Delivering excellence for D.R. Horton’s Nebraska Headquarters.
It began as a smelly, former dog kennel, but with a little elbow grease, fresh design and quality construction work, it morphed into a beautiful and functional space for D.R. Horton’s Nebraska headquarters. It’s been about six months since the D.R. Horton team moved in so let’s reflect on how the process went.
The Project Specs
This was a 20,000 SF renovation of an existing commercial space located at 168th and Blondo Streets in Omaha, Neb. that was formerly home to the Paw Spa Pet Resort. It was transformed into office and cubicle space for departments including the design and construction group, mortgage, accounting, marketing and support staff.
The space includes six mid-sized conference rooms and a 1,500 SF training center, as well as an open reception area, breakroom and restrooms, storage and multiple work areas.
Building for a Builder
As America’s homebuilder, D.R. Horton has built over 1M homes across the U.S. since 1978. They know a thing or two about building quality homes. But commercial construction is a different beast. So, they needed to find a contractor they could trust to do the job as if they were doing it themselves. Enter Ronco Construction and the project team of Mark Lawlor, Steve King and Ceri Klopp.
“Being in the construction business myself, it wasn’t easy handing over the reins to another construction company to build out our office,” explains Aaron Moulton, City Manager for D.R. Horton Nebraska. “The [Ronco] team was outstanding on this project, taking what was once a smelly dog kennel, and transforming it into our beautiful new Nebraska headquarters. The space has turned out great, but it was the process that really put the team in a different league.”
According to Moulton, the project team set the benchmark for this project. Each person brought special skill sets that stood out and made all the difference. Lawlor, the project manager, is “Mr. Follow Through” who has mastered the art of GSD, but still brings a level of calmness (even in crunch time). As superintendent, King was the glue that held everything together and is the definition of hardworking — from his dedication to the job and respect for the trades, he was willing to go the extra mile. And Klopp, used her superpower of organization to keep everyone in check, informed and in order.
Delivering Excellence
Regardless of size, construction projects can always have their fair share of changes and challenges. But the D.R. Horton project team approached the project head-on with a dedication to excellence that ensured the tenant improvement would be a success. From overcoming the lingering odors of the former kennel to ensuring effective communication at every step, Lawlor, King and Klopp worked diligently to meet and exceed expectations.
“This project was successful because of our commitment to constant communication, teamwork, and meticulous planning,” Lawlor explains. “This project is a perfect example of how we can deliver outstanding results through collaboration and expertise. It also helped that ownership was always available when needed, and accommodating as we worked through the minor issues that came up.”
Projects like these are always rewarding and truly showcase how the strength of collaboration, planning and dedication to quality construction can make all the difference.
