It has been a great business decade for Charlotte. In 2013, Forbes listed this city as one of the Best Places for Business and Career. Today, Charlotte is the United State’s second-largest banking center behind New York, the major center of the motorsports industry, and the new energy sector capital. The Bank of America, Formula One Team, and Duke Energy are just a few of the household brands that operate here.
Building structures for business giants can be challenging, even intimidating. Fortunately, Charlotte has commercial contractors that can keep up with the pressure. The 10 contractors on this list are capable of handling complex projects. Many of them also offer a full range of services. And since Charlotte has been quickly diversifying to various sectors—including food, packaging, transportation, and retail—many of these contractors have expanded their horizons too. Meanwhile, some of these firms have specific specialties making them the best in their territory. Read on to find the best partner for your next project.
Edifice
4111 South Boulevard, Charlotte, NC 28209
Edifice is one of the firms on this list with a wide range; it works in the education, industrial, medical, corporate, and entertainment sectors. Over four decades the contractor has worked on massive structures while keeping an eye on the smallest interior details. The firm’s specialties are project management, pre-construction, and construction management. The company has produced 42 award-winning projects in the past 12 years. In 2019, Edifice received its third General Contractor of the Year award from the Metrolina Minority Contractors Association.
One of the award-winning works of Edifice in Charlotte is the RailYard project. These eight-story towers span 334,000 square feet and feature Class-A office space with retail shops and restaurants on the ground level. The look of the structures is fascinating. The project has exposed steel, brick, and glass that exudes an industrial vibe. Consequently, this RailYard project received an Award of Merit from ABC Carolinas.
Balfour Beatty
1930 Camden Road, Suite 280, Charlotte, NC 28203
Even with 112 years of existence, Balfour Beatty understands that there is always uncertainty. The best solution yesterday might not be the same today. That is why, every day, the firm is on the hunt for better solutions for its projects. To do so, the company equips itself with the latest technology. The firm uses 3D modeling for designing, estimating costs, and preparing schedules. To foresee design, construction, and safety challenges, the team engages in a virtual reality experience. And to get accurate information on the field, the firm uses reality capture technology such as laser scanners.
With the right mindset coupled with the best tools, Balfour Beatty is confident that its projects will stand the test of time. A perfect example is the headquarters of Parker Poe, completed just last year. This three-floor improvement highlights private offices and collaboration spaces that are perfect for today’s ideal workplaces. This elegant and sophisticated upfit won the 2020 Excellence in Construction Eagle Award from the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Carolinas Chapter.
Choate Construction
2907 Providence Road, Suite 400, Charlotte, NC 28211
The story of Choate Construction is inspiring, for it sprung out of adversity. In the late 80s, a time of low construction demand, the firm pushed through with few employees and an old truck. The firm survived by grabbing every project opportunity in any sector. Because of this, the firms’ project scope diversified. Today, Choate Construction now has projects from coast to coast, with high-profile names on its clientele.
Choate Construction had the opportunity to renovate a warehouse to become the Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Customer Care Center in Charlotte. The converted space now features functional workspaces and common areas that are full of life. Along with plumbing and fire protection work, the firm also added a generator and automatic transfer switches for the continuous operation of this facility. The firm completed all of this work in just three months.
Vannoy Construction
4024 Barringer Drive, Charlotte, NC 28217
During nearly seven decades in business, Vannoy Construction has reached $598 million of annual revenue. Being this productive means that the firm has to anticipate whatever comes along the way. The company can self-perform services including masonry, drywall, and finish carpentry if needed. The firm also has an in-house Sitework Division ensuring competitive pricing and punctual timelines. On-site, the firm uses drone technology to supervise the project progress and find problems.
90% of the firm’s annual revenue is carried out as Construction Management-At-Risk (CMAR) service. One of these CMAR projects was The Asheville High School. Renovating the campus’ historic main building was particularly difficult because it involved replacing an almost century-old clay tile roof and most of the steel lintels embedded in the masonry veneer. And all of that work had to be done while the campus remained operational. Vannoy worked closely with the design team toward a smooth project delivery. This project eventually won the 2018 Preservation Society of Asheville and Buncombe County by Griffin Award.
Concorde Construction
8809 Lenox Pointe Drive, Suite B Charlotte, NC, 28273
Charlotte-based commercial contractor, Concorde Construction, is a full-service general contractor. It offers pre-construction, construction management, general contracting, design-build, and risk management services to numerous clients throughout the Southeast. It has produced successful projects that are low cost but high in quality. The company has already worked on over 12 million square feet of projects worth $800 million.
The firm’s comprehensive expertise is evident in its excellent projects in urban infill and mixed-use developments. Just take, for example, the Town of Ayrsley, featured below. Concorde Construction considers this mixed-use community its most comprehensive project to date; it is the most extensive master-planned development in the Charlotte Metro Region outside of downtown. The development comprises 15 constructed buildings, featuring class “A” office, flex, retail, hotel, and residential properties. This massive project’s principal phase of development took over a decade, with future phases still in the planning stages.
C4 Builders, LLC
121 West Trade Street, Suite 2550, Charlotte, NC 28202
The youngest firm on this list, C4 Builders, has the vibrancy and enthusiasm to take on great things. The firm’s expertise spans multiple product types including office, retail and MOB interiors, as well as ground-up construction — from small renovations to multi-million dollar developments, C4 Builders is building its reputation on quality. However, the company’s measure of success is ultimately tied to the level of its clients’ satisfaction. Attesting to this measure are the firm’s numerous repeat clients.
Licensed throughout the Southeast, C4 Builders aims to help regional businesses succeed in competitive markets like Charlotte. The firm does so by thinking of creative ways to enhance the value of every project creating experiences through great commercial interiors. With these strategies, the firm creates better workspaces for employees and gives restaurant customers long-lasting impressions. Just take a look at this gorgeous Via Roma restaurant upfit, pictured above.
Southside Constructors
11319-D Granite Street, Charlotte, NC 28273
Southside Constructors is behind the world’s largest giga coaster, the Carowinds Fury 325. This 325 feet tall, spectacular ride is made of 2,700 tons of steel and reaches approximately 95 mph on a 6,602-foot track. The track itself required 153 concrete footings. Aside from this coaster, the company has completed other entertainment projects, including the Carowinds Harmony Hall, Copperhead Strike, Northgate Expansion, and Carolina Harbour Waterpark.
One more thing about the Fury 325 project is that the ride expansion construction started during the summer season, which displayed the firm’s effective scheduling management. The goal of Southside Constructors is to delight commercial clients by working under budget and in front of schedule. Known for its cost and time competence, the firm has worked on over 200 quality commercial projects in the entertainment, automotive, airports, and hospital sectors. Other projects include terminal expansions at Myrtle Beach International Airport. SCI has also completed multiple police, fire stations, and CATs Park and Ride facilities for the City of Charlotte. Learn more about their work at www.southsideco.com.
Doerre Construction
2459 Wilkinson Boulevard, Suite 210 Charlotte, NC 28208
Doerre Construction revolves around the idea of a “Grand Opening.” The firm divides this idea into three phases: the preparation, the creation, and the celebration of the grand opening. The preparation starts by understanding the vision of the project. With a grand proposal, the creation involves reviewing the project goals and pooling team ideas. After the execution comes celebration: the firm prides itself on a successful project and checks to make sure that all expectations were met.
Let’s take, for example, the “Grand Opening” of the Pump House Restaurant. This project involved the ambitious transformation of a decaying industrial pump house into a fine-dining restaurant. It was a challenge for the firm to construct a steel framework around and through the structure to pave the way for new interior space. But the company sailed through and transformed the structure into an elegant and scenic restaurant. The project was named among the 100 Most Scenic Restaurants in America 2017 by OpenTable.com.
Danforth Construction Group
2023 N. Davidson Street, Charlotte, NC 28205
Clients of Danforth Construction Group keep coming back for more, 90% of the firm’s work is repeat business with regular clients. Many retail clients—like the Pure Barre—trust the firm with multiple locations because of its consistent performance. Local brands like Thrive also repeatedly return to Danforth.
Among the clientele of the company are widely known businesses such as Duke Energy and Amazon. After all, Danforth Construction Group can give the best of both worlds—it has the personal feel of a smaller company, but it also has the resources and capabilities of a larger one. And in all the client testimonials for the firm, these are the main commendations: professionalism, timeliness, and cost-efficiency.
Danforth Construction Group has been serving North and South Carolina from two offices strategically located in Charlotte and Raleigh. Since 1982, it has provided construction services in general contracting and construction management. The firm specializes in commercial construction for offices, restaurants, interior renovations, retail, and healthcare.
