When Lease Crutcher Lewis moved to Seattle from Montana in 1939, the company had already been in business for half a century. Its origin dates back to 1886, when Newton T. Lease began a carpentry business in Cascade, Mont. He was soon joined by H.S. Leigland, and the firm flourished in the state under the name Lease Leigland.

Lease Crutcher Lewis built the main terminal at Sea-Tac Airport.

Howard S. Lease was just 35 when his father died in 1929, and he acquired his father's share of Lease Leigland just as the Great Depression was beginning. While construction was extremely slow overall, the company's reputation helped it survive the lean years.

The company moved to Seattle in 1939, where business was more plentiful. Soon had it a strong resume of public and private projects. Among the most notable was the Main Terminal at Sea-Tac Airport, completed in 1947.

Ernie Kissee joined the firm in 1942 and opened the Alaska division. After Leigland left in 1955, the firm became known as Lease Co. Inc. In 1957, Howard Lease's son-in-law Jim Crutcher joined the firm. As time went on, Kissee became a leading contractor in Alaska and Crutcher a leader in the Pacific Northwest. In 1978, Lease's grandson and Crutcher's nephew Bill Lewis came aboard.

Howard Lease passed away in 1983. While Crutcher led Lease Crutcher, Lewis left to form a company called W. Lease Lewis in 1984. In 1989, the two companies merged and became known as Lease Crutcher Lewis. The Portland office opened in 1993, serving the Oregon and Southwest Washington market.

Jim Crutcher and Bill Lewis are currently chairman and president/CEO, respectively. Jeff Gibbs is president of LCL Portland, and Mark Garland is operations manager for Seattle. The chief financial officer is Philo Hall.

Some of Lease Crutcher Lewis' clients include: the Bellevue Club, Eddie Bauer, Expeditors International, Hines, Koehler McFadyen & Co., Microsoft, Pine Street Development, Port of Seattle, Skinner Development, Star-bucks, Starwood/Westin/Sher-aton, University of Washington, Washington Mutual, Wright Runstad & Co. and ZymoGenetics.