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Photography by Dilip Vishwanat
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the naked frame of a house under construction
10 of the Area's Most Sought After Builders:
Amherst Corp.
6611 Clayton, 314-862-9399
Owner: Chuck Schagrin
In business since: 1987
Specialize in: custom homes (3,000 to 15,000 square feet) and renovations
New homes built last year: 1.
Renovations: 4
Cost per square foot: $250 to $600
Once upon a time, Chuck Schagrin designed corporate towers of steel and glass in Chicago. They were big. They were bold. They were cold and impersonal, too. In search of the intimate builder/customer relationship afforded by new home construction, Schagrin came south to St. Louis and founded Amherst Corp. in 1987. He's kept the business small and personal, completing fewer than 10 projects most years. Of course, when you're talking about homes that could range in price from $800,000 to $5 million, that's not exactly a slacker's schedule. "It's not a numbers game for us," Schagrin says. "If I went the large-volume route, I wouldn't have this close contact with the client."
Boa Construction
8417 Chapin Industrial, 314-524-0203
Website: www.boaconstruction.com
President: Bill Croghan
In business since: 1982
Specialize in: custom homes (7,000 to 10,000 square feet), additions and remodels
New homes built last year: 2.
Renovations/additions: 25+
Cost per square foot: $225 to $500
By all accounts, 1982 was a tough time to start a remodeling business. The economy was still dragging its feet, and home improvement fell just above "install gold toilet seats" on the average homeowner's to-do list. Determined to find the platinum lining in the clouds of a bad fiscal climate, Bill Croghan and his then-partner decided they'd find more remodeling work in the affluent neighborhoods—where expendable income was in greater supply. "We went door to door, we handed out fliers," Croghan says. "We'd knock on the door and give a little speech." It worked. Today, Boa Construction is building high-end additions—and now homes—throughout the central corridor.
Hayden Homes
7 The Pines, 314-434-5820
Website: www.haydenhomes.com
President: Dennis Hayden
In business since: 1977
Specialize in: move-up homes (2,400 to 7,000 square feet homes), condos (2,200 to 5,000 square feet) Number of homes/condos built last year: 52
Cost per square foot: N/A. Units range from $320,000 to $2 million
Higginbotham Bros. Inc.
11042 Manchester, 314-993-0079
Owners: Kent Higginbotham, Bruce Korn
In business since: 1945
Specialize in: custom homes (4,500 to 12,000 square feet) and renovations
New homes built last year: 2.
Renovations: 4 to 6
Cost per square foot: $300 and up
Higginbotham Brothers is a family business, but that's not why Kent Higginbotham took over the operation—after seven years in the Navy, he just wanted a steady job on dry land. Of course, the daily variety of building homes was attractive, too, so in the late '90s, he and partner Bruce Korn bought the company that Higginbotham's family founded after World War II and set out to strengthen its reputation as a custom builder in Ladue. That has meant meeting sometimes-lofty expectations. "Some people want the best, and some people want even better than that," he says. "Some people want next-to-perfect."
Johnson Development Co.
11330 Olive, 314-995-9001
Owners: Terry and Roger Johnson
In business since: 1972
Specialize in: new home construction (5,500 to 12,000 square feet), some additions and renovations
New homes built last year: 6.
Renovations: 2 to 3
Cost per square foot: $225 to $400
Pinnacle Development Co.
12444 Powerscourt, 314-862-0030
Website: www.pinnacledevelopmentco.com
President: Kevin McGinnis
In business since: 1986
Specialize in: custom homes (5,000 square feet) and renovations (5,000 to 10,000 square feet)
New homes built last year: 4.
Renovations: 1
Cost per square foot: $200 and up
McMillan Construction Group
2541 S. Big Bend, 314-644-3101
Website: www.mcgbuild.com
Owner: Steve McMillan
In business since: 1996
Specialize in: additions and renovations, some new home construction (as high as 12,000 square feet)
New homes built last year: 1.
Renovations: 30 to 35
Cost per square foot: $200 to $500
Steve McMillan founded McMillan Construction Group with Bob Czerniewski and a third partner 10 years ago with the expectation of selling his stake in the company in five. That didn't happen; with business growing by 20 percent to 30 percent each year, he wasn't quite ready to give up on a good thing. He and Czerniewski bought out their other partner instead, and they've been growing steadily since. Last year they did $6.2 million in renovation and new construction work. "It used to be that a job of $300,000 was, like, 'Wow,'" McMillan says. "Now they're in the neighborhood of $900,000 and $1.5 million." Talk about a desirable neighborhood.
Norbert Markway Construction Co.
3223 Sutton, 314-645-4226
President: Jeff Markway
In business since: 1949
Specialize in: renovations (4,000 to 5,000 square feet), some new home construction
New homes built last year: 1.
Renovations: 20 to 30
Cost per square foot: $300 to $600
You might call Jeff Markway a builder, but he thinks of himself and his brothers, Bert and Mick, as something, well, greener. For more than 50 years, the company their father founded has been renovating and restoring historical homes in places such as Kirkwood and Ladue, but it's not about just updating the wiring or installing Viking ranges. "It's about staying true to the original architecture," Markway says. And that's something he'll go to extreme lengths to accomplish. To restore a 1927 home built by architect Henry Wright, the company had to track down a specific type of limestone in South Carolina and special slate from Vermont. "I like to think of it as recycling," he says. "It's our expertise."
S. W. Scheipeter Construction
8045 Big Bend, 314-962-7073
Website: www.scheipeter.com
President: Steve Scheipeter
In business since: 2000
Specialize in: remodeling and some custom homes (5,000 to 8,000 square feet)
New homes built last year: 1.
Remodels: 9
Cost per square foot: $185 to $250
Terra Nova Construction
121 Caravel, 636-391-6359
Owner: Mike White
Website: www.terranovabuilds.com
In business since: 1999
Specialize in: custom new homes and renovations (2,500 to 5,000 square feet)
New homes built last year: 2.
Renovations: 10
Cost per square foot: $150 to $250
The Area's 10 Largest Builders
McBride & Son Homes
1 McBride & Son Center Drive, 636-537-2000
Website: www.mcbridehomes.com
President: John Eilerman
In business since: 1946
2003 company-wide revenue: $364.5 million
Specialize in: wide variety in location and style
Number of homes built last year: 2,000
Price range: $110,000-$600,000
Though founded here, McBride has expanded to Atlanta, Louisville and Kansas City. But size is not necessarily what sets McBride apart. "We're unique in that we have repeat homebuyers," explains the president, John Eilerman, "because we're able to provide housing for people at any stage of their life." That means condos, single-family homes, luxury homes, villa homes, neo-traditional homes, row homes and cottage homes. They also build over a wide geographical spread, from St. Louis city to O'Fallon. Currently, Eilerman says, they're "focusing on retiring baby boomers—like everyone else—and what they want is low-maintenance housing." And convenience; he adds that he sees development continuing west, "because as long as you have highway access, you don't really need to be near a city center."
The Jones Co. (Centex)
16640 Chesterfield Grove, 636-537-7000
Website: www.centexhomes.com
President: Ken Stricker
In business since: 1927
2003 company-wide revenue: $7.2 billion
Specialize in: townhomes, single-family homes, luxury villas
Number of homes built last year: 1,000
Price range: $130,000-$750,000
The Jones Co. was acquired by Centex, a national homebuilder, in 2003, but President Ken Stricker has been with the company since '94. When the company was bought out, the goal was to leverage local talent with a corporate budget, allowing it to expand while staying sensitive to the local market. (That's why they kept the old name.) Currently, Stricker says, the market is demanding less square footage and more luxury. "I'm not saying the big-box thing is over," he says cautiously, "but we're definitely moving towards more of a jewel box concept, with more specialty features, gingerbread and 360-degree architecture, where you can't ignore the sides and the back of the house—they have to be as good-looking as the front."
Whittaker Builders
355-A Mid-Rivers Mall Drive, 636-970-1511
Website: www.whittakerhomes.com
President: Greg Whittaker
In business since: 1977
2003 company-wide revenue: $107 million
Specialize in: New Urban and amenity-driven developments (i.e., golf course communities)
Number of homes built last year: 535
Price range: $100,000-$800,000
Whittaker made its name building communities centered around golf courses, theme pools and walking trails. Now, it's on the radar for a very different reason: New Town. The New Urbanist development is modeled on older urban neighborhoods, emphasizing classic architecture, density, small businesses and pedestrian-friendly streets. President Greg Whittaker says his company has plans for further New Urban and urban development, including new infill homes in St. Charles city. "St. Louis is pretty traditional," Whittaker says, "and New Urbanism isn't really a big trend here right now, but it will be—it's moving in from both coasts. I think in the future, lots of people will be looking for more traditional neighborhoods."
Taylor-Morley Homes
17107 Chesterfield Airport Road, 314-434-9000
Website: www.taylormorley.com
CEO: Bill Taylor
In business since: 1954
2003 company-wide revenue: $100.3 million
Specialize in: niche infill, first-time homebuyers, assistance and one stop shopping for floorplans, carpet, moldings, etc.
Number of homes built last year: 350-400
Price range: $90,000-$900,000
Taylor-Morley president Bill Taylor rides Harleys. Not what you'd expect from the president of a huge homebuilding company, but Taylor says the fearless embrace of creativity is what gives his company an edge. Taylor-Morley's Design Gallery allows potential homebuyers to view CAD drawings and pick out paint, floorcoverings and finishes, all in one place. Lately, the company has been focusing intently on what Taylor calls "curb appeal." "People are wanting more of the old urban look," he says. "It's just warmer. What's making that possible is that technological advances in building have offset the cost of creating that old look. In fact, that's allowing builders to free-flow into all kinds of new looks."
Mayer Homes
755 S. New Ballas, 314-997-2300
Website: www.mayerhomes.com
President: J. Randall Mayer
In business since: 1979
2003 company-wide revenue: $99 million
Specialize in: upscale homes
Number of homes built last year: 320
Price range: $190,000-$900,000
"I think a lot of people are looking for big, open, second-floor activity rooms—a place where the family can congregate," says Harry Freeman, vice-president of Mayer Homes. "We're not so much like the East or West Coast, where you have a lot of empty nesters in little stucco houses. People want good-sized brick houses with bonus rooms, nicely sized bedrooms and walk-in closets." Freeman says that, though the Metro East and infill developments have definitely increased in popularity, he doesn't see an end to continued western development. "You'll see it, south of 40, in towns like New Melle," he says. "The problem is that right now, those little towns don't have the infrastructure to support that development. But as soon as that's in place, it will happen."
American Heritage Homes
1395 Dougherty Ferry, 314-821-8175
Website: www.amhhomes.com
President: Michael Whalen
Number of years in the business: 4
2003 company-wide revenue: $78 million
Specialize in: move-in ready homes
Number of homes built last year: 250
Price range: $130,000–$450,000
Fischer & Frichtel
695 Trade Center, 314-576-0500
Website: www.fischerandfrichtel.com
President: John W. Fischer
Number of years in the business: 61
2003 company-wide revenue: $75 million
Specialize in: luxury homes, condominiums
Number of homes built last year: 300
Price range: $130,000-$1 million
Lawless Homes
298 Vance, 636-225-9880
Website: www.lawlesshomes.com
President: Michael Lawless
Number of years in the business: 16
2003 company-wide revenue: $60 million
Specialize in: everything from condos in low $100,000s to custom homes
Number of homes built last year: mid-100s
Price range: $120,000–$2.6 million
T.R. Hughes, Inc.
239 Fox Hill, St. Charles, 636-940-9300
Website: www.trhughes.com
President: Thomas Hughes
Number of years in the business: 11
2003 company-wide revenue: $56.5 million
Specialize in: single-family homes, villas
Number of homes built last year: 312
Price range: $160,000–$600,000
Greater Missouri Builders
1551 Wall, St. Charles, 636-946-1341
Website: www.greatermissouribuilders.com
President: Dan Barnard
Number of years in the business: 38
2003 company-wide revenue: $57.5 million
Specialize in: villas, townhomes, condominiums
Number of homes built last year: about 140
Price range: $130,000-$450,000
By Matthew Halverson and Stefene Russell
