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Skender Starts Renovation of Two 17-Story Apartment Buildings on Chicago’s West Side
Skender and its joint venture partner, Blackwood Group, have started the extensive renovation of two west-side senior living apartment buildings for the Chicago Housing Authority and Michaels Development. As occupied rehab construction, the project team is coordinating and carefully sequencing the work to ensure safe, smooth delivery with minimal interference with resident lives. Irene McCoy… Read More
Skender Completes Construction of Avant Headquarters in Merchandise Mart
Skender recently completed construction on the new 81,000-square-foot Avant headquarters in the Merchandise Mart. The financial technology company’s office features open workstations, multiple cafés, and a mix of collaboration, conferencing and focus spaces, including a large hub / town hall area. The new workspace doubles Avant’s presence in Chicago and provides for flexibility and growth.… Read More
Skender Completes Buildout of Northwestern Medicine Pain and Spine Center in Bloomingdale, Illinois
Skender recently completed the buildout of the Northwestern Medicine Center for Pain and Spine Health Bloomingdale. The multidisciplinary clinic is located at 245 Gary Avenue and provides collaborative medical office space for pain medicine specialists, neurosurgeons, chiropractors, physical therapists and advanced practice nurses. The 12,000-square-foot project was comprised of a comprehensive renovation of the first… Read More
Skender Expands Indiana Office and Workforce to Support Construction Projects Throughout Hoosier State
With a focus on creating maximum value for clients, Skender’s Indiana construction activity spans healthcare, municipal, office and industrial sectors A whirlwind of growth and relationship building is driving a significant expansion into Indiana for Skender to the tune of more than one million square feet of healthcare, office and government construction projects. Skender recently… Read More
Skender Starts Construction of Ace Hardware’s New Headquarters in Oak Brook, Illinois
The Largest Suburban Build-out Since 2018, the 250,000-SF Project Will Transform Former McDonald’s Corporate Campus Into Modern Workplace for Hardware Retailer Skender has started construction on the 250,000-square-foot build-out of Ace Hardware Corporation’s new headquarters. The project, located at 2915 Jorie Blvd., will transform the main building on the former McDonald’s corporate campus into a… Read More
Skender Wins Top Safety Award
Skender recently won the Safety Achievement Award from the Great Lakes Construction Association (GLCA). The award recognizes outstanding safety achievements during 2022 in the category of 500,000+ hours worked. This is the third time Skender has earned GLCA's top safety award since 2016 and totals seven construction safety awards won since 2013. Skender's blended approach… Read More
Construction Tops Out at 741 North Wells, a 21-Story Multifamily Rental and Retail Tower in River North
Developer VISTA Property and its general contractor, Skender, recently reached the final height at 741 N Wells Street, a new mixed-use multifamily rental building in Chicago’s River North neighborhood. Designed by Antunovich Associates, the 21-story, 201,000-square-foot development will include 168 apartment units, communal tenant amenities and an elegant building lobby. Located prominently at the corner… Read More
Skender Completes Complex Landlord Construction Project at 225 W. Wacker Drive
Extensive upgrades throughout the West Loop office tower bring luxury, function and a tribute to the Chicago River Skender today announced the completion of a landlord capital improvement project at 225 W. Wacker Drive in Chicago, a 31-story, trophy-class office tower located in Chicago’s West Loop submarket, fronting the Chicago River. The 651,000-square-foot building… Read More
Skender Adds Four Shareholders, Announces Five Executive and Project Management Promotions
Skender today announced the appointment of four new shareholders along with five executive and project management promotions. Skender is a privately held, leadership-owned building construction firm dedicated to providing employees with ample opportunity for advancement and success in their careers. The new Skender shareholders are as follows: Brian Kane, also promoted to Vice President, from Project… Read More
Skender Completes Comprehensive Repositioning Project at 3500 Lacey in Downers Grove
Extensive lobby and amenity updates bring upgraded sophistication to former Sara Lee headquarters Skender today announced the completion of a landlord capital improvement project at 3500 Lacey, located at the convergence of Interstates 355 and 88 in Downers Grove, Illinois. The former Sara Lee headquarters was built in 1992 and was purchased by KORE Investments… Read More
Skender Starts Phase II of the Greater Chicago Food Depository’s Nourish Project
The second phase of the food bank’s expansion project will help to address the root causes of hunger across Chicago and Cook County Skender has started construction on a 37,000-square-foot expansion of the Greater Chicago Food Depository, a food bank on Chicago’s Southwest side that provides food for families and individuals at risk of food… Read More
Skender Gives Back in 2022 with Volunteering and Charitable Contributions to Education, Health and Affordable Housing
Skender, a building contractor with a long history of giving back to the community, continued its philanthropic legacy in 2022 by supporting dozens of non-profit organizations through volunteering, charitable giving and civic participation. “Doing good and giving back matters deeply to our team,” said Justin Brown, President & CEO at Skender. “We are driven to… Read More
Skender Completes Construction of Mixed-Use Development Connecting Housing and Healthcare in Lansing, Illinois
The Joint Venture with Ashlaur Construction Brings Accessible Housing and Healthcare for Veterans and People with Disabilities Skender, in conjunction with joint venture partner Ashlaur Construction, recently completed the new construction of Torrence Place, a three-story, mixed-use affordable housing and health clinic development at 2320 Thornton-Lansing Road in Lansing, Ill. Developed by Full Circle Communities,… Read More
Five Skender Projects Earn “Coolest Office” Recognition by Crain’s Chicago Business
This week, Crain’s Chicago Business announced its selection of the coolest offices and coolest singular features that stand out from other workplaces. Five Skender projects earned recognition. Coolest Offices: TrueBlue TrueBlue's 80,000-square-foot headquarters was built out in the redeveloped Old Post Office. The office's coolest feature, according to Crain's, is a massive ceiling installation, or… Read More
Association of Medical Facility Professionals Panel Featuring Skender’s Jason Utah Digs Into Life Sciences Building Design and Construction
Co-working is no longer just for office workers; shared offices and laboratories have come to the life sciences industry. On October 5, 2022, The Association of Medical Facility Professionals (AMFP) hosted a panel discussion and tour of 2430 N. Halsted, Sterling Bay’s redeveloped life sciences building in Lincoln Park. The 5-story building is currently home… Read More
Skender’s Joe Pecoraro discusses multifamily building trends at Bisnow conference
On October 6, 2022, Skender Project Executive Joe Pecoraro was invited to speak on a panel at the Bisnow Multifamily Annual Conference (BMAC), which brought together leaders from across the commercial real estate industry to discuss the current state of the multifamily market in the greater Chicagoland area. Held at the stately Loews Chicago Hotel… Read More
Skender Completes Construction of 345 N Morgan, a New Office and Retail Development by Sterling Bay
Lifestyle Workforce Design Drives the Development to 85% Pre-Leased Skender today announced the completion of the new 200,000-square-foot boutique office and retail building located at 345 N. Morgan in Chicago’s Fulton Market neighborhood. Skender acted as general contractor in the construction of the new building, which was developed by Sterling Bay. The building was intentionally… Read More
Skender Completes Redevelopment of 93-Year-Old Historic Property in Maywood
The 100-Unit Maywood Supportive Living Project Provides Affordable Housing for Low-income Seniors Skender today announced the completion of its latest adaptive re-use project, Maywood Supportive Living, a 133,000-square-foot all-inclusive assisted living facility for low-income seniors located at 316 Randolph St. in Maywood, Illinois. To create the 100-unit supportive care center, developer Celadon Partners hired Skender… Read More
Skender’s Jason Utah shares challenges and triumphs of life sciences construction at Bisnow Conference
Bisnow hosted its Chicago Healthcare and Life Sciences Real Estate Conference on August 11, 2022, at the Illinois Science + Technology Park in Skokie, IL. The standing-room-only crowd listened to three different panels of experts focused on Chicago’s evolution as a life sciences hub. The panelists agreed that there is staggering demand for this specialized… Read More
Skender Breaks Ground on 741 North Wells, a 201,000-SF Multifamily Rental and Retail Tower in River North
Developer VISTA Property and its general contractor, Skender, broke ground today on 741 N Wells Street, a new mixed-use multifamily rental building in Chicago’s River North neighborhood. Designed by Antunovich Associates, the 21-story, 201,000-square-foot development will include 168 apartment units, communal tenant amenities and an elegant building lobby. Located prominently at the corner of Chicago… Read More
Skender Wins Bisnow’s Inaugural Tournament of Champions 3-on-3 Charity Basketball Competition
After five hours of competitive bracket play, Skender earned the top spot at Bisnow's first annual Tournament of Champions 3-on-3 charity basketball competition. Skender's team went undefeated with $35,000 in winnings going to the team's chosen charity, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Chicago. Ticket proceeds were donated to C.H.A.M.P.S. Male Mentoring Program. The… Read More
Skender Wins 2022 General Contractor of the Year Award
Skender was named the General Contractor of the Year (Office) at the 2022 Illinois Commercial Real Estate Awards, hosted by REjournals on July 13. Nearly 1,000 industry professionals attended the award ceremony. Skender's workforce diversity, industry expertise, and achievements in new construction and interiors during the calendar year 2021 were recognized. In January 2021, Skender… Read More
Skender Announces Management Promotions
Today, Skender announced management promotions for six rising leaders at the Chicago-based commercial construction firm. Skender would like to congratulate the following on their recent promotions: Marty Barrett, Senior Project Manager. Marty joined Skender in 2017 and has 12 years of experience in the construction industry. Marty has worked on over 2.5 million square feet… Read More
Skender Launches Scholarship, Recognizes First Recipient
We proudly introduce our first-ever ACE+Skender scholarship recipient, Alondra. She is a rising senior at the University of Illinois Chicago, majoring in civil engineering and helping pave the way for more women seeking careers in architecture, construction and engineering. Skender partnered with ACE Mentor Chicago to offer an annual $10,000 scholarship to support the next generation of rising industry professionals… Read More
Crain’s Chicago Business: Roundtable on Life Sciences
With thriving neighborhoods and more affordable real estate, Chicago is emerging as a life sciences hub. Investment in life sciences was at an all-time high in 2021. As a result, demand is quickly growing for research and development space in Chicago which is emerging as a major life sciences market. Three experts in commercial real… Read More
Skender Nearing Completion of Renovation and Expansion at Indiana University Health West Hospital Clinics
Skender, serving as construction manager, is advancing on the renovation of Indiana University Health (IU Health) West Hospital’s Outpatient Clinic and expansion for its Infusion Clinic at 1111 Ronald Reagan Parkway in Avon, Indiana, a near-west suburb of Indianapolis. Employees of IU Health West Hospital recently participated in a ceremonial wall signing to celebrate the… Read More
Skender Completes Interior Office Renovation for Law Firm Ice Miller in Chicago’s Loop
Skender, serving as general contractor, recently completed the gut renovation for the Chicago office of law firm Ice Miller LLP. The newly renovated 34,000-square-foot office spans two floors in 200 W. Madison. The workspace features a monument staircase that connects the floors, demonstrates the collaborative nature of the firm and its new office, and serves… Read More
Skender Completes Construction of Lab and Office for Hazel Technologies at 320 N. Sangamon in Chicago’s Fulton Market
Skender recently completed construction on the interior build-out of the two-story, 54,000-square-foot lab and office space for Hazel Technologies, a USDA-funded technology company developing solutions to extend the shelf life of fresh produce. Hazel is one of the first tenants to move into 320 N. Sangamon Street, the new 13-story Fulton Market office building developed… Read More
Skender Wins 2022 Interior Contractor of the Year Award
Last Thursday, May 19, Skender was named the 2022 Interior Contractor of the Year (Owner Projects) at the 34th Annual Chicago Commercial Real Estate Awards. The awards are considered the top honors in the Chicago commercial real estate industry and the dinner event is the largest annual fundraiser for the Greater Chicago Food Depository. Skender… Read More
Skender Completes Construction of Sloan’s New Showroom and Office in Fulton Market
Skender, serving as general contractor, recently completed construction on the flagship showroom and office space for Sloan, the world's leading manufacturer of commercial plumbing systems. Located at 333 N Green St in Chicago's Fulton Market District, the project serves as Sloan's largest showroom in North America. It features custom millwork, operable sliding glass doors and… Read More
Skender Project Wins 2022 Interior Build-out Award
Walgreens' new tech hub office at the Old Post Office Chicago recently won the 2022 Interior Build-out Award from the Chicago Building Congress. The project team included Skender as the general contractor; Mace as owner’s representatives; Stantec Inc. as architect and engineering firm; and the Walgreens construction and architecture departments. The new Walgreens Technology Center… Read More
REBusiness: Skender Begins Structural Construction of 250,000 SF Medical Office Building for Indiana University Health
INDIANAPOLIS — Skender, working with Meyer Najem Construction, has begun structural construction of the new Indiana University Health (IU Health) Capitol View medical office building and parking garage in downtown Indianapolis. The project consists of a 250,000-square-foot medical office building and a 310,000-square-foot parking structure with 939 parking spaces. A pedestrian bridge connects the building… Read More
Skender Begins Structural Construction for Indiana University Health Capitol View in Downtown Indianapolis
Skender, a leading construction firm based in Chicago and Indianapolis, announces its work with Meyer Najem Construction on the new Indiana University Health (IU Health) Capitol View medical office building and parking garage. IU Health is currently undergoing a major transformation and expansion within its downtown Indianapolis medical campus. The new facility is located on… Read More
Skender Completes Construction of Milwaukee Tool’s Chicago Office in Historic Old Post Office
Skender, serving as general contractor, recently completed construction on an engineering design and innovation space for leading jobsite solutions developer Milwaukee Tool in Chicago’s Old Post Office. The 70,000-square-foot space is located on the third floor of the south building and encompasses 10,000 square feet of research and development lab space and 60,000 square feet… Read More
REJournals: Skender completes construction on Vista Property’s 609 W. Randolph, a next-generation office building
Skender, serving as general contractor, recently completed construction on 609 W. Randolph, an innovative boutique office building in Chicago’s West Loop. The 15-story building offers over 100,000 square feet of office space, as well as a tenant lounge, conference and meeting areas and a rooftop terrace on the top floor. The exterior building design combines… Read More
Skender Named a Finalist for Three Prestigious Industry Awards
Skender is thrilled to be a finalist for three awards at this year's Greater Chicago Food Depository Commercial Real Estate Awards -- both Interior Contractor of the Year categories for owner projects and tenant projects as well as the Redevelopment of the Year category. Skender delivered on its promise of incomparable results and maximum value… Read More
Skender Completes Construction on Vista Property’s 609 W. Randolph, a Next-Generation Office Building
Skender, serving as general contractor, recently completed construction on 609 W. Randolph, an innovative boutique office building in Chicago’s West Loop. The 15-story building offers over 100,000 square feet of office space, as well as a tenant lounge, conference and meeting areas and a rooftop terrace on the top floor. The exterior building design combines… Read More
Skender Completes Construction for Equity LifeStyle Properties
Skender recently completed the office interior build-out for Equity LifeStyle Properties (ELS) at 2 N. Riverside in Chicago’s West Loop Gate, along the Chicago River. This renovation updated ELS’ 65,000-square-foot office across two-and-a-half floors and added a new roof deck to deliver an enhanced workplace experience for its employees. The renovated office space includes a… Read More
Skender Hires Three Senior Professionals to Support Continued Growth
Skender, one of the nation’s top building contractors, announced the hiring of three industry veterans to support its continued growth: Eric Fiket, Jen Haub and Andy Reinhard. Skender welcomes them in the following roles: Eric Fiket, Senior Project Manager. Eric brings 16 years of industry experience and joins Skender from Linn-Mathes, following roles at Northwestern… Read More
Skender Completes Construction of New Fulton Market Headquarters for CCC Intelligent Solutions Inc.
Skender recently completed the interior build-out of the new headquarters for CCC Intelligent Solutions Inc., a leading SaaS platform for the P&C insurance economy. Located at 167 N. Green Street in Chicago’s Fulton Market neighborhood, the new headquarters was designed and built to support the tech leader’s growth and foster the company’s strong culture of innovation… Read More
Could your building help meet soaring demand for lab space?
Lab sciences is one of the most talked-about sectors in real estate right now – but how can a traditional office building owner court these companies as tenants? By understanding what lab sciences leaders look for in potential lab and office space, commercial real estate owners can determine whether their buildings might be prime candidates… Read More
Skender Completes Construction on 16-Unit Supportive Living Apartment Community in Matteson, Illinois
Skender, serving as general contractor, recently completed construction on Mustacchi Manor, a three-story, 16-unit supportive living apartment community for non-profit developer Over the Rainbow Association (OTR) in Matteson, Illinois. The building, designed by Weese Langley Weese Architects, provides affordable housing and independent living solutions for individuals with physical disabilities. The units include roll-in showers, pull-under… Read More
Skender Announces Executive and Senior Management Promotions
Today, Skender announced executive and senior management promotions for three rising leaders at the Chicago-based commercial construction firm. Skender would like to congratulate the following on their recent promotions: Jeff Reist, Project Executive. Jeff joined Skender in 2015 and has 16 years of experience in the construction industry, including multifamily, adaptive reuse, historic restoration, hospitality… Read More
Multi-Housing News: Occupied Rehab: A Solution for Affordable Construction Challenges
Skender’s Joe Pecoraro shares a solution for dealing with uncertainty in costs, schedules and labor. Making the numbers work for financing affordable housing construction was a challenge even prior to the pandemic—and now the compounding factors of construction material delays, rising material costs and labor shortages are making it even more difficult. New ground-up construction… Read More
Skender Expands Operations in Indiana, Hires Jamie Nieves as Local Business Development Leader
Skender is pleased to announce the expansion of its Indiana presence and the hiring of Jamie Nieves, a seasoned economic and business development professional and Indiana native. As vice president of business relationships, Nieves will work with Brian Simons, vice president, who heads Skender’s Indianapolis office and oversees construction teams. Skender began work in Indiana… Read More
Construction Tops Out at 345 N. Morgan in Chicago’s Fulton Market
Skender recently reached the final height at 345 N. Morgan, a 233,000-square-foot, 11-story ground-up boutique office and retail building. The new development, known as THREE FOUR FIVE, is located in Fulton Market, on one of the neighborhood’s most dynamic blocks. The topping-out ceremony signifies the end of the structural phase of construction as the project… Read More
Occupied Rehab: A Solution for Affordable Construction Challenges
In this time of uncertainty in costs, schedules and labor, Joe Pecoraro of Skender, shares a solution. Joe Pecoraro Making the numbers work for financing affordable housing construction was a challenge even prior to the pandemic—and now the compounding factors of construction material delays, rising material costs and labor shortages are making it even more… Read More
Skender Completes Interior Construction of Global Headquarters for Chemical Manufacturer in Northbrook, Illinois
Skender, serving as general contractor, recently completed interior construction on the three-and-a-half-floor, 87,000-square-foot corporate office for Stepan Company, a global chemical manufacturer, at 1101 Skokie Blvd in Northbrook, Illinois. The office, which serves as Stepan’s global headquarters, reflects the company’s respectful and stimulating workplace culture and will support the organization’s efforts to attract and retain… Read More
Skender Completes New Spec Suites in Old Post Office
Skender recently completed the interior build-out for 43,000 square feet of spec suites in the North building of the historic Old Post Office in Chicago’s West Loop neighborhood. The 11 divisible office suites provide lease options ranging from 1,000 to 7,000 square feet, as well as an accompanying amenity space with two conference rooms, a… Read More
Construction Starts on 50,000-SF Laboratory and Office Workspace at 320 N. Sangamon in Chicago’s Fulton Market
Skender, serving as general contractor, recently started construction on the interior build-out of the two-story, 50,000-square-foot lab and office space for Hazel Technologies, a USDA-funded technology company developing solutions to extend the shelf life of fresh produce. With an anticipated completion in early spring 2022, Hazel will be one of the first two tenants to… Read More
Construction Starts on Affordable Housing for Veterans and People with Disabilities in Lansing, Illinois
Skender, along with its joint-venture partner Ashlaur Construction, recently broke ground on Torrence Place, a three-story, mixed-use affordable housing and health clinic project for affordable housing developer Full Circle Communities at 2320 Thornton-Lansing Road in Lansing. The wood-framed building will have 48 affordable, accessible units for veterans and people with disabilities, as well as a… Read More
WSJ: Builders Hunt for Alternatives to Materials in Short Supply
Shortages of key construction materials are forcing some builders and contractors to turn to substitutes and hunt for alternative suppliers as they rush to meet high demand for new housing. Construction companies are looking for replacements and new sources for everything from wood paneling to ceiling joists to pipes, saying that potentially higher costs and… Read More
Skender Completes Renovation on 101-Unit Seniors Housing Facility in South Chicago
Skender, serving as general contractor, recently completed construction on Salud Center, a 101-unit, 140,000-square-foot senior residential building in South Chicago at 3039 E. 91st Street. The facility provides affordable housing for low-income seniors and is operated by the Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH) and Claretian Associates, a nonprofit housing developer and community services provider based… Read More
Skender Completes Construction on 16-Unit Affordable Housing Building in Wilmette
Skender, serving as general contractor, recently completed construction on Cleland Place, a three-story, 16-unit affordable housing development at 1925 Wilmette Ave. in Wilmette. The new development will provide affordable housing for working families, seniors and veterans and will be operated by the Housing Opportunity Development Corporation (HODC). The project is named for Jean Cleland, a… Read More
Podcast: IN Construction Influencers with Nate Lelle
This weeks guest is Brian Simons, Project Executive and Vice President, Indiana. Brian works with teams in Chicago and Indianapolis areas to build and manage healthcare and interior construction projects. Regularly managing new construction, build-outs, renovations, upgrades and modernizations for hospitals, healthcare systems and corporations. At Skender, we build lasting relationships, create meaningful experiences and help… Read More
Skender Breaks Ground on 345 N Morgan, a 200,000-SF office and retail building in Fulton Market
Skender and Sterling Bay hosted a groundbreaking ceremony at 345 N Morgan this morning with 27th Ward Alderman Walter Burnett, Deputy Mayor Samir Mayekar and project architect Eckenhoff Saunders Architects. This groundbreaking marks the start of construction on the 200,000-square-foot boutique office and retail building located in Fulton Market. “Sterling Bay began pre-development on 345… Read More
Six Ways to Mitigate Construction Material Costs
Across all property types, both ground-up and renovation projects are facing the dual challenges of price volatility and scarcity of supplies. The U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics reported staggering spikes in construction material prices between May 2020 and May 2021: increases of 146% for refined petroleum products such as diesel fuel and asphalt base, 114%… Read More
Skender Announces Executive and Senior Management Promotions
Skender would like to congratulate the following executives and senior managers on their recent promotions: Alex Panici, Project Executive. Since joining Skender in 2016, Alex has built exceptional client relationships, displayed tremendous leadership in the commercial construction market and is extremely tuned in to his project teams and their needs. Alex continuously sees challenges given… Read More
ENR Midwest: Top Contractors Persevere Through Pandemic Year
The Midwest’s top contractors—many of whom had projects delayed or stalled due to the pandemic—reported $41.3 billion in revenue for 2020, a slight decrease from a record high of $42.5 billion in 2019. Revenue totals were reported by 85 contractors and construction managers from 11 states who responded to ENR Midwest’s Top Contractors survey. Just… Read More
Skender Breaks Ground on 133,000-Square-Foot Maywood Supportive Living Redevelopment Project
Skender broke ground today on the major historic redevelopment of Maywood Supportive Living, a five-story, 133,000-square-foot supportive living facility for seniors at 316 Randolph St. in Maywood, Illinois. The building, when finished, will provide 100 units of affordable, supportive living housing with substantial healthcare and nursing amenities provided in the facility. The existing building, which… Read More
Solutions for Building Office Properties Through Supply Shortages, Rising Prices
U.S. coronavirus cases are plunging and businesses are fully reopening. Meanwhile, the challenges of developing new office buildings and renovating existing ones are only compounding as project pipelines fill up amid unpredictable economic factors: skyrocketing materials prices, a tightening labor market, soaring demand and problematic supplies. Real estate developers, owners and their builders must take… Read More
Skender’s Joe Pecoraro to Moderate Webinar on Surging Material Costs, Impact on Affordable Housing
The Illinois Housing Council will host a webinar titled "Surging Material Costs and the Impact on Affordable Housing" on Tuesday, June 8. Skender Project Executive Joe Pecoraro will moderate the virtual event, which features a panel of experts, including David Brint, principal of Brinshore Development, and David Logan, director of tax and trade policy analysis… Read More
‘Isolation Is The Enemy’: Next-Gen Office Designs Focus On Togetherness
Decision time is approaching for Chicago’s biggest office occupants. Companies that have been delaying their office return plans are now facing the choice of whether to renew their leases, find new space or even overhaul their entire real estate strategy. “We’re seeing an uptick in tours and leasing activity, as well as clients who are… Read More
Ashlee Pforr Named to Crain’s 2021 Notable Women in Construction and Design
Congratulations to Skender Project Executive Ashlee Pforr on being named one of Crain's Chicago Business' Notable Women in Construction and Design. This is the second consecutive year that Ashlee has earned the editorial honor. "The women featured here lead in all corners of the field," according to the Crain's Chicago Business feature, which recognized 65 professionals in… Read More
Skender Named a Finalist for Two Interior Contractor of the Year Awards
Awards come from rewarding work. Skender is thrilled to be a finalist in both Interior Contractor of the Year award categories – owner projects and tenant projects – at this year’s Greater Chicago Food Depository Commercial Real Estate Awards. In a year unlike any other for our real estate community, Skender led interior construction for… Read More
Skender Breaks Ground on New, 16-unit Supportive Living Apartment Community in Matteson, Illinois
We are excited to break ground with OTR (Over The Rainbow Association) on Mustacchi Manor, a new, 16-unit supportive living apartment community designed by Weese Langley Weese Architects. The building will join a 3-development campus on 10 acres of land in Matteson, Illinois, and is named in honor of longtime OTR board member and treasurer Roberto Mustacchi, who… Read More
Chicago office designers envision post-pandemic workplaces that function and feel like neighborhoods
What will the post-pandemic office look like when workers return to downtown Chicago? One only needs to take a walk around their neighborhood to get an idea. At least this is what some top office interior designers and builders are saying as business leaders finally start preparing their strategies for bringing employees back downtown. But… Read More
Skender Named One of Crain’s 2021 Best Places to Work
Skender has been named one of the "Best Places to Work" by Crain's Chicago Business for the fourth consecutive year. The award is designed to identify, recognize and honor the best companies to work for in Chicago. Each year Crain’s and Best Companies Group, an independent research firm, set out to find the local businesses… Read More
Skender Completes Construction of 45,000 SF Office, Retail Project for Herman Miller in Chicago
CHICAGO — Skender has completed construction of a 45,000-square-foot office and retail building for furniture company Herman Miller in Chicago’s Fulton Market neighborhood. Located at 1100 W. Fulton St., the build-to-suit project preserved the existing building’s historical masonry while incorporating a new concrete structure to support the 100-year-old exterior. Read the full article at REBusinessOnline.com… Read More
Skender wraps up Bank of America buildout at 110 N. Wacker
Skender recently completed interior construction of the 536,000-square-foot office relocation for Bank of America’s (BofA) downtown Chicago offices. Bank of America, one of the world’s leading financial institutions, relocated to the Bank of America Tower at 110 N. Wacker, a new Class A+, 56-story high-rise that was concurrently under construction. Encompassing 17 floors, approximately one third… Read More
Skender Completes Construction at 1100 W. Fulton for Fulton St. Companies and Herman Miller
Skender recently completed 1100 W. Fulton, a 45,000-square-foot, five-story, single-tenant, mixed-use commercial building in the Fulton Market neighborhood of Chicago. The build-to-suit office and retail project for the iconic furniture company Herman Miller, the building’s sole tenant, includes a bespoke showroom that is one of three in the world. Completed in December 2020, the new… Read More
Skender Completes Interior Construction of new 536,000-SF Bank of America Flagship Office
Skender recently completed interior construction of the 536,000-square-foot office relocation for Bank of America’s (BofA) downtown Chicago offices. Bank of America, one of the world’s leading financial institutions, relocated to the Bank of America Tower at 110 N. Wacker, a new Class A+, 56-story high-rise that was concurrently under construction. Encompassing 17 floors, approximately one third… Read More
Construction sector showing signs of life despite COVID
When Rahm Emanuel was mayor, he would tout a simple metric as evidence Chicago was on the path of progress: the number of construction cranes on the city's skyline. By 2017, the count had risen to 33. Today's tally? Just 12, according to the Chicago Department of Buildings. Attribute the decline to the coronavirus pandemic, which interrupted a… Read More
Skender Completes Interior Construction of 200,000 SF Walgreens Technology Center at Chicago Old Post Office
CHICAGO — Skender has completed the interior construction of the 200,000-square-foot Walgreens Technology Center of Excellence within Chicago’s Old Post Office. The office will eventually welcome hundreds of employees, including e-commerce, mobile, pharmacy technology and digital team members as well as Walgreens Boots Alliance information technology personnel. The office space spans multiple levels and features… Read More
Skender Completes 200,000-SF Interior Construction on Walgreens Technology Center of Excellence in Old Post Office
Skender, serving as general contractor, completed construction last year on the new Walgreens Technology Center of Excellence, a 200,000-square-foot, open-office workspace in the redeveloped Old Post Office at 433 West Van Buren. The office, which was finished during the COVID-19 shutdown, will eventually welcome hundreds of employees, including e-commerce, mobile, pharmacy technology and digital team… Read More
609 W Randolph Begins Construction in Chicago’s West Loop Gate
A new 15-story office building has begun construction at 609 W. Randolph in Chicago’s West Loop Gate neighborhood. The project will span over 100,000 sf and is being developed on a surface parking lot adjacent to an existing five-story building. The facade will keep in line with the neighborhood feel and consist primarily of masonry… Read More
Skender Starts Construction on 609 W. Randolph, a 15-story Office Building in Chicago’s West Loop Gate
Skender recently started construction on the Class-A office development at 609 W. Randolph in the West Loop Gate neighborhood in Chicago. The 15-story, 100,000+ square-foot building is being developed by Vista Property Group and designed by Antunovich Associates. Located along W. Randolph Street between N. Jefferson Street and N. Des Plaines Street, the office building… Read More
Skender Announces Executive Promotions and New Shareholders
Today, Skender announced executive and senior management promotions, as well as new shareholders at the leadership-owned construction firm. Skender would like to congratulate the following executives and senior managers on their recent promotions and appointments: Andy Halik, Vice President. Andy joined Skender in 2011 and has 15 years of experience in the construction industry. In… Read More
Redevelopment of Space for Booming Life Sciences Firms
As the race for a vaccine or widely available treatment for COVID-19 kicks into high gear, many life sciences firms are looking to ramp up their production capacity — for this and future public health crises. With this anticipated growth in production volume comes the need for more lab space. But when looking for space… Read More
Construction wraps up on Sarah’s Circle’s six-story supportive housing facility for women on Chicago’s North Side
Skender recently completed construction on the new 36,000-square-foot, six-story supportive housing facility in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood for Sarah’s Circle. This nonprofit organization serves women who are homeless or in need of a safe space by providing housing, life necessities and supportive services to permanently end their homelessness. Skender collaborated with design firm Perkins+Will and owner’s representative Brinshore Development to successfully complete… Read More
Skender Completes Construction on Sarah’s Circle’s Six-story Supportive Housing Facility for Women on Chicago’s North Side
Skender recently completed construction on the new 36,000-SF, six-story supportive housing facility in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood for Sarah’s Circle. This nonprofit organization serves women who are homeless or in need of a safe space by providing housing, life necessities, and supportive services to permanently end their homelessness. Following a groundbreaking in September 2019, the project… Read More
Skender Completes Interior Build-out for Vi’s New Headquarters in Chicago’s Willis Tower
Skender completed the full-floor interior build-out for Vi, a luxury senior living company, on the 84th floor of Chicago’s iconic Willis Tower. The 30,405-square-foot office is Vi’s relocated headquarters. The office design showcases high-quality finishes and amenities reflecting the luxury experience that Vi offers residents in each of the company’s 10 life plan communities. The… Read More
Developing Life Sciences Real Estate At The Speed Of Innovation
Speed always has been a hallmark of the life sciences sector, with first movers standing to gain considerable market share while delivering much-needed medical devices and pharmaceuticals to the public. But the race to produce a COVID-19 vaccine and related therapies is unlike anything that has come before, with a dozen potential vaccines already entering Phase… Read More
Skender Completes Interior Construction of IDEX Corporation HQ in Northbrook, Illinois
Skender, serving as general contractor, recently completed interior construction of the 40,000-square-foot global headquarters for IDEX Corporation (NYSE: IEX), a specialty industrial machinery manufacturer that relocated from Lake Forest to Northbrook, Illinois. Located on the third floor of 3100 Sanders Road, the modern workspace features a mix of private offices, conference rooms and huddle areas,… Read More
Chicago Is A Lab Sciences Desert. But What Kinds Of Labs Does It Need?
Chicago is no slouch when it comes to lab sciences. The Chicago region boasts the headquarters of pharma giants Abbott Laboratories, AbbVie and Baxter International. But with lab spaces scattered across the suburbs and spread around the city’s research universities in Evanston and Hyde Park, the city lacks a centralized laboratory cluster like those in Cambridge and San Francisco. Developers have recognized… Read More
Lessons Learned from Chicago’s Landmark Old Post Office Redevelopment
Even as many Chicago companies have delayed reopening offices until the threat of coronavirus has lessened, eventually companies will return to their workplaces for collaboration, to boost company culture, and to regain a separation between work and home for their employees. In the meantime, work continues on one of Chicago’s most talked-about office developments of… Read More
Skender Completes Interior Construction to Expand Upwork’s Chicago Office
Skender, serving as general contractor, recently completed construction on a 34,000-square-foot expansion to Upwork’s current office space in Chicago located at 525 W. Van Buren, which was also built-out by Skender and completed in December of 2018. Upwork, the leading online talent solution, recently announced their decision to shift to a remote-first model. The Chicago… Read More
Skender Participates in National Safety Campaign to Prevent Falls in Construction
Skender, one of the nation’s largest building contractors, is participating in the seventh annual National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction campaign during the week of September 14-18. Coinciding with Construction Safety Week, the national campaign raises awareness about fall protection. According to the Center for Construction Research and Training, falls from heights are… Read More
Skender Completes First Biotech Lab Space and Base-building Work at 2430 N. Halsted
Skender, serving as construction manager, recently completed interior construction of the 30,000-square-foot laboratory and research office space for Exicure, Inc., a pioneer in gene regulatory and immunotherapeutic drugs. The clinical-stage biotechnology company is the first tenant in developer Sterling Bay’s recently redeveloped life sciences building at 2430 N Halsted. Occupying the entire fourth floor, Exicure’s… Read More
Living history: The Old Post Office bridges Chicago’s past and future
Chicago is well known for its architectural heritage, though our actions sometimes belie this. In a city that has demolished more notable structures than others have even erected, we revere some of our gems while allowing others to decay. The Old Post Office has existed in both of those states. Sitting fallow for years, its… Read More
Skender Completes Interior Construction of American Library Association HQ in Chicago
Skender, serving as general contractor, recently completed interior construction of the 55,000-square-foot Chicago headquarters of the American Library Association (ALA), the oldest and largest library association in the world. Located on a single floor at 225 N. Michigan Avenue, the modern office features a mix of private and open-concept workspaces, enhanced meeting and focus spaces,… Read More
Skender Named One of Chicago’s 100 Best Places to Work by Crain’s
Skender was recognized today as a best place to work on the Crain’s Chicago Business 2020 Best Places to Work list. Of the 100 finalists, Skender ranked No. 8 in the large companies category and No. 29 overall. With a focus on collaboration, high-performing teams and efficiency, this is the fifth time in eight years that… Read More
Skender Completes Interior Construction of Equity Residential’s Chicago Office
Skender, serving as general contractor, recently completed interior construction of the 75,000-square-foot Chicago office of Equity Residential (NYSE: EQR), an owner, developer and manager of rental apartment properties. Equity Residential occupies two floors at Two North Riverside with private access to the building’s roof terrace that was built out by Skender as part of the… Read More
Skender Partners With F.A. Wilhelm to Build IU Health Bloomington Regional Academic Health Center
Skender is partnering with F.A. Wilhelm to build the new IU Health Bloomington Regional Academic Health Center on the campus of Indiana University. The state-of-the-art complex, scheduled to open in 2021, is a collaborative project between Indiana University Health and Indiana University. The overall facility includes 620,000 square feet for in-patient and out-patient clinical services, and… Read More
Skender Completes Compounding Pharmacy for Major Chicago Hospital
Skender, serving as general contractor, recently completed interior construction of a 7,500-square-foot compounding pharmacy at a large Chicago hospital that consolidates three existing oncology pharmacies while expanding capacity to support projected growth. The new sterile pharmacy allows for the safe preparation, mixing and packaging of drugs to meet individual patient needs. It features six compounding… Read More
Skender Ranks Among Midwest’s Top 30 Contractors, Illinois’ Top 10
The national construction industry publication Engineering News-Record (ENR) recently published its 2020 Top Midwest Contractors edition. Based on 2019 revenues, ENR ranks Skender #28 in the Midwest and #9 in Illinois. In the commercial construction and renovation sub-rankings, Skender earned the #4 and #9 spots, respectively. Some of Skender’s prominent projects in 2019 included the… Read More
4 next-gen technologies that are changing construction today
For most of the last decade, emerging technologies designed to transform the built environment weren’t much more than fun toys to play with. They lacked sophistication and the ability to promote true efficiency and accountability or analyze data. Not anymore. Yesterday’s toys have become today’s tools. New, data-driven technology has finally given rise to construction… Read More
10 Renovations To Consider Before Reopening Your Office
This summer, as offices are starting to reopen across the country, many companies are considering all their options to make a safe and healthy return to work for employees. Even as states have begun their reopening process, the threat of COVID-19 is still present, and it will require a careful, vigilant and ongoing plan to… Read More
Mark Skender Named CEO of Skender Manufacturing; Justin Brown Appointed President and CEO of Skender Construction
To fully support its construction and modular manufacturing businesses during the next phase of the economic recovery, Skender today announced that Mark Skender has chosen to step away from his role as CEO of Skender Construction and is formally assuming the role of CEO of Skender Manufacturing. Justin Brown will assume the role of CEO… Read More
Skender Tops Out on Six-story Women’s Shelter on Chicago’s North Side
Skender recently reached the final height on a new 36,000-SF, six-story supportive housing facility in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood for Sarah’s Circle. This nonprofit organization serves women who are homeless or in need of a safe space by providing services such as food, clothing, shelter, housing and clinical services for domestic violence and trauma. Located at… Read More
Skender Foundation Appoints Two New Board Members
Skender Foundation today announces the appointment of Monica Bomani and Kathleen St. Louis Caliento to its board of directors. Monica Bomani serves as director of community giving & engagement at Assurant, where she manages social responsibility programs including global volunteer and community engagement initiatives, as well as manages charitable partnerships and oversees Assurant Foundation global… Read More
Skender Completes Construction on 60-unit Independent Senior Living Facility in Crystal Lake, IL
Skender recently completed construction on Residences of Crystal Lake, an affordable, independent senior living facility located in Crystal Lake, Illinois. The 63,000-square-foot, 60-unit facility is owned by Turnstone Development, a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) that has developed over 1,680 affordable housing units for low-income families and seniors in Illinois and Florida since 1998. The three-story, wood-frame facility… Read More
Skender Completes Interior Construction of Mondelēz International HQ in Fulton Market
Skender, serving as general contractor, recently completed interior construction of the 90,000-square-foot headquarters of Mondelēz International, a global leader in snacking. Mondelēz is the anchor tenant in the new five-story building at 905 W. Fulton Street with private access to the building’s 5,000-square-foot roof terrace that was built out by Skender as part of the… Read More
Construction Tops Out at 1100 W. Fulton, a Five-Story, Single-Tenant, Mixed-Use, Commercial Building for Fulton St. Companies and Herman Miller
Skender recently reached the final height on a 45,000-square-foot five-story, single-tenant, mixed-use, commercial building at 1100 W. Fulton St. The office and retail project, when complete in December 2020, will consist of historical masonry preservation at the existing building along with a brand-new concrete structure that will have three-story and five-story sections. The façade will… Read More
Skender Named One of Crain’s 2020 Best Places to Work in Chicago
Skender has been named one of Crain's 2020 Best Places to Work in Chicago. The complete list of winners, in alphabetical order, is available here. In partnership with Best Companies Group, Crain’s surveyed thousands of employees on the types of working conditions, benefits and corporate culture that make a company a great place to work.… Read More
Skender Completes Interior Construction of Paragon Biosciences’ New HQ
Skender, serving as general contractor, recently completed the interior renovation of the 23,000-square-foot headquarters for Paragon Biosciences LLC (Paragon), a fast-growing life science innovator that invests in, builds and advises bioscience companies. Paragon relocated to the 35th floor of 330 N. Wabash from its current office space in Northbrook, IL. Paragon’s new technology-rich office space… Read More
Skender Completes Interior Construction of AbelsonTaylor’s New HQ in Old Post Office
Skender recently completed interior construction of the 85,000-square-foot headquarters for AbelsonTaylor, a Chicago-based health and wellness advertising agency and the fourth office tenant to lease space in the 2.8 million-square-foot Old Post Office building. Located on the entire sixth floor of the north building and a portion of the fifth floor of the south building,… Read More
Skender Launches Interior Construction of New 536,000-SF Bank of America Flagship Office
Skender recently started interior construction of the 536,000-square-foot office relocation for Bank of America’s (BofA) downtown Chicago offices. Bank of America is one of the world’s leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and… Read More
Skender Begins Buildout for Upwork Expansion
Skender has started construction on a 34,000-square-foot expansion to Upwork’s current space at AEW Capital Management’s 525 W. Van Buren in the West Loop. The initial buildout of Upwork’s space for roughly half the 67,730 square feet it leased from AEW was completed in December 2018. Read the full story at Connect Chicago. Read More
Skender’s Lisa Latronico Named One of Crain’s 2020 Notable Leaders in HR
Lisa Latronico, partner and vice president of people and culture at Skender, has been recognized by Crain’s Chicago Business as one of the area’s “Notable Leaders in HR” for 2020. Editors at Crain’s selected and honored executive human resources leaders who have made a significant impact within the Chicago business community. Latronico, who joined Skender… Read More
Skender Starts Interior Construction to Expand Upwork’s Chicago Office
Skender, serving as general contractor, has started construction on a 34,000-square-foot expansion to Upwork’s current space in Chicago, located at 525 W. Van Buren, which Skender originally built out and completed in December 2018. Upwork, the leading online talent solution, has been rapidly expanding its presence locally since moving into its current space and is… Read More
Skender Advances Five to Senior Positions on Growing Operations Team
Underscoring its commitment to an award-winning employee culture that fosters talent and innovation, Skender is pleased to announce five key leaders have been promoted: Clay Edwards to Executive Vice President and Partner. Since joining Skender in 2006, Edwards has managed millions of square feet of interior tenant improvement (TI) projects throughout Chicago. A client-centric and… Read More
Skender Begins AbelsonTaylor’s Chicago HQ
Skender has started interior construction for AbelsonTaylor at their new headquarters within the Old Post Office building in Chicago. The health and wellness advertising agency plans to move from its current space at 33 W. Monroe St. to the 85,000-square-foot office at 433 W. Van Buren St. by March 2020. The company closed the lease… Read More
Skender Starts Interior Construction of AbelsonTaylor’s New HQ in Iconic Old Post Office
Skender recently started interior construction of the 85,000-square-foot headquarters for AbelsonTaylor, a Chicago-based health and wellness advertising agency and the fourth office tenant to lease space in the 2.8 million-square-foot Old Post Office building. AbelsonTaylor is relocating from its current offices at 33 W. Monroe St. to accommodate growth while reducing overall space. Located on… Read More
Skender Foundation Thank You 2019
What a year we had. We cannot thank you all enough for making such a great impact. It’s never too late if you still want to help – https://bit.ly/2PatJpr Read More
Skender Director of Residential Design Named to Chicago Power Women & Rising Stars List
Skender Director of Residential Design Angela Spadoni, AIA was recently named to Bisnow’s Chicago Power Women & Rising Stars list as an honoree. With more than 10 years of international and domestic experience, Spadoni has an impressive background in multifamily, condominium, retail and mixed-use high-rise design. At Skender, Spadoni oversees multifamily design projects, including the… Read More
Skender’s Healthcare Portfolio Growing as Firm Completes Several Projects for Major Chicago Health Systems
Skender’s healthcare team has won construction management assignments for several projects throughout Chicago. Among the projects recently started or completed: Major West Suburban Hospital (Maywood, Illinois) – Two 1,500-square-foot build-outs of pharmaceutical retail locations featuring high-end millwork finishes, added security and infrastructure. North Suburban Hospital (Skokie, Illinois) – 12,000-square-foot build-out on the second floor of… Read More
Pilsen Nonprofit’s $20 Million Affordable Housing Development Approved By City Committee
A Pilsen nonprofit’s plan to build a $20 million affordable housing development in the neighborhood was approved by a key city committee Tuesday. The city’s Committee on Zoning unanimously approved the Resurrection Project’s plans to build a five-story affordable housing building at 1850 S. Racine Ave. The Skender-designed building will include 37 apartments, 31 parking… Read More
Chili Cook-Off 2019
It’s that time of year we all look forward to, the annual Skender Chili Cook-off! We had seven contestants enter with Tim Rogers taking the title for the fourth year in a row! Only 364 days till the next Chili Day! Read More
The value catalyst for building advantage
Isn’t it interesting when we talk about getting more out of something we say we need to ‘extract’ value? It’s a bit of an oxymoron when what we’re trying to do is infuse value into our work, our processes and our products and ultimately deliver it to our customers. The practice of value engineering has… Read More
Eighth Annual Harvesting Hope Raises $43,000 for Chicago Coalition for the Homeless
Comprised of philanthropic-minded professionals, Builders’ Board of Skender Foundation hosted its annual Harvesting Hope fundraiser on October 17 at Venue West. This year’s charity partner and beneficiary was Chicago Coalition for the Homeless (CCH). More than 300 people attended the event and raised $43,000 for CCH. Founded in 1980, Chicago Coalition for the Homeless is… Read More
Creating a Contemporary, Collaborative Place for HERE Technologies’ Future
When a company builds location technologies, it only makes sense for its office locations to represent the company culture. In 2018, HERE Technologies, or just “HERE” – a global leader in mapping and location intelligence, autonomous driving and “smart city” technology – needed to bring two offices together to create a new Americas headquarters. After… Read More
Skender Completes Interior Construction of Coworking Brand “Spaces” for IWG
Skender, serving as general contractor, recently completed interior construction of the 8-story, 80,000-square-foot Spaces location, a pioneer in creative, flexible workspaces, owned by IWG. Spaces has assumed occupancy of the former Sports Authority building at LaSalle and Ontario and, as sole tenant, will enjoy private access to the building’s roof terrace also renovated as part… Read More
Skender Launches Interior Construction of 90,000 SF Mondelez Headquarters in Chicago
Skender has launched interior construction of the future 90,000-square-foot headquarters for Mondelez International in Chicago. The snacking company will serve as the anchor tenant in the new five-story building at 905 W. Fulton St. Mondelez is relocating 400 employees from its current headquarters in Deerfield. Read More
Skender Launches Construction of New Mondelēz International HQ in Fulton Market
Skender, serving as general contractor, has launched interior construction of the future 90,000-square-foot headquarters of Mondelēz International, a global leader in snacking. Mondelēz will serve as the anchor tenant in the new five-story building at 905 W. Fulton Street, and enjoy private access to the building’s 5,000-square-foot roof terrace built out by Skender as part… Read More
LinkedIn – Interior Expansion
Well this is awkward. Sorry to post about LinkedIn on YouTube, but check out our latest project and the employee-focused features at the expanded LinkedIn Chicago HQ, in collaboration with Gensler, ESD Global and Avison Young. Read More
Skender Breaks Ground on Supportive Housing in Uptown
Skender has broken ground on a new 42,000-square-foot supportive housing facility for women in the North Side’s Uptown neighborhood. The construction management firm is working in collaboration with design firm Perkins+Will and owner’s representative Brinshore Development to complete the project in 14 months on behalf of nonprofit Sarah’s Circle. Read More
Skender Breaks Ground on New Women’s Shelter on Chicago’s North Side
Skender has broken ground on a new 42,000-SF supportive housing facility in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood for Sarah’s Circle. This nonprofit organization serves women who are homeless or in need of a safe space by providing services such as food, clothing, shelter, housing and clinical services for domestic violence and trauma. Located at the intersection of… Read More
Skender completes construction of LinkedIn Chicago HQ expansion
Skender, serving as interior construction manager, has completed construction of LinkedIn’s new 46,000-square-foot Chicago headquarters expansion project at 525 W. Monroe Street. LinkedIn, a global business and employment-oriented service that operates via websites and mobile apps, expanded its office footprint with a communicating stair connecting the existing space to two floors and various other new… Read More
Skender Completes Construction of LinkedIn Chicago Headquarters Expansion
Skender, serving as interior construction manager, has completed construction of LinkedIn’s new 46,000-square-foot Chicago headquarters expansion project at 525 W. Monroe. LinkedIn, a global business and employment-oriented service that operates via websites and mobile apps, expanded its office footprint with a communicating stair connecting the existing space to two floors and various other new elements.… Read More
Skender starts interior construction of Paragon HQ
Skender recently launched the interior renovation of the future 23,000-square-foot headquarters for Paragon Biosciences LLC, a life science innovator that invests in, builds and advises bioscience companies. Paragon will be relocating to the 35th floor of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe-designed 330 N. Wabash from its current office space in Northbrook. Read More
Skender Starts Interior Construction of Paragon Biosciences’ New HQ
Skender, serving as general contractor, recently launched the interior renovation of the future 23,000-square-foot headquarters for Paragon Biosciences LLC (Paragon), a fast-growing life science innovator that invests in, builds and advises bioscience companies. Paragon will be relocating to the 35th floor of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe-designed 330 N. Wabash from its current office space… Read More
Fleet Fields – Lincoln Yards
In partnering once again with Sterling Bay, we recently completed a youth community artificial grass soccer field Fleet Fields in the Lincoln Yards neighborhood! Huge shout out to ForeverLawn, Inc. in the turf installation as well as Ailey Solar Electric, Inc. that will help offset 92% energy at the field. Read More
The Old Main Post Office: A Historic Landmark Gets a High-Tech Facelift
Almost 100 years after it was first constructed — and 20 years after the U.S. Postal Service suspended its operations there — Chicago’s Old Main Post Office is nearly ready to welcome its first office tenants. The iconic building spans two full city blocks and an interstate highway and is the subject of an $800M… Read More
Skender Completes 100,000-SF Renovation for New South Side Charter School
Skender recently completed 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. Founded in 1997, Perspectives Charter Schools (PCS) is one of the first charter schools in Illinois whose mission is to develop ethical leaders. Today, PCS manages five open enrollment,… Read More
Skender Completes Renovation of WBEZ Headquarters
Skender recently completed interior construction of a 37,000-square-foot renovation project at the headquarters for WBEZ, a nonprofit media organization located at Navy Pier in Chicago. WBEZ renovated its current offices to include an upgraded AV package; densification for new workstations; additional common areas, including a high-end, client-facing pantry and community room; as well as the… Read More
Vital Proteins – Interior Project
Even more epic interior construction completed by Skender in the West Loop. The latest: Vital Proteins' new HQ in Fulton Market. Check out the fast-growing health supplement retailer’s new digs. Read More
2019 Summer Eclipse
This year's Summer Eclipse event saw over 500 attendees and raised $411,000 to benefit Little Wish Foundation and other charities geared towards health, education and wellness—amazing! On behalf of Skender Foundation, thanks again to everyone involved for making an impact. Read More
Eighth Annual Summer Eclipse Raises $411,000, Highlights Little Wish Foundation
Skender Foundation hosted its annual fundraiser, Summer Eclipse, on Thursday, July 18 at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago. A total of $411,000 was raised in one night by sponsors and more than 500 event attendees. Of that, $30,000 will be donated to Little Wish Foundation while the balance will be dispersed to other charities… Read More
Volunteer Day 2019
Nearly 100 Skender employees, friends and family volunteered on Saturday, June 22 at Skender’s annual volunteer day to build the bed frames for 50 bunk beds. Through a partnership with Sleep in Heavenly Peace (SHP), the day will benefit 100 children across the Chicago metropolitan area in need of beds. Read More
Esperanza Brighton Park
When a community is in need of a health center, we’re there to build it. By teaming up with local specialty care and community-based organizations, the new Esperanza Brighton Park health center is ready to serve and help unite this southwest side neighborhood. Take a look at our latest project collaboration with JGMA and McNitt… Read More
Skender wraps up interior work on new Vital Proteins HQ in Fulton Market
Skender, serving as general contractor, recently completed the interior renovation of the 40,000-square-foot headquarters of Vital Proteins, a fast-growing private retailer of health supplement products. Vital Proteins has assumed full occupancy of the four-story 939 W. Fulton Street, one block from Google’s Midwest headquarters in Chicago’s Fulton Market neighborhood. Read More
Skender Completes Interior Construction of New Vital Proteins HQ in Fulton Market
Skender, serving as general contractor, recently completed the interior renovation of the 40,000-square-foot headquarters of Vital Proteins, a fast-growing private retailer of health supplement products. Vital Proteins has assumed full occupancy of the four-story 939 W. Fulton Street, one block from Google’s Midwest headquarters in Chicago’s lively Fulton Market neighborhood. Vital Proteins relocated 130 employees… Read More
Skender Partners with Sleep in Heavenly Peace for Annual Volunteer Day
Nearly 100 Skender employees, friends and family volunteered on Saturday, June 22 at Skender’s annual volunteer day to build the bed frames for 50 bunk beds. Through a partnership with Sleep in Heavenly Peace (SHP), the day will benefit 100 children across the Chicago metropolitan area in need of beds. “We were honored to partner… Read More
Who’s got their finger on the pulse of healthcare real estate?
The healthcare real estate sector has changed strikingly in the last decade, driven by aging demographics and increased ambition to deliver services outside of acute care settings. Over the next 10 years, the asset class will likely see even more drastic changes. More than 120 Chicago CRE professionals came out to the 6th annual Healthcare… Read More
Skender Completes Office Interior Construction for Corix Group of Companies
Skender, serving as general contractor, recently completed the 30,000-square-foot interior build-out at 500 W. Monroe St. for Corix Group of Companies. The water, wastewater and energy utility firm consolidated its offices across North America to downtown Chicago. The new offices will immediately house approximately 70 employees. “This was the right thing to do in support… Read More
Skender Completes Expansion of Assisted Living Facility in Northbrook, Illinois
Skender, serving as base building and interior construction manager, has completed an expansion project at North Shore Place in Northbrook, approximately 20 miles north of Chicago. Senior Lifestyle Corp. owns the assisted living facility. This is the second expansion project at the property that Skender has completed. Read More
Skender wraps up 14-story Hyatt House Hotel, a Fulton Market development by Sterling Bay
Skender, serving as base building and interior construction manager, has completed construction of Chicago’s first Hyatt House extended-stay hotel, located in the heart of Chicago’s Fulton Market District. Sterling Bay developed the 14-story, 167,000-square-foot hotel and Skender collaborated with project architect Eckenhoff Saunders Architects. Read More
Skender Completes 14-story, 167,000-SF Hyatt House Hotel, a New Sterling Bay Development in the Fulton Market District
Skender, serving as base building and interior construction manager, has completed construction of Chicago’s first Hyatt House extended-stay hotel. The new 14-story, 167,000-square-foot hotel is located in the heart of Chicago’s Fulton Market neighborhood at 105 N. May Street. The Hyatt House is the first hotel in the Fulton Market district to cater to extended-stay… Read More
Chicago-Area Assisted Living Community Gets New Building
Skender has completed construction on the 40-unit memory care building of North Shore Place, a 156-unit luxury assisted living community in Northbrook, Ill. The development team also included design firm SAS Architects & Planners, civil engineering firm Manhard Consulting and structural engineering firm Bowman, Barrett & Associates. The owner, Senior Lifestyle, also assigned Skender to… Read More
Skender Completes Construction of Senior Lifestyle Assisted Living Facility in Northbrook, IL
Skender, serving as base building and interior construction manager, has completed construction of North Shore Place, a Senior Lifestyle-owned assisted living facility located in Northbrook, Illinois. This marks the second new construction project Skender has completed for Senior Lifestyle on this property; the first a 175,000-square foot, five-story, 157-unit assisted living facility located adjacent to… Read More
Skender Wins DISRUPTOR Award at BuiltWorlds’ Machines Conference
Recognized today at the reception of BuiltWorlds’ Machines Conference, Skender was voted the winner of the DISRUPTOR award for the Modular Builders category among those featured on the 2019 Machines 50 List. Skender’s Director of Residential Architecture Angela Spadoni attended the event to accept the award following her presentation on modular construction and evolving project… Read More
Skender Manufacturing Teaser
Coming soon... Read More
Skender Celebrates Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for New Esperanza Health Center in Brighton Park
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. Read More
Skender Celebrates Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for New Esperanza Health Center in Brighton Park
On Friday, May 17, Skender celebrated the ribbon cutting ceremony for Esperanza Brighton Park, the new 26,000-square-foot health center at 4700 S. California Avenue in Chicago’s Brighton Park neighborhood. Attended by Senator Dick Durbin, 14th Ward Alderman Edward Burke and other local dignitaries, the event symbolized improved access to health care services for local residents… Read More
Skender is proud to be part of the team behind Chicago’s “Garfield Green” proposal, winner…
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… Read More
Chicago’s Garfield Green development proposal wins global design competition
On Wednesday, the mayor’s office announced Chicago’s Garfield Green housing proposal was selected as a winner in C40’s global Reinventing Cities competition. Now, the design team will take steps to make it a reality. The contest invited cities to propose projects that turned vacant lots, abandoned buildings, and parking lots into innovative, sustainable development that… Read More
Skender breaks ground on independent senior living facility in Crystal Lake
Skender, serving as base building and interior construction manager, has broken ground on Residences of Crystal Lake, a Turnstone Development-owned senior living facility located in Crystal Lake, Illinois. Turnstone Development, a not-for-profit 501(c)(3), has developed over 1,680 affordable housing units for low-income families and seniors in Illinois and Florida since 1998. The three-story, 63,000-square-foot facility… Read More
Skender Breaks Ground on Independent Senior Living Facility in Crystal Lake, IL
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. Read More
Skender Breaks Ground on Independent Senior Living Facility in Crystal Lake, IL
Skender, serving as base building and interior construction manager, has broken ground on Residences of Crystal Lake, a Turnstone Development-owned senior living facility located in Crystal Lake, Illinois. Turnstone Development, a not-for-profit 501(c)(3), has developed over 1,680 affordable housing units for low-income families and seniors in Illinois and Florida since 1998. The new three-story, 63,000-square-foot… Read More
Laser Scanning on the Jobsite: The Future of Construction?
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. Read More
Summit 2019 – BuiltWorlds
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. Read More
Skender’s Jeffrey Janicek and Brian Simons speaking about the “Future of Outpatient” at last week’s…
Skender's Jeffrey Janicek and Brian Simons speaking about the "Future of Outpatient" at last week's HESNI Annual Conference. Read More
Skender CTO Stacy Scopano speaks about smart buildings at DisruptCRE Chicago. Smart buildings need a…
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. Read More
Robots have an increasingly important role in construction
Imagine if the entire population of Oakland, Calif., suddenly needed a new place to live. You’d have to find a way to build housing and infrastructure for nearly half a million people. As dramatic as this scenario might seem, something comparable is happening daily. According to the United Nations, 400,000 new people enter the middle… Read More
Chicago’s 5th Annual DisruptCRE event is this Thursday. Come hear Skender Chief Technology Officer Stacy…
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 Read More
Quick Links
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… Read More
Skender starts interior construction of coworking firm Spaces’ Chicago HQ
The months-long redevelopment of the former Sports Authority building at LaSalle and Ontario has achieved a significant milestone with an affiliate of Next Realty, the building’s owner, completing the base building renovations. Skender, serving as general contractor, will soon start the interior renovation of the future eight-story, 80,000-square-foot space that will serve as the Chicago… Read More
“It’s taking a contractor or engineer or architect or designer, all these folks who think…
"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… Read More
Skender Starts Interior Construction of Coworking Firm Spaces at Iconic Former Sports Authority Building
We're excited to start interior construction of the 8-story Chicago HQ of coworking firm Spaces at the iconic former Sports Authority building. Read More
Skender Starts Interior Construction of Chicago HQ of Coworking Firm Spaces
The months-long redevelopment of the iconic former Sports Authority building at LaSalle and Ontario has achieved a significant milestone with an affiliate of Next Realty, the building’s owner, completing the base building renovations. Skender, serving as general contractor, will soon start the interior renovation of the future 8-story, 80,000-square-foot Chicago HQ of Spaces, a fast-growing… Read More
Employee Highlight Vol. 1
Get to know some of the amazing people that help make Skender a best place to work. Read More
Multifamily real estate trends for 2019 and beyond
“Here are a few trends that will impact real estate projects and sustainability strategies in 2019 and beyond.” Read More
Business Development for the Modern Age: How Two Chicago Brokers Are Building Relationships In An…
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. Read More
Skender Named a Best Place to Work in Chicago by Crain’s Chicago Business
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. Read More
Skender Named a Best Place to Work in Chicago by Crain’s Chicago Business
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. With a focus on innovation, teamwork and efficiency, this is the fourth time in seven years that… Read More
Factory-based construction with no siloes starts with a single source of truth
“We need to apply Lean principles, then unite all inputs into a single, shared digital home-base for the project.” Read More
Skender CEO Receives Lifetime Achievement Award from University of Wisconsin–Madison Construction Club
Congratulations to CEO Mark Skender for receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award from the University of Wisconsin-Madison Construction Club. Read More
Skender CEO Receives Lifetime Achievement Award from University of Wisconsin–Madison Construction Club
Skender CEO Mark Skender was recently awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from the University of Wisconsin–Madison Construction Club. This prestigious award recognizes individuals who have impacted the engineering and construction industries, demonstrated a commitment to excellence, and have shown an interest in developing students, the future leaders of the profession, throughout their career. Mark is… Read More
Factory-based construction with no siloes starts with a single source of truth
What you see is not always what you get in the design and construction industry. This lack of transparency can be especially true when it comes to taking a development project from plans to groundbreaking. Architect’s renderings and 3D models are just the beginning. The designs are then translated by contractors on site, who have… Read More
Sustainable Design for Indoor Environmental Quality
“Evidence of the links between physical environment and a thriving workforce are increasingly influencing the thought process that underpins design.” Read More
“Where you live should not determine how long you live”: Inside the Illinois Medical District…
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. Read More
Coming in 2019: Esperanza Brighton Park
We are making progress on the new, JGMA-designed Esperanza Health Centers facility at 4700 S. California in Chicago's Brighton Park neighborhood. Read More
Skender Advances Five to Senior Positions on Growing Operations Team
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! Read More
Skender Advances Five to Senior Positions on Growing Operations Team
Skender, a Chicago-based construction, design and manufacturing firm, has been recognized as one of the industry’s top employers over the past decade, most recently as a finalist in the Crain’s Best Places to Work list for 2019. Further proving its commitment to continuous improvement of the firm and professional growth of its employees, Skender is… Read More
Newly developed building materials could have big impact on sustainability
Transparent wood, air-filtering bricks and self-cooling walls, oh my! Read More
Open Offices 2.0: What Came Next for Cars.com, an Early Adopter of the Open-plan Layout
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. Read More
Development Boom Is Exacerbating Labor Shortage, But Could Increase Opportunities For Women
"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. Read More
Chicago Design Firms Behind Braintree, Google Explain What Makes Tech Offices Unique
Unlike some other industries, tech companies have garnered a reputation for creating and maintaining outstanding offices, oftentimes putting unique design, personalization and comfort front and center. Whether startup and tech companies are hiring artists to create company-branded murals or landscaping idyllic rooftop terraces outfitted with Wifi, they are prioritizing having an office that looks and… Read More
Women Have Created Paths For Upward Growth In Construction. Now They’re Working On The Next Step
The world of commercial real estate underwent a revolution in the past decade. Although much progress is still needed to reach equality, the overwhelmingly male-dominated profession made room for women to join as project developers, brokers, property managers and other positions, and many women seized the opportunities presented to ascend to the C-suite. But men… Read More
Almost everything you wanted to know about industrial construction
Experts offer 15 tips on how best to perform factory-based construction... Read More
Skender Named a Finalist for the 2019 Best Places to Work in Chicago
Skender has been named a finalist for the 2019 Best Places to Work in Chicago by Crain’s Chicago Business. This is the third time in six years that Skender has earned the Crain’s recognition; and makes over 25 best place to work awards (by multiple awarding bodies) in total over the last dozen years. Since… Read More
Here are the finalists for Chicago’s Best Places to Work 2019
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. Read More
Skender CEO Receives BuiltWorlds Maverick Award
Skender announced today that Mark Skender has been selected as a 2019 BuiltWorlds Maverick Award winner. This annual list highlights innovative professionals in the AEC/RE space who are pushing the built industry forward. This year's list of winners features 50 architects, engineers, technologists, contractors, real estate moguls, venture investors and urban designers from some of… Read More
Skender Wins Top Safety Award
Skender recently won an award for outstanding safety from the Great Lakes Safety Training Center, qualifying for the top division with over 500,000 hours worked and an exemplary safety record for 2018. Every Skender project prioritizes safety, production and quality with a mindset that each are interconnected and of equal importance. As a result of… Read More
An Office Expansion Designed with a Winner’s Outlook
“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.” Read More
Women In Construction 2019
Hear from just a few of the many hard-working, talented, driven women who work here at Skender and continue to influence our industry. Read More
“Don’t be your own worst enemy. If you are in the room, you belong in…
“Don’t be your own worst enemy. If you are in the room, you belong in the room. Just own it.” #WICWeek2019 Read More
“We’ve come a long way, but as more women join the construction / design industry,…
“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 Read More
“I’ve learned to look at my gender role in the industry less as an obstacle…
“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 Read More
“Never be afraid to ask for what you’ve worked hard to deserve. You are your…
“Never be afraid to ask for what you’ve worked hard to deserve. You are your most unwavering advocate.” #wicweek2019 Read More
“We aren’t ‘getting there.’ We are here and it’s time to own it. The construction…
“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 Read More
Assessing the multifamily sector, from deconversions to affordable housing
The multifamily sector is one of Chicago’s most active asset classes right now. But there are still so many unknowns and evolving trends—from deconversion to affordable housing, co-living to Class A amenities—that it can be hard to get a handle on this lively real estate segment. Read More
The Many Paths to a Career in Architecture and Construction
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 Read More
“Working in construction doesn’t always mean hardhats and work boots. There are great jobs for…
“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 Read More
“Remember that a strong work ethic is universally respected and recognized by the people who…
“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 Read More
“The only person that can stand between you and your dreams is yourself. Do what…
“The only person that can stand between you and your dreams is yourself. Do what makes you truly happy.” #wicweek2019 Read More
When ConstrucTech Meets Manufacturing: A New World Order for Buildings
Skender CTO Stacy Scopano reveals the new world order for construction. Read More
Strategic hire, new plant tee Skender up for maximum tech efficiencies
"Technology, married to a lean approach, factors heavily in the firm’s ultimate goal of productization of buildings, CEO Mark Skender told Construction Dive." Read More
Sarah’s Circle Finally Getting Its New Home — Which Means More Options For Women Experiencing…
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. Read More
Feeling grateful to share that Skender has been selected as a finalist for Interior Contractor…
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.… Read More
Master Planning in Focus: Discussing the Lincoln Yards Plan with Sterling Bay’s Andy Gloor
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. Read More
Is Chicago Still an Architectural Leader?
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… Read More
The 2019 Top 10 Most Innovative Companies by Sector: Architecture | Fast Company
Exciting news today! Skender has been named one of the "World's Most Innovative Companies for 2019" by Fast Company magazine! #FCMostInnovative Read More
Skender Named to Fast Company’s “World’s Most Innovative Companies” for 2019
Skender, a vertically integrated design, construction and manufacturing firm based in Chicago, has been named to Fast Company’s “World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2019,” the publication announced today. This year, more than three dozen editors, reporters and contributors sought out the most notable innovations of the year in 35 industries and across every region of… Read More
Skender Launches ‘Future Built’ Podcast Featuring Conversations with Industry Innovators
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 Read More
Skender Continues to Expand Manufacturing Team
We are excited to add Scott Massa and David Speelman, CPA to our growing manufacturing team! Read More
Office Wellness Has To Begin Long Before Move-In
Articles on office wellness are filled with tips and tricks on how to plan corporate outings, the benefits of yoga or whether to offer pretzels or fruit. While wellness initiatives like these may increase job satisfaction somewhat, many fail to address one sticking point. Employees can’t just be happy while exercising at a company-subsidized gym or having… Read More
“If you do an open office right, you’re going to have about the same square…
"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… Read More
Save the date! In partnership with presenting sponsor Titan Electric, we are excited to be…
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 Read More
Skender Chief Design Officer Timothy Swanson spoke last night about discovering the scalable potential of…
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! Read More
Chicago State of Office
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. Read More
Skender Completes Construction of Aspen Dental Midwest Headquarters in Chicago
Skender has completed interior construction of Aspen Dental’s Midwest headquarters in Chicago. The company now occupies 50,000 square feet at 1040 W. Randolph St. Aspen Dental is a New York-based company that provides administrative and business support to branded dental practices. Read More
Skender Hires Stacy Scopano as Chief Technology Officer
We are thrilled to announce the appointment of Stacy Scopano as our new chief technology officer. Welcome, Stacy! Read More
Skender Completes Construction of Aspen Dental Midwest Headquarters
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! Read More
Skender Completes Construction of Aspen Dental Midwest Headquarters
Skender, serving as interior construction manager, has completed construction of Aspen Dental’s new 50,000-square-foot Midwest headquarters. Aspen Dental, an East Syracuse, New York-based company that provides administrative and business support to branded dental practices, has relocated to the art deco building vacated by Sterling Bay at 1040 W. Randolph. To accommodate a practice support center… Read More
Office Wellness Has To Begin Long Before Move-In
Articles on office wellness are filled with tips and tricks on how to plan corporate outings, the benefits of yoga or whether to offer pretzels or fruit. While wellness initiatives like these may increase job satisfaction somewhat, many fail to address one sticking point. Employees can’t just be happy while exercising at a company-subsidized gym… Read More
Office Wellness Has To Begin Long Before Move-In
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. Read More
Skender completes interior construction on Upwork’s West Loop HQ
Skender, serving as construction manager, has completed construction of Upwork’s new 34,000-square-foot Chicago headquarters. Upwork, a digital platform for freelancers, has relocated to 525 W. Van Buren Street from its former space at 224 N. Desplaines Street. Read More
Skender Completes Interior Construction of Upwork HQ
Skender recently completed Upwork's new Chicago headquarters in collaboration with Solomon Cordwell Buenz, Syska Hennessy Group and Cresa Chicago. Read More
Skender Completes Interior Construction of Upwork HQ
Skender, serving as construction manager, has completed construction of Upwork’s new 34,000-square-foot Chicago headquarters. Upwork, a digital platform for freelancers, has relocated to 525 W. Van Buren from its former space at 224 N. Desplaines. To accommodate its growing, 100+ person enterprise sales team, Upwork’s interior renovation included an open café, server room, virtual reception… Read More
Skender Completes Office Headquarters for ShopRunner in Chicago
Skender has completed construction of ShopRunner’s new 25,000-square-foot headquarters in Chicago. The e-commerce start-up company has relocated to 350 N. Orleans St. from 350 N. LaSalle St. The new office has full Wi-Fi capabilities, eliminating the need for data cabling. Read More
CannonDesign Expands Echo Global Logistics’ Offices With Edge and Grit
We're proud to be the contractor behind this 135,000-SF expansion project for Echo Global Logistics. #throwbackthursday Read More
Skender Completes First Data Cable-Free HQ for ShopRunner
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! Read More
Skender Completes First Data Cable-Free HQ for ShopRunner
Skender, serving as interior construction manager, has completed construction of ShopRunner’s new 25,000-square-foot corporate headquarters. ShopRunner, a Chicago-based, multi-retailer e-commerce start up, has relocated to 350 N. Orleans from its former space at 350 N. LaSalle. To accommodate a newly consolidated team, ShopRunner added numerous technologically forward features to its new office space, including 100%… Read More
3 Top Trends Show Green-Building Technology on the Rise
The Johnson Controls Asia-Pacific headquarters in Shanghai, China, is one of the most sustainable corporate complexes in Asia. In the summer of 2017, the campus opened as the first building in China to earn three green certifications: LEED NC Platinum, the World Bank’s EDGE, and China’s own Green Building Design Label. Although just one example, the Johnson Controls building is indicative of a… Read More
Thank you to the North Shore Place project team for the job site tour last…
Thank you to the North Shore Place project team for the job site tour last week! #skenderatwork Read More
The Future of Fulton Market Lies in New Office Towers, Not Renovated Industrial Lofts
The first wave of major development in the Fulton Market neighborhood is coming to an end, but a new one is just beginning. Sterling Bay set off the development explosion when it bought 1000 West Fulton, a cold storage building that towered over the once-industrial area west of the Loop, in 2012 for $12M and by 2015… Read More
A Tour of Skender’s Elegant Chicago Office
Skender, a construction company that offers design, construction, and manufacturing services, hired architecture and interior design firm Perkins+Will to design their new office in Chicago, Illinois. Read More
Skender promotes five to leadership board
Underscoring its commitment to an award-winning employee culture that fosters talent and innovation, Skender announced the promotions of five key leaders. Jeff Janicek was named vice president and partner while Brian Bukowski, Joe Pecoraro, Tim Rogers and Brian Simons, CHC have been elevated to project executive and partner. Read More
The Future Of Fulton Market Lies In New Office Towers, Not Renovated Industrial Lofts
What's new and next in Fulton Market? Skender's Clay Edwards talks with Bisnow. Read More
Skender Promotes Five to Leadership Board
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! Read More
Skender Promotes Five to Leadership Board
Underscoring its commitment to an award-winning employee culture that fosters talent and innovation, Skender is pleased to announce five key leaders have been promoted to partner: Brian Bukowski to Project Executive and Partner. Since joining Skender in 2007, Bukowski has been integral to the growth of the firm’s interiors team, specifically in the technology sector.… Read More
The Future of Fulton Market Lies in New Office Towers, Not Renovated Industrial Lofts
The first wave of major development in the Fulton Market neighborhood is coming to an end, but a new one is just beginning. Sterling Bay set off the development explosion when it bought 1000 West Fulton, a cold storage building that towered over the once-industrial area west of the Loop, in 2012 for $12M and by… Read More
Belinda Moore Promoted to Executive Director of Skender Foundation
We are excited to announce that Belinda Moore has been promoted to Executive Director of Skender Foundation! Read More
Belinda Moore Promoted to Executive Director of Skender Foundation
Skender Foundation recently announced the promotion of Belinda Moore to executive director. In her new role, she is responsible for developing and implementing the foundation's vision and strategic plan. Moore has been integral to Skender Foundation’s growth since the organization’s inception in 2012, most recently serving as associate executive director since June 2017. In her… Read More
Skender starts 100,000-SF renovation for Perspectives Charter School
Skender recently started construction on the conversion of the 100,000-square-foot former Soft Sheen building at 8522 S. Lafayette in Chicago’s Chatham neighborhood into a middle and high school for Perspectives Charter Schools (PCS). Read More
Skender Starts 100,000-SF Renovation for Perspectives Charter Schools
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. Read More
Skender Starts 100,000-SF Renovation for Perspectives Charter Schools
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. Founded in 1997, Perspectives Charter Schools (PCS) is one of the first charter schools in Illinois. Today, PCS manages five open enrollment, tuition-free public schools serving students… Read More
Skender Advances Five to Senior Positions
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. Read More
Skender Advances Five to Senior Positions
In its commitment to continuous improvement and professional growth, Skender is pleased to announce the following individuals’ recent promotions to senior positions on its growing operations team: Nestor Acance to Senior Superintendent from Superintendent. Acance, who joined Skender in 2017, recently completed a 20,000-SF renovation at the Latin School of Chicago and is currently working… Read More
3 Top Trends Show Green Building Technology on the Rise
“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.” Read More
GGP’s 176,000 SF Office Becomes Move-in Ready in 20-Weeks
“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.” Read More
Skender chairman, Joseph Skender, to retire after 40 years
Joseph Skender, chairman of the board of directors at Chicago-based Skender, has announced his retirement and will take on the title of chairman emeritus at the design-build-manufacturing firm. Mark Skender will remain CEO and Cheryl Skender will continue as chair and president of Skender Foundation. “There’s no way I could’ve imagined what this company would… Read More
Joseph Skender Retires After 40 Years of Leadership
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! Read More
Joseph Skender Retires After 40 Years of Leadership
Today, Skender announces the retirement of Joseph Skender, Chairman of the Board of Directors. As he embarks on this new chapter of his life, this turning point allows a moment of reflection on the company’s journey from his family’s basement to one of the top construction firms in Chicago. “There’s no way I could’ve imagined… Read More
BD+C’s 101 Top Products Report for 2018
“Building Design+Construction readers select their top products for the past 15 months in the second annual 101 Top Products report.” Read More
Upwork Ranked ‘Best Place to Work in Chicago’, Expands to New Office in the West…
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! Read More
7 trends that will shape commercial construction in 2019
“... glacial movements take center stage ... the seven biggest factors to watch this year.” Read More
Space As A Service: What Property Managers Can Learn From The Hospitality Industry
“To provide a tenant-first approach, property managers are taking a cue from the hospitality industry.” Read More
5 Possible Scenarios For The Future Of Coworking
“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.” Read More
“Our industry is ripe for innovation and disruption. We have to push and we have…
"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 Read More
The Doctor Is in: Healthcare Is the New Retail
There was a time not long ago when you could spend a leisurely afternoon at Park Avenue and 57th Street browsing for books at the local Borders Books outlet. If you go to that location now, you’re probably there for health-related reasons. With the transition to e-commerce, it’s little surprise that Borders, like many other… Read More
Deciphering the Fine Print of Tenant Improvement Clauses
Take a close look at that “generous” tenant improvement (TI) allowance that the owner of a new building has offered. What, exactly, is covered? While the amount may be larger than that offered by the landlord of an older building, a careful analysis might reveal that you will barely break even — and you may… Read More
Adoption Leaders 50 List 2018 – BuiltWorlds
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! Read More
Rising Costs Make Pre-Construction Planning More Essential in Senior Housing
Value engineering is an accepted inevitability in construction, and it’s become increasingly important as construction costs have been on the rise in senior living. But while smart value engineering will identify the best ways to cut costs without sacrificing quality, too much value engineering can compromise the vision and integrity of a project, and cause… Read More
2018 Highlights
2018 was a productive, high-energy year with many highlights. We are thankful for the people we’ve met, projects we’ve built and partnerships we’ve forged. We look forward to continuing this journey with even more to come in 2019. Read More
We’re looking forward to the opportunities and partnerships the new year will bring. Have a…
We're looking forward to the opportunities and partnerships the new year will bring. Have a safe and happy 2019! Read More
Skender Completes AZEK HQ in Fulton Market
Skender recently completed interior construction of the new 24,000-square-foot headquarters for The AZEK Company, which recently relocated to the Fulton Market District from suburban Skokie, IL. Read More
Skender Completes AZEK Company HQ in Fulton Market
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! Read More
Skender Completes AZEK Company HQ in Fulton Market
Skender recently completed interior construction of the new 24,000-square-foot headquarters for The AZEK Company, an industry leader of premium building products previously based in Skokie, Illinois, with manufacturing facilities in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and Wilmington, Ohio. The AZEK Company relocated to 1330 W. Fulton in Chicago’s Fulton Market neighborhood from its former office in Skokie to… Read More
How these megaprojects could reshape Chicago’s transit map
“A burgeoning mega-Loop on the verge of outgrowing its transportation skeleton and reigniting debate on the future of downtown transit.” Read More
18 Commercial Real Estate Trends To Dominate In 2019
“From the rise of opportunity zones to a slowdown in industrial absorption, these are 18 trends experts forecast for 2019.” Read More
An ambitious plan to change how we build housing
“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%.” Read More
Planning and constructing a hybrid operating room: Lessons learned
“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.” Read More
Elgin Tower: Elgin’s heart beats again
“Contractor Skender and architect Webster Design were determined to save the building, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002 ...” Read More
Deciphering the Fine Print of Tenant Improvement Clauses
"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 Read More
Interior Design/Tenant Improvement: Mead Johnson Nutrition Headquarters
We were proud to have been part of this project with our partner, Mead Johnson Nutrition, Partners by Design & ESD (Environmental Systems Design, Inc.)! Read More
Deciphering the Fine Print of Tenant Improvement Clauses
Take a close look at that “generous” tenant improvement (TI) allowance that the owner of a new building has offered. What, exactly, is covered? While the amount may be larger than that offered by the landlord of an older building, a careful analysis might reveal that you will barely break even — and you may… Read More
The ConTechCrew 146: The Flipside of Silicon Valley
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. Read More
Skender Foundation End of Year Thank You
Skender Foundation’s successes in 2018 made a big impact and we are grateful for your support. From the execution of our first endowment fund to unprecedented success at our two fundraising events to an effective volunteer day, 2018 raised the bar for our organization. Read More
Chicago Power Women
Looking forward to tomorrow's Bisnow Chicago Power Women event honoring women in commercial real estate! Tickets are still available. #commercialrealestate #proudsponsor Read More
Elgin Tower: Elgin’s heart beats again
A project team brings this Chicago suburb’s landmark tower back to life. Read More
The Doctor Is in: Healthcare Is the New Retail
“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.” Read More
Healthcare Developers Need Flexibility to Succeed
The world of healthcare real estate has experienced more profound change in the past few years than perhaps any other sector. Along with advances in medical technology, the transformation of healthcare delivery by the introduction of Obamacare has led providers to demand different types of facilities. And that means opportunities for developers and investors, if… Read More
Rising Costs Make Pre-Construction Planning More Essential in Senior Housing
“Veteran senior housing developers and operators recognize that a thorough, detailed pre-construction process can minimize the need for value engineering.” Read More
Rising Costs Make Pre-Construction Planning More Essential in Senior Housing
Value engineering is an accepted inevitability in construction, and it’s become increasingly important as construction costs have been on the rise in senior living. But while smart value engineering will identify the best ways to cut costs without sacrificing quality, too much value engineering can compromise the vision and integrity of a project, and cause… Read More
“The anchor tenant at the local strip mall is no longer going to be your…
"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 Read More
To all our employees, clients and partners, we say a heartfelt thank you for your…
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. Read More
Skender Foundation Adds Two New Board Members
Skender Foundation is excited to announce two new appointments, Jared Funk and Tim Swanson, to its board of directors! Read More
Skender Foundation Adds Two New Board Members
Today Skender Foundation announced two new appointments, Jared Funk and Tim Swanson, to its board of directors. Jared Funk is vice president at Lenox Advisors and his involvement with Skender Foundation dates back to 2013 when he joined the Builders' Board, a subcommittee of Skender Foundation comprised of young, driven professionals with a passion for… Read More
Skender and BuiltWorlds Release “Going Lean: Toward Waste-free Building” Report
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”. Read More
Skender and BuiltWorlds Release “Going Lean: Toward Waste-free Building” Report
Nearly half of the nearly 2.2 billion annual tons of solid waste projected by year 2025 is generated on the construction job site. Today, a new report from Skender and BuiltWorlds offers “Going Lean: Toward Waste-free Building.” The 10-page research report, available for download here, is a resource filled with waste-reducing possibilities using lean construction… Read More
Skender Expands Strategic Accounts Team
We are excited to announce that Michelle Levy has joined our team as strategic account manager. Read More
Skender Expands Strategic Accounts Team
Skender today announced that Michelle Levy has joined Skender as strategic account manager. Levy spent the last six years as an urban retail brokerage associate and office/industrial researcher for CBRE. She previously specialized in urban retail tenant and landlord representation, and consulted for numerous restaurants and small eateries in downtown Chicago. Levy’s background in real… Read More
Skender Director of Operations Jenny Han recently volunteered with Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago &…
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. Read More
Thank you to all veterans, including those at Skender and industry partners, for your service…
Thank you to all veterans, including those at Skender and industry partners, for your service and sacrifice. #NeverForget Read More
6 UrbanTech Innovations That Could Transform Our Cities
“More technological advances are on the way that could change fundamental aspects of urban life ...” Read More
Skender begins interior construction for Vital Proteins’ new Fulton Market HQ
Skender, serving as general contractor, recently launched the interior renovation of the future 40,000-square-foot headquarters of Vital Proteins, a private retailer of health supplement products. Vital Proteins is assuming full occupancy of the four-story 939 W. Fulton Street, one block from Google’s Midwest headquarters in Chicago’s lively Fulton Market neighborhood. Read More
Skender Starts Interior Construction of New Vital Proteins HQ in Fulton Market
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. Read More
Skender Starts Interior Construction of New Vital Proteins HQ in Fulton Market
Skender, serving as general contractor, recently launched the interior renovation of the future 40,000-square-foot headquarters of Vital Proteins, a fast-growing private retailer of health supplement products. Vital Proteins is assuming full occupancy of the four-story 939 W. Fulton Street, one block from Google’s Midwest headquarters in Chicago’s lively Fulton Market neighborhood. As sole tenant, Vital… Read More
Latin School Bridge – Connecting Two Schools
Connecting two schools at different elevations on a tight schedule could be daunting, but thanks to our great partners and project team, we provided Latin School with direct access to the upper school’s new learning commons through a new bridge installation. Read More
Hyatt House Vertical Timelapse
In 18 weeks, we went from foundation and building permit issuance to topping out of Sterling Bay's new Hyatt House hotel in the West Loop. It couldn’t have been done without our Lean construction approach and great partners. Read More
Skender Core Values – Who We Are
Last week, we showcased our three core values: True Partner, Proactive and Refreshing. They keep us hungry, humble and smart as we revolutionize how the industry builds. Here’s a recap of our core values and what makes Skender who we are. Read More
Sprout Social Maintains Rapid Growth With a Sleek and On-Trend Space
“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.” Read More
Healthy, Well-Designed Multifamily Projects Can Also Be Affordable
“Woodlawn Station is a testament to how smart #design and efficient #construction practices can improve how developers approach #affordablehousing projects.” Read More
Skender’s Annual Volunteer Day Draws Highest Turnout Yet
On Saturday, October 13, nearly 100 volunteers gathered at Skender’s new manufacturing facility for the firm’s annual Volunteer Day. Volunteers built wood wall panels for two homes that will be delivered to families in need via Skender’s partners for the event, Appalachia Service Project and Solid Rock Carpenters. The volunteers wrote messages of hope on… Read More
Sprout Social Maintains Rapid Growth With A Sleek And On-Trend Office Space
After previously completing its 7th-floor space in Chicago’s Citadel Center, the rapidly growing social media management company wanted their office environment to be an investment in their people. 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,… Read More
5 common misconceptions about interior construction
“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.” Read More
Skender employees take part in volunteer day
On Saturday, October 13, nearly 100 volunteers gathered at Skender’s new manufacturing facility for the firm’s annual volunteer day. Volunteers built wood wall panels for two homes that will be delivered to families in need via Skender’s partners for the event, Appalachia Service Project and Solid Rock Carpenters. Read More
Three Ways to Shatter Construction Silos and Win Efficiencies | Propmodo
What if design, manufacturing and construction teams were all working together under one roof? Read More
Refreshing – Skender Core Value
Humbly sharing our experiences and mistakes, valuing new ideas and opinions of each employee, and implementing innovative solutions are ways that we make “refreshing” one of three core values at Skender. There’s no voice too small to be heard. Read More
Proactive – Skender Core Value
We take great pride in our work and stay hungry for new ways to improve, enforcing “proactive” as a critical Skender core value. Read More
Skender completes independent living facility rehabilitation
Skender, serving as general contractor, recently completed a 50,000-square-foot full-building rehabilitation of Lake Merritt Apartments, an affordable housing development located at 1417 1st Avenue in Oakland, California. The four-story independent living facility is owned by Preservation Partners, a privately-held real estate company (and repeat Skender client) that specializes in the rehabilitation and permanent preservation of… Read More
Skender Completes Independent Living Facility Rehabilitation in Oakland
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. Read More
Skender Completes Independent Living Facility Rehabilitation in Oakland
OAKLAND, Calif. (October 23, 2018) – Skender, serving as general contractor, recently completed a 50,000-square-foot full-building rehabilitation of Lake Merritt Apartments, an affordable housing development located at 1417 1st Avenue in Oakland, California. The four-story independent living facility is owned by Preservation Partners, a privately-held real estate company (and repeat Skender client) that specializes in… Read More
Bisnow Multifamily Annual Conference Midwest
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! Read More
True Partner – Skender Core Value
We believe collaboration, respect, clear communication and open-mindedness are essential ingredients to success. That’s why “true partner” is one of our three core values at Skender. When one succeeds, we all succeed. Stay tuned all week as we release videos highlighting each of our core values. Read More
Chicago’s Coolest Offices: 78 entries. 3 judges. 11 winners. Tour the winning spaces. #ccboffice
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. Read More
Skender Volunteer Day 2018
For our annual Volunteer Day, we partnered with Solid Rock Carpenters and Appalachia Service Project to build the wall panels of two homes for families in need. Nearly 100 Skender employees, including friends and family, turned out for a fun day and a great cause! Already looking forward to next year! Read More
Three Ways to Shatter Construction Silos and Win Efficiencies
Visionary design firm and ace construction crew: check and check. These are key personnel ingredients to a successful building process, and typically require multiple players, subcontractors, consultants, vendors, and contracts to get the job done. But what happens when you can use technological innovation and a product-based building processes to check all the boxes at… Read More
San Francisco’s largest office leases in so far in 2018 – San Francisco Business Times
“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.” Read More
BOMA & HCI’s 2018 Real Estate Healthcare Symposium
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… Read More
Skender breaks ground on 85k SF training center addition for Laborers’ Union
Skender, serving as general contractor, recently started construction of a 55,000-square-foot steel structure addition and 30,000-square-foot office renovation to the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) Chicagoland Laborers’ District Council Training and Apprentice Fund Training Center. Read More
Skender Starts 85,000-SF Training Center Addition and Renovation for Chicagoland Laborers’ Union
Skender recently started construction of an 85,000-SF training center addition and renovation for the Chicagoland Laborers' Union. Read More
Skender Starts 85,000-SF Training Center Addition and Renovation for Chicagoland Laborers’ Union
Skender, serving as general contractor, recently started construction of a 55,000-square-foot steel structure addition and 30,000-square-foot office renovation to the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) Chicagoland Laborers’ District Council Training and Apprentice Fund Training Center. Located at 5700 W. Homer, the training center is seeking to expand its existing facility to accommodate more… Read More
Angela Spadoni Joins Skender
Angela Spadoni, AIA, has joined Skender as director of residential architecture, where she will oversee multifamily design projects, including the design of housing modules produced in Skender’s new Chicago manufacturing facility. Read More
Multifamily Design Expert Angela Spadoni Joins Skender as Director of Residential Architecture
We are thrilled to welcome multifamily design expert Angela Spadoni as Skender's new director of residential architecture! Read More
Nearly 100 Skender employees, friends and family volunteered this weekend to complete the framing of…
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 Read More
Top 10 ways to build smarter
As material and labor prices escalate every day, building process economics are playing an increasingly critical role in every project. Firms involved in the commercial building process across the industry must look for innovative ways to deliver high-quality projects while stemming the tide of rising costs. Collaboration, transparency and waste reduction are key to an… Read More
Confronting the challenge of affordable housing
“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?” Read More
Skender Adds AZEK Company HQ to Fulton Market Portfolio
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. Read More
5 ‘Giant’ Trends Poised to Change the Face of Construction
As the Building Design+Construction editorial team wrapped up work on the 42nd annual Giants 300 report in late June, a number of intriguing industry trends and themes bubbled to the surface. Some are new to us, others simply confirmed our original notions. The Giants 300 report agglomerates financial data and business dealings from the nation’s… Read More
Skender Adds AZEK Company HQ to Fulton Market Portfolio
Skender recently started interior construction of the 24,000-square-foot headquarters for The AZEK Company, a Skokie-based industry leader of premium building products with manufacturing facilities in Scranton, PA and Wilmington, OH. The AZEK Company is relocating from its current offices in Skokie to accommodate the business’s rapid growth and future needs. Once complete, the third-floor open-plan… Read More
To Keep Talent In Chicago’s Suburbs, Office Landlords Improve The Tenant Experience
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 Read More
Skender Starts Work on Independent Living Facility Rehabilitation
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. Read More
Skender Starts Work on Independent Living Facility Rehabilitation
Skender, serving as construction manager, has started work on the full-building rehabilitation of Westmont I-Care, an affordable housing development located at 501 North Cass Avenue in Westmont, Illinois. The five-story independent living facility is owned by Preservation Partners, a privately-held real estate company (and repeat Skender client) that specializes in the rehabilitation and permanent preservation… Read More
Confronting the challenge of affordable housing
Financing for and development of affordable housing has long been a critical issue in the U.S. In Chicago, over 440,000 households pay more than half of their income on housing, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. While the need hasn’t gone away, creating workforce housing continues to be a challenge. From sourcing… Read More
C.H. Robinson – The Sasquatch-sized Sterling Bay Project
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. Read More
C.H. Robinson – The Sasquatch-sized Sterling Bay Project
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. Read More
Skender Completes 225K-SF Restack for HERE’s Americas HQ
Skender recently completed a 225,000-square-foot restack for location intelligence provider HERE Technologies at 475 N. Randolph St. Amsterdam-based HERE recently designated the Chicago office, now totaling more than 275,000 square feet, as the company’s Americas headquarters. Read More
Top 125 Reconstruction Work Contractors + CM Firms [2018 Giants 300 Report]
Skender climbs 7 spots in 2018 to the No. 27 Reconstruction (Renovation) Contractor in the United States! Read More
Skender Foundation : Harvesting Hope 2018
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 Read More
Skender Completes 225,000-SF Restack Project for HERE Technologies’ New Americas HQ
Skender recently completed a 225,000-SF restack project for HERE Technologies' new Americas HQ in Chicago's Boeing Building. Read More
Skender Completes 225,000-SF Restack Project for HERE Technologies’ New Americas HQ
Skender recently completed a 225,000-SF restack project for HERE Technologies' new Americas HQ in Chicago's Boeing Building. Read More
Skender Completes 225,000-SF Restack Project for HERE Technologies’ New Americas HQ
Skender recently completed interior construction of the 225,000-square-foot office space for HERE Technologies, the leading location intelligence and open location platform company, at 425 West Randolph Street. HERE Technologies recently designated the Chicago office, now totaling more than 275,000 square feet, as the company’s Americas headquarters. Throughout eight floors of the Boeing Building, the HERE… Read More
Skender Delivers Loyola University Lab
“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.” Read More