News
ICA Selected for FDIC Expansion
Itasca Construction Associates has been selected for the FDIC Office Expansion in Downers Grove. Construction will begin immediately and occupancy is expected in early July.
Mount Prospect True Value Now Open For Business
True Value Company opened its newest store at 1490 South Elmhurst Road in Mount Prospect today. ICA completed the design, permit acquisition and construction of the nearly 13,000 s.f. retail area in less than three monthes. Harris Architects provided architectural design services.
True Value Company is one of the world’s largest retailer-owned hardware cooperatives with sales of $2.0 billion in 2008. The True Value cooperative includes approximately 5,000 independent retailer locations worldwide operating under the store identities of True Value, Grand Rental Station, Taylor Rental, Party Central, Home & Garden Showplace and Induserve Supply.
Itasca Construction Associates is a commercial design-build general contractor focused on developing practical, efficient and economical design solutions and highly professional and service-oriented construction delivery methods for its industrial, municipal, retail, medical and institutional clients throughout the Chicago metropolitan area.
Fresenius awards ICA contract for Elgin Clinic
Itasca Construction Associates was recently awarded a contract for the interior improvements for a 13-chair outpatient dialysis clinic in Elgin. Fresenius Medical Care selected ICA based on their long-term history, relevant medical facility construction experience, aggressive pricing and other successfully completed Fresenius projects.
Itasca Construction Associates is a commercial design-build general contractor focused on developing practical, efficient and economical design solutions and highly professional and service-oriented construction delivery methods for its industrial, municipal, retail, medical and institutional clients throughout the Chicago metropolitan area.
ICA selected for True Value's Mount Prospect Retail Store
True Value Company has selected Itasca Construction Associates for the design and construction of their new retail store tenant improvement project in Mount Prospect. Demolition and construction will begin in mid January, and the store will be open early in the second quarter of 2010.
True Value Company is one of the world’s largest retailer-owned hardware cooperatives with sales of $2.0 billion in 2008. The True Value cooperative includes approximately 5,000 independent retailer locations worldwide operating under the store identities of True Value, Grand Rental Station, Taylor Rental, Party Central, Home & Garden Showplace and Induserve Supply.
Itasca Construction Associates is a commercial design-build general contractor focused on developing practical, efficient and economical design solutions and highly professional and service-oriented construction delivery methods for its industrial, municipal, retail, medical and institutional clients throughout the Chicago metropolitan area.
Green Associates at ICA
Brian Smith and Phil VanDuyne, Itasca Construction Associates partners, recently passed the Green Building Certification Institute’s LEED® Green Associate credentialing exam. A LEED® Green Associate possesses the knowledge and has the skill to understand and support green design, construction, and operations.
The LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings.
Itasca Construction Associates is a commercial design-build general contractor focused on developing practical, efficient and economical design solutions and highly professional and service-oriented construction delivery methods for its industrial, municipal, retail, medical and institutional clients throughout the Chicago metropolitan area.
ICA Completes Evergreen Park Dialysis Clinic
Itasca Construction Associates has completed a dialysis clinic renovation project for Fresenius Medical Care in Evergreen Park, IL. The project included new finishes, millwork, mechanical, plumbing and electrical improvements. David Crane was the project manager and Craig Van Duyne was the field superintendent for ICA.
ICA Earns Trade Ally Status
Itasca Construction has recently acquired Trade Ally status with both the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and Commonwealth Edison. Trade Ally status allows us to better provide our customers the assistance they may need to benefit from energy efficiency rebate programs now available to both the public and private sector.
Itasca Construction Associates Awarded Another Fresenius Dialysis Clinic
Itasca Construction Associates was awarded their 3rd project from Fresenius Medical Care, a national health care organization specializing in the treatment of dialysis patients. This highly specialized facility, located in Aurora, includes medical equipment process piping systems for reverse osmosis water and concentrates.
New Lyons Municipal Center Opened
Several hundred residents got their first view of the new Lyons Municipal Center and Police Department on Friday and Saturday. On Saturday, local Boy Scouts and Veterans raised the flag and led the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance. Mayor David Visk, along with several trustees and village staff, cut the ribbon and opened the doors to the new facility.
The site selection process and facility design began nearly three years ago. Gillfilan Callahan Nelson Architects designed the building and Itasca Construction Associates, Inc. performed as the at-risk construction manager. The project was completed ahead of schedule and within the original budget. The new facility replaces the existing 100-year old building. 
Mark Galioto acquires LEED AP designation.
Mark Galioto, Itasca Construction Associates partner, is now a LEED Accredited Professional (LEED AP). Mark passed the exam developed and administered by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) and possesses the knowledge and skills necessary to participate in the design process, to support and encourage integrated design, and to streamline the application and certification process. The exam was launched in 2001 to recognize, through accreditation, individuals’ understanding of green building practices and principles, and familiarity with LEED requirements, resources, and processes.
Itasca Construction Associates is a commercial design-build general contractor focusing on design-build solutions for owner occupied industrial, municipal, retail, medical and institutional facilities throughout the Chicago metropolitan area. ICA represents the owner for 6 key service areas beginning with feasibility and ending with successful occupancy.
Before you build or renovate - 6 common misconceptions
You’re thinking about building—or renovating or remodeling—for your business. Perhaps you’re growing and need more room, or different, more expansive utilities. Or a new business contract requires adding equipment or facilities.
Because it’s one of the biggest projects you’ll ever undertake—and because the decisions you make early on will have the biggest impact on the success of the project—you want the entire process to go as smoothly and efficiently as possible right from the beginning. Mistakes made early in the process will cost you much more down the road.
Mistaken ideas can lead to trouble
So if you plan on building or renovating your office, medical or commercial/industrial facilities, consider these common misconceptions.
- Start with the drawings.
Not advisable. The first step is not, as many people think, hiring an architect to draw your dream. Pre-planning your vision for the project as a whole is the first step, and you need to do several critical things before you get to the drawing stage. - Select your site using the services of an experienced real estate broker.
A good thing, but not enough. While a real estate broker can tell you about available sites and negotiate a price, these are only two parts of the vital site-selection step. If completed without enough information—for example, results of environmental and subsurface investigations testing for material suitability—serious problems can be overlooked and result in significant project cost overruns later. - Count on an architect to conform to your budget.
Not usually. Architects specialize in designing facilities that satisfy their clients’ visions while demonstrating their own unique solutions. Though they should be made aware of the budget, most don’t commit to managing the design as it relates to cost. In the most successful scenarios, the contractor works closely with the architect—a collaboration that results in what’s known as a “design-build” project. - Depend on in-house staff to manage the process for you.
Even if you have this capability, how will your staff find the extra time to manage your project? Unless you’re building frequently, you probably aren’t dealing with current codes, regulations and products—and may not be aware of the liabilities and risks you assume by acting as general contractor.
- Expect that any recognized contracting company will complete the project on deadline.
Not reliably. Just as with costs, time overruns are frequent in commercial construction. And while challenges do happen, not every construction team has the experience and the subcontractor relationships to overcome them gracefully while relentlessly meeting deadlines. - Count on being finished once your project is completed.
With the right team, yes. In some cases projects are completed in full, and you’ll never have to worry about what went on. But it’s not uncommon for owners to face nagging continuing issues such as open permits, unresolved billing disputes, construction defects, consequences of poor site selection, and more.
What to do instead
Given these potential pitfalls, you ask, what does a successful process look like? The graph below shows a simple pictorial representation of the ideal process. It’s called Design-Build and tends to eliminate the potential for problems like those described above.
Practical example
When a client decided to move from his leased space to his own facility, he asked us to review the feasibility of his ideas. On learning about his preferred location, we suggested completing several soil borings. We agreed to coordinate the testing and analyze the cost implications of the findings. Although the cost of the property appeared very reasonable, we explained that the test results showed he would have incurred a significant cost to remove and replace unsuitable material before he could build. As a result, he kept looking and soon found a site better for his intended use.
Traditional process offers less owner control
With the traditional Design-Bid-Build approach, where costs accrue as work is done, most people feel they will have good control. However, at each step costs can unexpectedly escalate, timelines can expand, and accountabilities can slip. As the owner of the project, you have little control of the final numbers and will be financially responsible for any and all of these concerns along the way.
Design-Build empowers owners
With the right team using the Design-Build approach, you work upfront to produce a plan with all phases accounted for and total costs guaranteed not to exceed the estimate. From pre-construction site selection, environmental studies, plat and zoning reviews, permit acquisition and more, through to the design and construction process, you can relax. The right design-build construction team minimizes stress for you—because you made the high-level decisions early on that serve as the team’s guidelines throughout the project.
“The Design-Build process facilitates getting your project done within the cap—more on-time and on budget, with fewer headaches. It’s a clever, valuable, and expeditious way of doing business,” said Rob Burns, Roselle Public Works.
To avoid the 6 misconceptions, get better-built structures, protect your legal and financial interests, and get your business up and running in the new building in the shortest possible time—use a team of design-build experts.
Phil Van Duyne
Itasca Construction Associates, Inc.
Experienced. Accountable. Ethical.
Design-Build experts specializing in value-based commercial construction
300 Park Boulevard, Suite 305W
Itasca, IL 60143
Phone: 630.773.6700