Killian Western completed a $130 million project in Glendale, Ariz., which kicked off its expansion into the western U.S. market.

Premier Business Partners:

All Things Metal

Three years ago, Killian Western received an offer to construct a $130 million design/build project for developer and repeat client John Q. Hammons. Before construction began, owner Bill Killian offered Vice President Ron Barrett the opportunity to turn the company’s project office in Glendale, Ariz., into a full-time division. “He gave me the option to run this job and open a new office,” Barrett explains. “I accepted and relocated our family here on that concept.”

The company completed the project in 2007, which encompassed the 320,000-square-foot Renaissance Hotel, the 88,000-square-foot Glendale Convention Center, a 65,000-square-foot media center, and a 940-stall parking garage. Since then, the company has focused on marketing itself in its new region, although it has performed projects in Los Angeles and San Diego.

“We are trying to get the word out about the way we do business,” Barrett says.     It is marketing itself to local architects, engineering firms and developers.

“We’re a 100 percent negotiated general contractor and truly believe we have superior delivery systems [better] than the traditional design/bid/build programs.”

For example, he says, in the past, many developers believed that waiting until the entire project was designed with a full set of CDs in hand was the most economical way to price a project. Over the last 10 years, The Killian Group established an initial schematic budget based on the pro-forma or financial package the developer has secured and then assist the design group to curtail the project to meet the owner’s needs from a quality, longevity and performance perspective, Barrett explains.

The new division also showcases previous projects and client testimonials. “We like to put our best foot forward,” he stresses. “We like to talk about our delivery system and our ability to continue being on the cutting-edge.

“By cutting edge, I mean that we can take the vision of a client, work with the local jurisdiction to immediately start construction without a completed design in place and continue construction until the final design catches up. It eliminates many months of review and approvals.”

‘Super Fast Track’
The project was unique because the Glendale Convention Center, media center and parking garage – from design to construction – was completed in seven months. “It was on the super fast track,” Barrett says. The hotel was finished in October 2007.

He says the company has completed several projects of this magnitude, but never so quickly. The project had to be completed before the 2007 Fiesta Bowl and Bowl Championship Series title game, both of which took place in January 2007 at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, he explains.

Butler, Rosenbury and Partners, a Springfield, Mo.-based architectural and engineering design firm, worked with the Arizona division on this project.

The firm had worked previously with Killian’s Springfield office on several projects, Barrett says. “We had to design on the fly,” he explains. “We would design this in packages as we built. It is hard to believe another architect could have maintained the pace we worked at and still deliver the quality of documents they did.”

The project was completed on time, and the company was able to save the owner $1 million by eliminating costs such as overtime and additional manpower. “We used a design/assist program with the mechanical contractor that eliminated a lot of time,” he explains. “We saved on the cost of the equipment by changing the design of the mechanical system.”

For example, the company eliminated traditional chillers, pumps and piping that required a tremendous amount of labor and replaced it with a Chill Pak Unit, which incorporates all of those products into one package.

“We literally unloaded it, wired it, made a few small connections and turned it on,” he says.  
    
Focused on the West
The Arizona division, like Killian’s four other offices around the country, focuses on hospitality, entertainment and retail projects, Barrett says. Its objective is to give its client base the opportunity to expand its operations to the southwest and western Rocky Mountain region.         

“We will continue to pursue the same projects, as well as clients that share our same philosophy of construction projects,” he adds, which is quality, open communication and alternate delivery systems.  

Killian’s main strengths are its commitment to the client and its ability to deliver quality projects. “Our ability to meet deadlines is unsurpassed,” he says. “In my 15 years with the firm, I’m unaware of any penalties or liquidated damages on a project.”
    
Top Safety Record
Killian’s commitment to safety is another company strength. “We have a partnership program with OSHA,” Barrett says.

Project superintendents are required to complete 10 hours of OSHA training and a yearly safety program, as well as attend workshops concerning specific safety training for topics such as forklifts, elevators and excavation.