Building Blocks
From our first contract awarded for interior renovations for the Michigan Bell Telephone Company to pioneering the LIFTbuild technology on the Exchange project in downtown Detroit, Barton Malow has spent the last 100 years working to push our business and the industry forward to the benefit of our clients. That success doesn’t happen by accident – it’s the result of the many things that make Barton Malow unique: the dedication of our teams, the communities we serve, our caring and high-performing culture, and the programs that underscore our commitment to integrity, partnership, and empowerment. As we celebrate becoming a 100 year old company, we’re also proud to celebrate the building blocks that got us here.
Serving Communities
Barton Malow’s early history of company leaders with a dedication to community service set the standard for its many team members, who today continue the tradition of earnestly serving the communities where they live, work, and play. Through the Barton Malow Foundation, formally established in 1954, the enterprise and its team members have donated time, money, and resources to numerous charitable organizations and causes.
As Barton Malow’s operations expanded outside of Detroit, so did its ability to make an impact across North America. In addition to building projects that were meaningful to community members, whether hospitals, manufacturing facilities, or entertainment venues, Barton Malow continued to build a reputation for positively impacting more and more communities through fundraisers established and charitable partnerships created. As Barton Malow marks its 100th anniversary, it can also now boast a 40 year presence in Virginia and 25 years in State College, Pennsylvania, while also surpassing 40 years in Columbus, Ohio, and 30 years in Baltimore, Maryland.
A Dedicated Team
For the past 100 years, Barton Malow has built far more than just transformative projects. We’ve also built people – and it’s our people who’ve largely helped make Barton Malow what it is today. At Barton Malow, our team members are much more than just a number on a spreadsheet – they’re the key cog that makes our Enterprise tick. It’s why we always take the opportunity to celebrate them, from regularly expressing gratitude to our tradition of gifting a custom Rolex watch to team members who have hit 25 years of service.
And we’re no stranger to long-tenured team members. In addition to becoming a 100 year old company, 2024 also marks 60 years of work for former President and current Chief Community Officer Ben Maibach III at Barton Malow. Spanning a significant portion of Barton Malow’s history, his career has made a notable impact on the business and its success, making it an all the more fitting milestone to also be celebrating this year.
Advancing the Industry
At Barton Malow, we are constantly working towards finding the most effective and efficient ways to serve the industry’s growing needs through innovation, technology, and continuous improvement. We’ve leveraged cutting-edge technology with Construction Robotics and LIFTbuild while improving safety methods with technology like the MULE to transform how we design, build, and operate. Our success has heavily relied on Barton Malow’s ability to adapt to the changing needs of the construction industry. However, we also know that innovation and technology are not enough to sustain our growth for the next 100 years.
Our success has been heavily reliant on our people, who are our most valuable asset. Barton Malow aims to create a culture of diversity, inclusion, and safety while giving our team members the tools needed to succeed. We are also committed to helping develop college students entering the construction industry through our LEAPS internship program, which has provided interns with hands-on experience and mentorship for the last 40 years. We believe that by investing in the next generation of builders, we are ensuring the advancement and progression of the future.
Doing the Right Thing
“Doing the right thing” is more than just a mantra at Barton Malow – it’s literally the way we run our business. From our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) that ensures all team members are valued, respected, and can bring their whole selves to work each day to our award-winning Supplier Diversity programs, we understand the value in doing what’s right – and we’ve experienced the benefits first-hand.
These benefits go just beyond our caring culture, but also benefit Barton Malow from an innovation and creativity standpoint. It also allows us to respond to challenges faster, attract top talent, and meet the needs of our growing customer base.
Rooted in Detroit
Our story is one with a humble grit that matches its Detroit origins, which is why it seemed a fitting way to celebrate our 100th year of operation by debuting a parade float in America’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Our float made its inaugural march down Woodward Avenue in 2023, kicking off our anniversary celebrations a few weeks early, and will take part in the 2024 and 2025 running of the parade. A full circle moment, the parade route marches past Barton Malow’s original headquarters and many buildings the enterprise has had a role in constructing, including Little Caesars Arena, Shinola Hotel, and the forthcoming Hudson’s Detroit project.
