Said Differently - A Barton Malow Podcast: Recent Episodes
Barton Malow
Every project has a great story. With over 2,000 team members and almost 100 years of experience in the construction industry, Barton Malow has more than a few to tell that don’t fit the industry norm. We’re going to be bringing you the untold stories from the jobsite – the weird, the wild, and the unconventional paths to success. It’s construction, but it’s Said Differently.
In the latest episode of Said Differently, we discuss the partnership and impact between Barton Malow and Habitat for Humanity. We’re joined by Barton Malow Senior Foundation Manager Dawn Lyman, Habitat for Humanity Deputy Director of Philanthropy for Oakland County Dena Vatalaro-Pryde, and Habitat for Humanity Recipient Autumn Butler. Our guests discuss the impact both organizations have had on communities, Autumn’s story, and how to get involved.
Consisting of 6,470 cubic yards across 256,100 SF over 32.5 consecutive hours, the “MegaSlab” placement at General Motor’s Arlington, Texas, plant in 2019 as part of the M5 Productivity Improvement Program still stands as the largest continuous steel fiber pour ever done.
In the latest episode of Said Differently, we’re joined by Barton Malow team members Ethan Uhl, Brian Willard, and Tom Binkowski, all of whom played a major role in the planning and execution of the MegaSlab. Our guest panel dishes on the inside story behind the placement, why it almost didn’t happen, and the eventual triumph that came from successfully completing it.
In a special Construction Safety Week episode, this edition of Said Differently – Beyond the Build profiles Safety Manager Keith Collett. His dedication to safety extends far beyond the workplace. A personal experience has emphasized the critical need for everyone to be well-versed in safety practices, including CPR and first aid. Keith joins us in the studio to share his compelling story, highlighting the significance of these essential safety measures.
In this episode of Said Differently, we revisit the Pontiac Silverdome project that changed both sports construction and Barton Malow. From use of the Construction Management delivery method that helped the team quickly adapt to challenges to the first-of-its-kind 12-acre inflatable fabric roof, the Silverdome was lauded as an engineering marvel of its time.
Chief Community Officer Ben Maibach III, a Vice President at the time of the Silverdome’s construction, joins the podcast to discuss the project. Also included is archival audio from then-Barton Malow President Rollie Wilkening and then-Chairman of the Board Ben Maibach Jr.
To celebrate this year’s Women in Construction Week presented by the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC), this edition of Said Differently – Beyond the Build profiles Project Manager Kim Hoffman. In this episode, Kim opens up about her transition into construction, her experience as a woman in the industry, and offers valuable advice for those considering a similar path.
There are a variety of challenges involved with building projects on undeveloped land – but uncovering historical artifacts or cultural finds might not be among the challenges that first come to mind. In this episode of Said Differently, we head out to the in-progress Scotford Solar Project in Alberta, Canada, with Project Manager Mike Jeske, where various cultural artifacts were discovered during the excavation stage of the project.
Later in the episode, we revisit the Virginia Institute of Marine Science Davis Hall project with Project Manager Jim Droski. The project location in Gloucester Pointe, Virginia, situated on the York River right across Yorktown, delivered some interesting artifacts from the Revolutionary and Civil Wars during land clearing and excavation.
From sports and entertainment to higher education and healthcare, Barton Malow has built an impressive resume in the Columbus, Ohio area over the last four decades.
Barton Malow broke ground on its first major project in Ohio in 1983, a $24-million addition and renovation to Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Since then, the Barton Malow team has continued striving for excellence, creating positive and lasting relationships with each successful project along the way.
In this episode, we sit down with Project Executive Adrienne Sraver and Project Manager Quentin Pruneau to discuss our impact on the city, the greater community, and the future of Columbus in the next 40 years.
Every summer, Barton Malow welcomes dozens of interns to its jobsites and offices. One of our interns this past summer was Joe Holland, a University of Virginia (UVA) student who worked on the school’s Football Operations Center project. Joe’s story is unique, as this project was more than just an internship for him. Joe is an outside linebacker on UVA’s football team and will be using the Football Operations Center with his teammates for his senior season when it’s complete in spring 2024.
In this latest installation of the Said Differently Beyond the Build podcast, Joe discusses his internship experience, what attracted him to Barton Malow, and shared advice for future interns.
Progress and back to zero. It’s not that construction has been completely absent of innovation, it’s just the start and finish nature of projects makes it difficult to carry over certain methods and technologies from one project to the next.
It’s been one of the major inhibitors in the construction industry, and as Director of Business Transformation Daniel Stone notes in the latest episode of Said Differently, “Transformation, Innovation, and Brick-Laying Robots,” there’s always a better way to do some of these more antiquated processes.
In this latest episode of the podcast, Beyond the Build profiles Morgan State University’s Chairperson Dr. Lewis Waller and Barton Malow’s Senior Human Resources Manager Jeremiah Hovis to talk about our partnership and projects on and off the campus.
The auto industry is well on its way to an electric future. Yet in order to get there, automakers need battery cells to power electric drivetrains – and they need a lot of them. Since earning its first lithium-ion battery cell manufacturing plant job in late 2019, Barton Malow has emerged as the world leader in Electric Vehicle (EV) battery cell construction.
In the latest episode of Said Differently, we’re joined by Senior Project Directors Alan Blanchette and Chris Hofe to discuss the size and scale of these projects, the difference between building a battery cell plant versus a typical automotive job, and the pride team members have knowing they’re part of a paradigm shift in transportation.
To celebrate the 25th Annual Women in Construction Week presented by the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC), this special edition of Said Differently – Beyond the Build profiles Senior Project Manager Linda Hatcher and Project Engineer La’Toya Tyson.
Octavous began his career with Barton Malow as a Carpenter in 2000 and became a Project Superintendent in 2018. In his 22-year career with Barton Malow, his project resume includes the Randolph Career and Technical Center and Little Caesars Arena.
Standing on the corner of Woodward and Gratiot Avenues in downtown Detroit, the J.L. Hudson’s building was once as synonymous in describing Detroit as the automobiles that served as the Motor City’s chief export in the bustling metropolis. Fast forward to present day where a new development is rising on the historic site as Detroit continues its evolution.
After retiring from the Marine Corp. in 2014, John worked for various employers before joining Barton Malow about three years ago. A passionate advocate of mental health –especially among military veterans –John and Scout recently joined us in studio for an in-depth conversation on construction, mental health, and how Barton Malow helps facilitate a culture for every team member.
With an industry ready for change and advanced delivery methods in place that could increase efficiencies, Barton Malow accelerated its journey to transform construction in 2017 through the acquisition of key resources and innovative, patented technology. It’s when Barton Malow’s LIFTbuild entity was officially born.
In this episode, we’re excited to be joined by Abi Richardson, a Senior Project Engineer based out of our Charlottesville, Virginia, office. Abi joined Barton Malow in the summer of 2018. She’s currently working on the Boys and Girls Club of Central Virginia’s new Albemarle Campus Club project. She also worked on the newly completed University of Virginia Student Health and Wellness Center.
Welcome to the groundbreaking episode of Said Differently’s Beyond the Build series, where we highlight various Barton Malow team members and how they’re living our core values on our project sites and in the community.
In our debut episode, we’re pleased to welcome LEAPS intern Sage Villeneuve. LEAPS is short for “Learning Practicum for Students,” a 12-week college internship program that Barton Malow established in 1984.
Exposed steelwork. Brick construction. A historic look. When Oriole Park at Camden Yards opened in 1992, it bucked the multi-use stadium fad at the time and represented a facility that was purpose-built for baseball. Thirty years later, it continues to stand the test of time as one of baseball’s best venues. Learn more about how this development came together and how it changed how subsequent ballparks were built.
In Episode 4 of Said Differently–A Barton Malow Podcast, we take a look at all-things wind energy and how Barton Malow is helping to build a more sustainable future. Our guests on this episode include Barton Malow Senior Project Managers Ryan Johnston and Curtis Brown, and DTE Manager of Renewable Energy Development Matt Wagner.
In Episode 3 of Said Differently, we take a look at how there’s nothing quite like the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum – both on the banks of the Red Cedar on Michigan State University’s (MSU) campus or anywhere else in the state and country.
Known for its unique design – there are no 90-degree angles throughout the building – and its challenging build, in “Building the Unbuildable,” we dive into all things Broad with a guest list that includes MSU Vice President for Strategic Infrastructure Planning and Facilities Dan Bollman, Craig Kiner of Zaha Hadid Architects, and Barton Malow Project Executive Kara Martini.
Women are a largely untapped demographic with great potential to offset skilled labor shortages in construction. One Detroit-area organization is on the front lines of making this a reality – one welding course at a time.
The project is the new Center at Belvedere Senior Center and Hospital Clinic in Charlottesville, Virginia – a 48,000 square foot building that our team finished up in April of 2020. But a big part of this project was creating an inviting outdoor area complete with walking paths and a lawn space for entertaining. One problem our team ran into was a significant amount of invasive vegetation outside of the new structure. So who ya gonna call?