Lexington has one of America’s most stable local economies, with strong manufacturing, technology, and entrepreneurial sectors. Notable companies like Lexmark International, Lin-Belt Construction Equipment, and Fazoli have set up their headquarters in the city. The city’s rapid growth has led the local government to restrict development to an urban service area.

To help commercial developers cope with these constraints, our editorial team has compiled a list of commercial contractors who are known as the best in the area. Each firm has extensive experience and the capacity to work within Lexington’s urban growth boundary without compromising quality and value.


Anderson & Rodgers Commercial

170 Prosperous Pl #1, Lexington, KY 40509

Anderson & Rodgers Commercial utilizes the latest technology to create a streamlined and efficient process for projects. The firm works closely with its clients throughout the project lifecycle to provide solutions and guidance when needed. Its team is made of building professionals who work to create spaces where people can foster lasting relationships. The firm also has a network of qualified subcontractors who make it easier for the firm to stay on schedule and within budget. It has been in the industry for 15 years.

The firm’s portfolio includes food supply, retail, office, medical and health, restaurant, design-build, multifamily, restoration, and historic projects. One of its successfully completed projects is the wedding barns for Ashford Acres Inn in Cynthiana, KN, shown here. The barns were a design-build project featuring wooden board walls, high ceilings with exposed beams, and stone floors. Each barn is done in a predominantly white palette, with some accents in the interior, roof, and door colors.


Congleton-Hacker Company

 872 Floyd Dr, Lexington, KY 40505

Congleton-Hacker Company has been serving private and public clients in Kentucky for over 60 years. The firm has experience in a wide range of market sectors, including healthcare, education, worship, senior living, hospitality, retail, and industrial. In the education sector, one of the firm’s projects is the Lexington School Academic Center in Lexington, KY. The project involved constructing a new, 22,000-square-foot academic center, an addition and renovation of the kitchen and dining hall, and construction of a new athletic meeting facility and athletic fields. Congleton-Hacker Company also worked on the HVAC systems, lighting, and interior finishes of the middle school and admissions department.

The firm has a management team that provides efficient and economical solutions to clients. Its expertise lies in completing large, complex projects, which are often in technical and occupied facilities. Congleton-Hacker Company also works on medium and small projects. Services include project management, self-performing, budgeting, constructability review, value engineering, and coordination of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) services.


Brett Construction Company

354 Waller Ave. Suite 200, Lexington, KY 40504

Brett Construction Co. is a Lexington-based firm with over 30 years of experience. It specializes in design-build construction projects while also offering structural steel capabilities. The management team is skilled in design-build construction, design-assist construction, construction management oversight, preconstruction services, and preliminary estimating. 

Most of the firm’s clients are from the industrial, institutional, office, retail, manufacturing, and commercial sectors throughout the state of Kentucky. One of the firm’s projects is the 71-unit Meadowthorpe Landing complex in Lexington, KY. The project features 57 one-bedroom and 14 two-bedroom apartments for the senior housing market.


Long Construction Management

200 Big Run Rd, Lexington, KY 40503

Long Construction Management’s business is based on innovating processes and learning from industry veterans. After years of managing prestigious construction projects, Linden Long, Long Construction Management’s owner, was ready to build a company where he could instill the business values that are important to him and his customers. The firm offers its clients prices that are thorough and all-inclusive and work that is on time and within budget. It also allows clients to take a flexible position in project management, whether that be completely hands-on or somewhat hands-off.

The firm offers services for design-build and construction management. It has completed projects in the academic, financial, medical, office, restaurant, retail, sports, transportation, industrial, manufacturing, and religious sectors. Long Construction Management’s work on the Blue Grass Airport Westside Hangers in Lexington, KY is shown here. The project includes two pre-engineered Butler Buildings: a new H-hangar and a community hangar.


Marrillia Design & Construction

794 Manchester St, Lexington, KY 40508

Marrillia Design & Construction trains its team of professionals to complete a wide variety of projects that are traditionally done by large-overhead general contractors or specialty trade contractors. It works on projects for the medical, mixed-use, business, retail, education, entertainment, financial, multifamily, recreation, utility, historic, and military sectors. The Mr. Brews Taphouse in Lexington, KY is one of the firm’s restaurant projects. Marrillia Design & Construction’s work included the construction of a 3,148-square-foot bar and restaurant. The bar features a refurbished barn wood top, a back bar with 60 beer taps, a fully functional kitchen, restrooms, and an office space. Concrete slab construction, plumbing, electrical, sprinkler systems, polished concrete, and epoxy flooring were also included in the work.

The firm offers clients cost-effective services as a benefit of its self-perform capabilities. Its services include mass excavation, storm and sanitary sewer systems, electrical and communications duct banks, selective demolition, concrete, rough carpentry, doors, frames, hardware, nonstructural and structural framing, ceiling assemblies, and interior specialties installation. The firm also does general contracting and construction management.


Wehr Constructors, Inc.

868 Nandino Blvd., Lexington, KY 40511

Wehr Constructors, Inc. has been serving Southeast Kentucky for over 70 years. Its five generations of general contractors and engineers have created structures for the healthcare, religious, K-12 education, specialty, and commercial sectors. The firm is composed of over 130 professionals who are dedicated to creating safe and functional spaces for clients and communities. The services it offers are preconstruction, scheduling, value engineering, budgeting and estimating, tax-exempt purchase management, quality control, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), building information modeling (BIM), and infection control.

One of the firm’s projects is the 21c Museum Hotel Lexington in Lexington, KY. This was a 106,000-square-foot renovation for the historical First National Project. Wehr’s work included an art museum, 86 guest rooms, a ballroom, a flexible meeting and convention space, a full-service bar, and a LockBox restaurant. The dense construction site required the firm to coordinate with city and state officials.


Dean Builds, Inc.

109 Mercer Court, Lexington, KY 40511

Dean Builds, Inc. works to complete projects on time and within budget. Its team consists of professionals who are knowledgeable about the industry and are committed to providing excellent services. The firm provides construction management, general contracting, and design-build services to Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, and West Virginia. Its clients are a mix of local and national establishments, including Rite-Aid, Starbucks, Nestle, Liquor Barn, Berea College, and One Holland.

Most of the firm’s projects are for the retail, office, education, automotive, food service, church, and industrial sectors. An education project of the firm is Sayre Lower School in Lexington, KY. Dean Builds constructed a new building with 18 classrooms, a library, and a lower-level multipurpose room. Sayre Lower School also features an art room, a learning specialist’s office, a music room, and a science laboratory that connects to a rooftop terrace.


Messer Construction Co.

854 W. Main St., Lexington, KY 40508

Over the past 89 years, Messer Construction Co. has created structures that promote healing, learning, service, and innovation. It specializes in managing, developing, and performing complex commercial construction projects. Its team provides clients with transparent communication, creative problem-solving, and operational leadership. Engineering News-Record recognized Messer Construction Co. as among the Top 400 Contractors, Top 100 Contractors by New Contracts, and Top 50 Domestic Building/Manufacturing Revenue companies. Building Design + Construction also gave the firm recognition as among the Top Integrated Project Delivery Firms, Top Design-Build Firms, and Top 135 Contractors.

Many of the firm’s projects are aviation, federal/military, healthcare, higher education, academic, industrial, and science and technology structures. The Valvoline Headquarters in Lexington, KY is a four-story, 160,000-square-foot office project. It has an interior floating core stairwell and 30-degree shaped building ends. The new headquarters provide space for the client to accommodate future growth. Messer Construction Co. used BMI coordination to provide a seamless MEP installation.