Brunsell Commercial: A Case Study
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Tri-North and Brunsell Lumber: Partners in Quality
Commercial Construction
For more than 16 years, Tri-North Builders,
Inc., has been recognized for its high-end finished carpentry. And for more
than 60 years, Brunsell has been synonymous with quality building materials,
supplies, lumber, and handcrafted millwork. It was no surprise, then, that when
the two companies collaborated on the renovation of the Michael Best &
Friedrich offices, the results were stunning.
The 33,000-square-foot
remodeling project, completed in June 1998, consolidated five different
downtown offices into the Firstar Bank building on Capitol Square. After seeing
impressive work at many of its projects, Plunkett Raysich Architects, the
Milwaukee firm which created a unified design between the law firm's branches
in Madison and Milwaukee, chose Tri-North and Brunsell to implement the local
plan.
“Their goal was to have the most impressive law offices in
the state,” explains Joseph Donnino, president, Tri-North Builders, whose
project manager, Shawn Wardall, hired subcontractors and coordinated the entire
project. With it came unique construction challenges that both companies
tackled successfully. “We actually had to cut holes in the floors of the
Firstar Bank building to create an interior atrium that spanned from the
seventh to the ninth floors.”
"The project called for an
outstanding amount of custom millwork—more than four miles of a unique
moulding extends throughout the office," adds Shop Manager Peter Wolf from
Brunsell Lumber, one of the millwork contractors on the project. "Brunsell
provided more than 100 doors and architectural millwork, such as the interior
sash walls."
The project also called for custom-made chairs, desks, and
other furniture. Brunsell also handcrafted the stairway, a dramatic focal point
of the office. All of the wood used for the project was of the highest
quality—select cherry, with exact specifications down to the sanding,
finishing, and the putty to fill the nail holes.
"We also did a lot of
specialty radius work for custom moldings the architects designed, and can
handle most any request," adds Wolf.
The entire project was completed
and ready for move-in within an amazing nine-month timeline. Success like this
has been built over years of collaboration together, including restaurants,
offices, retail stores, and banks. Both companies also have a long-standing
history of accommodating their clients' needs as they grow.
"They are
excellent craftsmen," says Bill White, managing partner of the Madison office
of Michael Best & Friedrich, who worked with Tri-North and Brunsell on
their previous facility. "They work well with their customers, and their
subcontractors share that same customer-friendly philosophy. They worked within
our deadlines and fully implemented the architect's plan."
"We look at
every project as a team approach with the owner, architect, and subcontractors,
and can facilitate progress by coordinating and scheduling the entire process,"
says Donnino, whose company works throughout the Midwest and has a branch
office in Milwaukee. "Together, we can complete a project within budget and on
schedule, and consistently uphold a high level of quality."
