The GSD team is growing! Last month, Eric Cruz came on board as a project estimator.

A native Houstonian, Eric earned his degree in Construction Management at the University of Houston then immediately began his career in commercial construction.

In his early experience as an assistant estimator and project engineer, he quickly learned that ‘time is everything’. Read on to meet Eric, the guy behind the numbers.

Q: Why commercial construction?
A: It’s an ongoing business. There is always a commercial need, especially in Houston, Texas.

Q: Favorite core class for your degree?
A: Estimating, actually! I’m a computer guy, and I really liked the On-Screen Takeoff software we used.

Q: What would be a dream project to bid and win?
A: Highrise. I look at downtown and I would love to develop something there. Then when it was done, know I was a part of that.

Q: Most significant learning experience?
A: It happened early on. I was in a hurry to meet a deadline and submitted information from a sub without reviewing everything. Some items were left out of the scope. The experience drove home that you have to be diligent and careful. Always check twice.

Q: Best UH undergrad memory?
A: The UH vs. Louisville game. (Football, 2016) It was an upset. No one expected us to win.

Q: Saddest March Madness bracket heartbreak?
A: Obviously, UH. I wouldn’t care if my whole bracket was busted if they went all the way. But also the UVA game.

An exciting industrial interior build-out is rare.

But a 60-day completion timeline makes things more interesting. Will Hedges of Triten Real Estate Partners brought on GSD to complete a two month, 70,000 sq. ft., light industrial build out in north-west Houston.

The end user DXP Enterprises, Inc., provides products and services to a variety of industries through its Innovative Pumping Solutions (IPS), Supply Chain Services and MROP Product and Services. Method Architecture was selected to design the space. 57,000 sq. ft. is designated to production + warehouse, and the remaining 13,486 is office space.

This fall, Seidel Schroeder celebrated a rare business milestone.

For 50 years, the firm has provided experienced and trusted financial leadership for businesses and individuals throughout central Texas. What better gift to recognize 50 years than a new office building?

Seidel Schroeder worked simultaneously with architect Andrew Hawkins, Hawkins Architecture, the team at Gessner Engineering and GSD to streamline the entire design-build process and maximize value engineering. The result is a 17,000 sq. ft. two-story build-to-suit in the heart of College Station.

Tom is a seasoned superintendent, integral to our ground-up and build-to-suit focus.

During his more than 25 years in construction, Tom has managed multiple, complex, ground-up projects ranging from multi-story build-to-suits, grocery-anchored retail centers, and U.S. government projects abroad ranging in value from $4 million – $112 million.

Currently, Hiley is dedicated to the close-out of Seidel Schroeder and will wrap construction at the end of this month. His job site presence in College Station has kept the project on time despite design adjustments and multiple challenges from Harvey.

Full Electrical Requirement

Over 50% of GSD’s industrial clients need increased power capacity from their original plans for specialized machinery or production equipment. Failing to address your specific electrical needs in the beginning can lead to a huge unplanned expense mid-project.

Lighting Needs

Many architects will drop a basic lighting layout into plans. But it’s important to consider exactly what, when and where the areas are to be lit. A good general contractor can help you think through a strategy to meet your needs and save you money in the long run.

Permits

Typical industrial warehouse structures have a roof deck of 20-35 feet or higher, so it makes
sense to store inventory vertically. But anything stacked over 12′ high requires a special, high
pile permit and design plans from structural engineers. Someone unfamiliar with this permitting process can add months to your build timeline.

Value Engineering

We view the GC role as a partnership with you. Sure, we have an obvious part at the end of the process when you already have the space, plans and its time to pour concrete. But consider the added value to partner at the beginning of your project. Proactively working with you to streamline the entire process and get you back to business faster is what we do best.

GSD: LET’S BUILD TOGETHER