San Jose was once an agricultural center for the Spanish colony of Nueva California, which was later called Alta California. It gave itself the name “Capital of Silicon Valley” in 1988 as part of a publicity campaign. But the name fits: San Jose houses over 6,600 technology companies, including IBM, eBay, Cisco Systems, and Adobe Systems. The rapid growth of the high-technology and electronics industry further accelerated the transition of San Jose from an agricultural center to an urbanized metropolitan area.

The Mediterranean climate is one of the reasons why many people frequently visit San Jose. And it’s why the city has more than 60 plus hotels that accommodate travelers and events of every size and budget. In searching for the top hotel contractors around the area, we took into consideration how the firm is in sync with the affluence and innovation of San Jose. Since the city is considered the biggest recycler amongst the largest cities in the country, we took into consideration the sustainable approaches that each firm implements in their processes. 

We made sure not to overlook the credibility of the founders and current management, the relationships the firm has built with clients and subcontractors, and each firm’s professional associations, awards, and community involvement.

Swenson Builders

777 N. 1st Street, 5th Floor, San Jose, CA 95112

A remarkable achievement for the Marriott Residence Inn & Spring Hill Suites project in San Jose is its dual-branded tag: it was two entirely different hotels in one structure. It now consists of a new seven-story 215,834 square feet concrete tower structure for the hotel and a  72,000 square feet new stand-alone three-story parking structure.

Swenson’s building expertise has been delivering creative designs, quality developments, and efficient construction practices for over a century. It started in 1912 when Carl N. Swenson came from Sweden to California and started the Carl N. Swenson Company. He was able to construct buildings that have contributed to making San Jose the city it is today. Barry Swenson continued this legacy and started Barry Swenson Builder in 1977.

Currently, Swenson continues to expand its portfolio and works on projects including Century Center Towers Apartments, Graduate Student Housing Tower, and Julian & 4th Street Homes. Tradition, innovation, and integrity are what allow Swenson to be one of the top real estate development and construction firms. It does its part as well in community outreach and involvement throughout the Silicon Valley area, focusing on helping local children and those with different abilities.

Webcor

1 Almaden Boulevard Suite 460 San Jose, CA 95113

Jes Pedersen has a degree in Construction Engineering Technologies from Cal Poly Pomona. Jes was once a Project Director for Koll Construction; he later joined Webcor Construction in 2000. He leads the team of Webcor, which is composed of capable industry professionals with decades of experience in their area of specialty and responsibility.

This high-functioning team has brought Webcor multiple awards, including the 2020 National Award of Excellence from Awards Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) and the 2020 Award of Merit in the Cultural/Worship category for the Mexican Museum at 706 Mission. 

They have also achieved Gold LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification for The Grand Hyatt at San Francisco International Airport. This was a ground-up, Type I concrete hotel project that comprises one structure with 12 levels above grade. The amenities of the four-star hotel include more than 14,000-square-feet of flexible meeting space, a 70-seat three-meal restaurant, two bars, a grab-and-go market, Hyatt StayFit Gym, a yoga room, and a massage treatment room.

Webcor’s holistic corporate social responsibility commitment focuses on the people, planet, and performance. Early this 2020, Webcor launched its Corporate Carbon Commitment to track and reduce the embodied carbon footprint of all its projects to proactively address climate change.

Hillhouse Construction

140 Charcot Avenue, San Jose, CA 95131

Hillhouse Construction, established in 1987, was created to provide superior client experiences, bolder plans, and smarter solutions. The firm has partnered with clients, architects, construction managers, and associates to bring the Silicon Valley spirit of innovation to a number of its projects. Included in these partnerships are their associations with prominent organizations such as CoreNet Global, Northern California Carpenters, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), and the Associated General Contractors (AGC) California.

Photographer Lucas Fladzinski. Client Hillhouse Construction and Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose. 43326 Mission Blvd. Fremont, CA 94539

Every team Hillhouse focuses on delivering the most comprehensive value possible and each project they lead is grounded in fundamentals.  A great example is the Dominican Sisters of Mission in Fermont: the plan is a 49,000-square-feet ground-up expansion with a rich patio and garden space that surrounds all wings. It encompasses sustainable building features that allowed it to receive a LEED Gold certification.

Hillhouse incorporates sustainable building materials: it believes that healthy environments are essential. It’s the firm’s goal to educate themselves, continuously, on innovative building practices that will allow them to further their passion. They have reached several important industry milestones: building the First Zero Net Energy (ZNE) commercial office building in the U.S., the First ZNE commercial-spec office building, and the First ZNE commercial building in the City of Mountain View. 

Gilbane Building Company

2033 Gateway Place, Suite 450, San Jose, CA 95110

In conformity with its core value of caring, Gilbane has established an in-house Sustainability Council to promote green construction and business practices. In 2018, 194 Gilbane projects across the nation recycled 79% of project waste for a total of 3,019,382.5 tons of waste diverted from landfills. The firm has worked on six Zero Energy education projects and practices sustainability by diverting construction waste. To date, 320 of its people are LEED Accredited Professionals (AP), supporting its Platinum membership with the USGBC.

Gilbane has partnered with Google and Green Building & Design Magazine on a special collective impact feature in The Most Successful Collaborations for Sustainability in the Built Environment. The firm worked on the Potawatomi Hotel & Casino that received a LEED Gold certification and a HOSPY Award in 2014. Some of its sustainable features are energy-efficient mechanical, electrical, plumbing, lighting systems, and an innovative stormwater management system.

William Gilbane initiated the history of Gilbane in 1870. Presently, Thomas F. Gilbane is the seventh family member to lead one of the oldest family-owned design-build companies in the nation. Thomas has earned a Master of Science degree from MIT in Civil Engineering. He is currently a member of the National Academy of Construction and the Construction Industry Round Table (CIRT). 

Build Group

1210 Coleman Avenue, Santa Clara, CA 95050

Eric co-founded Build Group in 2007 with a mission to gather builders to make a real and definite difference in the communities they build in. Since the establishment of Build Group, it has grown to over 400 employees across the state of California. It is considered one of the fastest-growing private companies and was named by BizJournal as the 19th largest commercial contractor in the Bay Area.

Excellence, character, adaptability, financial responsibility, safety, and quality are the foundation of Build Group. It is committed to improving the quality of life of its team members and to having a positive influence on where it lives and works. The firm gives back by volunteering its time and talent to non-profit building projects and raising charitable gifts for local organizations. 

One of their projects is the four-story structure Park James Hotel in Menlo Park. The $20 million project includes the construction of a 63-room boutique-style hotel with underground parking for 75 cars using car stackers. The structure has 35,000 square feet, a 60-seat restaurant, a full-service bar, and a swimming pool.

Zara, Jimmy Choo, Cotton On & Cotton On Kids, Carolina Herrera, Lexus, and Kate Spade are some of the reputable brands that Build Group has worked with as well.

TEAMWRKX Construction

1855 Park Avenue, San Jose, CA 95126

TEAMWRKX Construction completed $2,200,000 worth of renovation of all 164 suites, executive and conferencing centers, bar and lounge areas, lobbies and common areas, ADA facilitation, interiors, and exteriors, in the Stanford Park Hotel. The renovation included floor coverings, wallpaper, crown moldings, bathroom vanities, and fixtures. TEAMWRKX Construction specializes in building renovations, corporate facilities, and new construction throughout the region. 

Its extensive resume of experience includes services for institutional, commercial, industrial, and public agency clients. In sum, they have already completed more than 5,000 projects. Since 2004, TEAMWRKX Construction is building to a higher standard by giving importance to personal development, professional service, and a commitment to the communities that it serves. The foundation of the firm is its dedicated team of professionals, led by founder Eric Venzon. 

Eric leads all TEAMWRKX ventures and commits himself to grow businesses and develop projects that add distinct value to the community in many countries. He is a member of AGC California, USGBC, and the American Institute of Architects (AIA). Eric is a supporter of education as well as an advocate for the welfare of children. He serves as a Board Member of Generations for Humanity, Rossinca Heritage School, Hoops 2 Dreams, and Schmahl Science Workshop.

South Bay Construction

1711 Dell Avenue, Campbell, CA 95008

South Bay Construction (SBC) has been providing construction services for new shell buildings, tenant improvements, renovations, and rehabilitation projects since its inception in 1978. Its building portfolio includes structures ranging from 5,000-square-feet retail buildings to 500,000-square-feet concrete tilt-ups, multi-story steel frame office buildings, multi-residential, religious, educational, and nonprofits.

One of these is the 102,700-square-feet Hyatt House in Cupertino with four levels of wood-frame structure on top of a first-floor concrete podium with one level of the underground parking structure. The hotel features 148 guest rooms, a lobby, a bar area with a pool table, a fitness center, and an outdoor pool area. This project attested that SBC has a deep understanding of the construction issues that drive Bay Area development. They begin every project with precise goals in mind, implementing each step, and managing each difficulty with innovative solutions and hard work. The firm embraces sustainable construction trends to fulfill its vision of growth, sustainability, and endurance.

SBC believes that the success of each project depends upon a foundation of trust. That belief is what allowed the firm to build such a solid reputation in Bay Area construction. That is why each member of the SBC team works to retain the trust for which it stands each day.