On March 21, 2017, the ribbon was cut on the recently completed Phil B. Curls Manor senior living development. Located at 5150 Mersington Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri, this 54-unit facility was developed by Brinshore Development, and named after Phil B. Curls, a longtime Kansas City civic leader who served in the Missouri General Assembly for more than 25 years.

This new, four-story, 59,000sf facility offers 54 beautiful, spacious apartments providing great views of Brush Creek and the surrounding area. It was constructed with many energy efficient features and provides a community room with a lounge and kitchenette, theater, fitness room, computer lab, off- street parking as well as outside spaces for walking and relaxing.

Kansas City Mayor, Sly James, addressed the large crowd attending and congratulated the development team on a quality addition to the city.

Curls Manor is adjacent to Cleveland Heights townhomes and across the street from Pemberton Park for Grandfamilies, both projects that have been completed by Straub Construction.

David Baalmann and Jason Riordan teamed up as Superintendent and Project Manager for Straub and did an outstanding job. Many in attendance commented on the great experience they had working with David and Jason and the importance of having the right contractor building your project.

“Working with David was a wonderful experience because it felt like he was ahead of the game and that it was a true Owner/Architect/Contractor team. David always came to the table with possible solutions when issues arose and there was a level of trust developed with both Jason and David due to their abilities and willingness to make the project the best it can be.”

Jeff Bone, Landon Bone Baker Architects.

The design team consisted of project architect Landon Bone Baker Architects, civil engineers Taliaferro & Browne, Inc., structural engineers Bob D. Campbell and Company, and mechanical engineers BGR Consulting Engineers.

Straub’s new tenant improvement division, S2, has had a very busy start to 2017 with work on various medical offices, a renovation of a bussing distribution center, and our largest project, UMKC School of Medicine. This project on the fifth floor of the school is located on Hospital Hill at 2411 Holmes Street, Kansas City, MO 64108.

The new 10,000sf space includes interactive student study areas, several kitchenettes for students and faculty, three large conference rooms, and multiple faculty offices. The interior boasts much larger windows and higher ceilings than the rest of the building making for an ideal and well-lit study space.

Rodney Pullen lead the project as our on-site superintendent and wrapped up the project almost a full week ahead of schedule! His fun outlook and great communication skills kept both our subcontractors and UMKC on the same page for the full six months we were on site. All of us here at S 2 are so excited to see the space being utilized by students come this summer!

My name’s Matthew. As the newest member of the Straub team, I thought I’d take a minute to introduce myself.

I joined in March as the marketing coordinator. But the truth is I’m no stranger to Straub Construction. My full name is Matthew Straub, as in son-of-Ernie-Straub.

Back in the early days, my siblings and I also got recruited to be the cleaning crew for my dad. I grew up coming here, treating the office as more of a playground as we cleaned on Saturday mornings.

Now I get the honor of coming here every day. It’s a fun change of pace, seeing familiar faces and Straub employees I’ve known my whole life—getting to call them co-workers.

My role in the company…

I’m getting to know this organization in a new way as I transition into my role as marketing coordinator. It’s really cool, going out to the jobsites and seeing the incredible work our guys are doing. One of the things I’ll get to do in my role is help highlight work on the jobsites. Which means that while I’m out on the sites, I’ve been taking quality photos with our drone, getting a bird’s eye view of each site.

I have a heart for connecting with people. It’s one of the reasons I majored in business management at Benedictine College. After graduating in 2013, I worked as a property manager in the Kansas City area. Managing offices for apartment complexes, I had the opportunity to hone my skills of problem solving, coordinating the needs of residents with the services we provided. I am excited for how these past experiences will help me continue to grow at this people-first organization.

When I’m not at work…

Starting my job at Straub has been a big change, but it’s one of many changes in my life right now. The happiest day of my life was in last October, when I married my best friend and love of my life, Kathleen. We just bought a house in Overland Park, and have been enjoying the process of making the house our own, with a few renovations and repainting. And probably the biggest news is that we’re expecting our first baby in August!

When I’m not at work, I love spending time with Kathleen. Whether it’s watching Netflix together (We’re on our second or third round of watching The Office), hanging out in our backyard (I love to grill almost as much as my dad!), or checking out some of the restaurants in Kansas City (I’m especially a fan of the ones with a wide selection of craft beer).

I also love playing soccer. I’ve been kicking around a soccer ball since I was five and even played in college for two years. My dad was my soccer coach early on. I was often the focus of his frustration during games. Yes, he yelled at me a few times when I was going the wrong direction, but he pushed me to get better and develop a strong work ethic. I just hope he doesn’t yell at me in the office!

What I love about being a part of this team…

Ever since graduation, my dad has hinted that there would be a place for me at Straub Construction. It had always been a possibility in the back of my mind, and when I was looking for a change in jobs, the timing seemed perfect to join at Straub. While I’m grateful for the experience and expertise I’ve gained through the other organizations I’ve worked with, the decision to work here has felt like a good fit from the first day.

There truly is a sense of collaboration and positivity at Straub. I recognize that isn’t always a given in the workplace. I’m excited for the ways I can contribute to the amazing team at Straub Construction as we continue to grow and add to the skyline of Kansas City.

Corrigan Station was honored with a Capstone award last night by the Kansas City Business Journal. Several hundred people turned out at the reception hosted by Populous Architects to recognize the honorees.

One of the tallest buildings in the Crossroads Arts District, the ten story Corrigan building at 1828 Walnut is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places and was initially completed in 1921. The 123,000sf concrete frame building was built by Thomas E. Corrigan, who pioneered a mule drawn streetcar line back in the 1880s because Kansas City’s roads were in such terrible shape. Originally built for the U.S. Post Office, it was also home to the Nelly Don dress manufacturing company, offices for the Veterans Administration and other miscellaneous office and distribution companies over its 95 year life.

Now the completely renovated Corrigan Station is home for Hollis + Miller Architects, Holmes Murphy Insurance, WeWork co-working space and opening soon, Corvino Supper Club and The Roasterie. The Corrigan also features one of the coolest rooftop amenity spaces in the city complete with pool tables.

Past posts about The Corrigan

• Project Update: Corrigan Station Ribbon Cutting
• One of the tallest buildings in the Crossroads District is making a dramatic comeback.

To learn more about the award, please visit the Kansas City Business Journal website.

Congratulations to all the team that made this project happen!

Author: Jason Riordan

University Academy Charter School is on the move! Straub Construction is proud to have recently completed a state of-the-art athletic field and support facilities. Established in 2000, University Academy Charter School provides an outstanding learning experience in the heart of Kansas City, Missouri located at 6801 Holmes and serving approximately 1,000 students in grades K-12.

The new facility includes a multi-sport artificial turf field, press box, scoreboard, two new multipurpose buildings and grandstands with seating for 1,200. The new field will be used for football, track, baseball, soccer, band and PE classes.

Thanks are due to Shirley Helzberg and the University Academy Foundation for making this project possible. The school also received a grant from the NFL that helped bring such a great facility to the surrounding community.

Representing Straub Construction were Jeff Walters, who was the Superintendent and Jason Riordan, the Project Manager.  Serving as Project Architects for Hollis+Miller, were Joe Rathermal and Jeff Schutzler.  Jason Blackburn, Stacy Clapsaddle and Rebecca Barret from Smith and Boucher were the MEP Engineers and Matt Eblen from Shafer, Kline & Warren was the Civil Engineer. Vance Rzepka from VSR Design was in charge of the Athletic Field Design and Landscaping.  Pete Lacy with Lacy & Company served as the Owner’s Representative.

The Owner, Design Team and Straub Construction worked around a number of issues to squeeze this facility onto the existing grounds at the school.  Fortunately, all the hard work paid off and the final product is a beautiful facility that the whole community can be proud of.

“We were extremely pleased with Straub’s performance in constructing the new athletic complex.   This was a very complicated project on a small site with many adjustments needed along the way.  Straub was excellent at managing the typical subcontractors needed for the buildings as well as the specialty subcontractors needed for the field, bleachers and press box.  They got to know University Academy staff and communicated thoroughly to avoid any disruption of operations.  Everyone took pride in their work and the impact it would have on the kids who would use the field.  Straub delivered on the very high expectations set by University Academy and its supporting foundation. “

Peter T. Lacy, President
LACY & COMPANY

In 2013, when we were starting to explore software options for project management, we spent a lot of time discussing and evaluating our processes. Like many mid-sized construction firms, we had used a number of different spreadsheets and tables to track our daily activities.  The goal of using web-based, project management software was to put all of our processes and accountability under one umbrella, with the ability to access it from anywhere as long as we had an internet connection.

ProCore – We Just Knew

It’s kind of like when you’re buying a house… and you’re lucky enough to walk in and just know it’s the one. That’s the same experience we had with ProCore. We believe in their product and use it differently than many of our competitors that also use ProCore.

This past fall, ProCore came to Kansas City to do a promotional video on how we use their product. It not only promotes ProCore but also Straub Construction and our embracing of technology best practices. In an industry that’s struggling to find quality individuals, we feel our relationship with ProCore is allowing us to attract and keep the best and the brightest.

Check out the two minute video and let us know what you think!

Angela Tunnell has been with Straub for 11 years and currently serves in our accounting department.

Originally from Wichita, KS, she has known since junior high school that she wanted to work with numbers. She majored in accounting at Emporia State University.

Angela’s been married to Doug for 22 years. They have 3 children… Jonathan just started an electrical apprenticeship with Heritage Electric, Madison is a Senior at Olathe Northwest, heading to K-State next year and Jackson is a 4^th grader at Cedar Creek Elementary.

When asked what she likes best about being a part of the Straub team Angela said; “I really enjoy my job as Payroll Administrator/ Compliance Coordinator. Everyone feels like family and I love helping them take full advantage of Straub’s great benefits.”

In her spare time, you might find Angela traveling with her family, watching kid’s activities or binge watching shows on Netflix. Her kids even got her hooked on Pokémon GO! Angela’s favorite movies are Top Gun, for the awesome soundtrack, and Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, because it just makes her smile.

Angela brings a positive, can-do attitude to her work and is always willing to help someone.  It’s great to have Angela on our team.

Guest Author: Elliott Heitman

In May of 2016, Straub created a new division to handle specialty projects. Straub Squared, or S2, has been able to service a wide range of clientele and markets, from office tenant improvements to medical practices.

Initially, the team was a one-man show but has quickly grown to a five-person operation. Like any business, the people producing make all the difference, and S2 is no different. Our team is what makes us successful. We feel it’s important to create an environment that not only our employees want to be a part of but our clients as well.

Elliott Heitman

The first time I met Ernie Straub, he mentioned that we need to “Make construction fun, again.” Well, I listened to Mr. Straub, and we strive to do just that with every project.

Construction can be a grind, but we try to bring a unique approach, look at things a little differently, and not take ourselves too seriously. And our clients noticing this has been key to our success. We’ve been lucky to work with great clients as well which also makes a big impact. We recently completed a renovation of the BPU office in Kansas City, Kansas and are excited to be working with UMKC renovating their School of Medicine.

It was 1983. Susan and I weren’t married a year yet and had just bought our first house in Olathe. Most of what filled our rooms in that rental home in Bethany, Missouri were hand-me-down furniture and items we’d found at garage sales. But we had decided to invest in our first new piece of furniture–a table for our breakfast room. We knew we wanted real wood. So we headed to The Unvarnished Truth.

I can remember it like it was yesterday, walking through the aisles of tables and chairs, Susan and I testing chairs and dreaming about our future together.

As someone in the construction business, I have an appreciation for the high-quality finishes that craftsman carpenters have, so when we saw the solid oak table with a sturdy frame and built-in extendable leaves, we were sold.

I should mention, this table didn’t just have one or two leaves. It had four. When fully extended, this table would seat twelve people comfortably. As a young couple, we had hopes for a big family. It may not have been practical at the time, but buying that table was a leap of faith.

A Table Full of Memories

If tables could talk, this one would have plenty to say. It has quite a few dents and dings from hungry children banging on its top. It’s seen its fair share of Straub birthday parties and welcomed numerous guests to our home. It’s held more dishes, anniversary flowers, and homework projects than I can count.

For a while, it even held the petrified remains of green beans. Years after the fact, we discovered that the kids had been stuffing their unwanted vegetables in napkins, discreetly hiding them in the shelves under the table while Susan and I weren’t looking.

Three homes and thirty-four years later, that table remains the unspoken centerpiece of our home; the point of gathering in both the ordinary daily routine and the moments of grand celebration.

Dinner at Dad’s

That breakfast room table took on a new role in our home a few years back. It all started when I had some health complications. An avid golfer at the time, my doctor suggested I get a new hobby. So I turned to cooking. I’ve spent the last few years cultivating my skills in the kitchen.

My masterpieces are in the area of comfort food. I don’t want to brag, but my pulled pork, smoked to perfection atop mashed potatoes, gravy and a crispy sourdough bread will put any Kansas City BBQ joint to shame. And don’t get me started on my Reuben sandwich!

So every Sunday, around 6:30, family and friends gather around that old oak table. All four leaves are needed as dishes are piled on. Without fail, every seat is filled, with kids and grandkids, old friends visiting, and new neighbors invited spur of the moment. I’m usually the last guy to sit down, running around the kitchen, finishing the side dishes and grabbing the butter.

When I take my place at the head of the table, I’m filled with gratitude to be surrounded by all of the best things in life–good people, good food, and good conversation. The grandkids run in and out as the adults linger around the table, swapping stories and helping themselves to seconds and thirds.

The Gift of Hospitality

For me, it’s not about making perfect dishes. It’s not about impressing others with our perfect house. This gathering has become about normal, everyday hospitality. It’s a help-yourself kind of comfortability. It’s about really listening to each other and drawing near as a family and with our friends.

When Susan and I bought that table all those years back, we had no way of knowing what was to come. Our family has been blessed to grow from the two of us to 14 with Grandbaby numbers 3 and 4 on the way. The table has to be covered by a tablecloth these days, the scratches gouges and watermarks, all carry such great memories and we are so looking forward to many more to come!

Kip Gibler is one of our veteran superintendents at Straub Construction having recently completed his 13^th year with us. Originally from Blue Springs, Missouri, Kip now calls Lee’s Summit home with his wife and three kids.

No stranger to large and complex projects, Kip is currently finishing up Liberty at Shoal Creek, a massive 277,000 square foot, 185 unit active senior living community in the Northland.

Kip is a graduate of Kansas State University and has always been interested in construction as a career. He says “I enjoy the process of building and being part of a company that wants to make a difference”.

One co-worker said of Kip, “I can’t stress enough his attention to detail, ability to see ahead, the working relationships he develops with subcontractors and just his flat out ability to get the job done.” Another said, “He’s a straight shooter, if you ask for his opinion, be ready for a thoughtful and truthful answer. He’s quiet but confident, in control and sees the big picture well. Team player.”

In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family, watching his kids play soccer and skiing. A little-known fact about Kip is that he could swim at 3 years of age! His favorite movie is Gladiator, because you “can’t go wrong with Russell Crowe.”

Kip’s favorite quote, “Just when I thought you couldn’t be any dumber, you go and do something to completely redeem yourself”. That’s from Dumb and Dumber by the way…

It’s great to have Kip on our team!