Spotlight: An Interview with JR Howell, Senior Superintendent at Crain Construction
JR Howell was born and raised just 40 minutes from downtown Nashville, but his neighborhood wasn’t packed with houses. In fact, to this day, it remains a peaceful oasis resting on 5,000 acres. JR had the unique experience of growing up inside Montgomery Bell State Park, a vacation destination for thousands of people. His dad […]
Crain’s Commitment to the Next Generation of Construction Talent
Labor shortages and the need for training the next generation of construction talent are well-known issues across our industry. According to the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER), the United States had 430,000 open construction jobs in 2021. At the same time, a survey conducted by the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) […]
9 Memorable Projects and Moments from 2022
2022 was a memorable and momentous year for our team at Crain Construction. While there have been noteworthy milestones in our company’s history, we can honestly say that this year has been one of the best. As we look toward 2023 and our 90th anniversary, we are excited about the opportunities and potential for our […]
The Top 10 Crain Construction Articles & Insights from 2022
2022 marked our 89th year as a commercial contractor in Nashville. We’re proud of our roots here, and we also recognize the exciting opportunities created by Nashville’s growth in recent years. The need for quality craftsmanship, relationships built around honesty and integrity, and a commitment to serve have never been more important in our industry. […]
5 Pre-Construction Questions to Maximize the Success of Your Next Project
Every owner and developer wants their construction project to go as smoothly as possible. But to have a successful construction process, steps must be taken before construction begins. At Crain, part of our role is to help set a project up for success before the first shovel ever hits the ground. Pre-construction plays a valuable […]
How “Doing the Right Thing” Impacts Our Construction Projects
Our mission is to build relationships and structures that last a lifetime. We believe the only way that’s possible is to approach our work with integrity, honesty, and responsibility. These values are more than just statements written on a wall or in an employee handbook. Our values inform the way we approach every project — […]
Client Spotlight: Specialty Dental Brands
Innovative Build-Out Headquarters for Nashville-Based Dental Company Specialty Dental Brands, a dental support organization, has experienced explosive growth in recent years. Founded in Nashville, Specialty Dental Brands (SDB) has grown from supporting 13 dental offices in 2020 to more than 220 locations in just over 2 years. Their team has also grown to more than […]
Client Spotlight: Loden Vision
As an eye surgeon, Dr. Jim Loden doesn’t have the luxury of trial and error. He has to get it right the first time for the sake of his patients. When it came time for Dr. Loden to expand his practice, he had to choose a general contractor whose attention to detail would match his […]
Executive Spotlight: An Interview with Frank Wilk, Vice President of Operations at Crain Construction
Like many people who work in construction, Frank Wilk isn’t content to simply sit on the sidelines. Instead, he wants to be in the middle of the action, using his formidable training and skills to build something new. A part of the Crain team since 1996, Frank now serves as Vice President of Operations, a […]
Innovative Ways to Navigate Rising Commercial Construction Costs
The commercial construction industry is experiencing a perfect storm of factors that have spurred rising costs. First, there was the COVID-19 pandemic and the labor challenges and shortages it created. Next, supply chain disruptions during a time of unprecedented demand increased commercial construction costs and cut profit margins worldwide. Inflation has become the most recent […]
