Monday, August 31st Bulley & Andrews broke ground on a new and exciting project, the company’s new headquarters. Recognizing the importance of location, Bulley & Andrews is expanding their corporate offices in the vibrant and diverse Chicago neighborhood of Bucktown, of which they have been a member since 1952.

Three generations of the Bulley family gathered for the ceremonial groundbreaking. Remarking on the transformation the firm has undergone during the course of its storied 124 year history, Allan E. Bulley, Jr. shared memories from when he first joined his father in the family enterprise.

“When I first joined the company in 1956, the office consisted of a 50 x 125 building with the rear of the building used as our yard,” said Bulley, Jr. “Now we are about to embark on a new adventure.”

Recognizing his father’s vision for the new building, Allan (Ally) E. Bulley, III also highlighted the firm’s commitment to its employees and clients and shared their plans for the firm’s continued growth.

Joe Antunovich, the project’s architect, also spoke at the ceremony. He emphasized the strong partnership between Bulley & Andrews and Antunovich Associates, who have completed 15+ projects together across the region. Joining forces again, the new 39,000 square foot office building will reflect the building principles of collaboration and community which complement Bulley & Andrews’ business ethos.

Scheduled to be complete Fall 2016, the opening of the new headquarters will coincide with Bulley & Andrews’ celebration of 125 years in business.

B&A showcases Design/Build talents while working to fight hunger at Canstruction

Twenty-one teams gathered for Canstruction’s 9th annual Build Night on Wednesday, August 12 in the Merchandise Mart. The design/build competition allowed professionals in the local architecture, engineering and construction industry to leverage their design skills to create structures using canned goods, all while fighting to end hunger.

Bulley & Andrews partnered with RATIO Architects for the second year in a row to create and execute their 3D theme: “Close the Book on Hunger.” Volunteers from the entire RATIO, Bulley & Andrews, smdp and Stearn-Joglekar team successfully built the structure in four and a half hours using 3,500 cans including peas, beans and soup.

The team worked together to ensure a smooth and efficient design night. Preparations included developing the design concept, transporting cans from Mariano’s to the Bulley & Andrews office, where they were sorted and packaged for delivery to the Merchandise Mart, and cutting 20 support pieces of masonite, which were added between every two layers of cans to provide structural support.

The competition benefits the Greater Chicago Food Depository, a nonprofit food distribution and training center that leads 650 food pantries in Cook County. Last year’s Canstruction event brought in more than 110,000 pounds of shelf stable food for the depository’s network.

Teams constructed 21 unique models, from food trucks to Olympic stadiums and even a replica of Jaume Plensa’s “1004 Portraits” in Millennium Park. All structures are currently on display and free to the public at the Merchandise Mart through Tuesday, September 8. Nine different category awards will be announced and presented at the Awards Gala, Thursday, September 3.

It’s not just safety first with Greg Marquez, Bulley & Andrews’ recently appointed Safety Director, but safety first, second, and third.

Practicing a proactive and continuous approach to safety which adjusts as needs of the project change, Marquez brings 15 years of industry experience to the position.  He is responsible for overseeing Bulley & Andrews’ safety program and is an expert at supervising various trades and management on project sites as well as creating and conducting safety training.

“I’m excited for the opportunity to further strengthen a formidable safety program, one that matches the strength and durability shown by Bulley & Andrews since 1891,” Marquez said.

Emphasizing the importance of jobsite safety, Marquez led Bulley & Andrews workers in the third annual Builders Association (BA) Safety Stand Down on June 3rd. Staff working on the renovation of Northwestern University’s Kresge Centennial Hall took time to discuss and learn about safety planning.

“Proper planning is the key to a safe and successful project,” Marquez said. “When safety operates well, it is approached in a proactive manner. Bulley & Andrews always strives to manage safety proactively.”

Bulley & Andrews views safety and training as a top priority and welcomes Marquez’s skills and expertise. B&A’s excellent safety record is exemplified by an Experience Modification Rate (EMR) of 0.59, among the lowest in the industry and well below the nationwide industry standard (1.0).

Marquez lives in Elgin with his wife and two sons. He is a self-proclaimed sports fanatic, especially when it comes to the Cubs and Notre Dame Football. He is a certified Construction Health & Safety Technician (CHST), a member of the American Society of Safety Engineers and an OSHA Authorized Outreach Trainer.

Bulley & Andrews joined Landmarks Illinois July 16 at the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel to celebrate AJ Capital Partners. The firm was recognized with the 2015 Real Estate and Building Industries Council Award for their visionary restoration of the landmark Chicago Athletic Association into a luxury hotel.

The event was hosted in the White City Ballroom and guests were additionally treated to Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture guided tours of the hotel to experience firsthand it’s historic transformation. Bulley & Andrews worked with AJ Capital Partners and Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture on the project, and as guests witnessed, their teamwork resulted in a unique project that embraces its historic past as it provides contemporary hospitality.

This fall Bulley & Andrews will begin construction of a new headquarters to expand their corporate offices. Partnering with Antunovich Associates on the design, the new 39,000 sq. ft., four-story structure will incorporate a number of sustainable design features including daylight harvesting and a green roof. The interior spaces are configured to foster collaboration and teamwork uniting all Bulley & Andrews’ employees, currently located in four separate facilities, under one roof.

Maintaining its historic roots while accommodating new growth, the company will build its new headquarters at the same address as its current facility on Armitage and Hermitage Avenues, which the firm has occupied since 1952. Bulley & Andrews is proud to be a part of the vibrant and diverse Bucktown neighborhood.

The building is scheduled to be complete in the fall of 2016.

The transformation of the Chicago Athletic Association (CAA) into a world-class boutique hotel was debuted to the public today. As general contractor, Bulley & Andrews leveraged its historical expertise and large-scale renovation experience to execute the project with a balance between tight controls and flexibility.

Crews worked double shifts to complete the renovation which included buildout of the hotel’s 241 rooms, restore the club’s most iconic spaces, and complete the rooftop addition. As with most projects of this type, the renovation has been an exercise in discovery and creative response.

From the outset, the construction team recognized that surprises come hand-in-hand with modernizing 120-year-old buildings (not to mention one that was shuttered for seven years). In anticipation, they worked closely with owners AJ Capital and Commune Hotels + Resorts, construction manager JLL, Hartshorne Plunkard Architects, and the interiors firm Roman + Williams, to put in place technologies and processes that would mitigate the impact of conditions that had yet to manifest.

CAA comprises two structures: the first designed by architect Henry Ives Cobb for the World’s Columbian Exposition in 1893, is located immediately opposite Millennium Park at 12 South Michigan Avenue. A second building (around the corner at 71 East Madison Street) was constructed in 1907 and expanded in 1926. The two buildings connect via interior walkways.

When the renovation began, no official drawings were available for either building. In response, Bulley & Andrews laser scanned the entire building to capture the most accurate measurements possible. After being verified, the data served as the basis of a three-dimensional model.

CAA’s plurality of unique spaces is one of the building’s most distinctive features and biggest challenges; nothing about the hotel is cookie-cutter. For example, of the 241 guest rooms, there are at least 40 different configurations and sizes. As such, the BIM model minimized clashes among systems prior to installation in the field.

Bulley & Andrews also equipped all of its project personnel with tablets, giving them access to the most up-to-date job communications, as well as allowing them to use the model as a communication tool when meeting at any location on the site.

After two years of meticulous care and attention to detail, the restoration of the Chicago Athletic Association is complete. As the first guests are welcomed to the new hotel, they will have a host of amenities to choose from including a speakeasy game room, new restaurants and a bicycle fleet designed by Heritage Bicycles. One of the hotel’s most notable features is a new rooftop bar that offers spectacular views of Millennium Park, The Art Institute, and the lake beyond. Upon opening, it will surely be one of the premier destinations in the city.