Build United Tag

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08 Jul

Posted at 11:14h in Community, News, United Team

Our CEO Michael Russell was a valued member of the expert panel this morning at the Northern Nevada Business Weekly’s Breakfast & Business on construction and development. This was the first NNBW breakfast program since the start of the pandemic, and the topic matters to kick off the programming were ever-relevant to the growth we’ve been seeing in Northern Nevada. Michael and the other panelists discussed how:

– The construction industry is rebounding from the pandemic and what the outlook looks like for summer 2021 and beyond,
– Supply chain issues, labor shortages and increased pricing on lumber and other materials are impacting timelines for commercial and residential projects,
– Northern Nevada’s booming population growth — both pre- and post-pandemic — in part due to the continuing California exodus is putting pressure on developers; and
– The region’s red-hot housing market is influencing both the region’s economic profile and builders’ ability to pump out affordable homes.

Michael spoke to attendees on the challenges our industry has seen in terms of worker shortages, rise of housing and labor costs, and consequent lengthened project turnaround times. Despite these challenges, Michael reiterated his optimism for our region, including beyond Reno-Sparks: the demand is there, as more companies stake their claim for industrial space, and therefore companies like United Construction have the opportunity to step up and continue meeting that demand.

Thank you to Michael and the rest of the panel for sharing your expertise with the audience!

06 Jul

Posted at 07:30h in Community, News, United Team

After more than 40 years in the industry as a professional architect, United Construction’s Dave Eckes will be retiring this Friday, July 9, 2021. Dave joined the United team in 2014, and since then, he has been a driving force within our design team. He has been an excellent mentor to the department and has been instrumental in improving our design standards. We are so fortunate to have had Dave’s expertise, bringing projects such as Project Zephyr, Berkley International, LUX Dynamics Assembly Building, LogistiCenter at Las Vegas Blvd, DP Sofidel and many more to success. He has more than earned a fruitful retirement.

“Dave has been an invaluable leader at United and is an outstanding architect,” said Mike Whittaker. “His bright personality, memorable dad jokes, design talent and unquestionable reliability will be truly missed. We wish him the best as he retires and plans his world travels.”

As we send off Dave to his retirement adventures, we are also thrilled to announce that one of our very own employees will be stepping up into his role. Keith Deutscher will officially be welcomed as our next Design Manager, effective next Monday, July 12, 2021. As many of us know, Keith’s story with United started long before his return to Reno in March 2021, and his promotion is well-deserved. He has decades of architectural experience, including hospitality, medical, retail, industrial, office and education. Keith is licensed in five states, is NCARB certified, and is a LEED accredited professional. He is a natural fit for the Design Manager role, especially as we honor our United tradition of employee succession.

“Keith is a phenomenal member of our design team, and promoting him to Design Manager was an easy decision,” said Paul Laird. “I am looking forward to working with him in this new capacity as we move forward in the future.”

Congratulations, Keith!

01 Jul

Posted at 06:00h in News, Project Milestone, United Team

Summer has arrived in full force, and with it will come completion of the brand new gym at Swope Middle School as we bid the existing gym goodbye.

“The new gym taking the place of the old gym as it becomes demolished marks a significant milestone for Swope,” said Casey Gunther, Operations Manager for United Construction. “As our team continues to make strides towards a finished, new-and-improved school, we are thrilled to see all of our hard work come to fruition for the students.”

Finishes to the new gymnasium, including interior framing and drywall, are continuing strongly. The roof top HVAC units have been set, and the on-site construction team is powering on the system for the first time

Demolition of the existing gym will commence this month, which marks a major landmark as the school prepares for students to enjoy the new gym facilities. Additionally, site workers are preparing to demolish the library to construct the new kitchen, and they are gearing up to demolish and remodel the band and choir rooms.

Work on the interior of the existing school and installation of the Solatube daylight and ventilation systems has also begun and will continue through the following weeks.

Residents should be aware of the increased truck traffic over the next four weeks as site workers haul off material from the existing gym. We urge neighbors to exercise caution when traveling around the school. Please note: due to ongoing construction and demolition, two of the basketball courts on the west side of the school will not be available this summer.

Photo Credits: Ryland Sweigard

25 Jun

Posted at 13:16h in Community, News, United Team

Yeehaw! United Construction had a blast at this year’s Reno Rodeo. Employees were all smiles in Grandstand 5 on Wednesday, June 23 – Wolf Pack Night. We were thankful for the opportunity to attend as a company, especially after the rodeo was cancelled last year due to the pandemic. What a great time we had!

23 Jun

Posted at 08:37h in Community, News, United Team

On International Women in Engineering Day, we are proud to celebrate our very own Project Engineer, Kelsie Hieber. Kelsie is a highly-experienced professional engineer with a diverse set of skills in civil design, construction assistance, geotechnical laboratory management, material testing, and field inspection. She began her career at United Construction as a project estimator and is now happy to be in the field overseeing Project Zephyr, a planned 997,000-square-foot distribution facility in Reno.

From geotechnical to civil construction, Kelsie has overseen engineering site work for a wide variety of clients, including public agencies, environmental projects and distribution facilities. She is immensely committed to delivering high-quality products for every client while maintaining excellent relationships with all partners.

We thank you, Kelsie, for the amazing work you do for United and our community!

21 Jun

Posted at 10:38h in Community, News, United Team

United Construction is thrilled to have the opportunity to participate in and sponsor several Northern Nevada nonprofit and professional association golf tournaments this summer. With the pandemic cancelling nearly all events last year, our team is excited to “get back out there” as restrictions continue to lift.

 

So far, Team United has participated in two golf tournaments:

  • CREW NAIOP Charity Golf Tournament on Friday, June 11 at Lakeridge Golf Course
  • AGCPAC Golf Tournament on Friday, June 18 at Washoe Golf Course (United was also a sponsor)

 

Kelsie Hieber, Mark Davis, Nick Crawford and Brad Richter golfed for a cause at the NAIOP Golf Tournament, as the event benefitted both the commercial real estate industry and the Give Hope Foundation, which helps families in children in Nevada battling chronic disease and illness.

Mark Davis grabbed his clubs yet again for the AGC Golf Tournament, joined this time by Mike Clements, Mark Byars and Kerry Brock. Team United came in 3rd place at this popular industry tournament! We sponsor this event every year, and this year we sponsored Hole #7. Along with golfing, we also had great fun managing our booth and connecting with all of the teams that stopped by for some drinks, our branded sunscreens and koozies, and much-appreciated shade.

Looking forward to even more golf tournaments this summer to benefit wonderful organizations in our community!

        

13 Jun

Posted at 10:12h in Community, News, United Team

Happy National Children’s Day! On this day, we are proud to celebrate The Children’s Cabinet, a Reno-based nonprofit that provides services that address the unmet needs of children and families in our community. The organization assists more than 11,000 families in Northern Nevada every year with a multitude of no-cost resources, ranging from child care and education to family counseling and crisis intervention.

Co-founded by Dermody Properties Board Chair Michael Dermody, we are honored that our very own CEO Michael Russell has served on the Board of Directors of The Children’s Cabinet for over a decade. As the Past Board Chairman, he strongly believes in the organization’s mission of keeping children safe and families together.

“National Children’s Day is all about honoring children and the importance they bring to our lives, and The Children’s Cabinet delivers critical support and assistance to children in need in our community every day of the year,” said Russell. “I am so proud to have had the opportunity to serve the organization for so many years.”

Additionally, employees at United Construction builds a playhouse and/or doghouse every year to be auctioned off at their Art of Childhood Fundraising Gala. See one of our handcrafted examples above.

We encourage all of our followers to support The Children’s Cabinet on National Children’s Day and beyond. How do you value the children in your life?

08 Jun

Posted at 11:15h in News, Project Milestone, United Team

Under the leadership of Superintendent Chuck Brown and Project Manager Chris Silsby, United Construction is underway with pre-construction processes along Reactor Way within the Hamilton Company campus. Hamilton hired United and their roadway subcontractor Sierra Nevada Construction to make road and infrastructure improvements at Hamilton Reactor Way, and United is currently working to finish installation of guardrails over University Drain to connect Reactor Way and provide access to Rock Blvd.

United is excavating the surrounding campus trench this week. During this time, heavy equipment will be loaded onsite. Business neighbors should exercise appropriate cautions and stay aware of lane closures and flaggers.

Upon project completion, Waldorf School and High Sierra Industries will enjoy additional parking spaces, while Hamilton Reactor Way will have new sidewalks, parallel parking, crosswalks and landscaping.

01 Jun

Posted at 09:26h in News, Project Milestone, United Team

As the 2020-2021 school year at Swope Middle School approaches its end, exterior work on the roofing and interior work on school facilities continues full steam ahead.

“This summer will be a busy time for construction at the school,” said Casey Gunther, Operations Manager at United Construction. “With finishes to the new gymnasium and roofs starting to take shape, we are poised to move forward with Phase 3 of the project: demolition, new classroom construction and existing facility remodel. I am honored to work alongside my United colleagues and our Washoe County School District, architectural, safety and engineering partners as we hit major milestones on the schoolgrounds.”

Interior framing in the new gymnasium has begun, and drywall will be installed in the coming weeks along with finishes to the basketball hoops, bleachers, wood flooring, paint and lockers. Consequently, demolition of the existing gym will take place in mid-to-late June. Site workers are also preparing to demolish the library to make room for the new kitchen as well as demolish and remodel the band/choir rooms. Outside, neighborhood residents can enjoy the metal canopy close to completion.

Completion of the PVC Membrane Roofing system over the gym marks a significant project landmark. The roof supports four HVAC units (two in the locker rooms and two in the fitness room) that will heat and cool the building. Skylights will also be installed that will amplify natural light into the entire area, which is “a welcomed addition to the typical industrious gym environment,” said Gunther.

In the meantime, residents can expect an increase in traffic through both the west side of the property (Sherwood Drive and Balsam Street) and the east side (Keele Drive).

Photo Credits: Ryland Sweigard

16 May

Posted at 15:02h in Community, News, United Team

The week of May 16th officially marks National Public Works Week in the United States. During this week, we celebrate public works employees and construction partners – like the superintendents and engineers on our UCC team and our subcontractors who physically build our state-of-the-art public projects in the field. In terms of public works, these incredibly hard workers serve our community by building and renovating our schools, health centers, roads, airports and aircraft facilities, public spaces and more.

The American Public Works Association (APWA) announced the theme for this year’s National Public Works Week: “Stronger Together.” According to APWA, the idea for this theme is to challenge their membership and the larger public works and associated communities “to think about the role public works plays in creating a great place to live. By working together, the impact citizens and public works professionals can have on their communities is magnified and results in the ability to accomplish goals once thought unattainable.”

Give your fellow public works employees and construction partners some extra love this week!

Featured in the photo above are site workers doing great work on the job at Swope Middle School in August 2020.