News Category: Social Media

Last week’s ribbon cutting ceremony at Esperanza Health Centers Brighton Park symbolized improved access to health care services for local residents, and we couldn’t be prouder to serve as general contractor for this new medical home for the community.

Skender is proud to be part of the team behind Chicago’s “Garfield Green” proposal, winner of C40 Cities‘ “Reinventing Cities” global competition to combat #climatechange. “Garfield Green” aims to revitalize 1.5 acres of vacant land in East Garfield Park as sustainable, mixed-income housing and related public uses. Congrats to our innovative teammates Preservation of Affordable Housing, Perkins+Will, dbHMS and TERRA Engineering, Ltd. https://bit.ly/2W2IqAB

Today Skender is launching construction of the new Residences of Crystal Lake, a Turnstone Development Corporation-owned, 63,000-SF senior living facility offering 60 affordable living units for seniors and numerous amenities across 7½ acres.

Is laser scanning the future of construction? What exactly is laser scanning, and how does it work? Explore these ideas and more with this week’s episode of Future Built, featuring special guest Brent Slawnikowski of FARO Technologies and hosted by Skender Construction Technologist Ben Stocker.

This year’s BuiltWorlds Summit Chicago is a can’t-miss event! Skender Chief Design Officer Timothy Swanson will speak on Thursday’s panel, “Optimizing Digital Design in Today’s World,” alongside Christopher Di Iorio of ENGworks, Katherine Darnstadt of LATENT DESIGN, and Brad Lukanic of CannonDesign.

Skender’s Jeffrey Janicek and Brian Simons speaking about the “Future of Outpatient” at last week’s HESNI Annual Conference.

Skender CTO Stacy Scopano speaks about smart buildings at DisruptCRE Chicago. Smart buildings need a digital master plan with input from all stakeholders and a customized approach.

Chicago’s 5th Annual DisruptCRE event is this Thursday. Come hear Skender Chief Technology Officer Stacy Scopano on the Developing the Smart Building panel, which focuses on developing building infrastructure for the future and how developers can build for flexibility.

Info and tickets: https://lnkd.in/gtzFkCr

Don’t miss Skender’s presentation, Moving Patient Care Closer to the Patient and Capitalizing on Unused Space, at this year’s HESNI Annual Conference. Jeffrey Janicek (VP, Partner), Timothy Swanson (Chief Design Officer) and Brian Simons (Project Executive, Partner) will delve into how to take advantage of unused retail spaces in the suburban market, how to recognize unused local spaces and benefits of lease and reuse over the cost of new or dedicated healthcare buildings.

“It’s taking a contractor or engineer or architect or designer, all these folks who think about things a little differently, and seeing how we can work together in a truly integrated process” – Skender President Justin Brown, speaking about Skender’s fully integrated manufacturing model at today’s Kaplan Institute speaker series talk on real estate development with Keating Crown of Sterling Bay, Chicago Department of Planning and Development Commissioner David Reifman, and moderator Howard Tullman.

We’re excited to start interior construction of the 8-story Chicago HQ of coworking firm Spaces at the iconic former Sports Authority building.

“Here are a few trends that will impact real estate projects and sustainability strategies in 2019 and beyond.”

Tune in for the latest episode of Future Built! Skender’s Daniel Ulbricht chats with longtime friends and professional competitors Dan Maslauski of Cushman & Wakefield and Cal Wessman of CBRE about the formation of their band and their advice to the next generation of real estate professionals.

We’re thrilled to announce the launch of Skender Foundation’s new website! Thank you Pivot Design for another successful partnership. Check out our new look.

We’re excited to announce that Skender was recognized today as a best place to work on the Crain’s Chicago Business 2019 Best Places to Work list. Of the 100 finalists, Skender ranked No. 11 in the large companies category and No. 41 overall.

“We need to apply Lean principles, then unite all inputs into a single, shared digital home-base for the project.”

Congratulations to CEO Mark Skender for receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award from the University of Wisconsin-Madison Construction Club.

“Evidence of the links between physical environment and a thriving workforce are increasingly influencing the thought process that underpins design.”

Tune in to this week’s episode of Future Built for an insider look at how the Illinois Medical District and West Side United are working to improve health outcomes in Chicago’s West Side neighborhoods, with guest Suzet McKinney, DrPH, MPH.

We are making progress on the new, JGMA-designed Esperanza Health Centers facility at 4700 S. California in Chicago’s Brighton Park neighborhood.

Skender is pleased to announce that five key leaders have been promoted to director positions on our growing operations team. Congratulations Pete Conlin, John Estes, Jeff Krause, Brian Ribordy and Daniel Torres CHST, STS-C. Thank you for all of your hard work!

Transparent wood, air-filtering bricks and self-cooling walls, oh my!

Tune in for the latest episode of Future Built! We chat with Cathy Grable, a project director at Partners by Design, about her exciting work on the innovative office space for Cars.com – and what it means for the future of the open office trend.

“I feel like we’ve grown as a society in the past 10 years, where we’ve created paths for women to become project managers, but not enough young girls have gone into construction work,” Skender Senior Project Manager Ashlee Pforr featured in a Bisnow article on women in construction.

Experts offer 15 tips on how best to perform factory-based construction…

Thrilled to be one of Crain’s Chicago Business Best Places to Work again this year – a great honor and recognition of our culture and the people who make it special.

“Wilson Sporting Goods called on their general contractor, Skender, and architects/designers, Gensler to make their new office expansion a captivating space for their employees.”

“Don’t be your own worst enemy. If you are in the room, you belong in the room. Just own it.” #WICWeek2019

“We’ve come a long way, but as more women join the construction / design industry, we need to create more coalitions to amplify our voices and ensure that our contributions don’t go unnoticed.” #WICWeek2019

“I’ve learned to look at my gender role in the industry less as an obstacle and more as a motivation. People in this industry will respect you for your genuine desire to learn and work hard – and that goes for all people regardless of age, gender and levels of experience.” #WICWeek2019

“Never be afraid to ask for what you’ve worked hard to deserve. You are your most unwavering advocate.” #wicweek2019

“We aren’t ‘getting there.’ We are here and it’s time to own it. The construction industry has changed for the better. It’s now filled with advocates for women and we need to take that support and soar.” #wicweek2019

DLR Group’s Korey White, AIA, NCARB and Skender’s Savanna Eaglen discuss their nontraditional paths to working in architecture and construction in the latest episode of Future Built. #wicweek2019

“Working in construction doesn’t always mean hardhats and work boots. There are great jobs for creatives, techies, financial folks. I’m a graphic designer, I am a woman in construction.” #WICWeek2019

“Remember that a strong work ethic is universally respected and recognized by the people who will matter. If you listen intently, work hard, and remain humble, you’ll find a way to disregard anyone who thinks you don’t deserve a seat at the table.” #WICWeek2019

“The only person that can stand between you and your dreams is yourself. Do what makes you truly happy.” #wicweek2019

Skender CTO Stacy Scopano reveals the new world order for construction.

“Technology, married to a lean approach, factors heavily in the firm’s ultimate goal of productization of buildings, CEO Mark Skender told Construction Dive.”

Skender is proud to serve as general contractor for this impactful Sarah’s Circle building, which will create 38 units of permanent affordable housing for women experiencing chronic homelessness in addition to new space for the organization’s 50-bed interim housing program.

Feeling grateful to share that Skender has been selected as a finalist for Interior Contractor of the Year at the Greater Chicago Food Depository’s Commercial Real Estate Awards. In 2018, with the help of so many great partners, we successfully completed construction on three standout interior office projects in Chicago–HERE Technologies, Sterling Bay and C.H. Robinson. Winners to be announced on March 14!

Sterling Bay’s Andy Gloor talks master planning and Lincoln Yards with Skender President Justin Brown on Episode Two of Future Built, our new podcast.

Is Chicago still producing work that is architecturally relevant? Skender’s Director of Residential Architecture, Angela Spadoni AIA, sits down with Doug Farr, FAIA, LEED AP, CNU-A of Farr Associates Architecture & Urban Design to chat about the past, present and future of architecture in Chicago. Tune into Skender’s first episode of Future Built, our new podcast.

Exciting news today! Skender has been named one of the “World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2019” by Fast Company magazine! #FCMostInnovative

Want to hear conversations with business leaders who are disrupting the way people think, design and build? Check out our new podcast, Future Built. Subscribe on iTunes, Google Play or wherever you listen to podcasts. #futurebuilt

We are excited to add Scott Massa and David Speelman, CPA to our growing manufacturing team!

“If you do an open office right, you’re going to have about the same square footage as a traditional office, because you have to have places to put your head down and work, collaborative areas, and a central gathering area” – Skender VP and Partner Clay Edwards shares insight on Chicago’s coolest offices, at today’s Bisnow Chicago State of the Office event.

Save the date! In partnership with presenting sponsor Titan Electric, we are excited to be highlighting Little Wish Foundation at Summer Eclipse on July 18. Tickets available May 6. #littlewishbigimpact #fightcancer #littlewish #summereclipse

Skender Chief Design Officer Timothy Swanson spoke last night about discovering the scalable potential of our design and fabrication process in an era of escalating material and construction costs. Thanks Chicago Architecture Center for hosting!

Tickets are still available for Thursday’s Bisnow Chicago State of Office event! Join us to see Skender VP and Partner Clay Edwards share his thoughts about creative office trends.

We are thrilled to announce the appointment of Stacy Scopano as our new chief technology officer. Welcome, Stacy!

We recently built out Aspen Dental’s new 50,000-SF Midwest HQ in the art deco building at 1040 W. Randolph. Another stellar design by our collaborator Perkins+Will!

When it comes to wellness in the office, there are many design and construction considerations. Skender’s Clay Edwards walks Bisnow readers through the process and several popular wellness options.

Skender recently completed Upwork’s new Chicago headquarters in collaboration with Solomon Cordwell Buenz, Syska Hennessy Group and Cresa Chicago.

We’re proud to be the contractor behind this 135,000-SF expansion project for Echo Global Logistics. #throwbackthursday

Skender, serving as interior construction manager, has completed construction of ShopRunner’s first data cable-free HQ at 350 N. Orleans. Kudos to our collaborators Partners by Design and ConopCo Project Management on a successful project!

Thank you to the North Shore Place project team for the job site tour last week! #skenderatwork

What’s new and next in Fulton Market? Skender’s Clay Edwards talks with Bisnow.

Skender is pleased to announce five key leaders have been promoted to partner. Congratulations Brian Bukowski, Jeffrey Janicek, Joseph Pecoraro, Tim Rogers and Brian Simons!

We are excited to announce that Belinda Moore has been promoted to Executive Director of Skender Foundation!

In collaboration with Perkins+Will and ConopCo Project Management, Skender recently started construction on the conversion of the 100,000-square-foot former Soft Sheen building at 8522 S. Lafayette into a middle and high school for Perspectives Charter Schools.

We are pleased to announce five promotions to senior positions on our growing operations team! Congratulations to Nestor Acance, Thomas Boehm, Bob Kedzorski, Jeff Reist and Dave Ruzich on your well-deserved new roles.

“Owners are seeing a 10 percent or greater increase in asset value for new green buildings compared to traditional ones—as well as decreased operating costs and a shorter payback period.”

“GGP partnered with Skender and ARCHIDEAS to ensure that their newly renovated 176,000-square-foot three-floored office would be move-in ready in less than 20 weeks.”

Joseph Skender reflects on Skender’s journey from his family’s basement to one of the top construction firms in Chicago. Congratulations on your retirement and thank you for your leadership!

“Building Design+Construction readers select their top products for the past 15 months in the second annual 101 Top Products report.”

Congrats to our friends at Upwork for being named #1 in Built In Chicago’s list of Best Places to Work in 2019! We’re proud to be the contractor behind your new West Loop office!

“… glacial movements take center stage … the seven biggest factors to watch this year.”

“To provide a tenant-first approach, property managers are taking a cue from the hospitality industry.”

“In analyzing the likelihood of the growth to continue, industry experts at Newmark Knight Frank and JLL took a deep dive in separate reports into how this sector of commercial real estate is evolving.”

“Our industry is ripe for innovation and disruption. We have to push and we have to fail and we have to try faster to solve the great challenges that face society.” – Skender CDO Timothy Swanson talks tech innovation at today’s #REjournalsforecast event with RE Journals

We’re excited to share that our very own Shyam Telikicherla was named to BuiltWorlds’ Adoption Leaders 50 List 2018 for his innovative work in VDC/BIM best practices and design model data!

We’re looking forward to the opportunities and partnerships the new year will bring. Have a safe and happy 2019!

We recently completed interior construction of The AZEK Company’s new headquarters at 1330 W. Fulton thanks to a great collaboration with Harley Ellis Devereaux (HED), ESD (Environmental Systems Design, Inc.) and JLL. Welcome, neighbor!

“A burgeoning mega-Loop on the verge of outgrowing its transportation skeleton and reigniting debate on the future of downtown transit.”

“From the rise of opportunity zones to a slowdown in industrial absorption, these are 18 trends experts forecast for 2019.”

“The promise of the factory is twofold: [Skender] believes it will cut construction costs by as much as 15%, and speed up construction by as much as 40%.”

“As technology increases and more surgeries can be performed with minimally invasive interventional procedures, hybrid operating rooms continue to become more popular … will become standard.”

“Contractor Skender and architect Webster Design were determined to save the building, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002 …”

“For companies considering the cost of locating in a new building versus the cost of renovating space in an older building, it’s important to read the fine print.” By Ashlee Pforr

We were proud to have been part of this project with our partner, Mead Johnson Nutrition, Partners by Design & ESD (Environmental Systems Design, Inc.)!

Episode 146 of The ConTechCrew: “It’s not a prediction, offsite construction is going to be the future of construction … [Skender] figured out ways to actually take this process and drive down the cost … reduce waste.” Starts at the 52:27 mark.

Looking forward to tomorrow’s Bisnow Chicago Power Women event honoring women in commercial real estate! Tickets are still available. #commercialrealestate #proudsponsor

“Medical, on the other hand, has seen no shortage of demand, making medical an excellent alternative for retail spaces that otherwise face challenges in attracting long-term, stable tenants.”

“Veteran senior housing developers and operators recognize that a thorough, detailed pre-construction process can minimize the need for value engineering.”

“The anchor tenant at the local strip mall is no longer going to be your electronics or grocery store, it’s going to be a medical provider.” -Skender VP Jeff Janicek at yesterday’s Bisnow National Healthcare Midwest event

To all our employees, clients and partners, we say a heartfelt thank you for your energy, commitment and collaboration. We wish you all a plentiful and relaxing Thanksgiving.

Skender Foundation is excited to announce two new appointments, Jared Funk and Tim Swanson, to its board of directors!

The construction industry generates a considerable amount of waste. Today, a new report from Skender and BuiltWorlds offers solutions for “Going Lean: Toward Waste-free Building”.

We are excited to announce that Michelle Levy has joined our team as strategic account manager.

Skender Director of Operations Jenny Han recently volunteered with Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago & Northwest Indiana for My Dream Life, an interactive workshop featuring career ‘taste test’ stations.

Thank you to all veterans, including those at Skender and industry partners, for your service and sacrifice. #NeverForget

“More technological advances are on the way that could change fundamental aspects of urban life …”

Skender’s work continues to shape the popular Fulton Market corridor. Today’s news: We are collaborating with Solomon Cordwell Buenz and JLL on the interior construction of the exciting, new Vital Proteins HQ.

“In adding more amenity spaces that catered to their needs, Sprout called on their general contractor, Skender, and architect, Partners by Design to create a 64,000-square-foot open, collaborative, and tech-driven space.”

“Woodlawn Station is a testament to how smart #design and efficient #construction practices can improve how developers approach #affordablehousing projects.”

“A lot of companies have misconceptions and preconceived ideas about the building process, and a lot has changed within this construction space in recent years.”

What if design, manufacturing and construction teams were all working together under one roof?

Skender recently completed the 50,000-SF, full-building rehabilitation of Lake Merritt Apartments in Oakland—a great collaboration with Preservation Partners and Relativity Architects.

The Bisnow Multifamily Annual Conference Midwest is a full day of speakers and networking with the region’s top real estate professionals. Our own Project Executive Joseph Pecoraro will speak about rising material and construction costs. You don’t want to miss this one!

Check out Chicago’s 11 coolest offices named by Crain’s Chicago Business. We’re honored to have built these cutting edge spaces for Sterling Bay, Beam Suntory, Capital One and Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP.

“The driving force, experts said, is seemingly endless demand from tech companies at the same time as office vacancy fell to 4.7 percent during the third quarter.”

Join us at this year’s BOMA/Suburban Chicago & Health Care Institute (HCI) Chicago Chapter 2018 Real Estate Healthcare Symposium, where Jenny Han, our own Director of Operations and a health care design expert, will lead a panel on innovations in healthcare real estate.

Jenny will lead the discussion on how innovation plays a key role in a merger or acquisition to promote, improve, and increase a health system’s ability to service their patient population.

Skender recently started construction of an 85,000-SF training center addition and renovation for the Chicagoland Laborers’ Union.

We are thrilled to welcome multifamily design expert Angela Spadoni as Skender’s new director of residential architecture!

Nearly 100 Skender employees, friends and family volunteered this weekend to complete the framing of two houses that are being shipped to families in need in Rainelle, WV. Loved the opportunity to partner with Solid Rock Carpenters and benefit Appalachia Service Project! #skendergives

“While the need hasn’t gone away, creating workforce housing continues to be a challenge … So what is the current state of affordable housing and what might be its prognosis?”

Thrilled to add The AZEK Company to our Fulton Market portfolio! We recently started interior construction of their new HQ space at 1330 W. Fulton in collaboration with Harley Ellis Devereaux (HED), ESD (Environmental Systems Design, Inc.) and JLL.

Bringing the cool factor by blending amenities with tech! This was a great design collaboration to help Farpoint Development LLC attract tenants to 6300 River Road in Rosemont. Skender is thrilled to be part of it!
#design

We’re excited to work with repeat client Preservation Partners on the FitzGerald-designed rehabilitation of Westmont I-Care, an independent living facility located in Westmont, Illinois.

19 weeks and 207,000 square feet of interior construction: We successfully completed C.H. Robinson’s new tech-focused office, the first property in Sterling Bay’s Lincoln Yards development.

Skender climbs 7 spots in 2018 to the No. 27 Reconstruction (Renovation) Contractor in the United States!

Harvesting Hope is two weeks away! Get your tickets today to support Purple Asparagus, a nonprofit organization that educates children, families and the community about good nutrition. Join us October 18 at Morgan’s on Fulton and the official after party at Federales! #harvestinghope #skendergives #purpleasparagus

Skender recently completed a 225,000-SF restack project for HERE Technologies’ new Americas HQ in Chicago’s Boeing Building.

“The facade was built using smart technology in the form of sensors that change the color of the glass according to the sunlight’s intensity. Thus, the glass becomes less transparent at sunset.”

We are proud to be named one of the top 100 healthcare contractors in the U.S.

We are excited to be working with repeat client OTR (Over The Rainbow Association) on the Weese Langley Weese Architects-designed rehabilitation of Arboretum West Apartments, an independent living facility located in Lombard, Illinois.

“The changing nature of work and the technologies that drive marketplace competition require the office to be adaptable, comfortable, and able to move fluidly in support of the next project, the next new idea, and the next team created to bring those ideas and projects to life.”

Interested in joining an award-winning workplace culture? Visit us at Purdue University’s School of Construction Management Technology Career Fair this Friday to learn more! #boilerup #constructionmanagement #boilermakers #purdue

We’re proud to be hosting tonight’s CSI Chicago Chapter monthly meeting. Skender CDO Timothy Swanson digs into the idea of buildings as products with his presentation on the benefits of factory-manufactured buildings for the 21st century.

We are excited to partner with SOLID ROCK CARPENTERS for our annual volunteer day! On October 13, we will be building wood wall panels for single-family homes to be shipped to low-income territories chosen by the Appalachia Service Project. The day will take place onsite at Skender’s new advanced manufacturing facility.

You don’t want to miss this one – Skender Senior Project Manager Sean Moran is leading a free webinar tomorrow on net zero construction and how solar energy can pay dividends for the life of your building. Sign up at the link below!

Sean is a LEED Accredited Professional and is Passive House Institute Builder Certified, and has delivered several high performing and sustainable residential and commercial projects in the Chicago area.

Skender was recently named a San Francisco Bay Area Best and Brightest Company to Work For! We opened our local San Francisco office in 2016, expanded the following year and have grown the local team to now comprise more than 20 construction experts. #growth #SF #construction

“While it would appear that introverts are beginning to reclaim their right to solitude in the office, evidence shows that from time to time even their non-introvert colleagues yearn for the same.”

Skender recently completed Loyola University Chicago’s Engineering Science Flex Laboratory, a state-of-the-art facility designed to put engineering on display. Our team successfully collaborated with SmithGroup, Elara Engineering and Thornton Tomasetti to complete this unprecedented, tech-forward building for Loyola.

The new 275,000-SF, Skender-built American HQ for HERE Technologies is now open for business. We are proud to be part of this impressive project and team.

Harvesting Hope is one month away! Get your tickets today to support Purple Asparagus, a nonprofit organization that educates children, families and the community about good nutrition. Join us October 18 at Morgan’s on Fulton. #harvestinghope #nutrition #purpleasparagus

“When there’s only so much real estate available in urban centers for parks, how’s a developer to bring in more green with biophilic design?”

Skender ranked at No. 67 among the nation’s top multifamily contractors in Building Design+Construction magazine’s recently published 2018 Giants 300 Report. #multifamily

Our own Timothy Swanson, chief design officer, will be speaking next week at MFE: Multifamily Executive Conference in Las Vegas.

Learn more about this exciting event here:

“For office tenants accustomed to the Class-A, turnkey experience of leasing space in Chicago’s central business district, the process of an interior build-out in the West Loop could come as a shock.”

“Chicago ranked as the country’s greenest city by the Green Building Adoption Index for the second year in a row.”

Skender’s healthcare portfolio continues to grow as we recently completed several projects for Northwestern Medicine. #healthcareconstruction

Skender ranked at No. 80 out of 130 U.S.-based contractors in Building Design+Construction magazine’s recently published 2018 Giants 300 Report, which ranks U.S. building contractors by annual revenue.

“From 5D estimating tools to interactive punch lists, the nation’s largest construction and construction management firms continue to push technology to gain an edge.”

“As Inc. sifts through the contenders for the World’s Coolest Offices list each year, several design elements and philosophies tend to run through many of the hottest, newest spaces.”

Why Paying Attention to This Overlooked Office Feature Might Have a Huge Productivity Payoff

Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Alderman Edward Burke attended the topping out ceremony for Esperanza Health Centers’ new medical clinic in Brighton Park. Built by Skender, the state-of-the-art facility will provide high-quality healthcare for an underserved population.

Come check out our Skender Foundation sponsored K9, Chi-Lo, created by our very own Courtney Boatwright! Located at 450 Cityfront Plaza. #k9sforcops

And the award for “best industry headline of the week” goes to …

“The six most important elements in an office that boost worker productivity by aiding with everything from concentration to wellness”

A closer look at the fast-changing design trends for the senior living industry.

Big day yesterday as we celebrated construction “topping out” at our 14-story Hyatt House hotel project! Now that we have reached the structure’s final height, Skender moves onto building enclosure and interior roughing. Congrats to all! #skenderatwork

“Five things higher ed can teach us about the next generation of employees”

Skender highlights ways to build smarter in the San Francisco Business Times: “When employed comprehensively, this advice can have a huge impact on quality and costs.”

“It’s natural to make the assumption that an informal, exposed ceiling is less expensive than a suspended ceiling — but the reality is often quite different.”

Teamed up with Gensler, our CANstruction team built a Keith Haring art piece. Keith Haring was no stranger to how art brings to light social issues, and he understood the impact and importance of speaking up and creating a more just and fulfilled world. Here in Chicago, where a new exhibit of Haring’s murals are on display, the clarity of his blocky, recognizable figures and directness of message is a great way to convey that one in seven people in Cook County will experience food insecurity this year. Show your support by voting for our structure!

“Woodlawn Station features a main building with 55 units, and two additional nearby buildings containing 12 and three units respectively.”

Congrats to DuPage Medical Group! Skender is proud to have been part of the design team on these clinics. 

“Since its 2012 inception, Skender Foundation has raised over $2,300,000 for more than 200 charitable organizations.”

Skender, in collaboration with design firm Nia Architects, Inc and owner Preservation of Affordable Housing, recently completed Woodlawn Station, a transit-oriented affordable housing development on Chicago’s South Side. #affordablehousing

Skender recently completed a 3-story renovation for Prezi in San Francisco. This fast-paced project was an exciting collaboration with Gensler. #renovation #prezi #SoMa

“Offsite production is alluring to AEC firms and their clients at a time when the industry is struggling with scarce skilled labor and building material cost escalation.”

Congrats to all our project partners! Our Elgin Tower project just earned “one of the most prestigious preservation awards in the state:” the 2018 Landmark Illinois Richard H. Driehaus Foundation preservation award for adaptive reuse.

Skender recently completed interior construction of C.H. Robinson’s new 207,000-SF office in Chicago’s Lincoln Yards Development. Designed by Vocon and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM), the office is the first riverfront property in the Sterling Bay-owned development.

Jenny Han, our director of operations, spent the weekend speaking to high school students at the Global Leadership Conference for Korean American Leaders. Jenny is a dedicated mentor and teacher to the next generation of leaders, and we are proud to have her as part of the Skender family!

The Elgin Tower Building recently earned a 2018 Landmarks Illinois Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Preservation Award for adaptive reuse. In February, Skender completed a 60,000-square-foot rehabilitation of the 15-story historic centerpiece in downtown Elgin, Illinois. #adaptivereuse

“Creating a high-performance home chassis that can be configurable, permit-able, and quickly manufactured allows us to work directly with the families that will call these buildings home to define and design them in a fraction of the time of traditional construction.” 
#design #infill #redevelopment 

Skender has renovated millions of square feet of award-winning interior workspace environments. Our recent article for Work Design Magazine explores the hidden costs of open ceilings.

“By leveraging space utilization and fit-out technology tools, workplace strategists can gain a deeper understanding of where things are now and where they need to go next.”

“Hospitals set their sights on improving patient convenience and operational efficiency.”

The Skender-built interior environment for GGP “was focused on creating many kinds of work seating, but in June that ethos spilled onto a spacious third-floor terrace.”

7 large-scale approaches to controlling construction costs by Clay Edwards. 

“Companies that purposefully embrace offsite construction … will survive and thrive.”

Exploring some common myths about CRE

“Five emerging trends that are likely to transform the construction market in the near future.”

Cheryl Skender discusses her leadership journey and shares some important advice with Chicago Woman Magazine. #leadership #leadHERship

Circadian lighting, calming materials, and transparency are helping to normalize the patient experience in behavioral healthcare.

“Three areas where AI has the potential to impact healthcare delivery services …”

“Tips to help developers keep costs low, meet their budgets and build long-lasting properties.”

Skender recently broke ground on North Shore Place, an assisted living and memory care facility in Northbrook, Illinois. This marks the second new construction project our team has completed for Senior Lifestyle on this property in collaboration with SAS Architects & Planners, LLC.

“Building and design experts believe the answer to reducing energy consumption and CO2 emissions is embracing tech, prefabrication, better materials and smart design with vertical integration.”

Skender experts Timothy Swanson and Kevin Bredeson dive into our new partnership with ManufactOn and how we are using new technology as the foundation of our integration of design, construction and manufacturing – at the BuiltWorlds #BWProjects conference.

“Offering the one-two punch of cost savings and convenience, ASCs are increasingly becoming the venue of choice for both physicians and patients.”

“As buildings fight to keep up with these evolving tenant needs, they are implementing a streamlined, tech-driven approach to help tenants define their space.”

“How AEC professionals can use BIM to boost productivity, reduce errors, manage workflows, cut costs and resolve disputes.”

Skender experts Timothy Swanson and Kevin Bredeson dive into our new partnership with ManufactOn and how we are using new technology as the foundation of our integration of design, construction and manufacturing – at the BuiltWorlds #BWProjects conference.

We are thrilled to announce that two industry veterans recently joined the Skender team. Welcome Jerry Winchester and Matt Baker!

“The greatest demand is for outpatient facilities. Only 10 years ago, it would have been hard to imagine hip replacement done in an outpatient setting, but now it is increasingly common, especially in newer ambulatory surgery centers …”

“Experts continue to call for new ideas to build rental housing at more moderate prices. ‘Doing so will require new approaches for making effective use of public funding, reducing construction costs and easing regulatory barriers.'”

Don’t miss out – Skender Chief Design Officer Tim Swanson and Chief Technology Officer Kevin Bredeson present alongside ManufactOn’s Raghi Iyengar about their newest collaboration – a vertically-integrated design-manufacturing-build business model.

We are proud to have served as general contractor on several of these growing workspaces! #fast50 #skenderatwork

“Today’s office amenities are all about retaining workers and keeping them in the office longer—and for office property owners, that requires application to the entire building.”

“Within a couple of years, virtual and augmented reality tools won’t seem so exotic, and are going to be routinely applied for clash management as well as many other related applications.”

“Part Wall-E, part MSE-6 mouse droid from “Star Wars,” Doxel’s self-directing robots survey building sites each day to capture HD imagery and laser scans at all stages of construction.”

“The first report of its kind” and a great new resource for developers, brokers, architects, contractors, corporate real estate executives and all those involved in the building process.

“We have been watching, with great interest, their efforts to implement a more efficient and vertically integrated design and construction process.”

“But while most GCs are taking small steps toward a manufacturing-driven future for construction, Chicago-based Skender is taking a giant leap.”

Curious about the newest tower crane in Fulton Market? Skender is building the 14-story Hyatt House hotel, a Sterling Bay development designed by Eckenhoff Saunders Architects (ESA). More details at https://lnkd.in/eTQHY9Q.

Give your next building project a productivity boost with the new (and free) eBook 101 Ways to Build Smarter. #skenderbuild #buildsmarter

“As healthcare providers and owners work to streamline and enhance the way they provide care, the setting in which they do it can be streamlined and improved, too.”

Skender has broken ground on Loyola University Chicago’s new engineering science flex laboratory, a state-of-the-art facility designed to innovate how the university utilizes space. 

Skender Foundation is excited to announce its partnership with New Coast Foundation to make a grant to early childhood education nonprofit VOCEL. #partnerships #earlychildhoodeducation 

“Blockchains offer several promising innovations for the world of construction, especially when it comes to managing all of the data that is required to erect buildings today.”

A very special congratulations to Skender Director of Design Operations Jenny Han, who was honored as part of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month by Illinois Comptroller Susana A. Mendoza. You’re a true inspiration and we’re lucky to have you as part of our team!

“The U.S. economy is growing, technology is improving and political struggles are brewing. All will have a direct impact on industrial real estate in the coming months.”

Skender, along with collaborators Solomon Cordwell Buenz, ESD (Environmental Systems Design, Inc.) and ConopCo Project Management, recently completed interior construction of Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP’s new 121,000-SF HQ at CNA Center, the new office tower at 151 N. Franklin.

Interior design strategies that help hospital staff to provide timely and high-quality care.

What are the long-term effects of gentrification on communities, and is urban revitalization possible without it? 

Our own Timothy Swanson will explore gentrification and all its implications with The Chicago Council on Global Affairs. Don’t miss out – get your ticket now! 

Skender ranked at No. 208 out of 400 U.S.-based contractors on Engineering-News Record’s recently published list of the largest contractors by revenue, climbing 26 spots from last year.

“Architects expect that everything from apartment complexes to dreary office buildings will have more elaborate entrances.”

For the tenth consecutive year, Skender was named as a Best Place to Work in Illinois! This year, we earned the second-place honor in the mid-sized company category. 

“…the fact that we start and end our days with a startup mentality, focused on driving and disrupting the industry for collective good, fuels me,” Skender’s Timothy Swanson featured in a Q&A session for RE Journals’ CRE Future Leaders series.

Don’t miss your chance to hear Skender’s Timothy Swanson speak at tomorrow’s Affordable Housing Panel luncheon with the West Central Association Chamber of Commerce – get your ticket now!

Learn about affordable off-site options, Near North/West ARO Pilot, and innovative ways to build cost effective housing from Tim and experts from ARO Alternatives, LG Construction + Development, Brinshore Development, LLC and Acosta Ezgur. 

“Gartner predicts that by 2020, organizations that promote a “choose your own work style culture” will boost employee retention rates by more than 10 percent.”

Kicking off tonight’s Health Care Institute (HCI) Chicago event is moderator Jenny Han, Director of Operations at Skender. We’re here at Skender HQ with CannonDesign, CBRE and Advocate Health Care!

Tonight is the night! At Skender’s HQ in Fulton Market, Skender’s Jenny Han joins CannonDesign’s Abigail Clary, AIA, ACHA, CBRE’s Julie Ford and Advocate Health Care’s Victoria Navarro, MBA-HCM to discuss “Upcoming Trends in Healthcare from Key Women in the Industry” at a Health Care Institute (HCI) Chicago event.

“SuitX industrial exoskeletons reduce the risk of injuries to the wearer without the use of batteries, actuators, or computers.”

Join us this Thursday at Latinisimo ’18 in support of Esperanza Health Centers! The event will explore the culinary traditions of Latin America with 9 restaurants representing the best of Chicago’s Latin American cuisine, all in support of one of the top-rated community health centers in the nation.

Congrats to the Echo Global Logistics project team for winning an IIDA Illinois 2018 RED Award last night. The 135,000-SF HQ expansion was a collaboration among Echo Global Logistics, CannonDesign, ConopCo Project Management, CBRE and Skender. 

Summer Eclipse early bird tickets are on sale now! Purchase yours today and join us July 19 at Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago to support The Bridge Teen Center, a nonprofit community center that provides free after school programs, weekend entertainment and special events for students in 7th-12th grade. 

Skender CEO Mark Skender and Chief Design Officer Tim Swanson speaking on how we’re pushing the industry forward with our integration between design, construction and manufacturing at today’s #AccelerateAEC event with Building Design & Construction Magazine.

Mark your calendar for Limelight, a celebration of achievements in sustainability with Illinois Green Alliance (formerly USGBC-Illinois). We are proud sponsors of this event, and of all the work by Illinois Green Alliance to make our communities more sustainable. 

Skender recently completed a 17,000-SF health care clinic for a major Chicago health system in Glenview, Illinois.

Our dedication shows in our work and spirit. It’s one reason we’ve won multiple “Best Place to Work” awards. We’re always searching for great talent who crave a refreshing work environment. Join our team: https://lnkd.in/eHWuMrt

Hotel development activity in Chicago’s Fulton Market neighborhood is booming. Skender is building the new, 14-story Hyatt House hotel mentioned in this article.

“It’s a great space, brand new building, and kicks off the Lincoln Yards development [a contender for the Amazon HQ2 bid].”

“The ability to easily and ubiquitously study how buildings–and their occupants–behave could move architecture itself into a new era.”

We are proud to support the RefugeeOne 2018 Annual Gala, where our very own David Fahnbulleh is this year’s keynote speaker. Join us Saturday to hear David speak and to celebrate RefugeeOne’s life-changing work.

“Developers and their construction partners will have to explore new ways of financing deals and new ways of building to keep affordable housing deals cost-effective.” https://bit.ly/2jrFVTf

Skender, along with collaborators Webster Design and Capstone Development Group, received the William Stickling Memorial Award at last night’s 28th annual Mayor’s Awards Presentation for the historic preservation of the 15-story Elgin Tower Building. 

Skender, in collaboration with Vocon and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM), recently started interior construction of the new 207,000-SF C.H. Robinson office in Chicago’s Lincoln Yards development.

Sterling Bay is developing the first extended-stay lodging property in Chicago’s Fulton Market neighborhood.

Mark your calendars! On May 15 at Skender’s HQ in Fulton Market, Skender’s Jenny Han joins CannonDesign’s Abigail Clary, AIA, ACHA, CBRE’s Julie Ford and Advocate Health Care’s Victoria Navarro, MBA-HCM to discuss “Upcoming Trends in Healthcare from Key Women in the Industry” at a Health Care Institute (HCI) Chicago event. 

Borrow from the best: workplace ideas from tech HQs

Skender Breaks Ground on 14-Story, 200-Room Hyatt House Hotel in Chicago’s Fulton Market – REBusinessOnline

Skender CTO Kevin Bredeson will be speaking about #BuildingTech at DisruptCRE Chicago on May 3. Hope to see you there! 

Looking forward to this Thursday’s City of Hope 2018 REACH Social at House of Blues Entertainment Chicago. Skender Foundation is a proud sponsor and our very own Daniel Ulbricht will be performing with his band, the Square Feets.

The latest on how steel tariffs are affecting construction and development with insight from Skender’s Joseph Pecoraro. 

Skender is thrilled to announce that we recently broke ground on Hyatt House, a new 14-story extended-stay hotel designed by Eckenhoff Saunders Architects (ESA) and developed by Sterling Bay in the Fulton Market District. 

While open ceilings have many benefits, costing less isn’t one of them. Skender’s Clay Edwards explains in this Work Design Magazine article: 

Healthcare: “Design interventions can help to improve patient safety and create a proactive operation”

“The future office strives to be better, focus more on the people who inhabit it, and contribute to the success of the company.”

Here at the 2018 LeadingAge Illinois Annual Meeting & Expo! #LeadingAge #Skender

“Many of us have the common misconception that sand is an infinite resource, but the harsh reality is that it isn’t.”

We are proud to sponsor Sterling Bay’s 4th Annual 5k to 1k Fulton Market race! All proceeds benefit Cara Chicago, a leader of poverty alleviation throughout Chicagoland. #skendermoves 

“Leveraging AR/VR in Emerging Markets” at the BuiltWorlds Summit, featuring Kevin Bredeson of Skender, Paul Edlund of Microsoft, Michael Winn of DroneDeploy, and John Chwalibog of Matterport.

Nearly 9,000 employees of Chicago-area companies surveyed to determine 100 finalists. Skender is honored to earn the No. 6 spot in 2018!

We are honored to be named the #6 Best Place to Work in Chicago by Crain’s Chicago Business! We couldn’t have done it without our incredible, dedicated employees. #crainsbest

“Creating inviting interiors not only has to do with how they look, but also how they sound.”

“Real-time rendering still presents some trade offs when compared to traditional rendering. But as the technology advances, the benefits will begin to outweigh the limitations.”

“… we need to forget ‘office’ and start thinking in terms of ‘workplace’ …”

Three tech trends to watch in healthcare

In collaboration with Partners by Design, Syska Hennessy Group and Development Resources, Skender recently completed the 64,000-SF HQ expansion for Sprout Social at 131 S. Dearborn.

“Autonomous vehicles are expected to impact commercial real estate on several levels, from design to new development opportunities.”

“JLL published a cost benchmarking guide to building out three types of office space in the U.S. and Canada using data from more than 2,800 of its managed projects.”

Skender-built SRAM, LLC HQ is featured in this article about offices designed to encourage healthy lifestyles:

We are excited to announce that Skender has been named a finalist for the 2018 Best Places to Work in Chicago!

Skender Foundation is proud to support Little Kids Rock, a national nonprofit dedicated to restoring, expanding and innovating music education in Chicago Public Schools. Check out this awesome video from their recent fundraiser where Skender’s band Not to Exceed performed. https://bit.ly/2DPyNI4

Skender is proud to have served as general contractor for the build-out of homeless support facility At The Crossroads in San Francisco. Thanks for collaborating with us Architectural Resources Group, Ventura Partners, WSP and multiple other trade partners.

“Some in the sector say they have seen around a 10 percent increase in the price of steel since the tariffs were announced earlier this month.”

“Skender: Putting ‘rapid’ into action”

Skender is excited to be partnering with Perkins+Will and WMA Consulting Engineers on the build-out of Sterling Bay’s new HQ.

“Transformation is hard … let’s address it like Skender is so bravely doing.”

JLL, CBRE, Savills Studley and Skender’s Clay Edwards weigh in on tenant improvement allowance increases.

Skender’s John Derkach will be presenting on the future of VR in the AEC industry this Wednesday evening at our office. More on the meet-up:  

Check out Capital One’s new revitalized downtown Chicago office that Skender completed last year.

Big night! Skender brought home the coveted Interior Contractor of the Year award (third time in four years) at the Greater Chicago Food Depository awards. Congrats to all!

IPD and #LeanConstruction are more flexible than people think

The Idealog podcast interviews Tim Swanson about prefabricated construction and how it’s disrupting the way we build things

“We’ve done a lot of research, and from the U.S. perspective, this is on the cutting edge.”

JGMA-designed (and Skender-built) medical center headed to Brighton Park

“Every company wants an office that is their own,” Skender Vice President Clay Edwards said. “‘Hacking’ the office allows users to build on an existing design, to take it from something impersonal and informal to a space that truly defines their brand and corporate culture.”

Skender CTO Kevin Bredeson discusses how the construction industry is embracing technology.

Envisioning a radically more efficient future for the building industry, Skender is expanding beyond construction to offer a Lean, integrated and full-spectrum suite of services – construction, design and manufacturing. 

We have big news to share today! Learn how we’re revolutionizing the way the industry builds.

Today we broke ground on Esperanza Health Centers in Chicago’s Brighton Park neighborhood. We are proud to be partnering with JGMA and McNitt Consulting to build this important community project!

Skender President Justin Brown: “Skender’s value-optimized approach to Lean is a vital part of the way we do business … that results in greater efficiency, quicker deliveries and cost savings.”

“The top ten questions to ask to ensure an appealing, effective, tech-enabled workspace.”

“From real-time guest feedback to AI-driven hyper-personalization, the hotel of the future will emphasize service, convenience, authenticity, and just the right amount of technology.”

Skender VP Clay Edwards breaks down the 5 hidden expenses of open ceilings for NAIOP. 

Join us February 27 at City Winery for Big Kids Rock, a concert hosted by Little Kids Rock featuring Skender’s rock band Not to Exceed among others in support of music education in Chicago Public Schools. Tickets available here: https://lnkd.in/dVSPBSC

Skender recently began interior construction of the 225,000-square-foot office space for HERE Technologies at 425 W. Randolph. We are excited to be partnering with Gensler, JLL and ESD (Environmental Systems Design, Inc.) on this big restack project!

“With the global construction industry projected to reach $17.5 billion by 2030, the report states that now is the time for the engineering and construction (E&C) sector to embrace technology”

Skender recently completed the iconic Elgin Tower Building rehabilitation project in collaboration with Webster Design and Capstone Development Group, LLC.

“Designing boutique and upscale communities for seniors and their baby boomer family members has been at the forefront of design considerations.”

“The population aged 65 and above is expected to increase by 1.7 million (3.3 percent) in 2018 and by 9.2 million (18 percent) over the next five years, driving short- and long-term demand for medical services.”

“Nonresidential construction activity is expected to jump 4% in 2018 and in 2019, according to the American Institute of Architects”