Lease Crutcher Lewis

Last Thursday, the Washington State University Schweitzer Engineering Hall team celebrated the building’s topping out in Pullman with the placement of the final steel beam. The progressive design-build project will feature a hybrid structural system that combines steel with cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels and concrete. The event brought together teams from ZGF Architects, Coughlin Porter Lundeen, Advanced Welding, Evergreen Erectors, LLC, Ford Crane Inc, as well as representatives from the WSU Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture and the WSU capital projects team. Scheduled to open in Summer 2026, Schweitzer Engineering Hall will serve as the new cornerstone and front door of the university’s new engineering and architecture district. Go Cougs! ??: SynTier Engineering, Inc.

Since its founding in 2021, the Lewis Foundation has supported a variety of non-profit partners creating pathways for women and other historically underrepresented people entering the construction industry. This week, The Oregon Community Foundation highlights these efforts and features Maya Berns-Janousek, a Lewis foreman in Portland who got her start through Lewis Foundation grant recipient Oregon Tradeswomen. https://lnkd.in/gZ6qYbdh

When students arrive for winter term, Lane Community College’s Industry and Trades Education Center (ITEC) will open its doors as a cornerstone of vocational and technical training in Oregon’s South Willamette Valley. Hear from Lewis project executive Tanner Perrine and other key partners as they discuss how this three-story, 55,000-square-foot facility will strengthen the pipeline of skilled tradespeople in the region. ITEC will offer a comprehensive construction program with both apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship training, alongside specialized learning spaces for aspiring professionals in the mechanical engineering and plumbing trades. OEG, Inc. Hennebery Eddy Architects

Built in the 1970s, University of Oregon's Huestis Hall has long been a hub for pioneering research in neuroscience and biosciences. Through seismic upgrades, modernized systems and innovative and collaborative problem-solving, crews revitalized this essential facility to meet the demands of today’s research environment while preserving its historic character. In our latest blog post, learn more about the challenges and creative solutions employed to modernize this important building. TVA Architects, Systems West Engineers, KPFF Consulting Engineers, catena consulting engineers

Exciting news! fi architecture is thrilled to announce our partnership with Angel Of The Winds Casino Resort and Heritage Distilling Co. to design the first ever tasting room within a tribally-owned casino in the Pacific Northwest! We’ve had the pleasure of working alongside an incredible team, including Lease Crutcher Lewis, MGAC Project Management, PCS Structural Solutions, LUMA Lighting Design, Tenor Engineering Group, and other highly skilled fabricators and installers who helped bring this vision to life. We recently celebrated with a special ribbon-cutting ceremony alongside the Stillaguamish Tribe. Afterward, Jamie, Josh, Darrin, and their spouses had a blast trying to knock down some pins at Strikerz Bowling! A huge thank you to the amazing team at Angel of the Winds Casino Resort — Travis O’Neil, Jeff Wheatley, Michael McFarlen, Lora McGowan, and Dusti Kunaschk — for your invaluable support throughout this journey. Here’s to many more successful collaborations! #ficommercial

Headed to Dallas for next week's Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) annual conference? Be sure to check out Thursday’s 3 p.m. CST session “The Tangible ROI of Teaming” from Lewis’ Duncan Howard, The Miller Hull Partnership, LLP’s Elizabeth Moggio, and University of Washington’s Jeannie Natta. With a focus on the award-winning UW Health Sciences Education Building, the speakers will share the value proposition of a successfully integrated team as well as best practices that attendees can implement on their own projects. Using the UW project as a case study, the project team will demonstrate the specific and significant returns experienced through its progressive design-build approach, earning the owners a substantial return on investment for their incentive dollars. Key takeaways will include: ?? Daily practices rooted in deliberate, regular, and transparent communication.? ?? Steps for creating a project-oriented environment that encourages open dialogue and empowers team members to address difficult conversations head-on.? ??Insights into the quantitative and qualitative value returns experienced by the entire UW Health Sciences Education Building project team. We hope to see you at #DBIACON! ??: Moris Moreno

Each morning on the Providence St. Vincent jobsite in Portland, healthcare assistant superintendent Cindy Benton makes a point of connecting with all trade field leaders. She starts by listening, which helps her develop self-awareness, compassion, and an understanding of their needs and challenges. Throughout the day, she evaluates strengths and weaknesses, offers praise and reassurance, and ensures that everyone’s voice is valued. Cindy motivates and provides constructive guidance,?always emphasizing that crews are working together as a team to overcome challenges, with each person contributing to the solution. ? With a background in soccer and basketball, she sees many parallels between the jobsite and team sports. They both require a strong collective effort for success.? ? “Building strong relationships is essential in leadership. To be an effective leader, you must work well with people. You don’t need to be a social butterfly, but you must know how to communicate and collaborate to bring out the best in your team.”

?? It's been a busy few weeks on Washington State University’s Schweitzer Engineering Hall jobsite! Crews started steel erection a few days back, a major milestone for this progressive design-build project with ZGF Architects. So far, the project team has also: ? Excavated 25,000 tons of soil ? Mitigated basalt rock discovered during earthwork ? Installed 600 linear feet of sewer and electrical lines under Spokane Street With a fall 2026 opening date, Schweitzer Engineering Hall is set to become the cornerstone of WSU Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture's new district on the Pullman campus and is part of a wider push to meet the growing demand for engineering, construction and design graduates.

We're hiring! As employee-owners, everyone at Lewis has a personal stake in the company’s success. Team members are valued for the unique talents they bring with opportunities for growth available to all. From building impactful projects that serve our communities to fostering a transparent and supportive culture, Lewis is a place where people are empowered to grow and contribute to one another's success. Check out our open positions here: https://lnkd.in/gDKw2zFT

Last week, our teams hosted students and guests from the Northshore School District to celebrate the start of concurrent major projects at Kenmore and Maywood Hills Elementaries. While we love pulling out the golden shovels, we’re more excited to be a part of the positive change these projects will bring for generations to come! #Lewisbuilds #buildingsthatmatter #designbuild #futurebuilders #NorthshoreSchoolDistrict