J. Walters’ portfolio includes shopping centers, office buildings, warehouses, restaurants, gas stations, car washes, banks and auto parts stores.

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While most of its competitors have shut down due to the slow economy, J. Walters Construction Co. Inc. remains optimistic. In fact, the Kansas City, Kan.-based commercial contractor is taking advantage of the slow period to improve its employees’ skills. “Because of the slowdown, we have more time to make sure our employees are getting proper training,” President Darin Walters says.

“We have time to find some people that we want to grow with and devote some time to train them, as opposed to just hitting the ground running and throwing them in the middle of a project. We try to see the positive out of every situation. We honestly think that in six months to a year, we’ll be through this [slow] period of the economy.”

J. Walters’ portfolio includes shopping centers, office buildings, warehouses, restaurants, gas stations, car washes, banks and auto parts stores. In addition, the company has an affiliated firm, Mutual Development, which develops and manages commercial properties. Between its two offices in Kansas City and Phoenix, Ariz., the company is licensed to work in and has completed projects in more than 30 states.

Commitment to excellence is what the company does best, it notes. “We believe that on-time delivery of the highest-quality projects for the best value is only part of the equation,” J. Walters explains. “The experience of the construction process is just as important as the results. We create positive, memorable experiences and lasting relationships because our actions are guided by our core values.”

Establishing Relationships
J. Walters boasts nearly 80 percent repeat business. The company’s recurring clients include Walgreens, Firestone and K-Mart Corp.; it has completed more than 200 projects each for the last two customers.

Walters says a personal commitment to each project has contributed to the company’s success. “We take ownership of every project,” he stresses. “We treat [projects] as if we own them. We go the extra step for our clients. We don’t tell them, ‘Hey, that’s your responsibility.’” He adds that J. Walters goes as far as attending planning commission meetings on behalf of its clients to get projects approved.

J. Walters also establishes camaraderie with local communities. For example, when it was working on Soft Mountain Crossing – a 25-acre retail center in Phoenix – the company introduced itself to the residents living near the development. By doing so, it encourages community support and gives locals a sense of involvement, Walters says.

Phase one construction at Soft Moun­tain Crossing was completed last spring. The $16 million project is now partially open, with another 80,000 square feet of development set to start September.

The company also value-engineers its projects. “We make sure owners are getting quality products at a reasonable price,” Walters continues. “Owners appreciate that and they call [us] again for their next project.”

A Stable Market
The South and Southwest regions promise a stable commercial market, Walters notes. “[Projects are] just taking a while to get started [because] banks are getting tighter and tenants are in a waiting mode to see what the economy does,” he states.

In fact, J. Walters is excited to undertake its biggest project to date. Set to start this winter, the company will work on a 40-acre mixed-use development in Goodyear, Ariz.

According to Walters, it will consist of two hotels, two low-rise offices, seven condo/office buildings, retail spaces and four pad sites, totaling more than 450,000 square feet.

“J. Walters is partnering with the developer and design consultants, providing feedback and direction to the design of the site and buildings,” Walters explains. “We evaluate the impacts and advise what types of materials and systems are the most efficient. We have attended several meetings with city staff and the consultants to resolve issues with both city approvals and design features.     

“The training that we have been undergoing is focused on the needs of this and other projects. Our focus is to ensure the development will use quality construction and stay on schedule and within budget.”

Key Values
Brothers Joe and Dale Walters founded the company in 1987 after working for their father’s company, Phillips Construc­tion, one of the biggest national retail construction companies at the time, Darin Walters says. Walters joined the company 11 years ago. “Steeped in a half-century of employee experience, J. Walters uses innovative construction methods and problem-solving approaches to respond uniquely and specifically to each customer’s needs,” the company says. “We are a forward-thinking company with a solid background of proven performance and experience. We turn bricks and mortar into visions realized.”

Walters says he would like to see the company grow at a controllable pace. Personal commitment is its No. 1 priority, however. “I would like to see us develop a few more relationships with new clients and strengthen our relationships with our existing clients,” he states. “We can do that through honesty and integrity. That is a rare commodity in this business and we try to do everything with these values in mind.”