Spaces, Built By Bush Construction

This episode talks about all things risk and reward when it comes to commercial development projects. Do you stick $8 million into an abandoned downtown building and expect a positive gross annual income in year one? Learn about the steps you can take to mitigate risk and understand the characteristics of a viable development project. 

Historical development projects are complex, but why? Jon Davidshofer, Bush Construction's Director of Development, uncovers the intricacies by explaining the six phases nearly every development project goes through.

If you work in community and economic development, are responsible for downtown revitalization projects or invest in commercial real estate, this episode is for you! Jon Davidshofer, Bush Construction's Director of Development, walks us through five common funding sources and when each should be considered for historical development projects. 

Meet Jon Davidshofer, our new Director of Development. Listen to our conversation on all things development, including why he made the shift from the financial sector to economic development and his goals for growing Bush Development. Jon also talks about why a project's location plays a critical role in its success and the value it brings to community members.

Nestled a short distance north of the Quad Cities sits DeWitt, Iowa. It's the second-largest community in Clinton County and best known for its thriving industrial sector and outstanding recreational, cultural, and educational facilities. Listen to our conversation with Angela Rheingans, Executive Director of DeWitt Chamber & Development Company, and Greg Gannon, President of DeWitt Bank & Trust, and learn about an exciting new downtown development and what it's like to live and work in the community. 

If you ask a commercial contractor what type of technology they use, you're sure to hear “BIM” or Building Information Modeling software, Virtual Reality, Raken, SmartBid, and more. But did you know sales and marketing automation tools play an equally important role in helping construction companies improve workflows and increase operational efficiency? This episode focuses on the benefits of an integrated CRM or customer relationship management tool and how, if you're in the sales or marketing departments, to pitch bringing new technology into your organization.

Internships were once a nice-to-have. Now, they are a way to earn college credits, meet graduation requirements, and increase a student's chance of employment in their field of study after commencement day. Bush Construction's internship program offers young professionals a glimpse into what it's like to work at a commercial construction company. Find out what Jake said, Andrew Ottavianelli, and Jacob Conley's experiences are while interning at Bush Construction and what advice they have for their peers.

While a business owner that serves as their own general contractor is not a formal construction delivery method, it does happen! We decided to have a little fun and wrap up our delivery methods series by talking about GC-ing your own commercial construction project. A little hint…it's much more complex than your typical home improvement project.

For business owners who prefer to lease space or leave raising funds and applying for entitlements to others, Development may be a viable option. Learn all about this non-traditional delivery method from Bryce Henderson, our Vice President of Development.   

What is the Design-Build construction project delivery method? How does the business owner benefit from this one-to-one relationship? All these questions and more are discussed in this episode! 

The National Association of Women in Construction established Women in Construction Week to highlight women as a viable component of the construction industry. We sat down with Becky Avise and Stephanie, Bush Construction employees and NAWIC Quad Cities Chapter #50 officers to talk about what WIC Week means to them and the growing role women are playing in the construction industry. https://www.bushconstruct.com/

We had the pleasure of speaking with Michael Patterson, President and CEO of Mississippi Valley Surgery Center (MVSC).Our conversation with Michael uncovered so many new discoveries, including COVID-19 procedures MVSC has implemented to ensure the health, safety and well-being of its patients and staff, how software has sped the intake process and the rise in popularity of ambulatory surgery centers.

In our 3rd episode out of 6 in the construction delivery methods series, we will explain the Construction Manager as Agent - or CMa - delivery method. We discuss the pros, cons, and which owner is best suited for this delivery method. www.bushconstruct.com

On today’s podcast, we continue the conversation about the construction delivery methods. This time we’re focusing on Construction Manager as Construction (CMc). You’ll learn all about the pros, the cons, and the ways owners can tap into the knowledge and expertise of the construction manager throughout each phase of their project. www.bushconstruct.com

In a previous podcast, we provided a beneficial overview of the four different paths a business owner can choose when selecting a team to design and build their new space. After recording that episode, we recognized the value of diving deeper into each of these paths or what we call delivery methods in the construction industry.In this episode, we focus on the design-bid-build or hard bid delivery method. Discover the many pros and cons, understand the types of projects and business owners that are best suited for this delivery method, and learn if this path is a good fit for you and your next project. https://www.bushconstruct.com/

Higher education experienced major disruptions in the Spring of 2020 due to the outbreak of the Coronavirus. In this episode, Mike Poster, Vice President of Finance of St. Ambrose University shares how the private university located in Davenport, Iowa has worked to overcome challenges, what education and student life will look like this upcoming semester, and ways the institution has been able to differentiate themselves through COVID-19.https://www.bushconstruct.com/https://www.sau.edu/

The decision to pull the trigger on a construction project is big. Your new space may give legs to a new business venture, spur company or product-line growth or provide a motivating space for your team. Once you have decided to move forward with your project, now what? This episode is loaded with information business owners can use to select the right team and path, or delivery method, to successfully complete their project. We offer a high-level perspective on each of the four delivery methods, including their distinctive advantages and disadvantages. Because there is so much to discuss on this topic, we will dissect each delivery method in upcoming episodes. Stay tuned!  www.bushconstruct.com 

Welcome to Spaces, Built by Bush Construction, a podcast that brings genuine conversations and opens minds to creative ideas in construction, design, and development. Join our journey as we share in-depth stories as an experienced commercial contractor and design firm and interview business leaders on an array of construction topics.  In this first episode, the Bush Construction Podcast Team discusses the impact COVID-19 has had on the construction industry, how general contractors are moving forward in this new normal and growth opportunities that have been discovered during these uncertain times. www.bushconstruct.com