Embarkona transformativejourneywithLDA, wherelightingbecomesanintegralelementin shapingunforgetable architecturalexperiences. Moreinside|page20 LightingDesign Allia ce NorthernArizona’s award-winningpremier homebuilderforoverfiftyyears.ATrue testamentto qualityandtimelessdesign. Delveintothelegacyof Dornhomes inside Readmore|Page50 DornHom s Experiencetheepitomeof luxuryliving with FiresideHomes, whereeveryaspectof yourdreamhomeisbroughtto lifewith precisionandcare. Findoutmore|Page13 FiesdeHomes West| February2024
The Construction Source America The Construction Source America Welcome to the latest issue of The Construction Source, where we highlight the best of the best in building and building products across the United States. In this edition, we’ve highlighted a diverse array of contributors to the construction industry, including industry leaders in energy efficiency, architecture and design, home building, community development, and more. This time out, we’ve turned our spotlight to the west coast, where a lot of innovation is happening and a lot of companies are embracing the challenge of creating a greener future. Fireside Homes, for example, is an innovative custom home builder driven by the mission of designing, building, and renovating homes to the highest standards possible. We spoke to company president and owner James Byars about that mission, and how achieving it has required constant evolution since forming in 1985. Switching gears, this edition also includes Lighting Design Alliance – an internationally-known, full service architectural lighting design firm located in Long Beach, California. They formed in 1992, and over theyears have been involved in thousands of projects across the United States and globally, mostly for repeat clients. Throughout their history, they have also won well over 300 industry accolades from bodies including the IES Illumination Awards. We caught up with Charles “Chip” Israel, the company’s founder and CEO. He talked about how they have maintained both their their customers’ loyalty and their award-winning streak. Also in this issue is Ichijo USA. In Japan, Ichijo is one of the country’s largest and most prolific home builders, while also being a leader in energy efficiency. With Ichijo USA, they are utilizing their experience with Editor From The Dear Reader, technology and focus on craftsmanship to create sustainable and artfully-constructed custom homes across the Pacific Northwest. For more on how they do that – and more on the systems and processes that enable them to build so many individual homes per year at such a high volume, both in the United States and Japan – we spoke with Amy Tovel, Ichigo USA’s Marketing and Sales Manager. For those conversations – and so many more like them, with more established industry leaders and the industry leaders of the future – just keep reading. All the best, The Editorial Team
The Construction Source America The Construction Source America Engage with a vast audience of over 336,000 senior executive readers through The Construction Source America West. We take pride in providing an enticing platform that allows you to seamlessly share your message with those who matter most – your customers. Whether you’re aiming to showcase a new condo development, attract crucial financial investments for upcoming projects, or establish and strengthen brand recognition, we are fully prepared to assist you in achieving your goal! Contact our Group Publisher for feature opportunities. Make your mark in the construction industry. Jermaine Poulsen e: info@theconstructionsource.net The Costruction Source Canada 2201 - 250 Yonge St Toronto, Ontario M5B 2L7 E: info@theconstructionsource.net Executive Publisher Jermaine Poulsen COO Alexandra Box Editor in Chief Zach Janes National Director of Operations Tamara Breen Operations Managers Cathy Ditchburn Jacqueline Van Belois Business Development Managers Scott Carter Mary Ann Taylor Mike Turenne Director of Production Vicki Lee Digital Strategist Pranim Thapa Administration Manager Belyn Quijance-Dorero
The Construction Source America The Construction Source America LIGHTING DESIGN ALLIANCE Leading Edge Lighting DORN HOMES Northern Arizona’s Award-Winning Premier Homebuilder FIRESIDE HOMES Building Relationships, One Home at A Time ARES STRATEGIC MINING Bringing Back A Lost Industry BCG Complicated Transactions Made Easy ICHIJO Green Homes from East to West AMA PLAZA A Beacon of Sustainability CITY OF GROVER BEACH Spread Your Wings ATLANTIS CASINO Casino Resort Spa - Reno DIG THIS LAS VEGAS An Adult Sandbox with Heavy Equipment 1888WOW1DAY! PAINTING One Day and Done IN THIS ISSUE May 2024
Lighting Design Alliance (LDA) is an internationally known, full-service architectural lighting design firm located in Long Beach, California. Since forming in 1992, they have delivered almost 7,000 projects across the United States and globally, mostly for repeat clients. Those projects have varied greatly in size, scale, and complexity, but all were designed with the goal of using lighting to enhance the impact of an architectural space. The company’s success in achieving that goal is reflected by their repeat business – they have been working with many of their clients for more than 20 years – and by their extremely long list of industry awards – which is almost 300 accolades long. Leading edge lighting
For example, there’s the IES Illumination Awards – they recognize individuals and companies across the country for their professionalism, ingenuity, and originality in lighting design. Over the years, LDA has won well over 300 of those trophies. In 2020 alone, they won 10 of them. Charles “Chip” Israel is the co-CEO of the company, and he credits that incredible consistency of acclaim to their commitment to staying on the leading edge, educating clients, and “treating projects as if they were our own.” “Lighting is a marriage of art and science, and science is always evolving,” he says. “As a company, we have to evolve along with it. We have to make sure we’re always using the best and most appropriate technology, that we’re providing the best design solutions, and thatwe’re constantlymonitoring installation and fixture cost to protect our clients.” Kyllene “Kelly” Jones is also co-CEO of LDA. She further credits the company’s success, and particularly the loyalty of their clients, to their lasting commitment to every job – “not just in the design phase, but all the way through construction.” “We always want to see our design vision through to the end of construction and on opening day,” she says. DECEMBER 2023 THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AMERICA - WEST “Many of them we get right out of school, and most of them stick around,” he explains. “We have at least half a dozen peoplewho have been here close to 20 years.”
DECEMBER 2023 THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AMERICA - WEST “That’s what keeps our clients coming back. We go above and beyond. We will often exceed the amount of site visits in our contract. If there is something to troubleshoot, we’re going to be there.” “While we are known as a design company, in reality we are a service company,” Chip adds. “We must provide the best service to our clients, architects, and even the contracting teams.” “That means when there’s a problem, we jump in and we fix it,” he explains. “We never say ‘It’s not our problem, somebody must have changed something.’ We come up with a solution. It’s that strong service through the construction administration portion that really gives the client what they pay for.” Chip has a background in architectural engineering – as does Kelly and most of their staff. After earning a degree from Penn State, Chip spent time working locally for Lutron Electronics and then Grenald Associates (GA), now known as Grenald Waldron Associates (GWA). He ended up transferring to Los Angeles with GA. In 1992, he and his wife, Lisa Israel, now CFO, purchased the L.A. office with the goal of striking out on their own. With Chip’s award-winning designs and Lisa’s proactive business expertise, the LDA team rapidly grew from three people to 25, which has been their average ever since. Also, the scale of their projects quickly grew – they started off doing smaller jobs, but less than a decade in they had graduated to doing major works with industry titans such as Disney, Universal Studios, along with several other commercial, retail, and hospitality clients. These days, LDA has the expertise to design and specify complete lighting and controls systems. Their services range from concept development to fully documented lighting design, from custom fixture design to designing with only standard products. They also have the resources to
DECEMBER 2023 THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AMERICA - WEST run complex illumination calculations, daylighting analysis, life cycle analysis, and cost comparative studies. So, the company has the capacity and experience necessary to take on extremely large, extremely complex projects – but that doesn’t mean they shun the smaller jobs. “We don’t turn anybody down,” Chip says. “Some people have said that’s a bad business practice, but I think the reality is it’s just the opposite.” “A smaller project might not be very profitable, but what it gives us is an excellent opportunity to mentor our younger employees,” he explains. “It gives them a chance to get involved, to run the job, to do the design work. That gives them an awful lot of confidence for the future.” Also, smaller jobs turn around faster – a large scale project might take five years from design through to installation, where a smaller project might take six months. LDA believes the experience of actually building a project is very valuable for young designers. “That’s really where you find out if your designs work or don’t work,” Chip says. “It doesn’t matter if it looks good on a blueprint or in AutoCAD or Revit. What matters is if it works on site and that it meets the client’s requirements and expectations. If it doesn’t, what matters is fixing it. That’s the best way to continually learn and ensure a happy client, which typically leads to future work.”
DECEMBER 2023 THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AMERICA - WEST The high calibre of LDA’s team is not just Chip’s opinion. As previously mentioned, it is also the opinion of the company’s clients – who are almost all longstanding – and the opinion of their peers in the industry – who have conferred the company with awards and accolades in the hundreds. Personally, Chip has also been awarded fellowships by both the IALD and IES for his designs, his contributions to the lighting industry, and his continual education efforts. According to Chip, that recognition means a lot to the LDA team, especially their younger contingent. “We really encourage our junior designers to submit for these awards,” he says. “We support them, we pay for the photography, and we love it when they win. We love the pride they take in it. It’s amazing when they take an award and show it off to their parents. That’s what makes it worth it.” All the options That emphasis on staff development, Chip believes, is one of LDA’s main points of difference. He says the company “works hard on hiring the best people” – and once they acquire them, he says they do everything they can to retain them. “Many of them we get right out of school, and most of them stick around,” he explains. “We have at least half a dozen people who have been here close to 20 years.” Kelly joined LDA in 1999 after graduating from the University of Kansas with a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Engineering. She’s been with the company ever since as she quickly moved into a Senior Designer role, then Principal, and now co-CEO and Partner. She also now serves on the Advisory Board of KU’s School of Architecture and Design. “When you work here, you’re given an opportunity,” she says. “When you are a junior designer, you have the support of the senior team, but you also have ownership of what you’re doing. You can be creative. You can develop and maintain clients. You’re encouraged to ask questions; you’re encouraged to go out in the field and actually experience what you do.” “It’s such a collaborative environment,” she adds. “That’s one of the reasons why I think people want to work here.” LDA is also active philanthropically. Chip believes that activity is important to employees, especially the current generation of students and graduates. For example, LDA has offered a scholarship program for over 20 years; they are heavily involved with professional societies; they devote a lot of their time and money to charity. More recently, they started the efforts on a second scholarship. Chip also started the IALD Education Fund. Over the past year, they began the process of buying and collecting backpacks, filling them with sleeping bags and other essentials, and distributing them to homeless people through local shelters. “We try to have all of our people engaged in something important,” he says. “We don’t care whether that’s through us or not. It’s just about giving back. It’s not just a sales tool. We just believe if everybody helps everybody else out, we could have a better world.” On the topic of improving the world, LDA is also passionate about environmental sustainability. They design every project to be as efficient as possible – and they have set the example with their own office, which is designed to be net-zero and LEED Platinum. “We’ve put our money where our mouth is,” Chip says. “We can tell our clients: ‘Trust us because we’ve done it here.’ We can bring them in, and they can walk around and experience it first-hand. That usually goes a long way towards convincing them that sustainability is the way to go.” Taken together, Chip says the philanthropy and the sustainability creates a culture that is “very enticing for clients but rewarding for us and our staff.” “Our corporate culture allows us to draw the most talent and we believe our creative staff is our best asset. I will always put our team up against any of our competitors, and I’ll always think we’re the best. It’s the quality of the people that are with us.”
DECEMBER 2023 THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AMERICA - WEST “That’s what’s important,” he adds. “It’s not about showing a list of awards to our clients. It’s about the growth of our young people.” Kelly has also won her fair share of awards over the years, and at the 2020 Illumination Awards, she added two more to the count. She echoes Chip’s sentiments: “It’s great to see our younger designers rewarded,” she says. “As more experienced team members, when we go to those banquets and ceremonies and we see the pride and recognition, we’re reminded of why we do it.” Both Chip and Kelly also credit that awards success to the company’s extended team, including their roster of suppliers and trade partners. Many of those partners have been in the industry a long time – some a very long time – but they are equally committed to staying up-to-date. Q-Tran, for example, is a company over 30 years old, and is owned by a family that has been in the lighting business for six generations. Today, they are at the forefront of architectural lighting design and manufacturing, and they provide the highest quality and most innovative LED lighting and power supplies. There’s also Acuity Brand Lighting – their parent company dates back to 1940, and they are still a market-leading industrial technology company today. With across North
DECEMBER 2023 THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AMERICA - WEST America, Europe, and Asia, they are committed to advancing innovation. They have over 1,900 parents and patentspending worldwide, they are a frequent recipient of awards and industry recognition, and they are often featured in the media as an industry leader. Luminii is another longstanding LDA partner. For over a decade, they have been manufacturing highly modifiable and beautifully-crafted LED products and accessories. Their unique approach to design and meticulous product construction has also made them an industry leader. They continuously use innovation to help customers realize the full potential of light in their spaces. Then there’s HK Lighting Group – since 2005, they have been providing customers with innovative, unique lighting products built on the principles of longevity, performance, and clean design. They work closely with the lighting design community to stay on the cutting edge in order to remain a top choice in outdoor architectural and landscape lighting. Moving forward, LDA wants to continue working with those partners and partners like them. Together, they want to continue delivering awardworthy projects, big and small. Again, Chip emphasizes the small – he is concerned that prospective clients might look at some of LDA’s larger past projects and conclude that the company is out of their price range, but that’s almost never the case. He wants people to know that lighting designers can help make a better product without prohibitive costs. “It doesn’t matter the size of the job, we just want to make every job better,” he says. “Some clients may have unlimited budgets – we once did a house in India that was a billion dollars
DECEMBER 2023 THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AMERICA - WEST For more on Lighting Design Alliance and their long list of award-winning projects – and to get in touch with their team – visit https://lightingdesignalliance.com/ for a single-family residence – but for 99.99 per cent of our clients, that’s not the case.” “I think we have a very practical point of view,” he adds. “That’s what our clients have told us historically. We know how things get built, how things go together, and we know what it’s going to cost.” “We know how to make life easier for contractors and the rest of the team – not all lighting designers worry about that, but we know that if the contractor is not on board it’s going to be a battle all the way through. We would rather collaborate and work as a team. That’s how we make sure that what gets executed matches our vision and matches the client’s pocketbook.” LDAisalsoverythoughtful about selecting the right technology, which doesn’t always mean the most expensive technology. As Chip puts it, “We try to stay on the leading edge, but not the bleeding edge.” For example, they have lights that can mimic natural daylighting, which can help maintain a user’s circadian rhythm. “That’s a great piece of technology and it has its applications,” Chip says, “but where possible, why not put in a window instead? Get natural light and get those circadian benefits for free.” “We really try to educate the client on all the options and give strong recommendations on what’s right for their project,” he explains. “We work hard on creating the perfect application for our clients, for the best possible price.” “We truly think that we have the best jobs in the world,” Kelly adds. “As lighting designers, we are inspired every day by what we see and experience. We bring that creativity to the great projects that we get to work on which is very rewarding and something we will always want to do.” Lastly, in the future, Chip and Kelly want to maintain the company’s diversity of projects – as that is what makes it enjoyable to come to work every day. “We can be doing a corporate office one day, street lighting the next day, and then we can be doing a nine million square foot building halfway across the world,” Chip concludes. “Every day is a different challenge. Every day we are learning something new. That’s what makes it fun and makes me love going to work every day.”
Fireside Homes is a custom homebuilder, based out of Goshen, IN, serving the Michiana area extending from Northern Indiana to SW Michigan. In order to achieve its mission of designing and building the highest quality homes, Fireside is committed to detail, creative design, active communication, value, and robust integrity. Photo: Hannah Elyse
DECEMBER 2023 THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AMERICA - WEST
The company was originally founded in 1985 by Tim Miller. Tim grew up in the industry as his dad was also a local homebuilder. In fact, Tim first began framing homes when he was in high school. It was only a year after starting Fireside Homes that Tim Miller began developing residential neighborhoods. As Miller began moving towards his retirement, he had discussions with James Byars, the current President of Fireside and friend of Miller, about taking over the company. Byars and Miller have a longstanding history together in their personal and professional lives. “I grew up as a friend of the Miller family,” reflects Byars. “My first job was working for Tim’s dad. Through a few other jobs I came to work with Tim in November of 2016. Tim brought me on as VP of Sales for our Hearth Homes division, and I eventually took over all sales for both Fireside & Hearth. I slowly started taking over administrative responsibilities. In2019,westartedour transition plan to shift ownership from Tim over to myself over a span of five years. We are currently executing that transition plan now.” Byars seems like a perfect fit for Fireside Homes. Byars’ father had a passion for construction, which allowed Byars to work on DECEMBER 2023 THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AMERICA - WEST “The company was originally founded in 1985 by Tim Miller. Tim grew up in the industry as his dad was also a local homebuilder. In fact, Tim first began framing homes when he was in high school. It was only a year after starting Fireside Homes that Tim Miller began developing residential neighborhoods.”
DECEMBER 2023 THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AMERICA - WEST homes in his youth. When Byars moved into the Michiana area, the Millers became natural family friends. “I always had a huge amount of respect for the level & quality of homes Tim built. I had a lot of respect for him as a person and the level of home he was building. I always grew up wanting to be a home builder. The ultimate dream was to be a home builder and own my own company doing it,’ notes Byars. Such respect extends to both the quality of work Fireside Homes wants to achieve during home builds, as well as the relationships it hopes to kindle. The respectful relationships they build lead to positive experiences for clients and repeat customers for the company. “We strive to provide our clients with a positive building experience,” adds Byars. “Building your home can be a very emotional experience, and we understand that. There will always be bumps along the road with every build, but our team does a great job of navigating those challenges, and delivering a beautiful, finished product in the end. Our goal is for our customers to look back fondly on their building experience with us.” Byars notes that he has built ten to twelve homes that are for repeat customers. For some, it may even be their fourth home built with Fireside. Repeat customers illustrate the kind of encouraging experiences and quality service that Fireside provides. Fireside Homes believes that preserving a good relationship is just as important as quality of service. “Our motto that we build by is “building relationships one home at a time,” remarks Byars. “For us, people are everything. Everything we do is done through the lens of “how does this affect our relationships with our client?” I would rather lose a dollar and keep the relationship than profit on risking a relationship with a client.” Fireside’s treatment of clientele Photo: Hannah Elyse Photo: Hannah Elyse
DECEMBER 2023 THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AMERICA - WEST extends equally into their treatment of employees. They show great care to retain valuable employees and treat them as a valuable member of the team. “Weworkreallyhardinternallyto take care of our subcontractors. We give them windows of times to complete work. It is a combination of trying to give them as much forecast as possible but also giving them the flexibility to work within their schedules to get things done. We have an awesome family of subcontractors whom we work with on every job. The customers love them. Customers regularly comment on how friendly our subcontractors are,” says Byars. When looking at services, Fireside Homes offers custom building, renovation, and interior design. As custom builders, Fireside Homes will carefully walk clients through every aspect of the building process. Clients can browse different light fixtures, landscaping features, security cameras, home theater systems, etc. Clients can pick and choose features and amenities to their liking. “We allow our customers to be as involved as they want to be. Some of them are there every day. We’ve had builds where we sign a contract for snowbirds, and they come back to a built home. We work with them from a distance with technology. You know they have a high level of trust in you to leave during the build and come back to a finished home.” Fireside Homes also partners with interior designer, Shalmai Keim. Byars believes that Shalmai is the leading voice in interior design in our extended area. She is working currently to design her own furniture lines that could potentially be used in Fireside Homes. Fireside’s partnerships with their other consultants, subcontractors, and suppliers are equally important. Morsches Builders Mart is one example. They are an Indiana-based complete home building supplier and limber yard, offering a wide range of materials for windows, doors, decks, interior and exterior trim, roofing, hardware, siding, and more. Their inventory is stocked with the highest grades and brands of material available in the country. Fireside relies on them to deliver the kind of longlasting, high-quality homes they have become known for. Hoosier House Furnishings is another example. They are another longstanding Indiana company, based in Goshen, just like Fireside. They specialize in truly premium, high-quality custom woodworking. Their skilled craftsmen are able to work in any wood species and create any finish, and they work closely with customers to create personalized products that best meet their needs and expectations. Their cabinetry and countertops also help Fireside’s homes stand the test of time. When looking towards the future, Byars is happy with the growth and current work volume of the company. However, he notes that there is always room for improvement within the company’s branches and services. “Our mission hasn’t changed since we started our transition in 2019. I’m happy with quality and volume we are building right now. We will build anywhere from 18 to 25 homes Photo: Hannah Elyse Photo: Hannah Elyse
DECEMBER 2023 THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AMERICA - WEST per year, depending on size and scope. I’m really happy with the volume we do and the team we have set up. I’m focused on our company being more efficient and profitable, as well as creating a better experience for our customers in the building process,” notes Byars. When looking at other divisions of Fireside Homes, Byars sees real growth opportunity within the Fireside Renovations team. The Renovation team has completedover600renovations for Fireside Homes. Byars sees the renovation team as one that could be a major point of growth for the company. “I’m focused on growth when it comes to our renovation team. I think we can double the size of the renovation team and keep them busy. To maintain a level of influence that we have in that area, our team needs to grow with qualified labor. I’m like everyone else in the world, trying to find qualified labor to do renovations,” Byars points out. No matter where expansion occurs or who fills in those new gaps, it is evident that Fireside Homes will continue to house employees that are always dedicated to quality of service and maintaining the utmost levels of integrity. Byars makes a point to carry tenants of faith through his company and his community. That faith is family-focused and service-focused. He always remains true to belief that integrity is important and such integrity should be imbued within work done for others, and the interactions had with others. That extends to employees as well. “My family is extremely important to me. Because of that, I recognize that other people’s families are important to them as well. If our families are happy then we are going to behappier andmoreproductive at work. We are constantly trying to learn and be aware of the best way to do things.” Fireside Homes will always work to achieve its mission of providing high-quality homes that improve quality of life, while maintaining high levels of trust, excellence, and integrity. Fireside Homes seeks to treat your family like their family, while delivering homes built with the utmost care & respect. Building relationships, one home at a time. Photo: Hannah Elyse Photo: Hannah Elyse
Ares Strategic Mining is the owner and operator of Utah’s ‘Lost Sheep Mine,’ the only permitted and producing fluorspar mine in the United States. Since acquiring the mine, they have invested in the upgrade of facilities, expanded mine designs, and designed a new high capacity plant to significantly increase production and optimize output. Bringing back a lost industry
At thesame time, theyhavebeen acquiring new professional personnel, developing strategic partnerships, and building a global customer base. Their vision is to create a large mining operation, to become an integral part of the country’s supply chain, and to maintain a thriving, consistent, and healthy business through the next several decades. CEO James Walker is a veteran of the global mining industry – over the course of his career, he has earned extensive experience in engineering and project management, particularly within mining engineering, mechanical engineering, construction, manufacturing, engineering design, infrastructure, safety management, and nuclear engineering. His professional experience includes designing nuclear reactors, submarines, chemical plants, factories, mine processing facilities, infrastructure, automotive machinery, and testing rigs. Years ago, while working on other mining projects with other companies, James formed Ares Strategic Mining with the goal of finding a project that was close to cash-flow, and that wouldn’t require huge capital requirements or lengthy permitting times. “In about a years’ time, I must have gone through about 100 different projects,” James DECEMBER 2023 THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AMERICA - WEST “We’re always looking for ways to contribute to the communities that we work in,” says Jeff Wandersman. “We’re interestedindoingwork that makes a difference in people’s lives.”
DECEMBER 2023 THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AMERICA - WEST recalls, “until I stumbled upon this fluorspar mining operation in Utah.” After coming across the Lost Sheep Mine, James reached out to Raul Sanabria, a contact he had met on a previous project who happened to be an expert in fluorspar. Together, they travelled to Utah to scope it out, “and we found fluorspar everywhere,” James says. “It was all over the entiremountain range.” James was drawn to the opportunity by the volume of fluorspar, but also by the quality of the ore. He remembers reading the reports and noting that the project was hardly developed but they were already mining. “That’s kind of unusual,” he explains. “When that happens, it usually means the ore is so rich that you could take it out of the ground and basically put it in a bag and sell it. That was the impression I got, and when we went down there, that was exactly what we found. The owners were essentially driving a loader into the base of a wall, taking the ore out, putting it into a bag, and the brokers were coming and picking it up. There was hardly any refinery process at all.” “At that point, I saw the possibilities from an engineering point of view,” he continues. “It was so obviously scalable. And because it was such a clean ore, I knew the capital costs wouldn’t be very significant. We wouldn’t need hugely complex processing facilities. We wouldn’t need smelters. We just needed a basic flotation plant on site, and that was it.” The fact that it was fluorspar was also appealing, as fluorspar is on the United States’ list of “critical minerals.” Previously, it was actually the only nonmetallic mineral that was 100 per cent imported. Because of that, a company producing it domestically would qualify for a lot of government assistance when it came to financing. Finally, on top of the other draws, the Lost Sheep Mine was already permitted. That meant that Ares would be able to purchase it and “just start mining.” It ticked all the boxes James was looking for. AresStrategicMiningcompleted the acquisition of Lost Sheep Mine went public in February, 2020. From there, they raised a few million dollars in order to conduct some geological work and upgrade the mine’s infrastructure. They figured out where they should be drilling, they came up with expanded mine designs, and they worked out how to optimize the mine’s output. Today, the Lost Sheep Mine is “fully designed-out,” James says. Development was slowed as a result of COVID, but has picked up steam in recent months. They are now just waiting on the delivery of a few select items, after which they will commence their full-scale mining operation.
Currently, Ares Strategic Mining employs a team of roughly 15 engineers and geologists, plus a corporate team of directors and managers. According to James, every member of the team, both on site and in the office, is “very excited about the project.” “Everyone’s pretty happy about where we are because it doesn’t look like a project that can really fail at this point,” he says. “We’ve done all the hard legwork. We’ve done all the hard design work. We’ve proven our case economically.” James says their team has also invested a lot of time and energy into the project, and they are excited to see their investment pay dividends. James cites Raul Sanabria as someone whose efforts have been particularly instrumental. He was the fluorspar expert that James initially visited Utah with. After acquiring the mine, A happy team Ares Strategic Mining offered him a board position – he’s now a director with the company as well as the VP of Exploration. He did all the preliminary geophysical work on the project and ran the drill programs. “Raul’s contribution has been very, very significant,” James says. “He’s been involved from the start and we’ve been lucky to have him. James also credits Karl Marek, another director with the company. He has been involved in the public markets for over 20 years, and was a key part of the company that previously owned the Lost Sheep Mine. Ares Strategic Mining brought him on board after buying that company out, and he’s brought a lot of contacts and local knowledge to the table. “Karl has helped us enormously with the acquisition, he’s helped with raising finances, and he’s connected us with the right people,” James says. “He’s been instrumental.” Early on, Ares also brought on board Keith Minty to coordinate the project development, construction, commissioning and operations of the mine. Keith is a veteran of the mining industry – he has extensive experience leading the construction and commissioning of nine mines worldwide, including the largest open pit palladium operation in North America. He’s also a past recipient of The Northern Miner’s ‘Mining Man of the Year’ award. DECEMBER 2023 THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AMERICA - WEST
Ares Strategic Mining is currently excited and eager for the Lost Sheep Mine to go into production. Their vision for that project is bold – they believe they can grow to a point where they can supply between 15 to 20 per cent of US requirements from that mine alone. At the same time, the vision doesn’t end there. According to James, their team has already started talking about expansion. “We want to try to open up more fluorspar mines across the US,” he says. “We’ve already started scoping other sites. We don’t want to say where they are just yet, but there are a couple of other sites where we have all the data.” “That’s exciting,” he adds, “because there are no other fluorspar producers in the United States. There’s no domestic competition. No one A great position “We approached Keith at the start, and thankfullyhesaidyes,” James says. “He brought with him all of his mining engineers, all of his labourers, all of his contacts – he brought in some excellent, extremely qualified people. He’s been an invaluable asset during the development stages of the project.” The company’s CFO, Viktoriya Griffin, has also been a key contributor, James says. She’s a dedicated and knowledgeable Chartered Accountant with over a decade of experience in her field. She started with the company doing their books part time, but her contribution was so important that they soon asked her to join in a larger role. “All the grants, all the financials – she’s put it all together,” James says. “She’s been fantastic. She’s probably going to bring in more money into the project than me eventually. She deserves a lot of thanks.” James is also thankful for the company’s investors, with whom he has built very strong personal relationships: “The vast majority have been incredibly supportive,” he says. “They’ve had a lot of faith in the long-term strength of the project. Even when we’ve bumped into regulation holdups, they’ve been incredibly patient and allowed us to work through them.” “Normally in a junior mining company, when you experience hold-ups, it creates a lot of nervousness,” he continues. “But we put out a lot of news, we kept everyone updated, I made myself available to answer questions – and we received a lot of loyalty in return. People trusted that once we got things going the stock would really jump, and that did happen.” DECEMBER 2023 THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AMERICA - WEST
For the latest on Ares Strategic Mining and the Lost Sheep Mine – and to get in touch with James and his team – visit https://www.aresmining.com/ putting in for permits for these mines; no one is trying to run drill programs. We’re the only ones. We’re bringing back a lost industry.” The company is also eager to expand globally. In Western Canada, for instance, they have already bought what they believe is the largest deposit of fluorspar in the country. When that starts producing, it won’t be the early producing fluorspar mine in all of Canada, but it will be one of two. From there, they believe they will be in a “great position” to supply all over East Asia. “Our prospects on that front look great,” James says. DECEMBER 2023 THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AMERICA - WEST
COMPLICATED TRANSACTIONS MADE EASY
Barrington Capital Group, LLC (“BCAPG”) is a private real estate investment firm currently focused on developing multifamily and single-family communities in Los Angeles and the greater Southern California area. BCAPG’s team of professionals work together to actively identify, acquire, and add value to properties by redevelopment or repositioning. Their focus is not only on strong returns for their investors, but importantly, they aim to have a lasting positive impact on the communities in which they invest. Barrington Capital Group was formed by Bryan Leishman, Esq. and Aaron Mensch. They met and became friends at UC Santa Barbara, but pursued different paths at graduation. Leishman went to USC Law School and then served as Director of Acquisitions for R.W. Selby & Company, Inc. Leishman reflects, “The projects that I was purchasing at my prior company were institutional value-add multi-family investments. Typically, 100 to 500 unit apartment buildings in A & B locations, where we would perform a light renovation to the kitchens, baths, and some common areas. It was a good business model but restricted to certain types of properties (age, location, size) which had a lot of purchasing competition. I would find development projects and other investments DECEMBER 2023 THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AMERICA - WEST “Barrington Capital Group was formed by Bryan Leishman, Esq. and Aaron Mensch. Both were friends in college, but they pursued different paths afterward. Leishman went to law school and also served as Director of Acquisitions for R.W. Selby & Company, Inc.”
DECEMBER 2023 THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AMERICA - WEST outside of their acquisition criteria that had significant returns. So, Aaron and I started a dialogue about doing these kinds of projects on our own.” Mensch was the founder and president of Yellowstone Investments LLC where he acquired and re-positioned over 75 properties throughout the Los Angeles and Ventura County areas. He was the leading force in all operations related to the procuring and re-positioning of all distressed assets acquired by Yellowstone. Additionally, Mensch spearheaded several ground up development residential communities. Fortunately, the paths of the two friends aligned, allowing them to combine their skills and experiences to form Barrington Capital Group. “We found an off-market opportunity to buy into a 2.85-acre site in Los Angeles which housed a TOYS’R’US on an expiring lease. It was the perfect covered land-play that we could entitle and build 300 units on,” said Leishman. “That was the exit for me at my prior company. We raised the money and closed on the site at a very good basis.” This project set the tone for the success of BCAPG. In the past few years, BCAPG and its affiliates have acquired, developed, and sold dozens of properties. Integral to the vision and business of BCAPG is ensuring that their buildings compliment and add value to their communities. “I think what sets Barrington Capital Group apart is our attention to detail,” outlines Leishman. “We work very closely with architects, engineers and city planners. We choose architects carefully and work with them to cultivate a design that works well with the neighborhood. We don’t have a specific design we copy and paste everywhere. Each project is unique, and oftentimes, the architects are based in the areas we are developing.” Working with local architects not only helps to efficiently push progress forward, but it also allows BCAPG to gauge the stylistic preferences and functional layouts that are desired by the end consumer. “Local architects know the regional demographics better than out-of-city architects who are not so familiar with an area,” explains Leishman. “We know what we like, but more importantly, we look to discover what the wants and needs are of the local buyers and renters are. We work with the community to figure out what those needs are and try to deliver as much as possible under the design, zoning and financial constraints of the site. Having the support of the community makes development a lot easier and a lot more rewarding. The structures we build will be there for a long period of time – hopefully longer than us – so we want to make sure it is something that is communityfocused.” When looking at BCAPG’s portfolio, local architects surely had a hand in the design and success of their projects. They utilized Modativ as their architecture firm for their Helms Homes development in Culver City. Modativ was selected due to their extensive experience with modern architectural design, as well as their firm roots in the submarket, as their office is located only two blocks away from the site. Helms Homes consist of eight high-end townhomes which are separated into four clusters to maximize light and air flow. Each home has a private rooftop deck, a patio off the kitchen,
and a private direct-access garage. They are also smarthomes with digital thermostats, electric vehicle charging and solar panel capabilities. They are nestled in a quiet residential tree-lined street that is also within walking distance of the Culver City Metro/Ivy Station development and just blocks from the new Apple Media, Amazon Studios, and Warner Media campuses. Another development BCAPG is wrapping up is ten homes in the heart of Hollywood, a stonesthrow away from the Netflix campuses. These homes will be great venues to entertain guests, with open floorplans and private rooftop decks with unobstructed views of the Hollywood sign. Each home has an extra room on the ground floor which can be utilized as a home office, gym, or Airbnb depending on the needs of the owner. The Lodi Homes combine contemporary features with historical elements derived from Mediterranean design. This combination was not chosen at random; rather, it reflects the thoughtful integration of new design with already-existing ones in the area. “We used the architecture firm, ‘ktgy,’ which has completed a number of prominent projects in Hollywood,” says Leishman. “We examined the neighborhood and discovered a beautiful, nearly 100-year-old iconic structure to draw inspiration from. The Studio Club was a women’s dormitory to help young women in Hollywood get on their feet and counted Marilyn Monroe, Ayn Rand, and Barbara Eden as former residents. It’s Mediterranean/ Italian Renaissance Revival architecture provided the foundation for our design as well as some of the detailing around our doors and windows. We are very happy about how the elevations turned out, and the incorporation of neighborhood characteristics went a long way in getting us unanimous approval during the entitlement process.” Developing projects that seamlessly integrate into the surrounding neighborhood is only one example of the attention to detail and service that BCAPG offers. BCAPG incorporates acquisition, entitlement, development, and management into their platform. Their structure and service give them a competitive edge. Mensch adds, “We are vertically integrated, and therefore able to understand the full scope of the development process, from entitlement, design, value engineering and construction. This allows us to achieve efficiencies and bring together all of the elements of development. Not all developers are vertically integrated. This integration of skill sets helps us to identify and overcome obstacles before they arise.” To develop a full scope of understanding, BCAPG reinforces the importance of communication and collaboration. When looking DECEMBER 2023 THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AMERICA - WEST
for architects, contractors, consultants, and even interior designers, BCAPG wants to work with collaborators. “When interviewing, we feel out how they work,” says Mensch. “We like to work with designers who are extremely collaborative to allow us to take a large role in all phases of development and design of a project. It is important to work with a team of consultants who communicate freely. We value subcontractors that will go beyond their basic scope of work, and make suggestions for improvements in design or value engineering.” Communication and honesty are also at the forefront of customer service. BCAPG strives to remain transparent with clients. In doing so, they can help match the right client to the perfect home. Leishman says, “A lot of that work goes in up front before you ever even meet a future renter or buyer. It is studying markets, demographics, trends, and what people want. We figure out who the prime demographic is and design to that. When you get to the point of sales, we are transparent about what we have to sell and if that is a good match for the ultimate buyer or renter.” BCAPG’s transparency has allowed for continued success. It has also given BCAPG some focus on the kind of projects it likes to undertake. “These days, what interests us are larger multi-family development projects and tract-home projects,” Mensch outlines. “We’re currently building a 40-unit apartment building, and we’re constantly looking for more projects. We like Southern California because there is a huge demand and unmet need for housing.” While focused currently on developments in Southern California, BCAPG is open to different locations and projects. Regardless of where, they want projects to be meaningful and positively impactful. “We just started, and we are growing our capabilities to do more projects and larger projects. A lot of it is finding the right opportunities. We make sure to only acquire and develop sites that create value for our partners and the people who live in the community. We are very calculated in determining which projects we take on,” says Leishman. Whether they are integrating a new building into the community or taking on a complicated project, Barrington Capital Group, LLC is making their mark on the real estate landscape in Southern California. They boast that complicated transactions are their strengths. That strength comes from experience, attention to detail, and collaboration. DECEMBER 2023 THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AMERICA - WEST Formore information about BarringtonCapital Group, LLC, their team, or their projects – visit http://www.bcapg.com/#home or reach out to Bryan Leishman at bryan@bcapg.com
Business World | February 2015 62 February 2015 | Business World 63 There is something new and different happening around Seattle, Washington. In a city known for innovation, imagination and inventiveness, Ichijo USA is challenging convention and the notion of what a custom home is all about. Blending Japanese tradition, sleek and contemporary craftsmanship with proprietary green, energy efficient technology, Ichijo USA is taking the business of custom home design to a whole new level. Founded in 2009 as a subsidiary to Ichijo, one of Japan’s largest home builders, the company is now developing residential homes that are not only stylish, but sustainable. Meaning ‘one, or first, road’ Ichijo has been constructing individual, custom designed homes for their customers since 1978. The company began building post-and-beam DECEMBER 2023 THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AMERICA - WEST
Business World | February 2015 64 homes but is now more focused on the icube. Developed in 2008, more than 3,000 homes have been constructed to these standards in Japan. The i-cube represents four innovations: comfort, usable, beneficial and eco-friendly. Fabricated entirely indoors, i-cube homes can be erected in weeks, not months and built one at a time to fit your street, your neighborhood, and your needs and tastes. As the real estate market shifts its thinking to appease the more environmentally conscious customer and provide healthier living environments, Ichijo USA’s goal is to employ a series of standards, practices and processes to usher in a new benchmark for custom home building. For Ichijo USA Marketing Manager Amy Tovel, the intricacies of both the business and sustainability model further amplify the persuasiveness of the brand, its narrative and its ability to consistently deliver high quality products. “Unlike most builders here in the USA who build developments, In Japan it’s one house at a time and it’s completely custom,” Tovel said. “They’re building at least 10,000 homes a year now and so many that they have a facility in the Philippines where they fabricate much of what goes into homes - like windows, in-floor radiant heating and solar powered systems.” February 2015 | Business World 65 DECEMBER 2023 THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AMERICA - WEST
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