Notable Projects

Hotel Alexander is the renovation of a 17,940 square feet, 3-story office building, into a 28 room hotel with small gym and space for a bar/tavern in the basement area just 1 block from the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center in downtown Mankato.

The Bank Apartments is a renovation and change of use project of a nearly 120 year old commercial and office building being completely renovated in its interior and converted to a mixed use property consisting of commercial retail space on the street level combined with 27 residential units. Elegant bank theming will be incorporated throughout the building and the structure itself will maintain its historic exterior. Visions of the community room design include the essence of a bank vault and will therefore be referred to as “The Vault”.

The 4-story corner commercial building was originally built in 1904 as the Goodhue County National Bank by architect Lowell Lamoreau, with 2-story expansions to the north in 1969 and 1987. First listed for sale in 2016, the then current tenant, Associated Bank, vacated the property in 2018.

We worked diligently with the architect and owner from schematic design through construction documents on the project budget. We identified key components where costs could be reduced by other material choices to save both time and money. We also set our construction schedule to be able to diagnose supply chain issues and acquire additional staging / storage areas. This ensured that we would have materials available and ready to meet critical installation timelines. The addition to their existing facilities and the complete renovation of their current offices challenged us to provide alternative safe access routes for employees and visitors, as the addition encapsulated their existing main facility entrance. Other locations were analyzed and temporary entrances were created, along with signage and other protective measures for staff and visitors. Interior access to plant facilities were addressed as new areas were added to the project scope to provide a better transition space from the office, breakroom, and restroom facilities. WEB coordinated around existing facility schedules to minimize the effects in multiple areas including HVAC, structural, and electrical upgrades. The new facility also greatly impacted the facilities’ existing parking lot. WEB assisted in studies to adjacent properties and helped the owner decide to obtain land and construct their own parking lot, versus renting out stalls from other area businesses.

RoK Lofts is a redevelopment of a largely unused and rather deteriorated parking lot. This project consisted of two, mixed-use buildings with a total of two to three commercial/retail spaces and thirty-six apartments. We worked closely with the Historic Preservation Committee in Saint Peter to create a project that looked and felt like it belonged in the community landscape. Winter conditions were an initial factor having began the project in December, but the build went smoothly throughout. A partnership with a local entity from near the build resulted in an expansion of their business into one of the available retail spaces of which we also completed the build out for. Three months post completion, the apartments are also occupied. This only secures our belief in the need that was present in the community for this type of development.

This project started early with buying materials due to shortages and lead times. Once the materials were acquired, delivery dates were confirmed and we developed the construction schedule from that point forward to ensure we could run smoothly from start to finish rather than end up with long pauses to wait for material acquisition. This was a major concern at the time for structural and roofing materials as well as windows. These delays were occurring due to the worldwide pandemic going on during that timeframe. The building now holds three commercial office spaces. We had the honor of also completing the build outs for two of the spaces, one of which is our own. Both spaces are elegant and also modern with features; true to our mission of Quality and Integrity Building Form and Function.

Our scope included concrete foundations for the building and dome, Steel work, Carpentry, Drywall and Framing, Doors and Windows, Roofing, Insulation, Painting, Flooring, and Specialty work. Site concrete and asphalt work were also included. Our team was tasked with meeting a very aggressive schedule to complete all of the dome foundations within 25 working days. These foundations were enormous due to the construction type of the dome itself. We were further challenged with a very wet summer season. Our crews worked diligently to meet this schedule and complete on time. We worked with the other team members to ensure that all required details were met including specific embed placement, wall penetrations, etc. Shop drawings were carefully reviewed for accuracy. With a short construction timeline both labor and material schedules were followed closely to make sure milestones were being met. Storm water management was also a big challenge for this site as the site was very tight and no where to store on site. An onsite weir system was constructed and utilized to clean any sediment from the water before discharging. Jobsite security was also important due to many curious on lookers and proximity to local neighborhoods.

WEB Construction was selected as the construction manager for the office, narthex, bathroom and classroom addition to this existing facility. Work began in the fall with excavation and utility work. Poor soils were encountered, so we used different tactics to save the client significant costs that would have incurred with soil corrections and piling. Other significant project concerns were meeting the needs of both the education and worship committees in their shared spaces. Careful site staging and planning was utilized to keep students, staff and congregation members safe during the entire project. Work was carefully planned to work around schedules and events to minimize impacts to the facility. Alternative routes and fire exits were created and maintained to ensure maximum safety for building occupants.

Arch + Cable is the renovation of the 4th floor of Bridge Plaza in downtown Mankato into 20 hotel rooms and converting a 1st floor office space into a check in/concierge space. The existing building held offices and retail space on floors 1 thru 3 with residential units on the 5th floor making this a unique renovation in consideration of current building tenants needs.

Nicollet Ave Apartments is a new 9-unit residential complex with beautiful views of Mankato across the river. It consists of 8 two-bedroom units and 1 ADA-compliant one-bedroom unit. Keyless entry systems were integrated into each apartment and off-street parking is available to tenants. The MinnPACE program grant was a motivator to focus on energy efficiency. As a result, each unit was provided its own solitary heat and air conditioning unit as well as an array of energy efficient appliances. This also impacted everything from windows to light bulbs. We began this project in the fall and began framing in January, with a goal to complete the project within a short timeline. At completion, all units were already leased.

Studio 5 is a 3-story multi-use structure built on the site of a former dry cleaners on Riverfront Drive in Mankato, MN. It is the winner of the 2023 Minnesota Brownfields ReScape Award for Economic Impact. Cleanup response actions included environmental monitoring and sampling, excavation and the off-site disposal of contaminated soils and the installation of vapor controls. Vapor issues at the site triggered the installation of a vapor mitigation system in an adjacent commercial building and testing performed in adjacent residential properties. Studio 5 was forced to make changes to the project as a result of market conditions due to COVID 19. The developer modified the amount of commercial space in the building, adding 2 additional apartment units to replace the planned commercial. Studio 5 holds 19 residential units and 2 commercial units.

WEB was selected as the general contractor for this addition to the Mankato East High School building. Work began in the spring with foundations and utility work. Demolition included removal of a large portion of the exterior wall to open up the pool area into a new viewing area. Work was done to provide a long- term weather tight barrier along this section for the duration of the project. There were many difficult elements involved with this addition including different trades and materials. The schedule was critical to make the facility available and functional for the winter swim season. Through careful scheduling, we hit the deadline with ease.