Corporate Profile
A Good Name Takes a Long Time to Build: Our History
The Christman Company's roots begin in 1863 in South Bend, Indiana with a 27-year-old German immigrant named Heinrich G. Christman. With little more than a team of draft horses and a dream of being an independent American businessman, Christman began a “Teamster and Excavating” contracting service. His strong values were basic, but they were to become a foundation for the company which would bear his name through the industrial era and into the 21st century. They include honesty, respect for self and others and a willingness to work hard, learn on the job and feel pride in producing the best possible product.
In 1894, H.G. Christman’s son Henry, a carpenter, founded Christman Brothers, a partnership which evolved into the H.G. Christman Company, the parent of today’s Christman organization. In 1915, the firm established its Lansing, Michigan headquarters, was incorporated in the state of Michigan in 1927 and officially changed its name to The Christman Company in 1933. The firm operated continuously from the same downtown Lansing location from 1927 until 2008 when the headquarters moved to the historic landmark Mutual Building—renamed The Christman Building—also in downtown Lansing, near the Michigan Capitol. Full-service regional offices in Grand Rapids, Livonia, Reston, Virginia and Augusta, Georgia have been added as the organization has grown, as have affiliate service divisions including Christman Capital Development Company—Christman’s real estate development division—and Christman Constructors, Inc., our self-perform group of over 200 highly skilled craftspeople providing excavation, demolition, concrete, carpentry, and other hands-on industrial construction services.
Our Company
- Founded in 1894 by H.G. Christman in South Bend, Indiana, The Christman Company opened its Lansing office in 1915, and was incorporated in the State of Michigan in 1927.
- Annual revenues of more than $300 million, with approximately $1.5 billion worth of construction currently underway.
- Fully management-owned, with every project overseen by a corporate officer who is also a shareholder with a vested interest in each client’s complete satisfaction.
- We have the financial strength to properly staff our projects and meet all commitments.
- Ranked 160 in the 2012 Engineering News-Record ENR 400 list of top contractors nationally, and 70 in the 2012 ENR 100 list of top construction management-at-risk firms.
- Award-winning safety program, with a current Experience Modification Rating (EMR) of .73, and recognition with the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) Gold Safety Award and Accident Fund Insurance Company of America’s first-ever “Policyholder of the Year” award for an exemplary claims record out of 45,000 policyholders.
- Nationally recognized historic preservation group.
- Five full-service offices nationwide—Michigan offices in Lansing, Livonia, and Grand Rapids; a Reston, Virginia office serving the mid-Atlantic/Washington, D.C. region; and our newest office in Augusta, Georgia—in addition to multiple strategic partnerships which extend our reach to South Carolina, North Carolina, Alabama, and beyond.
- Experience in 34 states
- The industry’s best, most comprehensive pre-construction and planning services, with a “whole building” approach and a wide range of value analysis tools such as life cycle costing.
- A diverse corporate culture built around the values of The Christman Way, including honoring commitments with integrity, teamwork, mutual respect, recognition of excellence, a passion for our work, a competitive spirit and a focus on developing long-term relationships.
- A caliber of work recognized by many local, state and national awards and honors.
Professional Services
- Construction Management
- General Contracting
- Program Management
- Design/Build
- Facilities Planning and Consulting
- Real Estate Development
- Self-Perform Capabilities
Expertise and Markets Served
With an emphasis on teamwork, planning and innovative services, we focus on adding value to the bottom line of every project. Strong leadership, forward-thinking management and application of the latest technologies have propelled us into our hard-won position as one of the nation’s preeminent construction services firms.
With 118 years of experience, our proficiency extends to virtually every commercial construction market. The areas to which we bring special expertise include:
- Facilities Consulting
- Healthcare
- Higher Education
- Historic Preservation
- Industrial
- K-12 Education
- Multi-Unit Residential
- Offices
- Parking
- Public
- Real Estate Development
- Religious/Cultural
- Retail and Hospitality
- Science and Technology
- Sports/Recreation
- Sustainable/High Performance Buildings
Our People: Experts, Leaders, Partners
- Over 130 experienced full-time professionals, including a full complement of project managers, superintendents, planners, value analysts, LEED Accredited Professionals, estimators, architects, in-house mechanical/electrical coordinators, information specialists, engineers, and accountants.
- Through Christman University, a comprehensive training and development program, our people are given the specialized tools required to deliver the highest level of service.
- A diverse corporate culture built around the values of The Christman Way, including teamwork, mutual respect, recognition of excellence, a passion for our work, a competitive spirit, and a focus on developing long-term relationships.
Our Affiliates
Learn more about our affiliate companies by clicking the logos below.
Through
Christman Capital Development Company , we offer a full range of real estate development services including build-to-suit and lease back, enabling us to partner with clients from beginning to end to meet their real estate needs
Christman Constructors, Inc.,
a self-perform group of up to 200 highly-skilled craftsmen and women, allows us to provide in-house capabilities, when needed, of excavation, concrete, demolition, carpentry, and other construction trades.
