One of the more common questions I have been asked by potential clients is how can Fortney & Weygandt, Inc. compete on bids for projects that are out of the range of our Northern Ohio headquarters. It is a great question, and the answer involves a 43 year evolution that Fortney & Weygandt, Inc began with our very first job.
Despite the ongoing pandemic we are happy to still be providing construction services to our valued clients. Click below to read about two of the recent restaurants we completed during this pandemic
Do COVID-19 precautions have you down? Feeling like Groundhog Day with the same zoom calls, same view out the window, same pants since last week? With limited distractions to break up our routines, it can get repetitive. However, we urge you to remain diligent as you focus on your safety and health. Here is how we are continuing to stay safe.
During this time of the year, everybody is thinking about a change – or resolutions – as we head into a new year.
Mitch Lapin, President of Fortney & Weygandt, Inc was featured in a recent issue of Commercial Construction and Renovation magazine along with one of current senior living projects.
During 2019 and continuing into 2020, our Program Management Team completed 8 programs that included 231 locations across 19 states. A majority of the programs were retail, convenience stores, dental offices and exercise studios. The project scopes included refreshes, store within a store, additions and build-outs. Fortney & Weygandt Rollout Program Management excels at planning and coordinating the entire process from start to finish in order to deliver a quality project within budget.
Complete project management encompasses:
Single source responsibility and accountability
One Fortney & Weygandt Rollout Program Management employee will be assigned to your project as the main point of contact. This Project Manager will not only oversee the project but will also be a liaison with vendors and the Fortney & Weygandt Rollout Program Management staff.
Scheduling
We know the process of renovating can be stressful due to the potential of lost revenue because of downtime. We work with you to create a schedule to keep your businesses up and running while staging our work to be done in an open environment. We offer flexible 24/7 scheduling as well.
Vendor Coordination
Identification and qualification of subcontractors is a critical component of any successful project. Our resources have been tried and tested via our national network and the extensive database we have created with over 25 years of projects. Additionally, we can acquire all materials, coordinate the shipping, provide secure storage and then install all components.
Permit expediting
We don’t allow the permitting process to slow projects down. Through our permit expediting partner we have the ability to pull permits from coast to coast on a timely basis.
As I write this, we are 40 days into a shutdown that is affecting this country in unprecedented ways. Public health and safety actions have required many retailers, restaurants, gyms, hotels and other service providers to close. In some of the states where we work, construction has been deemed essential, so projects have continued without interruption. Unfortunately, in other states, projects have been halted by the local government or by the client. We have left those jobsites clean, safe, and secure—ready to re-open when the time comes.
Social distancing has changed every aspect of our lives. Events have been canceled, work schedules adjusted, and the daily rhythm of life altered. So much has become virtual. Through it all, I am amazed at how quickly our team has adapted to remote work, rotating office schedules, new jobsite requirements and so many other changes to how our jobs used to function.
| In the field, our superintendents, crews and subcontractors have been working together to make our jobsites safe. We are practicing social distancing on those jobsites where we are working in an enclosed space. Our projects have been equipped with custom wash stations at sites that do not already have sinks. The sites without running water are using water tanks that are gravity fed. We have hand sanitizer available, in those areas where we can find it. In the office, we are working remotely and reducing the number of people in the office at any one time. Site visits and pre-bid meetings on site have been conducted remotely when applicable or in person with reduced head counts and in open spaces. We have more meetings on Microsoft Teams or Zoom. We continue to be active in bidding a great deal of projects for starts later in the year and are happy to help our clients as they prepare for their return to market. |
For the community, we have donated the N95 masks we had in stock to a local health facility. Our employees are ordering produce from restaurant suppliers who have seen a sharp reduction in orders. Many of us are supporting our restaurant clients by ordering carryout at home and at work. There has even been a joke sharing email to help lift our spirits and keep us smiling.
While we are communicating with our partners, clients and employees across great distances the shared experience of confronting this virus has brought us all closer together. We applaud the work that is being done by first responders and those on the front lines who keep people fed, safe and secure. We are in this together; we will get through this and emerge stronger than ever.
Sneak Peek of the newest Buffalo Wild Wings in Columbus, Ohio. This 7,947 Sq. Ft. restaurant has seating for 297 of its biggest fans. 📣 #BuildwithFW
