| 2013 Summer | story by ANNE BROCKHOFF | photos by STEVEN HERTZOG |
Builders find strength in Lawrence’s foundation: people, partners and projects
Construction in Lawrence isn’t simply a matter of putting up high-quality buildings or designing energy-efficient homes or renovating century-old residences when it comes to generating success in a competitive industry.
It’s all of them and more.
Lawrence — with its educated population, diverse neighborhoods and longtime businesses and developers — continues to build upon its solid foundation through a combination of strong relationships, opportunistic risk-takers and long-term thinkers.
Those who endure do so with firm commitments and flexible approaches to the Lawrence market, its community and its future.
“Quite frankly, we bet our bankroll on it,” said Kevin Markley, who co-owns Mar Lan Construction LLC with Gale and Brian Lantis. “It’s where we wanted to be.”
Markley, whose company celebrated its 17th Founders Day on June 17, is among builders whose projects help shape the community, and so it makes sense to ask them and others in the industry about what makes Lawrence different.
Among characteristics making the list: committed players.
“Lawrence has a desirable number and its share of developers who are willing to invest in the community,” Markley says.
He remembers one such project early on: Downtown 2000, a partnership that combined private development with public participation to bring a parking garage and a four-story, mixed-use building to the 900 block of New Hampshire Street, where the Lawrence Arts Center would make its new home.
“The university is obviously the biggest dollar in town,” Markley says, of the University of Kansas. “But private developers are willing — and willing to stay hard-pressed — to be successful in Lawrence, and to do what’s right here, to see their investments embellish the area.”
Brandon Dahl, president of Dahl Construction Inc., loves that KU helps foster the diverse atmosphere that makes Lawrence such a fine place to live. Shopping, entertainment, activities and everything else supporting an excellent existence — early on and well into retirement — can be found in town, he says, where builders like himself work to meet market needs.
Dahl proudly calls his company “boutiquey,” handling jobs ranging from schools to grain elevators, screen doors and custom homes. Dahl added a library, offices, toddler rooms and two outdoor exploration areas — featuring custom-built play shelters, swingsets, walking bridges and tunnels — at Raintree Montessori School.
For residences he likes to incorporate zero-entry showers, electrical outlets on stairs and other aspects of “universal construction” that work well for young families as well as aging-in-place retirees.
And always with some welcome-to-Lawrence flair.
“We’ve built homes for people from 10 different countries,” he says, noting jobs for KU professors from South Korea, an IT professional from Russia working in Kansas City and a corporate executive from South Africa working in Topeka. “It’s always interesting to see what they bring to the table. The people we work with are a lot of fun. They’re a hoot. We enjoy it just as much as they do.”
Neal Ezell, president of Ezell-Morgan Construction, says that his company continues to build its success around loyal partners, satisfied customers and a strong community. The company traces its roots back to 1964, when his father started building homes and went on to partner with Bob Stephens in developing homes and businesses in western Lawrence.
Always high on the Ezell-Morgan list: quality, worthwhile upgrades and constant attention to detail.
“We’ve always had a niche in Lawrence,” Ezell says. “It’s a fortunate place to be.”
Today Ezell-Morgan’s focus includes producing energy-efficient homes, with upgrades designed to pay off through lower utility bills and improved comfort. Using raised-heel trusses, for example, allows for additional insulation, improved efficiency and fewer problems with ice during the winter.
All homes in Lawrence also benefit by being built in accordance with the latest in building codes, says Ezell, a member of the city’s Building Code Board of Appeals. The next version goes into effect July 1, ensuring Appeals additional attention to energy efficiency.
Lawrence residents long have been accustomed to benefitting from solid construction materials, designs and techniques, Ezell says. The community is both knowledgeable and demanding, especially with KU drawing and maintaining plenty of educated employees — a steady stream of buyers and sellers, many of whom come with particular interests in mind.
“That keeps Lawrence on the leading edge,” he says.
Mar Lan likewise appreciates the presence of KU. While the company started out with a lineup of private construction projects, such as the Wakarusa Crossroads shopping center at the southeast corner of Sixth Street and Wakarusa Drive, much of the company’s work in recent years has involved KU. Projects have included work for the Lied Center, KU Libraries, KU Student Housing and the university’s transit service.
The firm works with local architects and local subs to turn clients’ visions — often started with scribbles on a napkin — into reality, whether it’s for the state’s flagship university or a lineup of local developers ready to build once again.
“As long as they continue to move forward and slowly trudge out of their tortoise shells, we’re here for them,” Markley says. “It’s people with local ties working together toward a common goal. I like to say many of our clients are repeat offenders: They come back for more.”
Dahl’s entire business, now 20 years old, is built entirely on referrals, ones sprouted from projects at KU and its surroundings. His early work renovating, updating and expanding fraternity and sorority houses near campus, including the Chi Omega house alongside the iconic Chi O Fountain, led to alumni associated with those houses contracting for more jobs at other schools and elsewhere: commercial, residential, remodeling, you name it.
People talk. Good word travels.
Connections endure.
“We work for people now more than the project,” Dahl says. “Blueprints are the project, but people are the fun. They’re what make the project.”
Ezell, 53, is familiar with the strength of personal connections. At age 13 he started framing homes for his dad in Prairie Meadows, just one of the many areas where residences built under the Ezell family name are now home to people Ezell grew up with, went to school with and continue to share a community with.
The work of Ezell’s dad, Johnny B. Ezell, even left such an impression that a street in western Lawrence — Easy Street — promises to carry on his nickname for generations.
“People called him ‘Easy Money,’ because everything he got into he had the Midas touch,” Ezell says of his dad, who died in 1991.
But the planned road signs also managed to touch a Lawrence nerve.
“There were some people who complained,” Ezell says. “They didn’t like the name of the street.”
A disgruntled few even made their way to City Hall to vent, but Stevens was there to explain his plans for the road serving a new stretch of homes north of Harvard Road, west of Monterey Way: Easy Street would be a fitting tribute for a fine man.
Concerns evaporated. Signs went up. And the rest is history — instructive even, in the Lawrence sense.
“Complaints? That’s good,” Ezell says now. “That’s what keeps us on our toes.”■
64 Comments
Aw, this was an exceptionally good post. Spending some time and actual effort to generate a top notch article… but what can I say… I put things off a lot and don’t seem to get anything done.
You could certainly see your skills in the work you write. The world hopes for more passionate writers like you who aren’t afraid to say how they believe. Always go after your heart.
An intriguing discussion is definitely worth comment. I do believe that you need to write more about this subject matter, it might not be a taboo subject but usually folks don’t speak about such issues. To the next! Cheers.
百聞は一見に如かず
知らぬが仏
百聞は一見に如かず
瓜の蔓に茄子はならぬ
良薬は口に苦し
saoclub.now bảo mật an toàn tuyệt đối
saoclub.now chơi một lần là ghiền ngay
saoclub.now chơi mượt trên mọi thiết bị
vip52.asia đăng ký tài khoản chưa tới 1 phút
sanvip.store đội ngũ hỗ trợ nhiệt tình
bellend
omorashi
kondum
Aw, this was a very nice post. In concept I wish to put in writing like this moreover ? taking time and precise effort to make a very good article? however what can I say? I procrastinate alot and not at all appear to get something done.
cl1t
Howdy! Do you use Twitter? I’d like to follow you if that would be okay. I’m definitely enjoying your blog and look forward to new updates.
Things i have seen in terms of computer memory is that there are technical specs such as SDRAM, DDR or anything else, that must fit the specs of the motherboard. If the pc’s motherboard is kind of current and there are no operating-system issues, improving the storage space literally requires under one hour. It’s among the list of easiest computer system upgrade methods one can consider. Thanks for giving your ideas.
Oh my goodness! I’m in awe of the author’s writing skills and ability to convey intricate concepts in a concise and precise manner. This article is a real treasure that earns all the accolades it can get. Thank you so much, author, for sharing your knowledge and offering us with such a valuable resource. I’m truly appreciative!
r365.asia hỗ trợ đa nền tảng, dễ truy cập từ mọi thiết bị
I have noticed that in digital camera models, extraordinary detectors help to {focus|concentrate|maintain focus|target|a**** automatically. The actual sensors with some surveillance cameras change in contrast, while others start using a beam involving infra-red (IR) light, specially in low light. Higher spec cameras oftentimes use a mixture of both techniques and probably have Face Priority AF where the digital camera can ‘See’ some sort of face and focus only on that. Thank you for sharing your opinions on this blog site.
Phần lớn các trò chơi trên sv368.ke bị lag và lỗi kết nối
Không có các tùy chọn hỗ trợ người chơi có vấn đề về cờ bạc trên dazzle.uk.com
Giao diện mobile của sv368.ke chưa được tối ưu rất khó thao tác
Trang web dazzle.uk.com không có phiên bản tiếng Việt đầy đủ
review candy ai
this honest review on candy ai
candy ai review
candy ai girlfriend
I’m extremely impressed with your writing skills and also with the layout on your weblog. Is this a paid theme or did you customize it yourself? Either way keep up the excellent quality writing, it?s rare to see a great blog like this one nowadays..
I don?t even know how I ended up here, but I thought this post was great. I don’t know who you are but definitely you’re going to a famous blogger if you are not already 😉 Cheers!
Howdy just wanted to give you a brief heads up and let you know a few of the images aren’t loading properly. I’m not sure why but I think its a linking issue. I’ve tried it in two different internet browsers and both show the same outcome.
I was pretty pleased to find this great site. I wanted to thank you for ones time due to this fantastic read!! I definitely savored every bit of it and i also have you bookmarked to see new stuff in your website.
Spot on with this write-up, I really assume this website needs far more consideration. I?ll most likely be once more to read far more, thanks for that info.
Hello! I could have sworn I’ve visited this website before but after looking at some of the posts I realized it’s new to me. Nonetheless, I’m definitely delighted I found it and I’ll be bookmarking it and checking back frequently!
Oh my goodness! Awesome article dude! Thanks, However I am encountering troubles with your RSS. I don’t know the reason why I am unable to join it. Is there anyone else getting identical RSS issues? Anybody who knows the solution can you kindly respond? Thanks!
I need to to thank you for this good read!! I definitely enjoyed every little bit of it. I have got you saved as a favorite to look at new things you post…
Way cool! Some extremely valid points! I appreciate you writing this post plus the rest of the website is also very good.
Good post. I learn something totally new and challenging on websites I stumbleupon on a daily basis. It will always be helpful to read articles from other writers and use something from other sites.
Thanks a lot for your post. I’d really like to write my opinion that the cost of car insurance varies from one scheme to another, simply because there are so many different issues which give rise to the overall cost. One example is, the make and model of the vehicle will have a massive bearing on the price tag. A reliable ancient family automobile will have a more affordable premium over a flashy expensive car.
okmark your weblog and check again here regularly. I am quite sure I will learn a lot of new stuff right here! Good luck for the next!
You’ve made some decent points there. I checked on the web to learn more about the issue and found most people will go along with your views on this site.
Howdy! This blog post could not be written much better! Going through this post reminds me of my previous roommate! He constantly kept preaching about this. I am going to send this information to him. Fairly certain he’ll have a good read. Thank you for sharing!
I have noticed that car insurance organizations know the vehicles which are at risk of accidents along with risks. Additionally , they know what form of cars are prone to higher risk and also the higher risk they have the higher the actual premium charge. Understanding the very simple basics of car insurance can help you choose the right sort of insurance policy that can take care of your needs in case you become involved in an accident. Appreciate your sharing your ideas on your own blog.
I must thank you for the efforts you’ve put in penning this blog. I am hoping to view the same high-grade blog posts from you in the future as well. In fact, your creative writing abilities has motivated me to get my own, personal site now 😉
Good post. I learn something new and challenging on sites I stumbleupon on a daily basis. It’s always useful to read through content from other authors and practice a little something from their websites.
Hello there! This blog post could not be written much better! Reading through this post reminds me of my previous roommate! He continually kept talking about this. I will send this article to him. Fairly certain he’ll have a great read. I appreciate you for sharing!
There’s definately a great deal to know about this subject. I love all of the points you have made.
An impressive share! I have just forwarded this onto a coworker who has been conducting a little homework on this. And he actually ordered me breakfast simply because I stumbled upon it for him… lol. So let me reword this…. Thank YOU for the meal!! But yeah, thanx for spending the time to talk about this subject here on your internet site.
Howdy! I could have sworn I’ve been to your blog before but after going through some of the articles I realized it’s new to me. Nonetheless, I’m certainly delighted I found it and I’ll be book-marking it and checking back regularly!
This is a topic that is near to my heart… Take care! Exactly where can I find the contact details for questions?
You made some good points there. I looked on the internet to find out more about the issue and found most individuals will go along with your views on this site.
Very good info. Lucky me I recently found your site by accident (stumbleupon). I have saved as a favorite for later!
It’s nearly impossible to find knowledgeable people on this subject, but you seem like you know what you’re talking about! Thanks
I blog quite often and I truly thank you for your information. Your article has truly peaked my interest. I will book mark your website and keep checking for new details about once per week. I subscribed to your RSS feed as well.
I like reading an article that can make men and women think. Also, thank you for allowing for me to comment.
Excellent read, I just passed this onto a colleague who was doing some research on that. And he just bought me lunch as I found it for him smile So let me rephrase that: Thank you for lunch!
My brother suggested I might like this web site. He was entirely right. This post truly made my day. You can not imagine simply how much time I had spent for this info! Thanks!
Hey! I’m at work surfing around your blog from my new iphone 3gs! Just wanted to say I love reading through your blog and look forward to all your posts! Keep up the excellent work!
F*ckin? tremendous things here. I?m very glad to see your article. Thanks a lot and i’m looking forward to contact you. Will you please drop me a mail?
Thanks for sharing your ideas. The first thing is that scholars have an option between federal government student loan as well as a private student loan where it’s easier to choose student loan consolidation than in the federal student loan.
Chơi xóc đĩa tại abc8vn.io không bị lag hay giật