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| Masonry and Construction Co. | |
|---|---|
| Name | Masonry and Construction Co. |
| Type | Private |
| Industry | Construction |
| Founded | 1978 |
| Founder | John H. Reynolds |
| Headquarters | Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Key people | Laura M. Ortega (CEO), David K. Patel (CFO) |
| Num employees | 1,200 (2024) |
| Revenue | $420 million (2023) |
Masonry and Construction Co. is a regional heavy civil and commercial contractor known for masonry, concrete, restoration, and design-build work across the Midwestern United States. The firm operates in urban redevelopment and infrastructure programs, often partnering with municipal authorities, transit agencies, and private developers on complex projects requiring historic preservation and structural rehabilitation.
Founded in 1978 by John H. Reynolds amid postindustrial redevelopment in Chicago, the firm emerged during a period marked by partnerships among municipal agencies such as the Chicago Transit Authority, redevelopment authorities like the Chicago Development Authority, and financial institutions including the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. Early contracts included contract work for the Illinois Department of Transportation and restoration of landmark buildings near the Willis Tower and the Chicago Loop. During the 1980s and 1990s the company expanded into projects with clients such as the Metra (commuter railroad), the City of Evanston, Illinois, and corporate developers with ties to the Skidmore, Owings & Merrill portfolios. In the 2000s, strategic partnerships with firms like AECOM and Jacobs Engineering Group supported bids on transit, stadium, and university projects associated with institutions such as the University of Illinois Chicago', the Northwestern University medical campus, and municipal courthouse work for counties including Cook County, Illinois. Leadership transitions in 2012 brought Laura M. Ortega into executive management, aligning the company with modern compliance regimes from agencies like the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and standards from bodies including the American Concrete Institute and the Historic Preservation Council of Illinois.
Masonry and Construction Co. provides masonry restoration, cast-in-place and precast concrete, structural steel erection, waterproofing, and façade rehabilitation for clients such as municipal transit authorities, university facilities offices, and corporate real estate divisions. The company delivers design-build services collaborating with architecture firms like Perkins+Will, Gensler, and HOK while interfacing with engineering firms including Thornton Tomasetti and Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates. Specialty services include historic masonry conservation aligned with guidelines from the National Park Service and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, seismic retrofit work referenced to codes by the International Code Council and laboratory testing protocols from the American Society for Testing and Materials.
Major projects include façade restoration at an Art Deco federal building adjacent to the Daley Plaza, adaptive reuse and structural reinforcement for a landmark warehouse in the Fulton Market District, and concrete remediation on transit infrastructure for the Chicago Transit Authority Blue Line. Other prominent engagements encompassed masonry rehabilitation for collegiate buildings at Northwestern University, plaza and streetscape work for the Chicago Riverwalk extension, and a post-tensioned concrete parking structure for a development by Related Midwest. The firm also performed specialty conservation for churches listed on the National Register of Historic Places and collaborated on courthouse modernization projects in partnership with firms advising the Illinois Supreme Court facilities program.
The company is privately held with a corporate governance structure featuring a board of directors drawn from the construction, finance, and legal sectors, including executives with backgrounds at firms like Turner Construction Company and investment professionals formerly of Goldman Sachs. Ownership is concentrated among founding-family stakeholders and a small group of private-equity partners with ties to regional investment firms and pension plan advisors such as those advising the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund. Executive leadership coordinates operations across divisions based in regional offices serving the Great Lakes market and works with outside counsel and lobbyists experienced before the Illinois General Assembly on procurement and public-private partnership legislation.
Masonry and Construction Co. maintains certifications and quality systems aligned with industry standards, holding ISO registrations and safety programs meeting Occupational Safety and Health Administration directives and training recognized by the National Safety Council. The company participates in accreditation and training through trade groups such as the Masonry Institute of America, the Associated General Contractors of America, and the Brick Industry Association, and implements quality assurance informed by guidelines from the American Concrete Institute, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and vendor partners including LafargeHolcim and CEMEX.
Environmental efforts emphasize adaptive reuse, brownfield remediation collaborations with state agencies like the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, and material recycling programs in partnership with regional waste authorities and nonprofit groups such as the Chicago Green Corps. Community initiatives include workforce development and apprenticeship programs run with trade unions including the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers and local workforce boards connected to the Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership, plus pro bono historic preservation support for community organizations and cultural institutions like the Art Institute of Chicago and neighborhood preservation societies.
The firm has received awards and recognition from bodies such as the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Chicago, the Chicago Building Congress, and state preservation organizations including the Landmarks Illinois for exemplary restoration and urban revitalization work. Project-specific honors include engineering and masonry awards from the American Society of Civil Engineers regional chapters, safety accolades from the National Safety Council, and construction excellence citations by the Associated General Contractors of America.
Category:Construction companies of the United States Category:Companies based in Chicago