ROERS POV: Missouri Slope From The Ground Up

Taking on Missouri Slope

“Every project comes with its own challenges, and Missouri Slope was the largest project I have taken on.  With the new opportunity, I was excited to start long before the project officially began.

Missouri Slope has an updated, unique design that centers around a “core” of the building for staff to serve the resident wings. In my mind I viewed it as five separate buildings, and would explain it as such to all subcontractors coming on-site, so they were not overwhelmed by the sheer size of this project.

We came in aggressive and self-performed the foundations for the first wing, this proved to be the most difficult wing on the project. It is the deepest area of the project, and there we discovered a vein of water that flows from that corner diagonally across the footprint of the building. During this portion, we were constantly working in the water.

After a month of excavation and forming, we had a snow event that drifted in over 6-feet of snow. I was hands on from the start, providing layout, tying rebar, building temporary access roads for ready mix trucks, and pouring. Whatever was needed to continue work was done.

The foundations are my favorite part of any project, and I’m thankful that we were able to make it past the various hurdles sent our way.

Once we were past the first wing, our foundation subcontractor came in with a small army of 18 men. As they progressed further into it, another dozen came in to start setting the steel and precast. It was great feeling to see a sizable crew join us and get after the project. Roers is a very hands on company, we self-perform from ground up. At first, it was difficult to let these guys run with it without comparing how we would typically approach tasks.

The plumber was the first individual on the job. He came on the project very early to start doing plan reviews and prefab in the basement of the existing building, where we had a great office space set up. Had he not been on-site I would’ve been the Lone Ranger for quite a while before more crews started showing up.”

Hitting the Pandemic

“I don’t like to go down the pandemic road, but how can you not address it. It was difficult, to say the least. Times were uncertain long before it reached the states. The state health department tried to close down the project site.  I had a feeling of pride that Roers was able to keep the project moving, keeping people at work. We were one of the few companies lucky enough to not go through a shut down, but others didn’t share the same view. People in the field wanted direction. They wanted answers, as did I, but no one had them at that time. We were all in tune with the hourly news with concerns of them closing state borders or interstate travel. It all seems so long ago, and ridiculous now, but the fear was real . The Covid task force Roers came up with was amazing and was able to calm everyone in such a short time. Knowing it’s being addressed at our top level of management eased the strain on everyone. I could go on with multiple stories of conversations, conflicts and incidents, but overall, Missouri Slope has been such a positive project and I don’t like to dwell on that era of the project.  However, it still had a tremendous impact on myself and the project overall.

I do have to mention one comical memory: While driving on the interstates, the rest areas were closed, but still they placed portable toilets out for travelers to use. It’s an example of how unprepared we all were for such a catastrophe.”

Coming to an End

“Looking back it seems every month brought a milestone, deadline, a new trade on-site, or unforeseen challenges, most often it was the weather.

I have worked with multiple subcontractors over the years, everyone involved in the field can attest to some of the difficulties some trades may bring with them .

At the end of Slope, I look back and can honestly say I have not worked with a better group of trades. 

I feel as though I’m making a large leap to the end here, but to sum it all up this has been one of the most gratifying projects I’ve been tasked with. Not just the project itself, but working alongside the team of individuals Roers put together to make it happen.”

-Philip Keller, Superintendent

You can read more on Missouri Slope by visiting our project page here or heading to their website!

All Smiles at SmileCare

SmileCare Dental, owned by Dr. Ryan Nygard, is a well-established family and cosmetic dental practice in Fargo, ND. We truly believe we are unlike any other dental experience.  It is their goal to provide you and your family with professional and comfortable care in a peaceful and clean office environment through state-of-the-art dental practices and technologies. While their equipment has been state-of-the-art since opening, Dr. Ryan wanted the building to match that.

This project was a 5,101 square foot interior and exterior remodel with a new parking lot and landscaping, as well as additional rental space. The goal was to keep the dental office operational throughout the entire process, so we completed the interior remodel in 2 phases. The interior remodel project consisted of a new layout, dental equipment, and implementing an all-around welcoming space. The exterior remodel consisted of new windows, siding, paint, building signage, landscaping and a new parking lot. 

We visited with Roers Project Manager, Nate Mankie, to get some feedback regarding this project. Here is what he had to say:

What was your favorite part of the process?

My favorite part was watching the existing building go from old to new. I also enjoyed watching patients’ and passerby’s reactions as they saw the different stages of progress throughout the remodel.

With the dental office still operating, how did you avoid any issues during the remodel?

The key is maintaining optimal communication between Roers, SmileCare, and the subcontractors. With this, we were able to maintain our schedule to keep each piece running efficiently.

What was it like working on-site?

Everyone worked well on site. Everyone would help if there was a problem and put their heads together to come up with a solution. They would respect that the dental office was still open during construction and that some days we had to work around that but overall it was a good on-site experience.

What was a highlight of working on this project?

The highlight of the project for me was the completion of the exterior of the building. The exterior is like a first impression. It sets the tone for the experience, and I think it turned out great!

This remodel project offered a unique experience for our team, as we got to work along side an interior designer.

Monica Hart, Interior Designer, came in and assisted SmileCare in making the owner’s dream of a new space, with a timeless color pallet and feel, come to life. Dr. Ryan specifically asked for navy blue with an accent of mustard, so she built the palette and selections around that.

At Roers, we focus on building partnerships, so we asked Monica how her experience working with the Roers team was.

“Everyone at Roers was very efficient and organized – I really appreciated that!”

That efficiency and organization played a role in the success of this project. Happy contractor, happy interior designer, happy owner. This was such a fun project to be a part of, and we can’t wait for the next!

Check out the great images below that we received from Monica Hart.

United Way of Cass-Clay & Roers: Building the Future of Our Community

It’s times like these that we all look toward something to believe in, see the positive, and seek moments where we see the power of people working together for the common good.  

Each and every day, United Way of Cass-Clay in Fargo is harnessing the power of community to create a better tomorrow for everyone. Their invitation and mission to LIVE UNITED resonates with the Roers core values of opportunity, partnership and community, and Roers is proud to partner with them on building a new home that will serve our community for decades to come.

A New Home for United Way of Cass-Clay Working at the Intersection of our Community

United Way works at the intersection of businesses, nonprofit partners, public organizations, and volunteers and individuals who have the desire to give back. “When it came time to select a location for the new home of United Way, being at the intersection of our community, was key,” said Kristi Huber, United Way of Cass-Clay President & CEO.

Back in March of 2020, United Way announced the location of their future home during their LIVE UNITED Awards and Annual Meeting via this video shot at the build site. It truly is at an intersection – near where interstate 94 meets 45th Street at 4351 23rd Ave. S., Fargo.

A Building Design to Reach Out to the Community

“Reaching Out” was selected as the name to reflect how United Way is always reaching out to the north, south, east and west – across Cass and Clay counties.

“Reaching out is a name and a philosophy our United Way team and partners embrace every single day,” said Huber.  

United Way of Cass-Clay reaches out:

– to those in need

– for new solutions

– to make connections

– for support

– to LIVE UNITED

In 2020, United Way is reaching out to the community and shining a light on homelessness. Here in our local community, each night, more than 1,022 people are homeless. In addition, it is estimated that of the people who are homeless in our community, 23% are children. This powerful video shows the true struggles faced by so many families in our community, and the opportunity we have to help them at their point of need, changing their path and future forever.

United Way’s goal is to prevent 90% of children and families from becoming homeless by 2020. An investment of $720 could prevent one family from becoming homeless. We invite you to learn more and give at unitedwaycassclay.org.

A New Hub to Bring the Community Together

To continue their important work to help those in need, the United Way team is set to move in before the end of 2020, and will begin utilizing this thoughtfully planned space as a hub for bringing our community together. This space will support the needs of our growing community, and maximize the positive change United Way is able to create. Every aspect of the building was intentionally designed by JLG Architects and built by Roers, and will efficiently meet the needs of the United Way team, volunteers and community for decades to come.

“We are so grateful to the entire Roers team, and the expertise and knowledge they provide. Roers has been tremendous partners for us during the design and planning of this project. We are so excited to have Roers build our new home,” said Huber.

Generosity from the Community Makes it Possible

United Way could not have achieved this goal without the support of generous partners and donors.

A lead gift from Border States Electric, and members of their leadership team will create an amazing Welcome Experience for volunteers and inspiration in our Team Innovation Center. A generous investment from First International Bank and Trust, will allow United Way to maximize their trainings and on-site events in the new Volunteer Activation Center.

The Future of LIVE UNITED is Taking Shape 

In October, the building continued to take shape, and is now visible from interstate 94. “We look forward to keeping our community included on the progress of this project, as we want you to feel that this is your new home as well. We are excited for the work that will be done together – with you – in this new space,” said Huber.

Reaching out and remaining connected is what will make a better tomorrow for everyone across our community. On behalf of the thousands of individuals and families who are helped by United Way, we are thankful for all that our company and our communities do to LIVE UNITED. When we work together, we are unstoppable.

Roers 2018 Project Highlights

We’re already almost a month in to 2019 and the Roers team is so excited about our upcoming plans and projects! However, we wanted to take a look back at everything that Roers did this past year. We are very proud of our entire team. No matter the role, just about everyone has had a part in these and we could not be happier with each and every turnout.

Here’s to what we accomplished in 2018 and what we can’t wait to accomplish in 2019. *glasses clink*

Mackenzie River Pizza – Fargo, ND

 

New Life Center – Fargo, ND

Precision Lawn & Landscape – Fargo, ND

Prairie Heights Basement Remodel – West Fargo, ND

Bright Sky Apartments – Moorhead, MN

 

First International Bank – Grand Forks, ND

Jeremiah Program – Fargo, ND

 

Starbucks – Fargo, ND

These are just a group of the 2018 Projects that Roers was a part of. We look forward to partnering with more businesses, organizations, and professionals around the community in 2019. If you are interested in our past projects, or would like to contact us, head to roers.com/contact/.