In The News

Stephens & Smith Construction Company broke new ground this spring when they built a utility vault at 16th & Farnam streets in Omaha.

“It was the first cast-in-place utility vault we’ve done,” Project Manager Steve Estep said. “It was unique. We were in downtown Omaha — across from the courthouse and in a really limited space — so it posed some challenges.”

Working with Stephens & Smith Construction for a third time recently produced more of the same results for Manzitto Bros: A great product and zero delays. During the Village West Apartments project, Manzitto Site Superintendent Mark Garner said Lincoln Flatwork and Foundation achieved results similar to the previous two projects he’d overseen. He noted how Stephens & Smith was able to pour the garage floors and building slabs and footings well ahead of the framers.

After pouring a private home foundation that measures more than 150 feet wide, Omaha Foundation employees have redefined their definition of a “big” residential project.
Featuring foundation walls 13 feet tall and 14 inches thick, the project for L & L Custom Builders Inc. lasted throughout late spring and required temporary scaffolding to meet Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations.

Another collaborative project with Tru – Built Construction, another success story: Continuing the narrative this past December, Stephens & Smith Foundation completed the first phase of the Aristos Apartment Complex in Lincoln. “Overall, there are 127 living units, 25 attached garage spaces, 41 detached garage spaces and 183 open surface parking stalls,” Project Manager Riley Petersen said.

Stephens & Smith Omaha Foundation team recently completed a unique parking garage for the LinkedIn office building on 132nd and Pacific streets. Unlike most concrete garages the team is accustomed to pouring, this 1,800-cubic-yard project featured intricate ramp walls — with one being a double haunch wall with slope — and an exterior brick ledge.

It’s been said the early bird gets the worm. For those in the construction world, the early birds — or subcontractors — generally have fewer road blocks in completing a specific project. This was the fortunate case for Specialty Products Supervisors Jesse Morris and Sherman Card and their crews, who recently polished roughly 14,000 square feet of concrete inside the newest QP Ace Hardware store in Lincoln.

While working on Southeast Community College’s 52,000-square-foot Diesel Technology and Welding Center in Milford, Nebraska, Boyd Jones Construction could’ve “sealed a deal” with several local concrete companies, but the company elected to work with Stephens & Smith based on past experience. So, when their modified plans for the $13 million facility called for 2,700 square feet of decorative quartz epoxy and 45,000 square feet of sealant- and concrete densifier-coated flooring, they knew Stephens & Smith was the right pick for the job.

Studying science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) courses is key to the future success of Omaha’s youth. But building a strong foundation for the school where these students learn is equally important. That’s why general contractor McCarthy Building Cos. recently recruited Stephens & Smith’s Foundation team to help build Omaha Public Schools’ new high school at 60th and L streets.