Skanska


Specialty: Construction management, general contracting and pre-construction services to commercial clients
Management: Bob Babitsky, executive vice president; Tony Stewart, vice president
Year founded: 1946
Headquarters: Seattle
2005 revenues: $374 million
Projected 2006 revenues: $325 million
Current projects: Expansion and renovation of the Seattle Sheraton; renovation of Stadium High School in Tacoma; renovation of the University of Washington’s Guggenheim Hall

Brian Thomas is looking up. So is Skanska, the general contractor he works for.

Thomas, director of field operations, said that as land in Seattle becomes limited, more and more developers are setting their sights skyward.

Lack of space

“There’s no more ways you can go horizontally,” he said. “You have to go vertically.”

Additionally, as parcels become more scarce in the city, developers are looking to outlying areas, including Bothell, Everett, Tacoma and the Interstate 90 corridor.



‘There’s no more ways you can go horizontally (downtown). You have to go vertically.’

-- Brian Thomas

Skanska


“There’s really not a lot of real estate,” in-city, he said.

Those building in downtown Seattle need to be careful not to disrupt businesses operating around the construction sites, he said.

Skanska is working such a site: an expansion of the Sheraton Seattle. The $112 million project includes construction of the 25-story Union Street Tower with 415 guest rooms and upgrades to the hotel’s meeting facilities. The project is estimated to be complete in spring 2007.

The developer, Seattle Union Street Associates, is a joint venture of MetLife, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide and a regional ownership group called Seventh Avenue Associates.

Skanska also is doing renovation work in the Sheraton itself: on the ballroom, restaurant and porte cochere, said Thomas.

Do not disturb

Thomas

The company works to ensure that guests and the hotel operation are not disturbed during construction, Thomas said.

This is done in a number of ways, including scheduling as many deliveries as possible in off-hours so as not to block streets.

“You’re catering to these people,” he said. “That’s what you’re supposed to do — are paid to do. There can be no disruptions.”

Business is booming for Skanska and other general contractors in the area and across the nation, Thomas said.

Outside Seattle, Skanska recently was awarded a contract to construct a major life science project for Amgen, said Thomas, and is working on securing more of those type of projects in Seattle.



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