Brinkman Construction Completes Authentix Greeley
Brinkman Construction is pleased to announce the successful completion of a new multi-family property in Greeley, CO. Authentix Greeley includes 20 buildings totaling 270,520 SF and features a clubhouse, pool, 24 detached garage stalls, a maintenance building, a trash/recycling enclosure, and mail kiosk. This new apartment community brings 288 units to the Greeley market.
Jim Ciesla, President and CEO of Brinkman Construction, expressed his excitement about the project: "We are proud to have been a part of this project, which is our third with Continental Properties. They are aligned with our goal of creating environments that enhance individual lives and communities."
This project highlights Brinkman Construction’s commitment to enhancing the Greeley community through top-quality living solutions. This project, our first Authentix product, sets a new benchmark for multi-family communities, providing residents with an unparalleled living experience.
Brinkman Construction Completes Lariat, a Multi-family Development in Greeley
Brinkman Construction is pleased to announce the successful completion of Lariat. This multi-family community includes 304 apartment units spread across eight apartment buildings and two townhome buildings. The 329,000 SF property includes studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and three-bedroom units. The townhome buildings include both two- and three-bedroom townhomes.
A 7,000-square-foot clubhouse and a mix of parking options are among the many onsite and unit amenities.
Jim Ciesla, President & CEO of Brinkman Construction, expressed his enthusiasm about the project. "We're thrilled to be part of this groundbreaking project. Our mission has always been to create spaces that enhance people's lives and communities. Lariat embodies that spirit," said Ciesla. "We are proud to showcase our expertise and commitment in partnership with McWhinney and Studio PBA."
This project highlights Brinkman Construction’s commitment to enhancing the Greeley community through top-quality living solutions. This project will set a new benchmark for multi-family communities, providing residents with an unparalleled living experience.
Brinkman Construction Breaks Ground on 7001 Colorado
7001 Prospect, a 92-unit affordable housing development, has broken ground in Commerce City. It is set to address the growing demand for affordable housing in Adams County, and features five three-story buildings, comprised of 12-24 units per building, with the majority of homes having three- and four-bedroom configurations. It is located near I-76, I-225 and Highway 85, and adjacent to the 72nd and Colorado Transit Station, which will provide accessibility and convenience for residents.
The property will feature a BBQ grilling area, community room, fitness center, and playground, amplifying the impact of creating accessible, quality living spaces for working families in Adams County. This project aligns with the company's mission to meet the demand for affordable housing and enhance the overall quality of life for the surrounding communities.
The construction of this project is being brought to life by Brinkman Construction and marks the general contractor’s second collaboration with Prospect Properties, LLC, in the Colorado Front Range.
Jim Ciesla, President & CEO of Brinkman Construction, shared his enthusiasm about the project. “We're thrilled to kick off the groundbreaking at 7001 Colorado and provide future affordable housing solutions for Commerce City residents. We have a solid partnership with Prospect Properties, and look forward to creating another community with their team. Together, we look forward to laying the foundation for a thriving and accessible affordable housing community in Commerce City."
This project will be completed in the Spring of 2025.
About Brinkman Construction
With offices in Fort Collins and Denver, Brinkman Construction is a 100% employee-owned commercial contractor that provides a tailored approach for every client. Since its founding in 2005, the company has been committed to delivering an elevated level of service to partners across diverse industries, including multi-family, healthcare, hospitality, office, industrial, and restaurant/brewery.
Learn more about Brinkman Construction at www.brinkmanconstruction.com.
About Prospect Properties, LLC
Prospect is a Denver-based, multi-family housing development firm. Their expertise spans across various facets of multi-family housing, including luxury rentals, for-sale condominiums, and affordable rentals. Prospect strives to create quality living environments for our residents and successful real estate investments for our partners and principals.
Learn more about Prospect Properties, LLC at http://prospectprop.com.
Driven to Build Women in Construction
The first week in March is National Women in Construction Week sponsored by the National Association of Women in Construction. In addition to providing an opportunity to celebrate the powerful impact our women leaders have in our industry, National Women in Construction Week also helps to raise awareness of the many career opportunities available to women in this field.
At Brinkman Construction, women are leading our organization from every department, from accounting to field operations. Here's what they had to say about their roles and career paths in this industry:
What do you love about your job?
Barb (Senior Project Coordinator): "I love working in the construction industry. It is challenging at times, but also very interesting and fun! I truly learn something new every day. The relationships are what I value the most - we are one big family and we all find a way to stay connected and work together for the betterment of the company."
What inspired you to pursue a career in the construction industry?
Paulina (Field Coordinator): "I wasn’t looking for a career in the construction industry, the construction industry found me. What I love about the field is that it is ever-changing and dynamic. I am constantly learning and am very lucky to have landed at Brinkman Construction."
What do you love about working in construction?
Jessie (Project Manager): "I have always loved the creative process of building and problem-solving. Creating something where nothing was before you started is so much fun! Additionally, there's nothing better than driving by a project that you have helped build and the satisfaction that comes from that experience."
How did you get into the construction industry?
Aubry (Project Executive): "I started pursuing engineering, but was drawn to how tangible and dynamic the construction industry is. During the course of a project, we interact and coordinate so many different disciplines between development, architecture, engineering, and the trades. At the end of each project, we have the opportunity to witness how the work we have accomplished will impact a neighborhood."
How did you get into the construction industry?
Gail (Senior Project Accountant): "My aunt worked for a larger contractor for 30+ years and helped get me my first job as a runner for a smaller contractor in Fort Collins. From there, I moved to accounting at the same company and stayed for 16 years. I have now been with Brinkman Construction for more than 7 years and I love being a part of the project, from loading the budgets to seeing the finished product!
What inspired you to pursue a career in the construction industry?
Alaina (Operations Support Manager): "I kind of fell into the construction industry. My degree is in Restaurant and Resort Management, but I quickly discovered that I didn’t want to stay in the hospitality industry. So, I took a job working in the accounting dept for a large general contractor in Albuquerque and have been in the construction industry ever since!"
Shifting The Traditional Budgeting Process in Multi-Family Construction
In today’s competitive multi-family market, speed to market is critical for developers and contractors. A seemingly small delay can ultimately push a project’s timeline out of the desired leasing season and send everyone back to the drawing board. One of the biggest factors that can derail a project is the necessity for redesign and even though this has tremendous negative impact on the success of a project, we still see this happening time and time again.
The traditional budgeting process is largely reactionary. As a general contractor, more often than not, we’re approached to provide budgeting when design has already progressed. Although this is the norm, we encourage a different approach that doesn’t get the cart too far in front of the horse. Developing budgets earlier on the front end allows owners to communicate their non-negotiables and programming requirements, while getting the most value out of their partnership with the general contractor by drawing on their expertise of the market trends and costs.
Make sure you’re comparing apples to apples
It’s not uncommon for developers to generate the pro forma for a new multi-family community utilizing data that was compiled from a similar project. This typically includes applying past metrics to a new geographic area, different construction type, decreased density, or completely different market audience. In these cases, design decisions have already been made before we’re engaged to provide budgeting services and significant modifications must be made to the program for the project to be financially viable. We’ve partnered with clients to change the size of the units, add density, and modify large amenity programming components in order to bring a project into the right ballpark. These changes can have a significant impact on the overall vision for the project and returns for investors.
Dive into the details early
Although it may sound counter-intuitive, it’s crucial to delve into the details before they’ve even been pulled into the design. In fact, our preferred method is to engage with clients before they even start the design process to talk through the vision for the project. Through a collaborative working session, we aim to understand a client’s expectations, goals, and must-haves. We analyze their target market, target rent rates, and many other data points so we can help them make proactive design decisions. Knowing the owner’s expectations on quality, how they envision the façade, what the site conditions are, what construction type they’re targeting, and even down to the details of their desired window and interior finishes, helps us hone in on a budget they can trust.
We’ve found that this mitigates the likelihood of losing crucial time going back to the drawing board. For some developers, big design changes trigger changes to the pro forma that then need to be approved by an investment committee before moving forward. The timeline grows exponentially with every decision. This can be minimized if the design is based on the budget that was developed out of the original vision alignment conversation. This also allows the developer to take advantage of and apply the contractor’s knowledge throughout the entire process.
Contractors inform, not control, design
Every project is different and there’s no one-size-fits-all estimate. Our goal is to understand the differentiators of each project so we can complete an intensive budgeting effort that owners can use to inform their design. This process shouldn’t be misunderstood as the contractor controlling the design – it’s quite the opposite. This process allows the owner to collaborate with the architect to achieve their desired design with the most accurate budgeting data available. In contrast, waiting to engage contractors until after drawings have reached a progressed state often results in significant value engineering efforts that can negatively impact the overall vision of the project.