After a prolonged decline during the mid-20th century, Tacoma, Washington has faced a period of revitalization. Embracing the rise of public and private developments, it has grown into a hub of facilities from diverse market sectors. Challenged by this factor, contractors serving the town have learned to adapt to the fast-paced changes in the commercial industry while building significant contributions to the town and its businesses.
If you’re looking for a commercial contractor, our editorial team put together this list of the best commercial architects in Tacoma, Washington, to help. These firms have sustained a perennial reputation by upholding the core values instilled by their principals. We also featured projects that best represent why each firm has won awards from well-respected organizations and why it has earned a spot on this list.
Korsmo Construction
1940 East D St. Suite 300, Tacoma, WA 98421
The historic renovation performed by Korsmo Construction for the Paradise Inn Annex consists of upgrades for accessibility, siding, roof, building support structure, and extensive mechanical and electrical updates. It had to meet the National Park Service’s requirements and shore and support the building within a short work window before the arrival of the snow season. Despite the complex site logistics, varying weather conditions, and challenging schedule, the firm completed this project and won an Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) Construction Excellence Grand Award (2020) and Excellence Award for Public Building $20 million to $50 million.
When driven by a common purpose, it is no surprise that plans and its processes will result in success. This is why carpenters, project managers, in-house staff, project engineers, superintendents, and the entire team of Korsmo Construction aim to show mutual care for the client, project, and craft. Since 1948, a responsible and reliable service led by John Korsmo Jr. has remained the firm’s core value. He maintains this by involving himself in all aspects of the business and providing overall guidance and leadership to the entire building team.
Rafn Company
721 132nd Avenue NE, Bellevue, WA 98005
Jack Rafn founded the Rafn Company with a vision for a collaborative process for building. He believed that a novel concept will lead to high-quality efficient results and will spark the cultivation of lasting client and industry partnerships.
Rafn Company aims to build synergistic relationships with its clients. In order to do so, the firm began working on renovations for historic buildings. Seeing its success, the firm began to apply the same approach to its public and private commercial projects and later, market services. Today, the firm greatly influences the skylines and streetscapes of the city by completing new construction and renovation through a highly skilled team who takes time to understand the purpose of the project.
With the works of its resourceful and committed team, Rafn Company has renovated the Two Pine Building, a 120,000-square-foot, high-rise building. Exterior improvements included seismic bracing addition, three-level steel reclad, a curtain wall system, and concrete facades repair. Interior core and shell upgrades consisted of work in all the levels and the basement for new amenities of prospective tenants.
Walsh Construction Co.
1102 Broadway Suite 501, Tacoma, WA 98402
Gardner House Apartments is a transit-oriented eight-story housing community that bridges families at risk with support and housing resources. It consists of 95 apartments dedicated to homeless and low-income families and a 200 square foot ground floor space intended for serving Seattle-area families with children at risk of homelessness. Walsh Construction’s contribution to this building program is a mere representation of its values for cooperation, commitment, and generosity. It shares resources and knowledge between employees, organizations, and charities and efficiently and effectively completes any assigned tasks.
Managing the firm is Matt Leeding, who earned a B.S. in Business and a Minor in Construction Engineering Management from Oregon State University. He then worked from being a carpenter to being a senior project manager and president of Walsh Construction. Throughout his career, Leeding has supervised the development of WALSH’s Safety Program and the Quality Assurance and Control Program and has delivered results in all phases of construction operations.
Merit Construction
3020 S. 96th St., Lakewood, WA 98499
Tammy Birklid finds her 20+ years of relevant experience in managing construction business affairs useful for her leadership for Merit Construction. She combines these experiences with an unparalleled commitment to teamwork and customer service, attention to detail, and unmatched excellence. This excellence also became the firm’s standard when constructing buildings. Understanding that a project is more than just creating a visible result and usable space, the firm seizes every opportunity to influence the future of communities.
Building with a forward-thinking mindset, Merit Construction has maintained a good reputation in the industry since its establishment in 1957. Its pursuit for innovation has led them to pioneer the Team-Build approach in the ‘80s and build lasting relationships with well-respected brands such as Porsche. This featured project, for instance. The firm refurbished the Porsche of Tacoma building by adding a 6,200 square foot Pre-Engineered Metal Building to the property. This project highlights new siding and entrance, a large skylight, a new vault, and larger power service, and the storm and sanitary sewer lines.
Colvos Construction
711 Court C, Tacoma, WA 98402
Colvos Construction is a commercial general contracting firm launched in 2016 by Devin Page and Anders Bjorn. Its portfolio consists of mixed-use, retail, hospitality, office, healthcare, self-storage, and commercial office tenant improvement. In serving Tacoma, Seattle, Bellevue, Olympia, the Peninsula, and the Puget Sound region, the firm focuses on strategic partnerships with clients, investors, and vendors that build upon entrepreneurial opportunities and relationships. Accomplishing this much in a short amount of time, Puget Sound Business Journal recently ranked the firm as the #1 Fastest-Growing Private Company based on revenue growth.
One of its accomplishments is partnering with Boe Architects in building Cuerno Bravo, Tacoma’s premier steakhouse and restaurant. Colvos Construction coordinated a full build-out of the restaurant and kitchen, added a mezzanine landing, installed a grease interceptor, and renovated the parking lot. In every project it builds, the firm bases its plan on detailed research and a deep understanding that construction is a progression of details. From program definition, budget and schedule planning, and establishing relationships between stakeholders, Colvos supports clients in navigating the complexity of building in today’s market.
Berschauer Group
Cornerstone Plaza 1148 Broadway, Tacoma, WA 98402
Since its establishment in 1940, Berschauer Group has grown into one of the largest construction companies in the Pacific Northwest under Henry and Pat Berschauer’s leadership. Regan and Ashley Berschauer joined the family business in 2004 and 2013, continuing the firm’s legacy and commitment to focusing on construction while building professional relationships. For over seven decades, the firm has constructed and developed commercial, office, retail, healthcare, and industrial facilities, serving the developers, businesses, and investors residing in the Pacific Northwest.
Berschauer Group’s list of services includes pre-construction and construction management, where its teams develop accurate estimates and workable budgets. It has formed a network of talented, efficient, and dependable subcontractors helpful for its general contracting services. From renovating an existing property to purchasing raw land for project development, Berschauer Group has the expertise to guide clients through all phases of development.
Mountain Construction
7457 S. Madison St., Tacoma, WA 98409
In building the 38th Street Starbucks, Mountain Construction worked with James Guerrero Architects Inc, C. Christian Fynboe PE, Beyler Consulting, and Bradley Design Group. They joined forces to develop the site and provide professional landscaping and cast-in-place concrete curbing. Elements found in the exteriors are varying colors of masonry block, metal siding accents, cement board upper siding, and a metal roof. Meanwhile, the interiors feature an open floor plan, vaulted ceilings, exposed concrete floors, and decorative polishes.
Mountain Construction’s breadth of experiences revolves around the automotive, retail, office, finance, and healthcare industry. It holds and continues to enhance its knowledge of working in diverse styles for businesses in numerous industries. Aiming to discover and deliver the customers’ needs, the firm guides the clients every step of the way, from land acquisition to project design and structural engineering. It finds the best solutions for the simplest to the most complex projects, excelling at seeking out the best building programs and techniques.
Sierra Construction Company, Inc.
14800 NE North Woodinville Way, Woodinville, WA 98072
Founded in 1986, Sierra Construction is a Pacific Northwest general contractor and construction management company. They specialize in industrial, multi-family, commercial and tenant improvement construction. Sierra’s main office is located in Woodinville, WA, with regional offices in Tacoma, WA and Portland, OR.
Sierra Construction has retained its reputation of constructing new buildings all over the Pacific Northwest, with a noteworthy performance in concrete and creativity in sitework approaches. An example of the firm’s work is the firm’s new headquarters that sits on the hillside of Woodinville. It features board-formed concrete walls, a wood joist, a hybrid truss roof structure, an exposed struct, rural steel, and an aluminum storefront. The firm also landscaped the site with gabion retaining walls and built the parking lot with green screens around and a high soil nail wall to keep the hillside above its stall surface.
