The legacy construction company’s expansion will support 85 new jobs.

Brasfield & Gorrie, one of the nation’s largest privately held construction firms, plans to invest $18.9 million to expand its national headquarters in Birmingham, choosing to grow in its hometown over other major markets where it operates.

Brasfield & Gorrie’s expansion will support the creation of 85 jobs as it adds a 28,500-square-foot, three-story building on its campus at 3021 Seventh Ave. South in the city’s Lakeview District, according to the Alabama Department of Commerce.

“Birmingham has been our home since day one, and we feel strongly about investing in the community, which has supported us throughout the years,” B&G CEO Jim Gorrie said. “The city, county and state’s support have been key to our steady growth. As we continue to grow and hire across our footprint, it’s important that we invest in our people and the place we call home.”

The company provides general contracting, design-build and construction management services for a wide variety of markets, including healthcare, commercial, science and technology, institutional, federal, municipal, industrial, mission critical/data centers, infrastructure and water/wastewater treatment.

Brasfield & Gorrie has been based in the Lakeview District since its founding in 1964, and its headquarters there now houses more than 550 employees. It has offices in 12 other cities, including Atlanta, Dallas, Miami, Charlotte, Nashville and Orlando, with a total headcount topping 3,700.

The investment is the latest in a string of expansions that have taken place on Brasfield & Gorrie’s campus during the past several years, and it will support the growth projected by Brasfield & Gorrie’s long-range strategic plan.

Pylon Building Group will build the expansion. Based in Birmingham, Pylon is a wholly owned subsidiary of Brasfield & Gorrie founded in January 2023 with a vision of becoming a minority-owned, diverse company.

Protective Stadium is one of the many landmark projects that Brasfield & Gorrie has carried out in its hometown of Birmingham. (Brasfield & Gorrie)

‘Landmark business’

Nearly 60 years in business, Brasfield & Gorrie has become one of Birmingham’s most successful legacy enterprises, completing many notable projects in the area. They include Protective Stadium, City Walk BHAM, Grandview Medical Center and the Pizitz building and parking deck renovations. Locally, the company is working on projects for UAB Medical West, Southern Research and Cooper Green Mercy Health Services.

Brasfield & Gorrie also has a Huntsville office. The company’s recent projects across the state include a greenhouse and the Discovery Life Sciences headquarters at Huntsville’s HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, the U.S. Courthouse in Huntsville, multiple Airbus projects in Mobile and ongoing work on Chart Industries‘ manufacturing plant in Theodore.

“Brasfield & Gorrie is a landmark business that has done much to reshape Birmingham through its high-profile projects over the years,” Alabama Commerce Secretary Ellen McNair said. “It’s great to see this powerhouse company continue to deepen its roots in the city rather than selecting a larger market.”

The Birmingham project’s job creation will take place over five years, and the positions will pay an average $74,000 annually, according to the Department of Commerce.

Brasfield & Gorrie constructed a sophisticated greenhouse on the campus of the Hudson Alpha Institute for Biotechnology in Huntsville. (Brasfield & Gorrie)

Local impact

The Birmingham Business Alliance (BBA), which supported the Department of Commerce on the growth project, estimates that Brasfield & Gorrie’s expansion will provide an economic impact totaling $13.5 million over 20 years.

“Headquarters have a multiplier effect on our local economy and signal a thriving business environment to key stakeholders, such as business leaders, site selectors and prospective talent,” said Steve Ammons, BBA president and CEO.

“Brasfield & Gorrie’s continued growth is exciting news for the greater Birmingham region, and our team is proud to once again support an expansion of their home base operations,” Ammons said.

Brasfield & Gorrie expects construction to begin soon, with a target completion date of summer 2025.

“Brasfield & Gorrie had humble beginnings in Jefferson County but is now nationally known as a leader in the construction industry and elevates our reputation across the country,” Jefferson County Commission President Jimmie Stephens said. “It’s important as our community grows that we continue to support the legacy companies like Brasfield & Gorrie who literally built us. The commission is proud to support their continued growth and expansion.”

This story originally appeared on the Alabama Department of Commerce’s Made in Alabama website.