Between 2000 and 2016, over $6.5 million was invested in multifamily construction projects throughout the Columbus Metro Area. These numbers are predicted to rise as they reflect the industry’s direct response to the region’s growing demand for rental spaces and multifamily buildings. Recent data reveals that more than half of Columbus’s residents are renters. Partly responsible for this trend is the area’s lower rental rates, with a median one-bedroom price of $693.

With all these figures in mind, the region’s property investors and real estate developers are naturally drawn to adding to their investment portfolio. This is also great news for general contractors and design/build firms trying to expand their project list, especially in their multifamily residential projects.

Below is the ranking for the best multifamily contractors in Columbus, Ohio. The list includes firms that have completed two or more multi-residential projects within the Columbus Metro Area, the city, and its suburbs. The category covers projects that range from affordable housing units, market-rate apartments, housing communities, to luxury condominium buildings. 

The order is based on the firms’ accomplishments over the years, including their affiliations with industry organizations, business accreditations, list of awards and recognition, notable projects, size and quality of works, the background of their principals, and their contributions in shaping the city’s multifamily landscape.

If you are thinking about building a multifamily project, we recommend checking each builder’s license with the local licensing board, speaking to past clients, and using our bidding system to get competitive quotes from at least 3 contractors. Getting multiple bids is the best way to ensure you get a fair price and that bids include the complete scope of work.

 

 

Rockford Construction

999 Polaris Pkwy., Columbus, OH 43240

Over 60 multifamily projects, consisting of 4,600 units, represent Rockford Construction’s experience in the multi-residential market. These include the construction of a wide spectrum of living spaces such as apartments and condominium buildings. Aside from its projects in this industry, the firm has also completed multiple works for commercial, tenant improvement, and office conversion and rehabilitation. 

Since the firm’s founding in 2009 as a subsidiary business of its mother company, Rockford Homes, it has closed general contracting deals that are worth over $250 million. What is more special about the company is its expertise in value engineering, a method that prioritizes cost efficiency and project value. Many of the company’s projects have directly benefited from this approach, including old and recent multifamily structures in Columbus such as Briggsdale Apartments, Laurel Green Apartments, Milo Grogan Homes, Hawthorne Grove, Polaris Place, and the Dogwood Glen Apartments, among others. 

Don Wick, the firm’s president, leads the firm’s land development and multifamily ventures. Under his leadership, the company has delivered many LEED-certified and Energy Star-standard projects that highlight sustainable and energy-smart methods in construction. The firm’s business practices and commitment to affordable housing were also recognized by the industry’s biggest institutions, including the Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing (OCCH), which awarded the company with a much-coveted Award of Excellence. 

Windsor

6660 Doubletree Ave. Suite #8, Columbus, OH 43229

As a vertically integrated construction, real estate, and development organization, the Windsor Companies has constructed, engineered, and managed a wide range of commercial and residential projects for a long list of markets since its founding over two decades ago. While the firm is committed to providing efficient and cost-effective construction practices, its focus on client satisfaction is also one of its valued qualities. By following the company’s vision of transforming spaces to their full potential, it has gathered overwhelming commendations from its clients and subcontractors. This attention to customer service is fully recognized by the Better Business Bureau (BBB).

Alexius J. Dorsey founded the company in the late ’90s. Under his leadership, Windsor has grown to represent $100 million of its assets. At present, the company owns and manages over 1,000 residential units, all of which are located across Central Ohio.

Many of the firm’s residential projects are set in the region’s prime locations. The Vetro Lofts, for instance, is just steps away from the most popular attractions in the Italian Village and the Short North. Building this high-end contemporary multifamily structure involved the construction of 30 units, each of which is set in a two-story space. The units house one and two-bedroom residential spaces. 

Brackett Builders, Inc.

6640 Riverside Dr., Suite #500, Dublin, OH 43017

As one of the oldest general contractors in Dublin, Brackett Builders has successfully established its brand as a provider of construction management, design/build, and post and pre-construction services. Since its establishment in 1983, it has focused its goal in dominating the industry’s commercial and residential construction and development scene. Today, the firm boasts a portfolio that covers five million square feet of commercial real estate. 

President Thomas Hoying, the company’s current principal, oversees the firm’s daily operations. Under his leadership and the legacy of the presidents that came before him, the firm has won the trust of the industry’s most sophisticated market. Its wide scope of services and focus on customer satisfaction has helped it secure its membership with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Supported by LEED professionals, the firm has the manpower and resources to deploy green building methods and other high-quality construction practices in all its projects. The company currently serves a variety of markets such as educational, healthcare, hospitality, retail, and tenant improvement.

Additionally, modern, contemporary, and industrial-designed multifamily and mixed-use projects are featured in the firm’s extensive portfolio. One of its memorable construction contracts is for the 223 Town Apartments, a multi-unit residential space that offers bare, single and two-bedroom apartments to Columbus residents. The high-end structure houses several amenities, such as a terrace lounge, an entertainment patio, a fitness center, a restaurant, and a coffee bar.

Walsh Construction Group

5925 Wilcox Place Suite B, Dublin, Ohio 43016

Walsh Construction Group’s capacity to deliver timely results and address the most demanding budget expectations of its clients are just some of the many characteristics that make the firm stand out. For every construction project, the company carefully selects the most qualified subcontractors that can successfully coordinate and keep up with the firm’s outstanding methods, all marked with engineering and design innovations and team coordination.

The firm is equipped with the skills and manpower to serve different markets such as retail, education, residential, technology, and entertainment. This wide project coverage is supported by the firm’s expertise, not just in general contracting and design/build, but also in construction management and consulting. The firm is a member of the International Association of Professional Contractors, the world’s largest trade institution.

Many of the firm’s multifamily services are located in the region’s prime locations. The Prescott, for instance, is one of its most memorable multifamily construction projects. The property, inspired by contemporary design, was built to cater to the increasing demand for rental spaces in the Short North. It now offers boutique apartment living to its residents and is rich in amenities that include a lobby, secure elevator, garage parking areas, and keyless entry. The building houses one and two-bedroom units and offers a versatile floor plan for further customization. 

Smoot Construction

1907 Leonard Ave., Columbus, OH 43219

For over six decades, Smoot Construction has been providing general contracting, design/build, and construction management services to Ohio’s leading market sectors. Several industries rely on the company’s expertise in delivering quality work to complex projects. Many clients from the aviation, civic and cultural, correctional, government, healthcare, industrial, higher education, and residential, among others, have partnered with the company to build the region’s most memorable structures.

The company has now entered its third generation of leadership. Lewis Smoot, Sr., the firm’s chairman and CEO, believes that building client relationships that span decades should be a core goal that every company should aim for. This client-focused philosophy has helped it continuously secure its BBB accreditation. Additionally, the firm is recognized as a multi-faceted and highly skilled builder. In 2017, the mayor of Columbus honored the company for its participation in building the country’s largest African-American Museum. This experience exhibits the firm’s capacity to handle unique and complex construction projects, and collaborate with the best of the best in the industry.

The company is also responsible for building several of the region’s key residential structures. Its earliest projects include the 15-story Sawyer Towers East and West, which were completed in 1965. Many of its multi-unit buildings such as multifamily apartments, high-rise student housing, and luxury condominium communities, helped shape Ohio’s urban skylines. The firm also offers services to construct affordable housing units.

Woda Cooper Companies

500 S Front St., Columbus, OH 43215 

Woda Copper Companies’ extensive portfolio for single-family, multi-family, and senior housing communities has earned it a trusted reputation for the region’s investors for affordable urban, suburban, and rural properties. Aside from securing lifelong partnerships with real estate investors and partners, the company has formed relationships with state housing agencies, municipalities, and other collaborators across its 15-state footprint. 

Under the leadership of principals Jeffrey Woda (founder) and David Cooper, Jr, the company has developed and operates more than  12,000 housing units at more than 300 properties. The company is consistently ranked as a top Developer in the nation by the Affordable Housing Finance magazine.

 Since 1990, the company has partnered with community developers and business owners to handle development, construction, and management with a focus on affordable housing projects. Its experience  has allowed it  to explore creative and innovative approaches to building and design. Many of its works for this industry were designed to address the demands for energy-efficient and sustainable residential structures. 

Daimler Group

1533 Lake Shore Dr., Columbus, Ohio 43204

Design/Build, green construction, development, and construction management tops Daimler Group’s list of highly in-demand offerings. Under the leadership of its president, Robert White, Jr., the company’s decades of operations allow it to primarily focus on solutions that can respond to the ever-changing needs of a wide range of markets that include  multifamily, office, industrial, education, medical, healthcare, technical, and retail, to name a few. 

The firm’s expertise as a full-time builder and developer also help it gain the trust of clients in need of customized and cost-efficient construction for multi-residential and mixed-use projects. Many of these projects in and outside of the city celebrate the company’s knowledge in balancing design and function by featuring contemporary architectures in these modern facilities.

The 250 High mixed-use building is a testament to the company’s outstanding services in construction and design. The project, which won the firm the 2017 Excellence in Development awards for Large Scale category, involved the construction of 320,000 square feet building that houses office, retail, and residential facilities. The project is located along Columbus’s South High Street. Its design was a nod to modern architecture. The mixed-used building offers high-class amenities to its residents and patrons. 

Elford

1220 Dublin Rd., Columbus, OH 43215

Inspired by an ambition to promote integrity in the construction industry, Edward Elford decided to start his own company in 1910. In this first venture, E. Elford General Contractors incorporated the values of trustworthiness, transparency, and continual learning into the organization’s business and construction practices. Today, Jim Smith, the firm’s CEO, continues to promote the same philosophy and incorporate them into the company’s construction management, design-build, general contracting, and preconstruction services.

Safety has been an important part of the company’s brand for years.  The firm is a certified Star Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) builder, a designation given by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for a company’s commitment to providing a safe and healthy work environment for its clients and workers, especially in high-risk professions like construction. 

For the company’s project portfolio, many of its works involve contracts with highly demanding markets such as healthcare, commercial, educational, retail and multifamily. Its multifamily projects located across the region are catered to urban residents. Apartments, flats, and multi-residential communities exhibit the firm’s expertise in constructing, designing, and developing spaces that fit the demands of modern living. 

Continental Building Co.

150 E Broad St. Columbus, OH 43215

A team of American Institute of Architects (AIA) affiliates and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professionals (LEED AP) oversee the Continental Building’s everyday operations. Todd Alexander, the company’s president, holds over 30 years of leadership experience in the company. Under his guidance and expertise, the company easily ranked among Engineering News-Record’s (ENR) Top 400 Contractors. 

The firm’s significant understanding of the core aspects of construction and design helped it secure contracts from the region’s most complex and highly-demanding markets. These include works for the hospitality, mixed-use, office, and retail industries. Aside from these market segments, the company is also a preferred contractor for modern and high-end multifamily construction projects. Over the years, it has partnered with award-winning architects to accomplish renowned spaces within and outside the city. 

In a collaboration with Columbus-based architectural firm, Moody Nolan, the company completed a mixed-use construction and development project in Dublin. Bridge Park is a modern residential and commercial building that features parking, office, restaurant, retail, and grocery spaces. The 807,000 square feet of its area is occupied by multifamily units while the 309,500 covers its commercial amenities. Its wide parking spaces span 593,750 square feet.

Ruscilli Construction Co. Inc.

5000 Arlington Centre Blvd. Suite #300, Columbus, OH 43220

What started out as a small trade contractor in 1945 soon grew to become one of the largest full-service construction companies in the Midwestern US. Today, the firm offers a wide spectrum of preconstruction, consultation, construction management, design/build, general contraction, and trade contracting services, among others. Its years in the business is not the only factor that makes the firm stand out. Its knowledge of time-tested methods in construction is supported by state-of-the-art technologies that enhance processes in estimating, value engineering, scheduling, as well as information processing.

The company is now on its fourth generation ownership and is headed by Robert Ruscilli, Jr. as its president. Its wide service scope includes a long list of market segments such as healthcare, government, education, retail, religious, hospitality, technology, and other commercial sectors. Aside from working for these highly demanding clients, the firm is also an expert in housing, senior living, and multi-residential construction. 

The Jackson, located in downtown Columbus’s Short North Arts and Entertainment area, is a 125,500-square-foot construction project. This high-end condominium currently accommodates 46 units and a 4,800-square foot commercial retail space. Additionally, the building offers amenities such as a rooftop pool, a fitness room, and 89 below-grade parking areas.

How can I find a contractor near me?

Read our latest articles on the best contractors in and near Columbus. If you don’t see your project type below, just let us know – we are happy to create a tailored recommendation list just for you.

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About Our Rankings

This list takes a range of ranking criteria into consideration, including but not limited to: work history, customer satisfaction, awards and recognition, geographic area of work, cost, building permits, and clientele. We spent over 40 hours researching local contractors before calculating the final ranking for this post. If there is additional information about your business that could affect these rankings, please fill out this form and we will take it into consideration

Get Bids For Your Build

If you are thinking about building a multifamily project, we recommend checking each builder’s license with the local licensing board, speaking to past clients, and using our bidding system to get competitive quotes from at least 3 contractors. Getting multiple bids is the best way to ensure you get a fair price and that bids include the complete scope of work.