St. Louis is a 2.8 million-strong historic metropolis with a family-friendly reputation and close-knit neighborhoods. Many people, including individuals wishing to migrate and businesses looking to expand, come to this thriving city for its inexpensive cost of living and central U.S. location. St. Louis has it all, from digital companies to financial asset management to aircraft manufacturing. The city offers a great dining and shopping experience, including an iconic local favorite, the Blueberry Hill restaurant and bar in the Loop.
The best commercial contractors in St. Louis, Missouri, are listed in this article. These impressive firms were selected for their impressive portfolios, considerable expertise, and outstanding honors and accolades.
ARCO Construction Company, Inc.
900 N. Rock Hill Road, St. Louis, MO 63119
ARCO Construction Company, founded in 1992, is a well-known leader in the design-build industry. The firm has over 1000 associates and offices in 29 major markets. The firm delivers the strength and visibility of a national builder with the individualized attention of a small business thanks to its highly qualified staff of specialists. Over the years, the firm has completed outstanding projects on a local and national level in various industries, including athletic facilities, offices, distribution and warehouse centers, laboratories, multi-family buildings, senior living communities, self-storage facilities, cold storage units, aviation facilities, and healthcare facilities. The firm’s commitment to high-quality craftsmanship, professionalism, and exceptional customer service has also garnered the firm many accolades and features in various media venues including the St. Louis Business Journal, The Engineering News-Record, and Building Design+Construction Media.
One of the firm’s notable projects is the Bentley of St. Louis, Missouri, a luxury automobile dealership that spans 25,000 square feet. The project features 6,000 square feet of Class A office space, 10,000 square feet of motor vehicle servicing and storage space with lifts, and a 7,500 square foot showroom with marble and granite flooring and chandeliers.
E.M. Harris Construction Company
2600 Delmar Boulevard, St. Louis, Missouri 63103
Founded in 1989, E.M. Harris Construction Company is a general contracting and construction management firm that offers a comprehensive range of services. Based in St. Louis, Missouri, the firm has worked on projects all around Missouri and the Midwest. It has experience building commercial, single-family homes, multi-family housing, education, non-profit projects, new construction, general rehabilitation, and historic renovation projects. With over 32 years of experience, the firm has earned a substantial portfolio of negotiated work from repeat and referral clients. Its focus on building long-term relationships with clients has led to outstanding communication, high-quality construction, and on-time, on-budget completion. Client expectations have repeatedly exceeded the firm’s personalized, hands-on, and attentive service.
E.M. Harris Construction handled the renovation of Crown Square (the 14th Street Mall). The project features 27 historic buildings transformed into 33,000 square feet of commercial and office space and 80 apartments. The total budget was $35.2 million, and the site work package included all new utilities, new streets, sidewalks, new parking lots, fencing, and landscaping. Crown Square received the Timmy Award for Excellence in Historic Rehabilitation from the National Housing & Rehabilitation Association in “Best Historic Rehabilitation Using New Markets Tax Credits.”
Waterhout Construction, Inc.
8110 Dale Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63117
Waterhout construction has nearly six decades of experience in the construction industry. Since its establishment in 1962, the firm has built a stellar reputation in the St. Louis area by consistently treating each job with the same honesty and quality of work. Retail, restaurant, office, healthcare, life science, residential, cultural, education, and government projects are just a few commercial, residential, and rehabilitative areas in which the firm has vast experience. Its emphasis on effective communication has resulted in consistently high-quality work. It approaches office and fieldwork with a hands-on, individualized, and integrated approach. The firm maintains a solid track record of remarkable projects that display superior quality, consistent professionalism, and outstanding customer service combined with top-notch field management.
The Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis—a charming luxury hotel located in the upscale Clayton area—is one of the firm’s notable projects. The hotel features Midwestern warmth and hospitality, surrounded by a bustling culinary scene, the stunning landscape of Forest Park, and a variety of museums and stores—everything is within walking distance of this Four-Star hotel. The spacious and pleasant guest rooms at this elegant facility all have balconies with views of the city skyline. A full-service workout center with lap and hydrotherapy pools is also available.
BSI Constructors, Inc.
6767 Southwest Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63143
With nearly 50 years of expertise, BSI Constructors Inc is a general contractor and construction management organization. The firm has completed outstanding projects throughout the St. Louis Metropolitan Area, St. Charles County, Jefferson County, and Southwestern Illinois. Since its inception in 1972, BSI Constructors has built a solid reputation as a construction industry leader committed to the highest levels of ethics, service, and craftsmanship. Its skilled crew has years of technical construction experience and the ability to self-perform work when the project requires it. As a result, the firm has executed over 1,100 projects that have met and exceeded clients’ expectations.
Over the years, the firm has been featured in several noteworthy publications such as St. Louis Post-Dispatch, The St. Louis Construction News and Review, and St. Louis Business Journal. The Boulevard – Saint Louis, a dynamic community with a unique blend of upmarket retail, superb dining, and luxury apartments, is one of the firm’s notable projects. Many well-known businesses are located in this development, including Deer Creek Coffee, Maggiano’s, and The Bar Method St. Louis.
G. S. & S. Construction
2914 S. Brentwood Boulevard, Brentwood, MO 63144
G. S. & S. Construction has a long and illustrious history in the St. Louis area, spanning 100 years and four generations. Since 1921, the firm has remained dedicated to providing a good environment where people who enjoy establishing relationships and structures can thrive. From conceptualization to the completion of every project, the customer is assigned a professional project manager to ensure precise management and a hands-on, integrated approach. Clients benefit directly from the firm’s knowledge in all phases of construction, pre-construction management, and development, as the firm routinely delivers high-quality projects on time and within budget. As a result, the firm has earned a well-deserved reputation as a result of several awards and mentions in respected publications.
The firm entirely transformed this office space into a sleek and sophisticated design with industrial charm in this featured project. The new space brings a light and airy feel with the light walls, concrete flooring, and an exposed ceiling. The space features office workstations and a playroom amenity.
Hankins Construction Company
9889 Page Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63132
For 76 years, Hankins Construction has served St. Louis and the neighboring areas with exceptional projects in various market sectors including financial, churches, education, entertainment, healthcare, multifamily, offices, and retail. George G. Hankins and E. Hankins, a father and son team, founded the company in 1945. The firm is a family-owned and operated company that has grown steadily over four generations of Hankins leadership. Every project undertaken by the organization is backed by a team of highly experienced individuals who deliver integrity, dedication, growth, and safety. As a result, the firm has a long list of satisfied customers who have received high-quality projects on time and within budget. To provide a smooth and seamless construction experience, the firm has focused on offering an integrated and collaborative strategy by creating long-term relationships with its clients, suppliers, and trade partners.
The Orthwein Animal Nutrition Center, which was created for the St. Louis Zoo and was designed to store food for animals, is one of the firm’s notable projects. The USGBC, or the United States Green Building Council, granted the project a LEED Silver. It has several environmentally-friendly features such as recycled content, solar blinds, building orientation, and a living green roof.
Wright Building Systems
1724 Westpark Center Drive, Unit A, Fenton, MO 63026
Wright Building Systems was founded in 2018 as a woman-owned and family-operated general contractor. Even though the firm has only been in business for three years, it has already served several commercial and high-end residential clients in the Greater St. Louis area. Commercial construction and remodeling, high-security construction,
and construction consulting are among its specializations. Jessica Wright and her team strive to provide each client with a superior customer experience by taking the time to understand their needs and desires and then creating environments that reflect their dreams. Through its hands-on building and consulting experience, its team members share a common goal: to deliver quality and profitable projects on time and under budget.
One of the firms most notable recent projects was the 45,000 SF build out for the Global HQ of Stereotaxis, a publicly traded manufacturer of endovascular robotic surgery medical equipment. Located in Downtown St. Louis, the project included demolition of 80 years of layers of tenant finishes in the building that was originally an open floor plan freight depot for the Illinois Terminal Railroad. The finished project has 27,000 SF of modern collaborative office space and 16,000 SF of light-industrial manufacturing space.
Pernikoff Construction Company
8143 Olive Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63130
Pernikoff Construction Company, founded in 1914 by Max Pernikoff, has evolved from storefront improvements to a full-service commercial and bespoke residential contractor in the greater St. Louis Metropolitan area, capable of serving local, regional, and national clients. It has an impressive portfolio of building renovations, tenant interiors, medical facilities, new free-standing buildings, restaurants, retail, insurance renovations, custom residential additions and interiors, and design-build construction services, with over 107 years of experience as a general contracting firm. Over the years, the firm has stayed true to its vision of providing excellence and top quality to help clients reach their construction and renovation goals by providing guaranteed results and cost-effective solutions and provided with the firm’s robustly personal approach.
In this featured project, the firm provided new construction services to build Tip Healthcare, a homecare nursing and hospice community in Bridgeton, Missouri. The new facility features a rustic design, emphasizing natural materials such as bricks and stone claddings. It also uses large floor-to-ceiling windows that bring in plenty of sunlight and a natural breeze.
MCS Construction, Inc.
2001 S Hanley Road, Suite 275, St. Louis, MO 63144
MCS Construction, situated in St. Louis, Missouri, is a full-service commercial construction firm. Since its inception in 2002, the firm has believed that a committed team of experts with the highest integrity and a shared commitment to customer service is a winning business strategy. And that strategy has continuously delivered better quality, cost-effective solutions, and outstanding craftsmanship that ensures positive results. Owners’ representation, construction management, plan and spec, and design-build are just a few of the services offered by the firm. Even though its principals have a combined experience of more than 50 years, it approaches each project with the same purpose: to serve clients in a way that fosters long-term partnerships.
The firm has put together an impressive portfolio of commercial projects, including office, retail, restaurant, industrial, and financial buildings. One of the firm’s notable projects is the Saint Louis Bank, which features a unique rustic exterior. The firm uses an earth-toned color scheme and natural materials to create a warm and traditional look to the exterior. It also features large windows to bring in plenty of natural light.
Tom Madden and Sons Construction
6646 Christopher Drive, St Louis, MO 63129
Since 1971, Tom Madden and Sons Construction has served the St. Louis market. The firm has been acknowledged as a pioneer in the commercial construction market with its exceptional portfolio of projects that demonstrate its quality and professionalism. It has a long list of return customers, which includes Fortune 500 corporations and many local businesses in St. Louis. With over 50 years of expertise, the firm is dedicated to providing exceptional customer service and going above and beyond to ensure that its clients are delighted with the project’s completion. The firm has a proven track record of completing projects on time and within budget, further proving its ability to surpass customer expectations consistently.
The firm provided exterior and interior remodeling services for Stoney River, an upscale steakhouse and grill. The firm successfully created a new space. It met the goal of the client: to provide the most excellent quality food in a polished environment, delivered by competent servers with a sense of genuine hospitality, whether lounging at the bar or dining in a comfortable atmosphere. The design focuses on a warm, welcoming, and rustic feel through its well-blended mix of natural and traditional elements.
