through a collaborative approach to business, Loss stated. "Through collaborative relationships with our clients, designers and subcontractors, we have established an unconventional approach to the world of commercial building construction," he said. "This high degree of collaboration is only possible in an atmosphere of mutual trust and respect."
The company believes strongly in the power of teamwork, Loss noted."By embracing a collaborative environment with our project teams," he said, "we have been able to deliver some very complex projects on time, under budget and with happy clients."
Providing a high level of customer service is always a top priority at Bush Construction, Loss added. "From inception to completion, each project receives the time, skills, and attention needed for success," he said. "Clients often comment on our team's willingness to go above and beyond expectations representing their best interests."
Bush Construction is a general contractor, design-builder, and professional construction manager. Their team members have worked on a wide range of industrial, educational, government and commercial projects in the Quad-Cities and throughout the Midwest.
Teamwork on Behalf of the Community
Bush Construction maintained its early growth while handling a number of philanthropic projects, spending considerable time and resources in the community. Recently, Bush Construction was honored during the 23rd annual Hard Hat awards presentation. Bush received the Collette Hinrichsen Award for Philanthropy for their contributions to the Rock Island Economic Growth Corporation (RIEGC).
Bush Construction worked with RIEGC on the Jackson Square project, a brownfield area in downtown Rock Island, Illinois, that was turned into an attractive 30-unit apartment complex. Bush Construction acted as Construction Manager on the project. RIEGC, the owner of the property, attained the necessary funding for the project.
The Hard Hat awards recognize investment in the community and were presented by RIEGC, Renaissance Rock Island, The Development Association of Rock Island, and The District of Rock Island.
"The Illinois Oil Products warehouse used to operate on the property," said Ryan Schertz, Bush Construction Superintendent in charge of the project, who was the on-site manager for all activities on the site. "The work took about 15 months. The land had environmental issues. It was a brownfield site with multiple tanks and lots of oil everywhere. There were tanks within the building as well as underground. We had chemical infiltration throughout the site that needed to be remediated."
According to Rob Davis, Bush Construction Project Manager for the Jackson Square project, the environmental concerns were the No. 1 challenge. EnviroNET, Inc., was the environmental contractor. "Remedial action was carried out while construction was taking place, so both endeavors had to be coordinated for greatest efficiency," Davis said. "When the project was done, we received a clean bill of health for the land. The EPA confirmed that no further action was required."
"The community is ecstatic about the way Jackson Square turned out," Schertz said. "It was quite a transformation."
The success of the Bush Construction team relied strongly on the combined talents of its members, Schertz added. "The staff is highly experienced," he said. "The team really makes a difference. What we can handle is pretty limitless for us."
The Best People for the Best Results
According to Loss, Bush Construction is committed to finding and retaining the best staff members. "We give careful consideration to every resume we receive," he said. "It takes the best people to bring about the best results."
The teamwork manifesto at Bush Construction also extends to its clientele and subcontractors, Loss noted. "Building a strong customer relationship takes daily diligence, planning, care and ongoing communication," he said. "We listen to what our clients have to say, since we are helping to build the future success of their businesses. We treat our subcontractors as team members as well by working with them in an ethical manner. Our unwavering position against bid-shopping and our commitment to ensuring timely payments to our subcontractors has reinforced these important relationships and, in turn, provided a unique market advantage. Teamwork is the key to success in construction - and really, in any industry."
Teamwork Turns an Urban Brownfield into a Green SuccessBush Construction Company, Inc., recently received the Collette Hinrichsen Award for Philanthropy for their contributions to the Rock Island Economic Growth Corporation (RIEGC). RIEGC was the developer of the Jackson Square project in downtown Rock Island, Illinois. Bush Construction acted as the Construction Manager on the project and EnviroNET, Inc., served as the environmental contractor.
Bush Construction was instrumental in turning an urban brownfield area into an attractive 30-unit apartment complex. The site used to house the Illinois Oil Products warehouse and much work needed to be done before the property could be used as a residential area.
"EnviroNET, Inc., provided the remedial action plan, collected soil samples, did the modeling, and determined how the contaminated soil might migrate," said Rob Davis, Project Manager for Bush Construction. "Rainwater can drive contaminants deeper into the ground. The pollutants travel below the grade and along the bedrock, and can be forced into more porous materials along the way."
Thorough documentation of the contamination was needed. Based on the models provided by EnviroNET, plans for the ecological renewal of the property were approved by the federal and state Environmental Protection Agency.
"The contractor hauled off the contaminated soil, and work performed by Bush was scheduled around that contractor," Davis said. "This closely coordinated teamwork allowed the project to proceed at a steady, efficient pace."
The brownfield included underground tanks, Davis noted, so the contractor pumped the tanks dry, rendering them harmless, and then filled them with a flowable grout material. The site also included cisterns, and for those, they removed the walls to below ground level. They packed the cisterns with sand and left them in place.
"Architecturally speaking, the designs for the project were based on the existing buildings," Davis said. "We did not want to lose the historical significance of the area. So, storage tanks were used decoratively as planters to keep the architectural heritage intact. We wanted to keep the flavor of the past and make Jackson Square a historical point of interest."
Davis added that Jackson Square represents a major step forward for Rock Island's downtown community. "You would never guess that this attractive residential area with green spaces used to be a brownfield," he said. "The entire Bush team is proud to be a part of this project."
