Posted on By Julie Swartz Categories Company News

Prairie Construction Employee Appreciation

The Prairie Construction team a few weeks ago with an employee appreciation lunch where several employees were honored for their loyalty and dedication to Prairie Construction.

Among them was Steve Vencil, who celebrated 30 years with Prairie Construction!

Each of these dedicated employees have helped Prairie Construction achieve our goals, develop relationships, and truly made an impact on our company. We recognize how fortunate we are to have the opportunity to celebrate the longevity of employees who are dedicated to our company, and we hope they feel our true appreciation.

Thanks for your commitment to Prairie Construction!

 

Posted on By Julie Swartz Categories Company News

Steve Vencil Celebrates 30 Years!

Prairie Construction recently celebrated the 30th anniversary of one of our first employees – Steve Vencil.

Steve joined the Prairie team as Paul and Frank were just building Prairie Construction. Steve brought his extensive experience as a construction and iron worker, and even a four-year stint as a stockbroker, to the Prairie team. Steve’s expertise in ironworking made him a crucial member of our early team, and he has played a vital role in numerous projects over the years.

Steve is now a trusted project superintendent for a variety of projects. He has managed jobs all over town, and has been a key player on many of the school projects we have completed. The addition of the third base grandstand at Rosenblatt Stadium is one of Steve’s favorite projects. Despite battling significant rain that threatened completion by the deadline – the start of the College World Series. Under Steve’s leadership – we completed the project before deadline!

These days you’ll find Steve at Mahoney State Park. He’s been there since last Fall when we broke ground on the Event Facility Project. Steve finds the quiet peace and rolling acres of the park a nice change of pace from other projects he’s been involved with.

“You don’t find guys like Steve everyday,” said Steve Rease. “He does a great job managing projects onsite, and our crews and subcontractors love working with him, and you always know where you stand with him.”

His experience is invaluable, but it’s his dedication to the team, commitment to quality work and personality that make him irreplaceable.  You always know where you stand with Steve.

“I love working at Prairie Construction, this is a just a great group of hard-working guys,” said Steve. “You don’t see younger guys going into construction like they used too, and that’s too bad because this is a great career!”

Thank you, Steve for 30 years of dedicated service to Prairie Construction!

Posted on By Julie Swartz Categories Company News

Putting the Finishing Touches on our Office Remodel

We are excited to share an update on the remodel of the Prairie Construction offices. We are almost finished!

At the beginning of the year, we turned the tables on ourselves and became our own clients. We worked with many of our trusted partners to design an updated, efficient space for our team. We could not be happier with the results!

We would like to specifically thank some of our trusted partners who helped with our remodel project:

  • Avant Architects – Sara Jansen was instrumental is this project from start to finish. She understood what we wanted, and her vision and determination were invaluable on this project. Hannah Wignall, an interior designer, helped us choose colors, finishes, and furniture for the office, and she was extremely helpful. We look forward to working with Sara and Hannah and the Avant team on future (and current!) projects.
  • Quality Glass – The glass features have taken this remodel up a notch and the results are more than we could have imagined. Kevin Kuta and his team were easy to work with and we love the open, modern feel that the glass walls provide.
  • Universal Flooring – Flooring throughout the office was updated in the project, and we are thrilled with the clean, modern feel. We want to give a special thanks to Tim Flynn for all his help!
  • Signworks Inc. – Gaby Ryan and her team designed the interior sign in the lobby – and it has exceeded our expectations! The brushed medal sign is a focal piece and we are proud of how it represents our business!
  • Renze – Stephanie Magers and the Renze team designed and created a wall feature that you have to see to believe! The vinyl outline of the state of Nebraska and each county spans two entire walls in the lobby and makes a strong statement about our commitment to our roots and our community.
  • Block Electrical – we have worked with Steve Block and the Block team on numerous projects, and enjoyed working with them on our own remodel. The lighting in our newly remodeled conference makes a bold statement – and we love it!
  • Fred’s Heating & Air – An often overlooked, but crucially important, component of any remodel or construction build is the HVAC. Scott Williams and the Fred’s team were great partners to work with!

And we can’t say enough about the resiliency of our own Prairie team, particularly Jen and Cindy who worked through the dust and noise and distractions that come with a project like this, and they never missed a beat. They kept things business-as-usual and we are so grateful for their commitment to our team.

We are putting the final finishing touches on the project, and we can’t wait to invite you to the office to see it when the project is complete.

Posted on By Julie Swartz Categories Company News

Happy Mother’s Day from Prairie Construction

We’ve been celebrating a special day for Moms in the US since 1914 when President Woodrow Wilson signed a bill designating the second Sunday of May as Mother’s Day.

The celebration of Mother’s Day can be traced back to 16th century England when “Mothering Sunday” was designated as a day for families to gather together to celebrate mothers and families.

These are unusual times, but looking forward to Mother’s Day helps things feel a little more “normal”. Now more than ever, the focus is on family – whether we are staying home together, or missing time spent with family.

Moms cherish time spent with loved ones more than anything. Whether it’s together, or through video and Facetime, help the Moms in your life connect with family this Mother’s Day. Show her how much you appreciate her love and support, especially during these challenging times.

All of us at Prairie Construction join you in honoring mothers everywhere, and thanking them for nurturing our families and bettering our community.

Posted on By Julie Swartz Categories Company News

Do You Know the History of May Day?

May Day is the first day of May!

May Day is marked by maypoles and baskets of treats and flowers left anonymously on porches. Small gestures to celebrate the arrival of Spring!

But did you know May Day is significant for another reason? The history dates back to 1886 when thousands of American workers demonstrated in support of an 8-hour workday, and in 1889, the International Socialist Conference declared May 1 to be International Workers’ Day, an international holiday for labor.

In 1958, President Eisenhower signed a resolution naming May 1 “Loyalty Day” – declaring it a “special day for the reaffirmation of loyalty to the United States of America and for the recognition of the heritage of American freedom.”

On this May Day, and every day, we celebrate the hard-working members of the Prairie Construction team. While the coronavirus crisis has impacted all of us, and our community has been sheltering in place for several weeks, our crews have continued working hard and keeping projects moving forward.

With gratitude to everyone on the Prairie team, our vendors, clients and partners, we wish you all a Happy May Day!

Posted on By Julie Swartz Categories Company News

Update from Prairie Construction

The threat of the coronavirus has impacted all of our lives and each of us has had to make adjustments to how we live, learn and work. These certainly are interesting times!

We want to assure you that the Prairie Construction team is here for you. As we continue to work on projects, the health and safety of our clients and our crew members is our top priority. We are carefully following safety guidelines outlined by the CDC and the US Department of Labor and we will continue to monitor the changing situation carefully.

We are committed to providing the same quality service that you have come to know and trust from Prairie Construction. We are working closely with our partners and suppliers to keep projects on track and we

We continue to schedule projects and are busy preparing for spring and summer construction projects. Contact us today to discuss your construction projects.

Take care and stay well!

Posted on By Julie Swartz Categories Company News, Industry News

Spring is Coming – Time to Plan Your Projects!

The groundhog did not see his shadow – that means an early Spring!

We’ve had a mild Winter, especially compared to last year when we had record snow amounts, and it felt like it would never end! But we have already experienced mild temps, making us think that Spring is just around the corner.

If you are considering a construction project for this Spring or Summer, don’t put off planning – Spring will in fact be here before you know it! Everyone wants to take advantage of nicer weather and plan projects for the Spring and Summer, and schedules fill up quickly – so don’t put off planning your projects!

The Prairie Construction team has some tips to consider when choosing the right construction company, no matter how big or small your project is:

  • Choose a company that has experience with projects similar to yours
  • Make sure the company is reliable and has a good rating with the Better Business Bureau
  • Referrals matter, so ask trusted sources for recommendations
  • Work with a company that has a good understanding of architectural design
  • A good construction company will manage the project from start to finish, eliminating the need for you to find subcontractors
  • Trust your gut – you should feel good about the project manager you are working with!

The Prairie Construction is looking forward to the end of Winter and a busy construction season!

Posted on By Julie Swartz Categories Company News

Progress on Our Office Renovation

Last week we showed you an update of our office renovation project – the demolition!

This week, we have another update – the progress!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Drywall is going up, lighting is being installed, and soon glass walls and fixtures will be put into place, followed by paint and the finishing touches!

We have learned a lot being on this end of a renovation project – and we have a whole new appreciation for our clients as you attempt to maintain operations throughout a construction project!

As many of our clients do, we made the decision to continue working in our office throughout the renovation. Construction projects are messy and loud and disruptive, and our staff has displayed amazing patience and dedication throughout the project. We appreciate their commitment to maintaining operations throughout this process.

We can’t wait to show you the finished project in a few weeks!

 

Posted on By JM Online Categories Company News

Happy Holidays from the Prairie Construction Team

All of us at Prairie Construction want to wish each of you the very best of the holiday season, and thank you for a wonderful 2019!

We appreciate all of the subcontractors and partners that we are fortunate to work with every day. Thank you for your shared commitment to providing excellent service to each of our clients.

Thank you to our amazing team of dedicated professionals. We appreciate your dedication and loyalty, and your commitment to serving our clients with professionalism and excellence.

And a huge thank you to each of our clients. Thank you for trusting our team with your construction needs. Your referrals mean so much to us, and it is our pleasure to serve you and help you make your construction dreams a reality.

2020 is going to be a great year for us. We will welcome a newly renovated space, begin many exciting projects, and continue to serve our loyal customers with the highest quality service.

We wish you warmth and joy in this Holiday season, and health, happiness and prosperity in the New Year. Happy Holidays from all of us at Prairie Construction!

Posted on By Julie Swartz Categories Company News

A Renovation of Our Own at Prairie Construction

The Prairie Construction team is excited to announce the launch one of our most exciting projects of the year – our own!

Prairie Construction was founded in 1989 and we are celebrating our 30th anniversary this year. What better way to mark the occasion than by treating ourselves as the client and launching a major office renovation!

Our offices are located near 133rd & B St. in southwest Omaha. Over the years, styles and trends have changed. We have helped design and build attractive, efficient spaces to meet our clients needs, and now it is time to do it for our own company!

The project will include a complete update and renovation of our existing office space. The front entryway will be modern and inviting. The offices and conference room space will be redesigned with collaboration and efficiency in mind, and will be a reflection of our style and craftsmanship. Our overall look and color scheme will be updated to reflect our progressive and innovative style.

This project gives us an opportunity to work with many of the partners we typically collaborate with on projects, but this time as the client. For example, Signworks of Omaha will create new exterior signage for the updated storefront.

Demolition has already begun and we expect the project to be completed at the end of January. We will share updates throughout the project to showing you the finished project soon!