BUILDING Northern Nevada

PUBLISHED BY THE NORTHERN NEVADA BUSINESS WEEKLY SPRING 2016

BUILDINGNorthern Nevada

INSIDE

❖ Green construction

❖ Story continues for Rancharrah

❖ Construction on LogistiCenter

underway

❖ New staffing agency to supply

construction workforce

Rancharrah

10Q&D Construction

13 13

features

Q&D has worked in over 95 airports including the Reno-Tahoe International Airport.

< PHOTO BY JEFF DOW

Reno Land Development Company has plans for 611 homes, recreational and business amenties in Rancharrah.

2 ❖ BUILDING NORTHERN NEVADA SPRING 2016 Northern Nevada Business Weekly ❖ 3

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Builders turning to green construction 4Ryder homes takes a modern approach 6United Construction building relationships 8Trillium providing construction workforce 12Q & A with Melissa Caron 14LogistiCenter construction update 15

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Rancharrah

10Q&D Construction

13 13Q&D has worked in over 95 airports including the Reno-Tahoe International Airport.

Reno Land Development Company has plans for 611 homes, recreational and business amenties in Rancharrah.



PHOTO BY SALLY ROBERTS

Builders turn to GREEN CONSTRUCTION

W ith boosts from government, the construction industry and public awareness, construc-tion projects are increasingly

making environmental sustainability an im-portant element.

Reno’s Di Loreto Homes in 2012 became the first developer in the state to receive green certification through the National Association of Home Builders. It now has 147 silver-certified homes.

“Di Loreto has always worked hard to find the latest and greatest in the industry,” said Teresa N. Di Loreto, whose father and uncle started the company nearly 40 years ago.

When Di Loreto began investigating what it takes to become certified, she discovered they were already doing

things that “fed into the program.”“It goes beyond saying a home is

energy efficient.”Certification begins with site design

and includes efficiencies in use of resources, water and energy, plus the quality of the indoor environment, and resources needed for maintenance.

All front yards in Di Loreto homes use xeric landscape designs, which are then maintained

by the homeowners association.“Our consumers are sophisticated,” she

said. “They’re asking those questions (about environmental features). People don’t want to see water running down the street.

“As consumers become more educated on the possibilities, homebuyers are asking for high-efficiency homes. As there is greater awareness, there are more requests.”

Di Loreto said that the majority of homebuilders now use some green features, but not all pursue certification.

Commercial construction is also getting greener.

In 2015, the silver state ranked sixth in the nation for LEED green building, according to U.S. Green Building Council, a nonprofit organization that certifies construction and remodels for environmental features.

LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. USGBC rates build-ings as Certified, Silver, Gold or Platinum based on points earned for energy and water savings, and other environmentally friendly features.

In its state rankings, USGBC looked at square footage of LEED certified buildings per capita.

The La Casita development of Di Loreto Homes uses xeriscape landscaping in all its front yards to substantially reduce water use and maintenance.

Nevada is turning green.

By Sally [email protected]

Las Vegas carried the state in green construction, largely because of Levi’s 1 million square foot distribution center, according to Shawn Kish, the USGBC’s Nevada board president. It’s the first building of that size in the world to re-ceive platinum certification, he said.

The Levi center includes a highly reflective roof, which reduces the need for air conditioning under Las Vegas’ scorching sun, and LED lighting. Own-ers swapped caustic cleaning supplies for safer products, and replaced standard landscaping with native plants, reducing irrigation by 90 percent.

The company will see “water and en-ergy savings of $60,000 per year for 10 years,” Kish said.

Although Las Vegas dominates the LEED certification stats by sheer size, expect to see more northern Nevada LEED-certified buildings come online in the next few years.

Notable USGBC certified projects in the north in 2015 included Project Wild Horse; Valley Road Apartments; and two buildings that are part of the Veterans Administration Nevada Health Care System.

United Construction, just one com-mercial contractor using green construc-tion methods, has more than 700,000 square feet of USGBC Gold and Silver LEED-certified buildings in the area, in-cluding its headquarters on Mill Street.

The Gold-certified office includes lighting control systems to reduce energy

Closed drains to prevent splash and runoff are one green feature of Di

Loreto Homes.




Builders turn to GREEN CONSTRUCTIONby the homeowners association.

“Our consumers are sophisticated,” she said. “They’re asking those questions (about environmental features). People don’t want to see water running down the street.

“As consumers become more educated on the possibilities, homebuyers are asking for high-efficiency homes. As there is greater awareness, there are more requests.”

Di Loreto said that the majority of homebuilders now use some green features, but not all pursue certification.

Commercial construction is also getting greener.

In 2015, the silver state ranked sixth in the nation for LEED green building, according to U.S. Green Building Council, a nonprofit organization that certifies construction and remodels for environmental features.

LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. USGBC rates build-ings as Certified, Silver, Gold or Platinum based on points earned for energy and water savings, and other environmentally friendly features.

In its state rankings, USGBC looked at square footage of LEED certified buildings per capita.

The La Casita development of Di Loreto Homes uses xeriscape landscaping in all its front yards to substantially reduce water use and maintenance.

Las Vegas carried the state in green construction, largely because of Levi’s 1 million square foot distribution center, according to Shawn Kish, the USGBC’s Nevada board president. It’s the first building of that size in the world to re-ceive platinum certification, he said.

The Levi center includes a highly reflective roof, which reduces the need for air conditioning under Las Vegas’ scorching sun, and LED lighting. Own-ers swapped caustic cleaning supplies for safer products, and replaced standard landscaping with native plants, reducing irrigation by 90 percent.

The company will see “water and en-ergy savings of $60,000 per year for 10 years,” Kish said.

Although Las Vegas dominates the LEED certification stats by sheer size, expect to see more northern Nevada LEED-certified buildings come online in the next few years.

Notable USGBC certified projects in the north in 2015 included Project Wild Horse; Valley Road Apartments; and two buildings that are part of the Veterans Administration Nevada Health Care System.

United Construction, just one com-mercial contractor using green construc-tion methods, has more than 700,000 square feet of USGBC Gold and Silver LEED-certified buildings in the area, in-cluding its headquarters on Mill Street.

The Gold-certified office includes lighting control systems to reduce energy

use and recycled, local sourced, building materi-als to minimize gas consumption. Each work station features a window and roller shades so each employ-ee can control lighting.

Increasingly, developers see the advantages of including green features for government incentives, employee and client satisfaction and also for costs.

The cost of green construction is be-coming more cost effective. USGBC‘s Kish compared it to the cost of flat screen TV’s, which were cost prohibi-tive 10 years ago. Now most people can afford them.

As the price of green construction comes down, “it behooves contractors, architects, builders to include it in their designs,” Kish said

“As more building architects, builders and contractors become familiar with LEED building, they choose a higher lev-el than the law requires,” he said.

The City of Reno is increasing its emphasis on sustainability, including construction practices.

Last year, Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve and the city council members signed the Compact of Mayors, an international initiative on sustainability.

“The City of Reno is making great strides in the area of sustainability,” said Reno City Council member David Bob-zien, whose environmental efforts were recognized Feb. 4 with the 2016 North-ern Nevada Leadership award from the Nevada US Green Building Council.

The Compact of Mayors “is a global coalition of mayors and city officials who are pledging to reduce local greenhouse gas emissions, enhance resilience to climate change, and track progress trans-parently,” he said. “Our commitment to the Compact of Mayors includes a green-house gas inventory, risk assessment, and

development of a Climate and Resilience Action Plan.”

To steer the city toward its environ-mental goals, Lynne Barker was brought on board as the city’s sustainability manger.

Barker has 20-years experience in ur-ban sustainability and has worked with the U.S. Green Building Council.

“Forty percent of greenhouse gases are due to the built environment,” Barker said.

There are 46 LEED certified buildings in northern Nevada, she said. During the recession, construction was at a stand-still and only a few buildings have been certified each year since then. Of the 30 LEED buildings certified in 2015, only four were in northern Nevada.

“We’re trying to expand green building in our market. We’re forming a working group of industry leaders to develop a strategic plan to expand the market and to reflect specific needs and challenges.”

“There’s a perception that LEED buildings cost more,” Barker said. “Davis Langdon (An AECOM Company) studies found no significant increase in the cost of LEED building. We need to get that information out.”

Efforts to educate the construction industry include training, help designing projects, and technical assistance.

“We want to highlight and showcase leaders (in green building),” she said. “It’s the early adopters in a sector that can initiate change.”

The goal is to make Reno, and the en-tire region more sustainable. v

Closed drains to prevent splash and runoff are one green feature of Di

Loreto Homes.

United Construction’s main office on Mill Street is LEED Gold-certified by US Green Building Council.


PHOTO COURTESY UNITED CONSTRUCTION


Ryder Homes takes modern approach in homebuilding

A sign of how busy Ryder Homes is in northern Nevada: 13 homes in its new Ventana community in Sparks sold before the first model home

was even completed.Ventana, with its modern approach to interi-

or and exterior architectural design and interior furnishings, is one of five active Ryder projects in Washoe County and represents a new direction for the long time northern Nevada homebuilder.

In addition to Ventana, Ryder continues to build out its Shadow Ridge subdivision in Spanish Springs. It’s also be-gun construction of a large condominium project, Casoleil, off Galleria Parkway, and it’s begun a second phase of the popular Village at Arrowcreek Apartments at the corners of Arrowcreek and Wedge parkways. It’s also working on the second phase of its high-end Mountaingate subdivi-sion, also off Arrowcreek Parkway.

Sales began last summer on the 154-lot Ventana sub-division, and Ryder had closed 22 homes by the end of February.

Project Manager John Schroeder says Ventana’s modern twist on architecture and design — each home has a cov-ered patio, bathrooms have a spa-like feel, and each kitch-en is upgraded and has an island — was created to appeal to new homebuyers coming into the area to support Tesla and the many other companies that have been setting up shop in northern Nevada over the past few years.

New home specialist Nancy Johns says there’s a waiting list of more than 100 people for the community, which is averaging about five starts per month. Square footages range from 1,738 to 2,771 with four single-story floor plans and two, two-story plans. Prices range from $298,000 to $378,000

“Buyers are looking for new and fresh product,” Johns says. “We are definitely different than anyone else in town. We have gotten a lot of positive response that somebody finally is doing something different. People just love open-ness of the floor plans and the covered patios built into the

structure of the homes.” Schroeder expects Ventana to be sold out by the end of

2017, and construction is expected to continue through the first half of 2018.

With just five new starts per month, Ryder continues to take a cautious approach to homebuilding in Ventana and its other communities despite heavy buyer interest throughout the region, says Steve Thomsen, Ryder Homes’ general manager.

“We are a little more conservative,” Thomsen says. “We survived the crash without any issues. We could do more than that, but with the management crew we have and to keep quality up and production going, that is our model.

“We found that trying to do more than that is unreason-able for us,” he adds. “That works, and it’s the most we ever do on any one project.”

With the frothy demand for multifamily units, Ryder is moving quickly to get those projects into play, Thomsen notes. Occupancy at The Village at Arrowcreek is close to 97 percent, and crews are currently grading land for a second phase. Ryder expects to begin framing by the end of March or early April. The Village South project — 243 high-end apartment units spread out over nine buildings with a large clubhouse — is expected to take 24 months to complete.

Casoleil in Sparks, which Ryder picked up midyear 2015, consists of 45 units over nine buildings. Thomsen hopes to have all the buildings completed this year.

Its other projects continue to sell briskly. Ryder expects to close 47 to 53 homes at Shadow Ridge this year, and an additional 30 or so at Mountaingate. Shadow Ridge is mapped for 390 homes, with roughly half already sold,

NNBW [email protected]

Ryder Homes sold 13 homes in its new Ventana community in Sparks before the first model home was completed.

while Mountain-gate is mapped for 90 in addition to 84 homes already erected.

With so much construction going on, Ryder, like other large builders in the area, at times can be hard-pressed for subcontractors. Although workforce remains a pressing issue, Thomsen says there’s a high degree

of loyalty among the company’s subs that helps offset labor shortages.

“We spread it out and don’t hire the same framers and painters,” he says. “We’ve run into the same issues as other (builders), but we have a longer presence in this market, so our subs are pretty loyal. We’ve built in Genoa, Carson City, south Reno, Reno — we have a lot of loyalty from our subcontractors.”

“Buyers are looking for new and fresh product... We have gotten a lot of positive response that somebody finally is doing something different.”

— Nancy Johns, Ryder HomesNew Home Specialist



structure of the homes.” Schroeder expects Ventana to be sold out by the end of

2017, and construction is expected to continue through the first half of 2018.

With just five new starts per month, Ryder continues to take a cautious approach to homebuilding in Ventana and its other communities despite heavy buyer interest throughout the region, says Steve Thomsen, Ryder Homes’ general manager.

“We are a little more conservative,” Thomsen says. “We survived the crash without any issues. We could do more than that, but with the management crew we have and to keep quality up and production going, that is our model.

“We found that trying to do more than that is unreason-able for us,” he adds. “That works, and it’s the most we ever do on any one project.”

With the frothy demand for multifamily units, Ryder is moving quickly to get those projects into play, Thomsen notes. Occupancy at The Village at Arrowcreek is close to 97 percent, and crews are currently grading land for a second phase. Ryder expects to begin framing by the end of March or early April. The Village South project — 243 high-end apartment units spread out over nine buildings with a large clubhouse — is expected to take 24 months to complete.

Casoleil in Sparks, which Ryder picked up midyear 2015, consists of 45 units over nine buildings. Thomsen hopes to have all the buildings completed this year.

Its other projects continue to sell briskly. Ryder expects to close 47 to 53 homes at Shadow Ridge this year, and an additional 30 or so at Mountaingate. Shadow Ridge is mapped for 390 homes, with roughly half already sold,

Ryder Homes sold 13 homes in its new Ventana community in Sparks before the first model home was completed.

while Mountain-gate is mapped for 90 in addition to 84 homes already erected.

With so much construction going on, Ryder, like other large builders in the area, at times can be hard-pressed for subcontractors. Although workforce remains a pressing issue, Thomsen says there’s a high degree

of loyalty among the company’s subs that helps offset labor shortages.

“We spread it out and don’t hire the same framers and painters,” he says. “We’ve run into the same issues as other (builders), but we have a longer presence in this market, so our subs are pretty loyal. We’ve built in Genoa, Carson City, south Reno, Reno — we have a lot of loyalty from our subcontractors.”

Ryder has headquarters offices in northern Nevada as well as Walnut Creek, where it was founded. Currently it’s doing less work in California — Ryder primarily focuses on smaller in-fill projects in California rather than the sprawling subdi-visions and apartment/condo complexes it builds in north-ern Nevada.

Finding skilled project managers and superintendents also continues to be challenging as homebuilding across the re-gion remains strong. Ryder is looking to bring on additional construction management teams as its other projects ramp up to full-scale construction.

“When you have that many projects, it’s hard to find great management,” Thomsen says. “We are stable now, but it could be a problem down the road, and we are actively look-ing to hire.”

So what’s next for Ryder? Although it has enough work in the pipeline to keep busy for several years, Thomsen says Ry-der has additional land holdings in Somersett, south Reno, north Reno and downtown. It’s also looking at other new projects and land holdings in northern Nevada.

“We are focused on everything we have now, but we will we have a future presence too. We will continue to be active in this market,” Thomsen says. v

“Buyers are looking for new and fresh product... We have gotten a lot of positive response that somebody finally is doing something different.”

— Nancy Johns, Ryder HomesNew Home Specialist



United Construction building relationships as well as industrial centers

M ichael Russell, CEO of United Construction, is “bullish” for the future of commercial con-

struction in northern Nevada.“Demand is really strong. I’m very

positive. I’m very bullish on the future,” he said of the area’s post recession growth.

“We had five or six really tough years when not much was being built. Unfor-tunately, we downsized but kept a good core of people so that when recovery did come we could react to our custom-er needs,” Russell said.

“We’ve had two really solid years. We’ve more than doubled our staff in the last two years from 22 to 46; that includes our office in Chicago.”

United Construction specializes in large industrial buildings. Projects

currently under construction in the Truckee Meadows include a 700,000-square-foot building in Lem-mon Valley, which is part of Logisti-Center 365 for Dermody Properties; and 400,000 square feet in Spanish Springs for Seattle-based Avenue 55.

The company recently completed a 400,000-square-foot building in Las Vegas, also with Dermody.

In northern California, Unit-ed Construction is constructing a 750,000-square-foot building in Lathrop for Atlanta-based Seefried Properties.

Founded in 1978 in Reno, where its headquarters remain, United Con-struction is now a national company with an office in Chicago to oversee projects east of the Rockies. Customers include Fortune 500 companies like UPS, Aramark, Merck and Prologis.

“Half to two-thirds of our business is repeat customers,” Russell said. “We’ve

built up a really good core of customers that we deal with on a regular bases. We’re pretty fortunate.

“We still have to compete through the bid process, but the pool is more select. We’re not bidding against 15 contractors, we’re bidding against three or four.”

Business Development Manager Raymond Zavalla’s job is to find com-panies in various industries in need of UC’s construction expertise and lever-age those contacts into construction projects.

“A lot of it is very relationship based,” Zavalla said.

Russell also emphasized the impor-tance of relationships with clients.

“Our real goal, any time we take on a new customer is to over deliver so that we can keep them as a custom-er; not just project by project, but to build a new relationship,” Russell said. “We really try to understand what

United Construction recently completed this distribution center in Tahoe Reno Industrial Center for Eagle Valley.

By Sally [email protected]

the win-win is for their business and support that in how we design a facility for them. That’s our secret sauce to our success.”

Another piece of United Construc-tion’s success is their commitment to the community. Employees volunteer on numerous boards and fundraisers in the community.

“We really share a strong commit-ment to each of the communities we’re in,” Russell said. ‘They’re the ones giving us the business and we want to support the communities.”

Even thought business is good, Rus-sell said he’s still cautious about the financial side. In the post-recession economy, projects receive a lot more scrutiny from lenders.

“I think that will continue to be the case, especially with the turmoil in the equity markets right now,” Russell said.

“We don’t see a lot of real indicators that would show us (northern Nevada) going into a recession, but the volatili-ty of the market has people unnerved. Adjustments in the market are not any-thing new historically, it’s just that it all happened in a 60-day window.”

Stock Market aside, Russell expects construction in the Reno market to stay healthy for at least several more years.

“The influx of new businesses is go-ing to be really good for this area, as all

United Construction is currently working on Dermody Properties’ 700,000 square foot LogistiCenter 395 Phase II, as seen in this aerial photo taken Feb. 16.

PHOTO COURTESY OF UNITED CONSTRUCTION


United Construction building relationships as well as industrial centers

built up a really good core of customers that we deal with on a regular bases. We’re pretty fortunate.

“We still have to compete through the bid process, but the pool is more select. We’re not bidding against 15 contractors, we’re bidding against three or four.”

Business Development Manager Raymond Zavalla’s job is to find com-panies in various industries in need of UC’s construction expertise and lever-age those contacts into construction projects.

“A lot of it is very relationship based,” Zavalla said.

Russell also emphasized the impor-tance of relationships with clients.

“Our real goal, any time we take on a new customer is to over deliver so that we can keep them as a custom-er; not just project by project, but to build a new relationship,” Russell said. “We really try to understand what

United Construction recently completed this distribution center in Tahoe Reno Industrial Center for Eagle Valley.

the win-win is for their business and support that in how we design a facility for them. That’s our secret sauce to our success.”

Another piece of United Construc-tion’s success is their commitment to the community. Employees volunteer on numerous boards and fundraisers in the community.

“We really share a strong commit-ment to each of the communities we’re in,” Russell said. ‘They’re the ones giving us the business and we want to support the communities.”

Even thought business is good, Rus-sell said he’s still cautious about the financial side. In the post-recession economy, projects receive a lot more scrutiny from lenders.

“I think that will continue to be the case, especially with the turmoil in the equity markets right now,” Russell said.

“We don’t see a lot of real indicators that would show us (northern Nevada) going into a recession, but the volatili-ty of the market has people unnerved. Adjustments in the market are not any-thing new historically, it’s just that it all happened in a 60-day window.”

Stock Market aside, Russell expects construction in the Reno market to stay healthy for at least several more years.

“The influx of new businesses is go-ing to be really good for this area, as all

the predictions of growth in popula-tion will help,” said Russell, who sits on the board for the Economic Develop-ment Authority of Western Nevada (EDAWN), the organization at the forefront of bringing new businesses to the area.

The decrease in gas prices is also giv-ing people more discretionary income and they are ready to spend. Compa-nies that supply products that consum-ers want are ready to help them spend.

“The supply chain industry is proba-bly one of our main customers,” Zavalla said. “And they’re always trying to bring a product faster, quicker, cheaper. We will always be involved in that process, in that loop, so to speak” building the type of structure they need to accom-plish that goal.

Russell agreed.“Our prospects

are really pretty strong. The market segments we work in are still pretty strong. Demand is still up,” he said. “Ecommerce busi-nesses and retailers and the consumer

goods companies will still have a very strong market for the time being.”

Zavalla talked about the increasing interest in Reno that he’s finding as he travels.

“Reno’s not a punch line anymore,” he said. “People know about Tahoe Reno Industrial Center; about Switch,” but when it comes to the lifestyle of the area, they’re surprised how close Lake Tahoe is and the many recreational op-portunities residents can enjoy daily.

“It’s definitely out there,” he said. “It’s definitely a change of perception.” v

United Construction is currently working on Dermody Properties’ 700,000 square foot LogistiCenter 395 Phase II, as seen in this aerial photo taken Feb. 16.

United Construction constructs smaller projects as well as mega-warehouses, such at the STEP2 residential facility

currently under construction.





PHOTO COURTESY RENO LAND DEVELOPMENT

For decades, the Harrah estate known as Rancharrah has been a gem in northern Neva-da. Now, the iconic property

enters into its next phase to become a 145-acre master-planned community. The development will be comprised of eight residential villages, a retail center, an office/medical site and a private club center.

According to Chip Bowlby, managing partner of Reno Land Development Company and owner of Rancharrah, the development will be more than just a residential community; it will be a lifestyle community.

The residential villages are planned to have 611 homes, which will be com-prised of single-family detached homes, luxury condos and townhouses. Bowlby anticipates that they will sell from up-wards of $500,000 to $1 million.

They plan to start construction on the infrastructure and streets this com-ing summer and they anticipate that construction on Village 1 and 2 will begin in spring 2017. It will take five to seven years to completely build out Rancharrah.

“We are getting ready to start inter-viewing builders and other developers,” Bowlby said.

The development will also include 105,000 square feet of retail space and 180,000 square feet of office space. Bowlby envisions the retail center as a vibrant shopping center with a wide se-lection of dinning options, retail stores and a farmers market. Bowlby already has 10 restaurants that are interested in space.

“It will be like Southcreek on ste-roids,” Bowlby said.

The Rancharrah mansion and its surrounding area will be converted into a membership club center available for both residents and the public. It will boast tennis courts, swimming pools, an event center and areas for business and club meetings.

Thirty percent of the development will be open space and will have many outdoor amenities such as horseback riding, biking and walking trails. There will also be trails to Bartley Ranch and Huffaker Elementary School.

“We want to maintain the beauty of the propriety and respect the heritage of Rancharrah,” Bowlby said.

Bill Harrah, founder of Harrah’s Ho-tel and Casinos, purchased the prop-erty from Norman Biltz, known as the “Duke of Nevada,” in 1957. Throughout the years, the property has hosted a wide range of celebrities such as Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr. and many others.

Harrah’s son, John Harrah, later acquired the property and built the equestrian center that is there today. When he put the property up for sale in 2014 he wanted to make sure that the developer who purchased the historic site would keep the mansion and the

equestrian center. “It was important for (John Harrah)

to pick the right person and I think he feels that he did,” Bowlby said.

Bowlby was first introduced to the property about five years ago while his daughter Tara, a former Miss Reno Ro-deo and Miss Rodeo Nevada, was com-peting at the equestrian center. Tara mentioned to her dad that the property was for sale and little did Bowlby know that four years later he would own Rancharrah.

“I said that I would never develop in Reno again and that I would never fall in love with a project again,” Bowlby, who has developed properties in Cali-fornia, Nevada and Idaho, said. “Both were a lie.”

Reno Land Development closed the deal for the property in October 2015.

They have already received a lot of in-terest in the residential properties and have had more than 300 inquires about custom-built sites. The developers are planning to open an information center in July 2016 where the public and other developers can get more information.

The information center will also be a tribute to Bill Harrah and display mem-orabilia from the property.

Rancharrah was unanimously ap-proved by the City of Reno Planning

The Rancharrah mansion and its surrounding area will be converted into a membership club center available for both residents and the public.

By Annie [email protected]

Commission and the City Council and Regional Planning and is fully approved for development.

However, the project is not with-out its challenges.

“One of the challenges is to reach the bar that we have set for our-selves,” Bowlby said.

Other challenges that Bowlby identified with the development are the increase in construction costs and the overcrowding and aging infrastructure in the Washoe Coun-ty schools that could deter people from settling in the Reno area.

That aside, Rancharrah is the type of residential community that Reno needs with the anticipated population growth from the new companies and jobs that Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada (EDAWN) are bringing to the region.

“I think that the market is poised for Rancharrah,” Bowlby said. v

The story continues for Rancharrah


PHOTO COURTESY RENO LAND DEVELOPMENT

equestrian center. “It was important for (John Harrah)

to pick the right person and I think he feels that he did,” Bowlby said.

Bowlby was first introduced to the property about five years ago while his daughter Tara, a former Miss Reno Ro-deo and Miss Rodeo Nevada, was com-peting at the equestrian center. Tara mentioned to her dad that the property was for sale and little did Bowlby know that four years later he would own Rancharrah.

“I said that I would never develop in Reno again and that I would never fall in love with a project again,” Bowlby, who has developed properties in Cali-fornia, Nevada and Idaho, said. “Both were a lie.”

Reno Land Development closed the deal for the property in October 2015.

They have already received a lot of in-terest in the residential properties and have had more than 300 inquires about custom-built sites. The developers are planning to open an information center in July 2016 where the public and other developers can get more information.

The information center will also be a tribute to Bill Harrah and display mem-orabilia from the property.

Rancharrah was unanimously ap-proved by the City of Reno Planning

The Rancharrah mansion and its surrounding area will be converted into a membership club center available for both residents and the public.

Reno Land Development provided this conceptual site plan showing plans for 611 homes, tennis courts, swimming pools, event center and areas for business and club meetings. Thirty percent of the development will be open space and will have many

outdoor amenities such as horseback riding, biking and walking trails.

Commission and the City Council and Regional Planning and is fully approved for development.

However, the project is not with-out its challenges.

“One of the challenges is to reach the bar that we have set for our-selves,” Bowlby said.

Other challenges that Bowlby identified with the development are the increase in construction costs and the overcrowding and aging infrastructure in the Washoe Coun-ty schools that could deter people from settling in the Reno area.

That aside, Rancharrah is the type of residential community that Reno needs with the anticipated population growth from the new companies and jobs that Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada (EDAWN) are bringing to the region.

“I think that the market is poised for Rancharrah,” Bowlby said. v


Staffing agency aims to supply construction workforce to region

O ne day, Gary Pepka was looking to improve his employment situation in the construction in-dustry, and answered an ad in the newspaper. But to his astonishment it turned out to be a

position in a construction staffing company, to which he knew virtually nothing about.

“I’ve been in construction in some form or another since 1978, but I didn’t know what construction staffing was,” Pepka said with a chuckle. “But it turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to me.”

Pepka has worked in construction staffing for 13 years now, and a decade for a company in Reno-Sparks.

When Trillium Construction, Inc., a nationwide con-struction staffing agency, pondered entering northern Nevada, they called Pepka to see if he would be interested in heading up the new branch in Reno.

Pepka readily accepted the position and has spent the past few months getting things in order and serving as branch manager. He works alongside another staff member at an office Trillium leased just northwest of Re-no-Tahoe International Airport. The parent company has taken care of all investments necessary to start the branch.

Trillium had previously been conducting business for northern Nevada construction companies from other branches. It finally decided the timing was right to open a branch in the Truckee Meadows, particularly with all the building activity from Tesla, Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center and other parts of the region. With its vast national data-base of 10,000 workers to draw from, Pepka said Trillium would be replenishing a workforce shortage in northern Nevada that’s been drained from the current construction activity.

“The worker pool here in Nevada is drained,” Pepka said. “The main difference with Trillium is since we have branches all over the country we can bring in much-need-ed out-of-state workers. A lot of these guys are family men who will travel from job to job to support those families.”

Pepka also has a strong pool of local tradesmen that he can also draw from if needed.

Trillium can provide non-union skilled tradesmen in areas such as electricians, plumbing or carpentry.

“What Kelly Services is to office staffing, we are for construction staffing,” Pepka said. “When you need a

receptionist you call Kelly. When you need a carpenter you call us.”

Workers interested in applying for Trillium do so through its website at www.trilliumstaffing.com. From there, Pepka says, they go through an intense screening process. Plus they have to adhere to the company’s strin-gent policies on worker safety procedures

“We do a lot of work upfront and ask them a lot of ques-tions,” he said.

Using his experience and contacts in the market, Pepka also has already been reaching out to construction compa-nies to get the word out about Trillium.

“This is the kind of business that you do face-to-face,” he said. “I like to get out there and sit down with people and tell them about us, although I may send out an email or two.”

While he is diligently marketing the branch, he said the main goal is to get some tradesmen working right away and go from there. But he feels the Truckee Meadows is now a viable destination for construction tradesmen.

“A lot of workers are already looking to relocate to Reno,” he said.

Trillium has more the 90 branches nationwide. Its con-struction staffing division is headquartered in Nashville. The division is a part of Trillium Staffing; an agency that provides job placement in 22 different fields, including construction, office professionals and administration. v

By Duane [email protected]

Gary Pepka at Trillium Construction, Inc.

Q&D Construction’s aviation division takes off

F or more than 50 years, Q&D Construction has been building its footprint in northern Nevada. They have three main divisions, the building division, the heavy/civil division, and the aviation

division. In the past couple of years, the aviation division has started to take off.

“We are going into our third year as a division,” Duane Boreham, vice president of the Aviation Division, said.

They have worked with a wide range of airports and airlines including Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority, Chicago Midway Airport, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, Da-vis Flight Support/Woodland Aviation and many more.

The company got their first large aviation project in 2007 when Q&D became the Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) to upgrade the baggage screening and check-in at the Reno-Tahoe International Airport. In 2012, Q&D was the CMAR on the Reno-Tahoe Airport Gateway Project, which improved the airport’s baggage claim, secu-rity and passenger experience.

It is not only their experience that makes Q&D’s aviation division stand out but also the relationship they build with their customers.

Q&D has done several projects with Southwest Airlines and it all started with a single door.

While working on the Reno-Tahoe International Air-port, Southwest needed to replace a door with an esti-

mate cost of $1,000. The Q&D team took the time to look at the project and got a carpenter on the

job. They were able to install a dutch door for Southwest at half the cost of the original

estimate.“Getting to know everyone at Southwest, our company cul-

tures met up really well,” Boreham said.

This small project led to Q&D being se-

lected by South-west to be the

construc-tion


PHOTO BY ANNIE CONWAY

“There are megacompanies that have full on aviation divisions that do a lot of the work in larger airports. They tend to overlook the regional airports.”

— Duane Boreham, Vice President Q & D Construction, Aviation Division


Staffing agency aims to supply construction workforce to region

receptionist you call Kelly. When you need a carpenter you call us.”

Workers interested in applying for Trillium do so through its website at www.trilliumstaffing.com. From there, Pepka says, they go through an intense screening process. Plus they have to adhere to the company’s strin-gent policies on worker safety procedures

“We do a lot of work upfront and ask them a lot of ques-tions,” he said.

Using his experience and contacts in the market, Pepka also has already been reaching out to construction compa-nies to get the word out about Trillium.

“This is the kind of business that you do face-to-face,” he said. “I like to get out there and sit down with people and tell them about us, although I may send out an email or two.”

While he is diligently marketing the branch, he said the main goal is to get some tradesmen working right away and go from there. But he feels the Truckee Meadows is now a viable destination for construction tradesmen.

“A lot of workers are already looking to relocate to Reno,” he said.

Trillium has more the 90 branches nationwide. Its con-struction staffing division is headquartered in Nashville. The division is a part of Trillium Staffing; an agency that provides job placement in 22 different fields, including construction, office professionals and administration. v

Gary Pepka at Trillium Construction, Inc.

Q&D Construction’s aviation division takes off

F or more than 50 years, Q&D Construction has been building its footprint in northern Nevada. They have three main divisions, the building division, the heavy/civil division, and the aviation

division. In the past couple of years, the aviation division has started to take off.

“We are going into our third year as a division,” Duane Boreham, vice president of the Aviation Division, said.

They have worked with a wide range of airports and airlines including Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority, Chicago Midway Airport, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, Da-vis Flight Support/Woodland Aviation and many more.

The company got their first large aviation project in 2007 when Q&D became the Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) to upgrade the baggage screening and check-in at the Reno-Tahoe International Airport. In 2012, Q&D was the CMAR on the Reno-Tahoe Airport Gateway Project, which improved the airport’s baggage claim, secu-rity and passenger experience.

It is not only their experience that makes Q&D’s aviation division stand out but also the relationship they build with their customers.

Q&D has done several projects with Southwest Airlines and it all started with a single door.

While working on the Reno-Tahoe International Air-port, Southwest needed to replace a door with an esti-

mate cost of $1,000. The Q&D team took the time to look at the project and got a carpenter on the

job. They were able to install a dutch door for Southwest at half the cost of the original

estimate.“Getting to know everyone at Southwest, our company cul-

tures met up really well,” Boreham said.

This small project led to Q&D being se-

lected by South-west to be the

construc-tion

company in charge of rebranding their signage in airports across the United States.

Aviation construction requires extensive knowledge of airport regulations and requirements and each airport and state has a different set of regulations that construction companies must comply with. This makes it hard for con-struction companies to break into this aspect of building.

“They are looking for someone who has past experience and that really narrows the field,” Lance Semenko, chief operating officer of Q&D, said.

However, Q&D has found a niche in regional airports. “There are mega companies that have full on aviation

divisions that do a lot of the work in larger airports,” Bore-ham said. “They tend to overlook the regional airports.”

They are currently in the process of constructing a new terminal at the San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport. They are building a two-building 48,500-square-foot ter-minal to replace the existing one. The project is scheduled to be completed in December of this year.

Q&D was founded in 1964. Throughout the years they have worked on a wide range of projects from mining, dental offices, custom homes, retail centers, road construc-tion and more. Their clients have included Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center, the University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada Department of Transportation and Scheels and the City of Reno and many more. v


Q&D got their first large aviation project in 2007 when Q&D became the Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) to upgrade the baggage screening and check-in at the

Reno-Tahoe International Airport.

PHOTO BY VANCE FOX

PHOTO BY ANNIE CONWAY

“There are megacompanies that have full on aviation divisions that do a lot of the work in larger airports. They tend to overlook the regional airports.”

— Duane Boreham, Vice President Q & D Construction, Aviation Division


In her own words: Melissa CaronownerSmith Electric Co.

NNBW: Tell us about your company and the duties of your position.Melissa Caron: We are a Northern Nevada Electrical Con-tractor that performs commercial, industrial, and residential electrical including design build, tenant improvement, and new construction. We have been in business for 39 years and are woman owned!

NNBW: How did you get into this profession? Caron: This was a family business, I’ve been “working” here ever since I could walk/toddle. When the founder decided to retire I took advantage, made the leap, and took over.

NNBW: What do you enjoy most about working in your field. Caron: The fact that I get to see behind the scenes in a multi-tude of different industries, think prisons, hospitals, etc. and don’t work in the same place every day.

NNBW: What is the most challenging part about your job? Caron: Tight deadlines with high risk, for example hospitals, manufacturing, gaming, all of which can’t have equipment fail and when they do it becomes our number one priority to get them back up and running as quickly as possible. The whole time tensions run high on both sides for safety and cost.

NNBW: What advice would you give someone who wants to get into your profession? Caron: Start early and young, Intern over summers while you are still in high school. The best time to learn a trade is when you are full of energy, from there the possibility for expansion,

upward mobility, and earning is essentially limitless.

NNBW: What was the best advice anyone ever gave you? Caron: Your gut instinct is usually right, listen to it.

NNBW: What kind of education do you recommend to get into your field? Caron: GED or high school diploma, work experience is the key in construction labor based trades.

NNBW: Is there one thing that you learned over your career that’s become vitally important in your job? Caron: Relationships and follow through are the most im-portant things to foster.

NNBW: What are your hobbies? How do you spend your time away from work? Caron: Hunting, fishing, and canning fresh veggies.

NNBW: Do you have a favorite vacation spot? Caron: I can’t say just one but Ireland and Scotland are by far my favorite.

NNBW: Is there a place around the world you’ve never been that you would like to visit? Caron: New Zealand, obviously to visit where the Lord of the Rings was filmed!

NNBW: What did you dream of becoming as a kid? Caron: An electrician, no joke. I thought the hard hats, vests, and big trucks were awesome. v

THE BASICSName/title: Melissa Caron, owner Smith Electric Co.

Number of years with company: 14 years

Number of years in the profession: 16 years

Education: Trade Apprenticeship/OJT

Favorite movie: Lord of the Rings

Favorite musical group or genre: Country

Spouse, kids or pets: A spouse and pets — which should

count as kids!


T he economy is strong in northern Nevada. Dermo-dy Properties will develop more than 4 million square

feet in the next three years to meet de-mand for industrial space. Dermody Properties has been a part of building northern Nevada’s industrial land-scape for more than 50 years. Michael C. Dermody, Chairman and CEO, joined the family business in 1976. He has grown Dermody Properties from a local developer to a fully integrat-ed national owner and developer of industrial properties throughout the nation.

LogistiCenterSM at 395 in the North Valleys submarket of Reno is a testament to the increasing ac-tivity of development in the region. The LogistiCenterSM brand from Dermody Properties represents the business philosophy of developing Class A distribution facilities that meet the supply-chain requirements of the most innovative companies.

Dermody Properties delivered two LogistiCenterSM buildings in north-ern Nevada in 2015. The 402,000- and 224,000-square-foot build-ings marked the completion of the LogistiCenterSM at 395, Phase 1 – a three-building industrial park located just off of Highway 395 at Lemmon Valley Drive. The company fully leased the third facility in the park to Amazon.com in 2014.

In December 2015, Dermody Prop-erties broke ground on Phase 2 of Lo-gistiCenterSM at 395, a two-to-three building industrial park that will total more than 1.6 million square feet. A portion of the park’s first facility was pre-leased to Marmot, an outdoor gear company and subsidiary of Jar-den Corporation, prior to the start of construction. The team at Dermody Properties believes the park’s ecom-merce-compliant design, expansion capabilities and superior location, along with Nevada’s pro business environment, will continue to attract companies.

The final building or buildings at LogistiCenterSM at 395 Phase 2 will be either two 425,000-square-foot buildings or a single

900,000-square-foot building. The first tenant will influence Dermo-dy Properties’ decision. All facilities in the park will have 36-foot clear heights, ESFR sprinklers and ample car and trailer parking.

The project is a joint venture devel-opment between Dermody Properties and PCCP, LLC, a premier real estate finance and investment management firm.

Northern Nevada is a hub for ecommerce and distribution compa-nies looking to serve the 11 western states. More than 65 trucking compa-nies are located in northern Nevada and provide the necessary distribu-tion support. Overall, the cost of op-erating a business in Nevada is lower than in neighboring states. Compa-nies benefit from competitive power rates and a favorable tax structure.

We are experiencing a rising tide for industrial real estate and business in the region. Dermody Properties has a long-standing reputation as a best-in-class industrial developer with an impressive roster of quality facilities. Contributing to northern Nevada’s growth and success remains a strong focus for the company. v

By George Condon, Partner, West Region, Dermody Properties

Construction on LogistiCenter well underway PHOTO COURTESY DERMODY PROPERTIES

Dermody Properties broke ground on Phase 2 of the LogistiCenterSM in December 2015. United Construction is currently working on the project as seen in the aerial photos above and on the cover.

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BUILDING Northern Nevada

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