Shoemaker Construction Co., a member of The Butz Family of Companies, is pleased to announce that the company is celebrating 75 years in the construction business. Shoemaker has been consistently ranked over the last 30 years among the nation’s Top 400 Contractors by ENR, McGraw-Hill’s construction industry magazine, and is a part of one of the largest and most reputable construction management firms headquartered in Pennsylvania. GBCA is proud to have Shoemaker as one of our members, and congratulates them on this milestone anniversary!

Click below to see a list of GBCA members celebrating milestone anniversaries in 2018:

COMPANY HISTORY

Ray Shoemaker, a bookkeeper and secretary, established a building contracting business in 1944 in a small office on the second-floor of a building located at 1619 Samson Street. Ray’s daughter, Barbara, eventually married John H. Ball. Ray passed on leadership of the company to his son-in-law in 1967. Shoemaker quickly grew into a leading construction firm serving corporate, commercial and institutional clients throughout the Mid-Atlantic states. Additional notable milestones include:

  • Hopkinson House was the group’s first project in the multi-family market in 1962. The company is currently managing three projects with The Philadelphia Housing Authority, continuing its service in the multi-family sector.
  • RM Shoemaker Co. became the first tenant in One Tower Bridge in 1989, where they maintain their office today as well as a long-standing relationship with the Tower Bridge developer.
  • In 1994, they expanded operations in Central Pennsylvania with the acquisition of talent and clients from H.B. Alexander & Son, Inc.
  • In 2003, Shoemaker Construction Co. joined The Butz Family of Companies.

The Butz Family of Companies is comprised of Alexander Building Construction Co. serving Central Pennsylvania, Shoemaker Construction Co. serving the Greater Philadelphia Area and Alvin H. Butz, Inc. serving the Lehigh Valley and Eastern Pennsylvania. Together, the companies provide construction management and contracting services in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Delaware and Maryland.


R. M. Shoemaker served as GBCA Chairman of the Board in 1956-1957.

 

BUSINESS APPROACH

“At Shoemaker and The Butz Family of Companies our mission focuses on people,” says Maura Hesdon, General Manager of Shoemaker. “We value the people who perform the work and the people who hire us to do the job – our clients. We are fortunate to have a combination of industry veterans and fresh new talent who embrace technology and innovative techniques that help bring projects to completion safely, faster and more economically.”

Shoemaker constructs and renovates all types of buildings including corporate headquarters, multi-family residential developments, educational facilities, healthcare facilities, transit facilities, retail malls and lifestyle centers and parking facilities.

A few notable projects include:

  • Temple Children’s and Shriners Philadelphia Joint Hospitals
  • The Veterans Administration Regional Headquarters and Data Center
  • Reading Terminal Headhouse and Philadelphia Marriott Hotel
  • Joseph R. Biden Jr. Railroad Station
  • Philadelphia Housing Authority, Norris Apartments Revitalization
  • 801 Market Street and Fashion District Philadelphia
  • Amtrak 30th Street Station West Plaza

Shoemaker’s approach is heavily focused around its commitment to ensure the participation of minority, women, and disabled-owned businesses and workers in all phases of our construction projects.  In 2016, Shoemaker’s efforts in diversity were recognized with the General Building Contractors Association’s (GBCA) 2016 Construction Excellence Award for Excellence in Diversity & Inclusion.

 

INNOVATIVE CONCEPTS 

“Another thing that sets Shoemaker apart and has brought us to compete with other local firms as well as larger international firms, is our ability to respond to market needs through increased use of technology and innovative approaches such as Lean Construction,” says Greg Butz, President of Shoemaker and CEO of The Butz Family of Companies. “Incorporating technology and Lean methodologies into our projects allows us to provide Target Value Design and help get the client’s building online faster and more economically.”

Innovative techniques used on projects include:

  • 3D, 4D, 5D and 6D Building Information Modeling to create building mock-ups to improve efficiency
  • Virtual reality, in conjunction with BIM, helps owners visualize the smallest details on future buildings.
  • Onsite technology like tablets, Submittal Exchange®, Plangrid, and our mobile screen Field Collaboration Stations help reduce the use of paper in favor of improved team communication and easier access to project documents
  • Lean techniques like The Last Planner® System and Pull Planning allow for more accurate scheduling during construction
  • The Just-in-Time concept ensures that project materials are delivered at the exact moment and place needed

 

ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS

Shoemaker will be celebrating the 75th anniversary through June 2019 with a special client event, social media posts, e-newsletters featuring historical facts and the launch of a new website. Additionally, The Butz Family of Companies is celebrating the 90th anniversary for Alexander Building Construction Co. and the 175th anniversary for Alvin H. Butz, Inc. Yearlong celebrations are planned for all three companies. 

 

ABOUT SHOEMAKER CONSTRUCTION CO. AND THE BUTZ FAMILY OF COMPANIES:

The Butz Family of Companies, consisting of Alexander Building Construction Co., Alvin H. Butz, Inc. and Shoemaker Construction Co., provides exceptional, comprehensive construction management and design/build services, led by a strong commitment to complete customer satisfaction with special attention to safety, quality and value.  The firm possesses significant experience in the construction of healthcare facilities, colleges/universities, corporate office buildings, manufacturing facilities, sports and entertainment venues, government buildings, parking garages, K-12 schools and retail buildings serving Pennsylvania, New Jersey and northern Delaware.