April 21, 2025

JTM leaders talk shop

Photo by Tim Rice [enlarge]

JTM Construction completed the 215,000-square-foot, LEED platinum-rated 200 Occidental in 2016.

A small team of builders founded JTM Construction in 2005, making office tenant improvements at Metropolitan Park East for The Benaroya Company as their very first project. Three years later, the company was awarded Olive8, then Stadium Place, the F5 Tower, Weyerhaeuser Headquarters at 200 Occidental and Ovation Towers.

Two decades on, JTM has more than 200 employees at the Georgetown office they remodeled and moved into in 2021. Their work includes office, residential and multi-family work, as well as hospitality and life sciences projects. You might also have come across JTM's handiwork at local performing arts venues and museums, including the Seattle Children's Theatre remodel (2024), the 5th Avenue Theatre refresh (2021), the 6,860-square-foot Benaroya Wing expansion at the Tacoma Art Museum (2019), the Octave 9: Raisbeck Music center at Benaroya Hall (2019), and the LeMay car museum in Tacoma (2011).

Most recently, JTM built the Puyallup Tribe of Indians' new administration building that opened in November and is finishing up work on South Lake Union's 1 Hotel Seattle, slated to open this month, and Hotel Westland at 100 S. King St., scheduled to open later this spring.

Coffman

O'Leary

The DJC caught up with the company's CEO and co-founder Martin O'Leary, and president Benjamin Coffman, who joined JTM as its fourth employee shortly after its founding, to get their thoughts on how the Seattle construction industry has changed since 2005 and how firms can best position themselves during these uncertain times and plan for the future.

Q. Why did you start JTM, and how has that mission evolved over the years?

Martin O'Leary (M.O.) When John [Hayduk], Tom [Titus], and I started JTM Construction, we had three primary objectives:

1. To build a company that values genuine, long-term relationships with all our industry partners.

2. To create an entrepreneurial, non-corporate company with a family-like culture — one where we collaborate, support one another, take care of each other, and provide growth opportunities for every team member.

3. To establish a company where team members can become owners, and one that will continue to thrive through future leadership and ownership transitions.

Photo courtesy of JTM Construction [enlarge]

JTM Assistant Superintendent Carolyn Stovall is shown using the Magic Leap 2 augmented reality headset, which renders 3D models for coordination in the built environment.

Remarkably, 20 years later, the goals we set at the beginning have not only been realized — they've grown stronger with time and become deeply embedded in our culture at every level. We are extremely proud of what we've accomplished as OneJTM over the past 20 years.

Q. How has Seattle's construction culture changed since 2005?

M.O. The Puget Sound's construction culture has changed significantly since 2005, primarily due to shifts in economics, sustainability, and rapid technological advancements within the industry.

• Economic Changes – As an industry, we have consistently faced both international and national economic challenges, including the Great Recession, interest rate fluctuations, supply chain disruptions, labor shortages, and shifting market sectors to ensure developers can achieve a reasonable return on investment.

• Sustainability Initiatives – The growing commitment to environmental responsibility and sustainable construction practices has significantly influenced how buildings are designed and constructed.

• Construction Technology Advances – At JTM, we have always embraced innovation to ensure efficient building design and construction through industry-leading technologies. Approximately 10 years ago, we established our own internal survey and VDC/BIM teams. Since then, these teams—and our technology offerings — have continued to expand, positioning us as an industry leader in construction technology integration.

Q. How has it changed since 2020?

M.O. The industry changes we've faced since 2020 are both similar to and distinct from those in earlier years. The most notable recent challenge was undoubtedly the COVID-19 pandemic. As an industry — and especially at JTM — we've demonstrated a creative mindset and deep-rooted perseverance that continue to carry us through current and future challenges.

Another notable shift since the pandemic is the increased collaboration within the contractor community. While we are naturally competitive, we are also seeing more knowledge-sharing and behind-the-scenes cooperation. Lessons learned and process improvements are being shared across companies to help the industry navigate ongoing and emerging challenges.

Q. Recent industry reports predict a continued residential slowdown and very little office work on the horizon for the near future. What do you anticipate in the next six to 12 months and what is your advice to others weathering the storm?

Benjamin Coffman (B.C.) There is certainly a great deal of uncertainty and turmoil in the market. Many of our residential clients are continuing with design and entitlement efforts so their projects will be “shovel-ready” when market conditions improve. While it may be some time before we see a resurgence in new office developments, many property owners are choosing to “refresh” their existing buildings to retain current tenants.

We've leaned into this type of work and leveraged the flexibility of our Special Projects Division, which is equipped to execute a wide variety of project types. Additionally, we're using this time to focus on operational and technological improvements across our organization.

My advice to others: This storm will pass — be ready to move quickly when it does.

Q. How challenging is it to transfer office and residential construction skills to other project types, and what advice do you have for other companies looking to diversify?

B.C. While different product types have their own unique nuances, many of the skills and techniques used to build residential and office projects are applicable across all sectors of construction. Building successful teams, understanding your client's goals, effective planning and thorough execution are essential for any construction project.

If you're just now looking to diversify — it may be too late. The key is to pursue diversification when times are busy and competition is lower. That said, we know that's often easier said than done.

Q. What are some recent innovations you see becoming more significant in the future?

B.C. At JTM, we are constantly evaluating new technology and software that can improve efficiency and enhance the quality of the products we deliver. One example I'd like to highlight is our ability to provide 3D scanning throughout all phases of a project via our Reality Capture Services group.

The scanning we perform can be used to evaluate existing spaces, document installation conditions during construction, and coordinate with design models. This process eliminates guesswork, enhances coordination, and ultimately reduces unforeseen costs.

I believe this will become standard practice for most projects in the future.

Q. What role does your virtual design and construction team play today and how do you see that evolving in the near future?

B.C. Our VDC team is engaged early in every project and plays a key role throughout the entire project lifecycle. They contribute to estimating through quantity surveys, develop 4D models to support site logistics planning and scheduling, and work closely with our design partners to assist with design coordination. They also collaborate with trade partners for detailed coordination and clash detection, support quality control by overlaying models with installed conditions, and help develop the final as-built model.

There is virtually no phase of a project they don't impact. Looking ahead, we anticipate AI tools will further enhance model generation and help streamline the entire process — from start to finish.

Q. How has your company culture evolved over the years?

M.O. JTM's company culture has never been stronger. It's embedded in how we work and how we interact — with both our industry partners and our internal team members. We have six core values: Safety, Integrity, Ingenuity, Energy, Accountability, and Comradery.

To strengthen our culture, several years ago I embarked on a mission to meet with all our project teams—whether at jobsites, site offices, or our main office — to facilitate conversations about what it means to live our core values by connecting them to real, observable behaviors. We also established a quarterly “Live the Values” award, presented to a team member nominated by their peers for consistently embodying JTM's values.

I'm proud to say that our culture has grown into a grassroots movement that's evident at every level of the company. As we continue to grow, we must remain intentional about preserving what makes our culture unique.

Another key element of our culture is our company-wide mantra: OneJTM. At its core, it means we're a team — we take care of one another, we have each other's backs, and we are consistent in how we deliver our services and build relationships across the industry.

Q. What sectors do you see having growth potential in Seattle in the next few years?

B.C. We've recently seen growth in the retail and hospitality markets as Seattle prepares for the World Cup. Additionally, many of the city's older buildings present opportunities for renovation or repurposing.