9) F.H. Paschen S.N. Nielsen & Associates LLC

Website | (773) 444-3474 | 5515 N. East River Road, Chicago, IL 60656

Photo Courtesy of Archpaper

F.H. Paschen S.N. Nielsen & Associates LLC was founded in the 1970 and has since become one of the largest general contractors in the Midwest. The company employs 200 persons in their Chicago headquarters. F.H. Paschen specializes in building bridges, commercial properties, healthcare, libraries, municipal buildings, major highways, police stations, private institutions, religious institutions, schools, transit systems, and wastewater treatment facilities. The company has completed many projects for the Chicago Transit Authority, the Illinois Department of Transportation, Midway International Airport, O’Hare International Airport, Chicago Public Schools, and the Chicago Public Building Commission

Photo Courtesy of F.H. Paschen

Featured Projects

F.H. Paschen recently completed new student apartments for the University of Chicago. This 4-story, 265,000 square foot structure with two buildings, connected by a three-story bridge, has retail space on the first floor and was designed by the top architect studio Solomon Cordwell Buenz Associates. And for the Chicago Transit Authority, the company constructed a $60.5 million south terminal building for the CTA Red Line on 95th Street. This was the 6th largest newly permitted project in Chicago in 2016. F.H. Paschen S.N. Nielsen & Associates LLC also pulled the 5th largest permit for new construction in 2016. This project, estimated at $70 million, is the future American Airlines gate at O’Hare airport. Other notable projects by F.H. Paschen include the new 9th and 10th District Police Stations, the UNO Veterans Memorial School Campus, which was the renovation of a vacant 175,000 square foot warehouse into two elementary schools and one high school and which achieved LEED Gold certification, and the Morgan Street elevated CTA station.

8) Linn-mathes Inc

Website | (312) 454-0200 | 309 S. Green Street, Chicago, Illinois 60607

Photo Courtesy of Linn-Mathes

Linn-Mathes Inc. (LM) was founded in 1919 by Nathan Linn. Over the past nearly 100 years, LM has become one of the most respected commercial and residential construction companies in the Chicago area. The company is in its third generation of family ownership and operation. The company has worked on a wide range of projects, such as residential, mixed-use, hospitality, and senior living and has worked with some of the country’s top architects, including Gensler and Studio Gang Architects.

Photo Courtesy of Linn-Mathes

Featured Projects

On the corner of Jackson Park at 1616 E 56th Street, LM will build a $97.5 million structure with 26 stories and 316 parking spaces in a 5 story parking garage. LM is currently building a 360,000 square foot, 40-story tower at 637 N Wells Street with 442 residential units. At 167 West Erie, LM is finished work on The Gallery on Wells, a 39-story tower with 444 rental apartments, 131 parking spaces, commercial and retail space. The company recently began work on Hyde Park’s 26-story Solstice on the Park, designed by Studio Gang Architects with 250 apartments. LM is building Centrum Hubbard, a 23-story residential tower with a rooftop pool, joined by a curvy 9-story office building. Other notable projects are City Hyde Park, a 14-story modern mixed-use development by Studio Gang, Wentworth Commons, and the Promenade. LM has worked on several notable Chicago-area hotels, including the Crowne Plaza O’Hare, and Silversmith Crowne Plaza Hotel.

7) W.E. O’Neil Construction Company

Website | (773) 755-1611 | 1245 W Washington Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607

Photo Courtesy of W.E. O’Neil

W.E. O’Neil Construction Company was founded in 1925. Through four generations of O’Neil family leadership, the award-winning company has become a nationally recognized company and industry leader. Headquartered in Chicago, W.E. O’Neil now has offices in seven other cities. An impressive 80% of their business comes from repeat clients, and they have built many projects designed by some of the world’s top commercial architecture firms. Their expertise spans from high-rises to education, and from retail to cultural buildings.

Photo Courtesy of W.E. O’Neill

Featured Projects

The company is working on the LondonHouse Hotel, a new 22-story tower in downtown, and remodel of the adjacent 21-story Beaux Arts historic office tower. The 317,000 square foot hotel will have 452 guest rooms and a two-level, rooftop bar and terrace. On Michigan Ave, W.E. O’Neil Construction built the 10-story LEED Silver Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership. Distinguished by its complex curtain-wall facade with 726 individual glass panes, it holds classrooms, a library, a museum gallery, a 420-seat theater, cafe space, and community event rooms. The company redeveloped one million square feet of the old Children’s Memorial Hospital site into the Lincoln Common Development. Designed by top architecture firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, it includes 970 residential units and 85,000 square feet of retail space. W.E. O’Neil built the DePaul University New Theatre School, a LEED Silver theater school and performing arts center designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli and Cannon Design and the University of Chicago Eckhardt Research Center, designed by HOK Architects. Other notable projects include the Crown Fountain in Millennium Park, the 25-story Bernardin Boutique Apartments tower, the 22-story 1401 S. State Street Apartments, the complete historic restoration of the 1933 Congress Theatre, and Orland Park Library.

6) Turner Construction Company

Website | (312) 327-2770 | 55 East Monroe Street, Suite 1430, Chicago, IL 60603 

Photo Courtesy of Paul Warchol via Turner Construction

Turner Construction Company is an international construction service company that completed $10 billion of construction on 1,500 projects annually. The company’s Chicago office was opened in 1924 and has since completed more than 1,000 projects throughout the state. The company has worked on a wide range of projects in the area, from complicated medical centers to iconic cultural institutions. The office has a commitment to sustainable building practices and has completed 38 LEED certified projects, with another 16 currently seeking LEED certification.

Photo Courtesy of Paul Warchol via Turner Construction

Featured Projects

Turner Construction built the Genevieve and Wayne Gratz Center for Chicago’s Fourth Presbyterian Church, designed by top architect studio Gensler. The five-story, 82,000 square foot structure is covered in copper, glass, and reclaimed limestone, has three green roofs, and is seeking LEED silver certification. The company also worked on redevelopment and improvement of Soldier Field, home to the Chicago Bears football team. This included a restoration of the stadium’s exterior and colonnades, and replacing the entire seating bowl. Other notable projects include the Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, Center for Advanced Care, a three-story  162,000 square foot development, Toyota Park, a $100 million soccer stadium just south of Chicago in Bridgeview, and the University Center of Chicago, an 18-story, 702,000 square foot student residence for Columbia College, DePaul University, and Roosevelt University. Older projects include the high-rises ABN AMRO Plaza and One South Dearborn, and a major renovation of the building systems of the famous Drake Hotel. Lastly, Turner recently built the Modern Wing and Nichols Bridgeway at the Art Institute of Chicago. 

 5) Pepper Construction Group

Website | (312) 266-4700 | 643 N. Orleans St., Chicago, IL 60654

Photo Courtesy of Pepper Construction

Pepper Construction Group, headquarters in Chicago, was founded in 1927 by Stanley F. Pepper and is now run by J. David Pepper and Ken Egidi. The firm employees 546 full-time local employees and more than 1,000 firmwide. Pepper Construction Group was ranked by Crain as the third largest Chicago commercial building contractor based on 2015 local revenue. In 2015, their local revenue was $689.5 million, up more than 45% from the previous year, indicative of their increasing influence in the city. Firmwide revenue for 2015 was a staggering $1,110.4 million. The firm specializes in building for hospitality, industrial, institutions, manufacturing, office, residential, retail and sports facilities.

Photo Courtesy of Pepper Construction

Featured Projects

Pepper Construction Group built the 41-story MILA at 200 North Michigan, the first skyscraper to go up on Michigan Avenue in five years. The building includes 402 luxury apartments, more than 30,000 square feet of amenities, including a rooftop pool, two levels of retail space and a 125-space parking garage underneath it. MILA earned LEED Good certification, thanks in part to Pepper diverting 94% of construction waste and sourcing 30% of building materials from within 500 miles. This project was one of the 30 most expensive construction projects since 2013, at $103m. Pepper was also invited to take part in The 1060 Project at Wrigley Field to restore and update the historic Cub’s stadium. They were responsible for the Wrigley Field Budweiser Bleachers & Concourse. Other major recent projects include the Palos Community Hospital Surgery and Bed Tower in Palos Heights, Northwestern University Technological Institute in Evanston, and the Barrington Village Center Retail and Office development.

4) Power Construction Co. LLC

Website | (312) 596-6960 | 8750 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., Suite 500, Chicago, IL 60631

Photo Courtesy of Power Construction

Founded in 1912, Power Construction Co. LLC is now one of the largest construction companies in the Midwest. This management-owned construction company is run by President and CEO Terry Graber. In 2015, the company conducted $945 million in local revenue. All 259 full-time employees of the company are based locally. 100% of their work is general building. Power Construction specializes in airport, hospitality, industrial, institutional, manufacturing, office, residential, retail, and sports facilities.

Photo Courtesy of Architect Magazine

Featured Projects

Power Construction Company is the developer of the Marquee at Block 37, a 767,000 square foot, 34-story residential tower in The Loop designed to achieve LEED Certification. And in April 2017, Power Construction was issued a permit for Essex on the Park, a 56-story South Loop apartment tower at 808 S Michigan Ave. It will rise more than 600 feet and hold 479 high-end rental units. Power is also built the 48-story residential tower at 465 N Park Drive, with a sky deck terrace, and a 20-story office tower at 5 W Adams Street. The company is finishing work on the 18-story upscale Viceroy Hotel at 1118 N State Street. This $80 million project incorporates the facade of the previous Cedar Hotel into the new tower. Other notable projects include a 24-story mixed-use building at 311 W Illinois Street, the LEED Gold 215,000 square foot Loyola University Institute for Environmental Sustainability, and the NU Kellogg School of Management in Evanston for $195m, and Loyola University’s Quinlan School of Business.

3) Clark Construction Group Chicago

Website | (312) 474-5500 | 216 South Jefferson Street, Suite 502, Chicago, Illinois, 60661

Photo Courtesy of Clark Construction

With 25 years in the industry, Clark Construction Group Chicago has quickly established itself as one of Chicago’s premier Chicago builders. The company has completed over $5 billion of work and collaborated with some of the Midwest’s top companies and architects. Clark Construction Group has worked on a wide range of projects, from prominent landmarks, massive convention centers, laboratories, high-rises, military buildings, and a sport’s facilities.

Photo Courtesy of Clark Construction

Featured Projects

Clark Construction Group has added many high-rises to Chicago, including the 14th tallest – a 60-story mixed-use building at 300 North LaSalle. And the company is building the 444-foot tall Marriott Marquis at 2121 S Prairie Ave. Just east of the new Wintrust Arena that the company also built, this high-rise will house 1,205 guest rooms. The $150 million Wintrust Arena, a 10,500 seat multi-purpose arena designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects, will be used for DePaul University’s men’s and women’s basketball teams, concerts, and conventions. The company is working on a 26-story luxury rental tower at 8 E Huron Street, and the 40-story LEED Silver targeted McCormick Place Headquarters Hotel, which cost $350 million and will include 1,200 guest rooms. And they renovated and expanded hospitality giant Hyatt’s fourth largest hotel in the world, the Hyatt Regency Mccormick Place. This LEED Gold project consisted of 270,000 square feet of new construction in a 13-story tower. Clark Construction pulled permits for the third most expensive project in 2016, a $150 million event center at McCormick Place at 200 E Cermak Road. Other significant projects include the recently completed work on 150 North Riverside, a 1.2 million square foot office tower in the River North neighborhood.

2)  Walsh Group Ltd

Website | (312) 563-5400 | 929 W. Adams St., Chicago, IL 60607

Photo Courtesy of Walsh Group

Walsh Group Ltd has been working on Chicago construction since 1989 and is now one of the largest construction firms in the Midwest. The Chicago-based company provides general contracting, construction management, and design/build services nationwide. The Group is run by Chairman and CEO Matthew W. Walsh and employs 1,500 local full-time employees. In 2015, Walsh Group took in  $757.1 million in local revenue, and $4,950.6 million firmwide. The Group specializes in transportation, in particular airports, hospitality, industrial, public works, residential, and sports facilities. The Group was ranked as the nation’s 4th largest healthcare builder by Modern Healthcare.

Photo Courtesy of Walsh Group

Featured Projects

Walsh Group built the 13th tallest building in Chicago, The Legacy at Millennium Park,  72-stories with 1,072,613 square feet designed by Solomon Cordwell Buenz & Associates. This skyscraper has 360 luxury condos, 560 parking spaces, and 41,000 sq ft of classroom space for the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. The Walsh Group has built several other high-rises designed by Solomon Cordwell Buenz & Associates, including the nearby 59-story Heritage at Millennium Park, with includes 97,500 square feet of retail space, AMLI River, a 50-story high-rise in the River North area, McClurg, 45-story luxury high-rise, the 40-story 1001 S. State Street, the 48-story Streeter apartment building, and the $203m Lincoln Park 2550. The later project has 198 luxury units in three separate towers at 39, 22, and 16 stories each. And Walsh Group is building one of Chicago’s tallest new buildings, SoMi at 1326 S Michigan Ave. The 47-story, glassy high-rise will have 500 rental units, 190 parking spots, and retail space. The company is also building the 33-story South Loop Alta Roosevelt apartment tower. Walsh Group has conducted extensive work at Chicago O’Hare, and also built the John G. Shedd Aquarium, Rush University Medical Center, and The Tides at Lakeshore East.

1) James Mchugh Construction Co

Website | (312) 986-8000 | 1737 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60616

Photo Courtesy of Curbed

James Mchugh Construction Company is one of Chicago’s elite construction groups and is headed by Chairman Patricia H. McHugh. It is a full-service construction company that offers a wide range of services, including general contracting, preconstruction services, consulting, program and construction management, and design-build services. The company has a long-standing commitment to green building and was an early member of the US Green Building Council. James Mchugh Construction has completed 20 LEED projects totaling over $1 billion.

Photo Courtesy of James Mchugh Construction

Featured Projects

James Mchugh Construction is working on the tallest new high-rise in Chicago, the 93-story Wanda Vista Hotel & Residences in Lakeshore East. Designed by Studio Gang Architects and bKL Architecture, this tower will hold a 5-star hotel, 406 luxury condominiums, retail space, and parking. Once complete in 2020, it will be Chicago’s third tallest building and will have cost an estimated $1 billion. The company is also building the second tallest building under construction in Chicago, One Grant Park at 113 E Roosevelt Road. This 76-story residential tower is expected to be complete in 2019 and will be the tallest building south of the Sears Tower. It will house 792 rental units, 12 levels of parking, and ground floor retail space. The company is also working on a 22-story development at 123 E. Cermak and a 35-story residential high-rise at 1201 N La Salle Drive. James Mchugh Construction built Chicago’s 10th tallest building, the 82-story mixed-use skyscraper Aqua in the Lakeshore East downtown area, designed by Studio Gang Architects. Other notable projects include the 1.2 million square foot Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, the redevelopment of O’Hare airport’s Terminal 5 concession area, the 196 foot tall Centennial Wheel at Navy Pier, and the 620-foot 35th Street Bicycle and Pedestrian Bridge spanning south Lake Shore Drive.