Preserving a Family Legacy

For the Gradison brothers, building strong client relationships comes first at Gradison Design • Build

Written by Neil Charles

A recognized leader in residential land development across central Indiana and southwest Ohio, Gradison is a family-owned company with a rich history dating back to 1910. Currently one of three developers of the premiere custom home community Asherwood, located on the former Simon estate in West Carmel, brothers Mark and Joe Gradison bring their 60 years of combined luxury home-building experience to bear on one of the most prestigious home construction projects in the area’s history. Deeply grounded in the design, development and construction disciplines that bring a unique scope of expertise covering all facets of land development, Gradison’s approach is to first build a relationship with clients before building a home. “We believe that’s the best way to truly design a custom home that fits your life, not the other way around,” says Mark. “We strive to be collaborative, up-front about costs, and to make the entire process easy and enjoyable.”

Dave Gradison, center, with sons Joe (left) and Mark (right)

“We’re proud to say we have developed and sold thousands of homesites, delivering the kind of harmonious balance between living and green space that Midwest homeowners want and expect,” says Joe. “We have vast expertise engineering large, complex developments designed to honor natural environments and take advantage of prime economic, growth and cultural opportunities.”

Gradison Construction was founded in Cincinnati by Joseph Gradison, whose sons Wolford and Jules then developed the road construction business before moving it to Indianapolis after World War II. It was at this time that Wolford was decorated by General Patton for his work building bridges. David Gradison joined the family business in the early 1960s after serving his country and started the residential development division in the late 1970s. Joe’s great-grandsons, current owners Mark and Joe, joined the business in the mid 1980s, adding custom home building to the mix. “Working together has been extremely positive and helpful for us,” continues Joe. “With our varying skill sets, it has allowed us to manage and oversee different components of the business with the common goal of a quality product and happy clients.”

Mark (left) and Joe (right) Gradison

Recent clients Sharon and Kevin Gleason attest to the brothers’ exceptionally high standards. Says Kevin, “We met with several builders to design our home in Holliday Farms and selected Gradison for several reasons: they listened to our dreams, had designers work on every detail, and had a firm plan in place before we even committed. Once they began work on our house, their construction and design team was with us every step of the way, including attending every vendor meeting, keeping us on schedule and under budget. Most importantly, their attention to detail resulted in a truly custom home.” When Gradison clients enter their new homes for the first time, they are certain to be greeted by impeccable workmanship, top-quality materials and finishes and creative design that marries form with function, traditional with modern.

(Left to right), Wolford and Dave Gradison with Keith Perkins at Fort Benjamin Harrison

Realtor Paul Bates agrees. “As a full-time real estate agent since 1995, Gradison has always stood out to our broker community as a proven and quality builder and developer that we can comfortably refer our clients to, knowing they will be well taken care of. In fact, I have so much confidence in Gradison that I personally signed up to be their very first client to build in downtown Fishers in the South Village of Nickel Plate neighborhood. Having lived in Fishers since 1998, I immediately recognized Gradison’s vision to create a unique and ‘hip’ neighborhood, walkable to all things downtown Fishers. I‘ve seen many builders come and go over the years, but Gradison has stood the test of time because of their commitment to taking care of their clients’ needs, providing great communication, and building a quality home.”

Gradison’s latest project is the high-profile Asherwood in west Carmel. A development partnership between Gradison, Old Town Design Group and Wedgewood, Asherwood of Carmel is situated on the 107-acre former Asherwood Estate. As one of the last premier custom home communities in the area, the appeal of Asherwood is selfevident. “Asherwood will stand the test of time and we hope it will be known as one of the best custom communities in the Indianapolis metro market,” says Mark. “We have enjoyed early sales success and are not really surprised at the level of interest, given the location and beauty of the project. “

(Left to right) Joe and Mark Gradison

Several factors separate the Asherwood development from the run-of-the mill. First there is the par three, nine-hole golf course with a permanent water feature that will present its own set of challenges and rewards. Then there is the original 50,000 square foot house on a seventeen-acre lot in the middle of the development, as well as a covenant established by the Lilly family that the property can never be subdivided into lots smaller than one acre. “We are very fortunate to have sold the Estate home to a wonderful family who shares our vision of Asherwood and has been most accommodating in finding a balance between the Estate and its property and the future development surrounding it,” he adds.

The original business created by Joseph Gradison focused on the road construction and sitework sectors. Although Gradison is no longer a road construction or sitework contractor, but rather a bespoke builder with a focus on luxury custom homes, the dedication to hard work and customer satisfaction remains undiminished. Creating positive long-term relationships with clients, vendors and other business partners is the Gradison legacy. “Our family’s construction businesses, past and present, have all been built around treating all people fairly. Truly getting to know and understand our clients is extremely important to us,“ concludes Mark.

With a small team of highly skilled employees, many of whom have been with the brothers for over twenty years, Mark and Joe Gradison have built not only thousands of homes, but also a foundation for continued growth of the family business. Enduring supply chain issues, labor shortages and all manner of pandemic-related challenges, the company is still very much on the front foot and looking forward to more opportunities to create dream homes for a discerning and appreciative clientele.

For more information, visit gradisonbuilding.com