Chicago, Illinois is a diverse city that is rich in history and culture. It is the home of the skyscraper and significantly influenced architecture on a global scale. There are various entertainment and natural attractions, and it has reliable public transit. Housing is also affordable in the city, making it a preferred location for families and young professionals. The list below contains 10 of the best multifamily contractors in Chicago, Illinois, selected based on their experience, awards, and portfolio.
Pepper Construction
643 North Orleans St., Chicago, IL 60654
Pepper Construction is a Chicago-based general contracting and construction management firm serving Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin, and beyond. It was established in 1927 and has specialized in civic, corporate, entertainment, health care, education, hospitality, manufacturing, and residential projects. For 95 years, the firm’s mission has been to create spaces that improve its clients’ lives and environments. To achieve this, it prioritizes safety, integrity, and transparency, always looking out for the best interests of its people and customers.
Stan Pepper and Scot Pepper direct the company’s daily operations. Stan started working at Pepper Construction when he was only 15 years old and quickly rose through the ranks within the organization. He became president at age 32 and now serves as the firm’s chairman and CEO. Meanwhile, Scot is the current president of the company. His responsibilities include strategic oversight, allocation of resources, and ensuring that teams are given the right tools and opportunities to excel.
McShane Construction
9500 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., Suite 200, Rosemont, IL 60018
McShane Construction is a renowned industrial, multifamily, and commercial building company headquartered in Rosemont, Illinois. It provides a wide range of construction services, including pre-construction, design-build, design-assist, and construction management across Illinois, Southeast Region, Nashville Region, Southern Wisconsin Region, Southwest Region, and the Western Region. The firm opened its doors in 1984 and has produced numerous affordable housing, industrial facilities, health care facilities, and office buildings, turning clients’ visions into reality.
Jim McShane is the founder and chairman of McShane Construction. His dedication to quality construction enabled the firm to thrive nationally, growing from a single office in Chicago into a national multi-office organization. McShane Construction is also committed to sustainable building, providing clients with structures that are not detrimental to their environment. The firm has amassed multiple awards, including the 2021 ENR Top Southeast Contractors and the 2021 PCI Design Award – Best Multifamily Building.
Leopardo Companies
210 N. Carpenter St., Suite 300, Chicago, IL 60607
Established in 1977, Leopardo Companies is a recognized construction firm in Chicago, Illinois, known for building world-class structures across every market sector. It provides construction, preconstruction, self-perform, and building services, serving Illinois, Florida, and California clients. For four decades, the firm has constructed many projects in the aviation, education, health care, industrial, residential, retail, and senior living markets. Leopardo Companies has established itself as a leader in construction for delivering exceptional value to its clients and partners.
Mike Leopardo leads the company. He has 30 years of extensive construction experience and served as executive vice president before stepping in as the CEO and president. Since its founding, the firm has gathered hundreds of awards, including the 2021 ENR Award of Merit for Government/Public Bidding, the 2021 ENR Award of Merit for Government/Public Bidding, the 2020 Chicagoness Award, and the 2020 AIA Chicago People’s Choice Award.
Skender Construction
1330 W Fulton Market, Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607
Skender Construction is a premier construction firm in Chicago, Illinois. It was formed in 1955 and has worked with prominent clients, including Google, Facebook, Wilson, Hyatt, The University of Chicago, and Soho House. The firm specializes in a variety of services, including pre-construction, planning, target value design, design-build, virtual modeling, project management, and sustainability, serving clients across Chicago, Indianapolis, and surrounding areas. Skender Construction believes that the construction process must be smooth and simple while involving an exciting collaboration.
Justin Brown directs Skender Construction. He manages over 200 industry professionals offering invaluable experience and commitment to quality construction. He joined the firm in 2005, leading companywide strategic growth initiatives and working across all areas to develop a sustainable value for the firm and its clients.
ARCO/Murray
113 N. May St., 2nd Floor, Chicago, IL 60607
ARCO/Murray is a design-build contractor established in 1992. It is based in Chicago, Illinois, and serves clients from coast to coast, entertainment, industrial, laundry, life sciences, mission-critical, multisite, manufacturing, residential, and tenant improvements services. Since its early years, the firm has thrived on being the best design-build contractor in the industry. Thus, it uses a proven design-build methodology to envision clients’ ideas while providing the best experience. Over the past 30 years, it has developed 4,000 projects in roughly 450 cities.
ARCO/Murray houses skilled professionals in engineering and architecture that collaborate with design-build construction managers to produce creative and cost-efficient solutions. The team is led by Bradley Dannegger, the co-chairman and CEO of the company. The firm has also garnered numerous accolades, including the 2021 Dallas Business Journal’s Best Places to Work, the 2020 TRSA Community Service Award, and the 2018 #1 Best Places to Work in Illinois.
Novak Construction
3423 N. Drake Ave., Chicago, IL 60618
Novak Construction is a 42-year general contractor and construction management firm headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The firm specializes in corporate, health care, industrial, institutional, mixed-use, restaurant, retail, and senior living projects, dedicated to bringing its clients’ unique visions to life. It offers a wide range of services, including pre-construction, general contracting, and construction management, serving clients across Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan, Delaware, Colorado, and North Carolina. Its team’s extensive experience and client-focused approach set it apart from the competition.
John Novak is the founder and president of Novak Construction. He is responsible for creating strategic business plans to achieve the firm’s long-term goals. His tenacity and anticipation of prevailing market needs enabled Novak Construction to become one of Chicago’s premier general contractors and construction managers.
Focus
100 South Wacker, Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60606
Focus is a real-estate developer and general contractor which has delivered over 2.4 billion in real estate value. The firm was formed almost three decades ago and has specialized in residential, hospitality, commercial construction, and development services. It strives to develop spaces that impact clients’ lives, enhance their communities, and provide lasting value. Focus has taken on numerous distinctive developments in the Chicago market, ranging from small multifamily communities to high-density, mixed-use redevelopments.
Tim Anderson is the founder and CEO of Focus. He began his career in the industry in 1976, after training as an architect, he brings impactful knowledge of design and emphasizes quality of design in all Focus projects. He continues to provide strategic leadership and maintains company standards, especially regarding design and quality. In 2020, the firm delivered its latest project, 167 Green in Fulton Market which was recognized as the Office Development of the Year by NAIOP in 2021.
To know more about Focus Development, you can visit their website here.
Joseph J Duffy Co.
4994 North Elston Ave., Chicago, IL 60630
Joseph J Duffy Co. is a commercial construction company operating for over a century. It is based in Chicago, Illinois, and it specializes in multifamily, workplace, and government projects. It also offers new construction, renovation, and construction management services for commercial and industrial facilities. The firm serves the Chicago metropolitan area and provides consistent quality works by operating as a general contractor, construction manager, or teaming up as a design-builder. Joseph J Duffy Co. delivers results that match what clients envisioned, planned, and expected.
Michael A. Mozal supervises the firm. He joined Joseph J Duffy Co. in 1985, slowly rising through the ranks of vice president in 1996 until he became president in 2004. He has overseen over 6,000 retirement and multifamily housing units and is currently affiliated with the Associated Builders and Contractors.
UJAMAA Construction
7744 South Stony Island Ave., Chicago, IL 60649
Established in 2002, UJAMAA Construction is a general contracting firm with a diverse range of experience constructing commercial, retail, higher education, multifamily housing, and medical facilities. It provides a wide array of construction services across Chicago and Atlanta, including general contracting, construction management, design-build, historical renovations, value engineering, self-perform, and sustainability. The firm aims to rebuild the community by providing the highest quality and innovative solutions. UJAMAA Construction also forges connections, positively impacting customers and their environments. As a result, 70% of its work is from repeat clients.
Jimmy Akintode leads UJAMAA Construction. He serves as the firm’s president and CEO. He earned his bachelor’s degree in architecture from the Illinois Institute of Technology and was affiliated with the Association of General Contractors Illinois Chapter.
