Buildout Mania in Seattle

For companies that specialize in buildouts, the acceleration of commercial property growth in Seattle has been sweet, Gibraltar Construction prez Ben Petter tells us. (Hardhats are the new party hats here.) He says 2013 was a great year for his company, and ’14 will be better (though things might slow a little in ’15).

Driving demand for revamped office space, Ben says, are companies moving into new space (as you’d expect), but also those who’ve grown tired of the look of their current digs and want something new, especially as they expand to take more space. A lot of Seattle companies are in growth mode, and not as reluctant to invest in upgraded space as they might have been only a year or two ago. Snapped: Gibraltar Construction’s Melissa Thomas, Angelika Ivaniukovich, Cole Thompson, Dan Foose, Ben, and Sarah McFarland.

Demand is especially keen among tech companies eager to attract talent, but it’s more broadly based than that, Ben adds. The hospitality sector also wants upgrades, the better to compete for travelers. Pictured: a 26-room boutique hotel in Fremont, Hotel Hotel, that Gibraltar Construction recently completed. Ben says the work involved was a five-week construction schedule from commencement to delivery, and included the complete infrastructure upgrades of plumbing, electrical, and fire protection systems. (Is that a complimentary bike or do you have to reserve it by the hour?)