St. Albert-based Johnston Builders recently moved down the street from their former office located at 370 Carleton Drive in Campbell Business Park.
The local construction company is now housed in a new, glass-structure building at 265 Carleton Drive, exchanging 6,000 square feet for 9,000 square feet of bright, single-person office space.
Don Johnston, president of the company, said the move came in light of recent company growth.
“We are just expanding, our business is growing and we needed more room,” he said.
Johnston Builders Ltd. is a mid-sized, general contracting firm specializing in commercial and light industrial design-build and construction management. Since its incorporation in 1990, Johnston said the company has maintained a slow and steady growth.
He said the majority of their clients are located in the oilfield service industry and indications are that “that particular industry or groups that we work with are going to be busy for quite some time.”
The move allows the company to take on greater volumes of work and add some new employees to its 30-people strong field and office crew. The new building also exemplifies their growth to customers, he added.
“It’s important to show our clients a level of professionalism and sophistication so it goes along with a nice, neat and organized facility,” Johnston said.
“The shop is a little bit larger, the yard is about the same as before. It kind of enhances our business with the new and esthetically pleasing building and interiors.”
While the company will take over the upper floor of the building, it will lease out another 6,000 square feet of office space in the lower levels for professional or medical use.
Mid-rise tower considered for former building
Now located at 370 Carleton Drive is MK Group of Companies, another construction business based in St. Albert.
President Morris Kadylo said the company was formerly housed at 340 Circle Drive in Campbell Business Park, sharing space with local Paradox Group of Companies and Everest Builders.
Also thanks to company growth, Kadylo said they had considered leasing extra office space in the neighbourhood when Everest decided to downsize their business. The group then leased all of 340 Circle Drive to Paradox and moved the entire company to the new building.
“We actually have never been this busy since we started six years ago,” Kadylo said.
“We are excited, our volumes are the largest they’ve been since we took over all of the companies.”
Consisting of five companies – Shear-Flor Finishing, ACS Framing, Shearwall Triforce, All Construction Solutions and Westmount Glazing – MK Group specializes in concrete and glass structures for residential, commercial and industrial projects as well as superstructures and parkades.
The group built about 30 per cent of the high rises in downtown Edmonton and was locally involved in the construction of the Hole’s Enjoy Centre and St. Albert Crossing, said Kadylo.
While space is still tight at 370 Carleton Drive, he said they are now considering adding a second floor or constructing a small, mid-rise tower on the property.
“We are certainly looking at adding anywhere between 5,000 and 7,000 square feet of additional space to this building,” he said.
“I don’t think anyone will object to what we are doing. We will do it very tastefully and we will go through the right process and get the thing designed.”
Until more room is available, the company may still lease out office space in the neighbourhood. In the future, Kadylo said they may consider purchasing another property in Campbell Business Park to build a concrete and glass structure reflective of their business. They would then lease out 370 Carleton Drive to another company.
