Bellows Byline Spring 2012

Bellows W. S. B e l lows C o n s t ru c t i o n C o r p o r at i o n

Byline S p r i n g 2012

In This Issue Asia Society Texas Center

Recognizing Asia’s growing importance on the world stage and the need to link Texas with that vital region, a group of visionary Houstonians led by former First Lady Barbara Bush and former Ambassador Roy M. Huffington, founded Asia Society Texas.

Our People Invest

in

Your Purpose

What do The Rise School, Wortham Theater Center, and Asia Society Texas Center have in common?

Employee Spotlight

Norm Molen began his career as his neighbor’s carpenter’s assistant at the age of 16 and hasn’t stopped building since.

Project

in

Progress

EOG Resources, headquartered in Houston, is constructing a new office building for their Midland Division.

Asia Society Texas Center

Photography

Asia Society of Texas

Aker Photography Nash Baker Photography Hester + Hardaway Photography Skyworks Photography

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Handled with Care, Delivered on Time Over the past 98 years, Bellows has earned a reputation for carefully delivering projects with quality craftsmanship to the complete satisfaction of our clients, and for taking care of our clients’ needs first and foremost.

That reputation has been built by our dedicated, expert personnel who are the bedrock of our company.

Our clients know that they can entrust our skilled personnel to build even the most difficult, challenging projects with precision at a fair price. We are not just coordinators of subcontractors -- we know how to build and self-perform as required. Our building experience also contributes to expert value-engineering, anticipating project issues and being problemsolvers.

Continuous, careful communication and teamwork among our clients, their design team and our building team contributes to our success. We take great pride in the repeat business we gain from most clients and the close relationships we develop with them and their design teams.

The complexity and attention to detail involved in building our most recent projects, the Asia Society Texas Center and Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women, were challenges met with determination and care.

At Bellows, we consider it a personal pledge to meet our clients’ goals of quality projects finished on time, on budget, and to stand by our work.

Laura Bellows, Chairman of the Board

Jim Stevenson, Chief Executive Officer

Lisa Gray, from her “Minimally Elegant” article about the Asia Society Texas Center | Houston Chronicle, January 22, 2012 “...My inner architecture nerd is duly impressed by the way that those panels (of Jura limestone) are “floated” on the walls, without any fixative showing between the panels, the way that mortar or grout does. The effect is lovely, and so wicked hard to pull off that American architects rarely dare to specify it for fear that their contractors will screw it up. So here’s to you, W. S. Bellows Construction. I didn’t notice any crooked panels or distracting goop. The wall was free to disappear.”

S pring 2012 | B ellows B yline

Asia Society Texas Center Recognizing Asia’s growing importance on the world stage and the need to link Texas with that vital region, a group of visionary Houstonians led by former First Lady Barbara Bush and former Ambassador Roy M. Huffington, founded Asia Society Texas in 1979 as a branch of New

The Asia Society Texas Center

York-headquartered Asia Society.

includes a geothermal system,

In following years, Asia Society

a unique energy-efficient

Texas hosted programs spanning

heating and cooling system.

business, policy, arts and culture at venues across the city. But by

of The Museum of Modern Art

This is the first use of such

1995 it had become obvious to

in New York City. The Center

a system in a commercial

the Asia Society Texas Board of

features the 4,000-square-foot

Directors that if the organization

Louisa Stude Sarofim Gallery, the

was to thrive it needed a home

Brown Foundation Performing

cooling the water system and

of its own. The search began

Arts Theater, the Edward Rudge

heat pump units, it allows for

for property in Houston’s high-

Allen III Education Center, store

an energy-efficient transfer of

profile Museum District and for

and café, and other amenities.

an internationally recognized

Mr. Taniguchi is known for his

architect who could realize

meticulous attention to detail and

and heating loads within the

the Board’s ambitious vision.

his commitment to the highest

building. ASTC’s geothermal

Construction began in January

standards of craftsmanship

2010 and was complete by the

and materials. Graceful design

end of summer 2011.

combines with stunningly beautiful

building in Houston. By

heat to the earth for cooling

heating and cooling provides a 15 to 20 percent energy savings compared to a conventional system.

The 38,000-square-foot, $48.4 million Asia Society Texas Center was designed by the distinguished architect Yoshio Taniguchi, known for his recent expansion

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stone, wood and glass to give Asia Society Texas Center its distinctive character. The facility serves as a public meeting place for the city’s diverse communities, especially Asian American groups.

Graceful design, distinctive character

Architect Taniguchi and Associates

Architect of Record Kendall/Heaton Associates

Civil Engineer

Asia Society Texas celebrated the Center’s Grand Opening April 12-15, 2012 with an inaugural exhibition from the Rockefeller

Walter P. Moore

Structural Engineer Ingenium, Inc.

MEP Engineer CHPA Consulting Engineers, Inc.

Collection of Asian Art. The new Center marks a transformational moment in the life of the organization. Asia Society Texas Center stands poised to play a vital role in linking Houston and Texas to the fastest-growing “Architects sometimes talk about

region of the globe. Recognizing

‘hundred-year’ buildings: Buildings

Houston’s growing stature as an

made to outlast their builders,

Asia Pacific city, the Center brings

buildings that aim to make our

together policy experts, cultural

grandchildren proud. The Asia Society

luminaries and members of the

Texas Center is definitely one of

public to explore issues shaping

those.” – Lisa Gray, Houston Chronicle

the U.S.-Asia relationship.

B ellows B yline | S pring 2012

Our People Invest in Your Purpose What do The Rise School, Wortham

Special purpose projects are

Theater Center, and Asia Society

typically unique projects with

Texas Center have in common?

specialized circumstances. Project

They are just a few of the projects

funds are most often raised via

that make up Bellows’ extensive

private donors, and the project

portfolio of not-for-profit/special

requirements are highly specific

purpose projects. These projects

to meet the focused needs of an

have become a staple of our

organization and the people it

business, contributing heavily to our

serves. These projects demand

reputation as a contractor that cares

a straight forward, honest, high-

just as much about how a building

integrity contractor who will invest in

commitment to treating clients fairly.

will function as we do about how

the purpose of the project and help

Our reputation is built on getting

it will respond to the purpose for

clients leverage the full potential of

things done and resolving problems

which it is built.

their new facility.

efficiently. We take every opportunity

Bellows’ service philosophy is a perfect fit for special purpose projects because of our commitment to the following principles: n

Honesty

The organizations we serve have a high degree of obligation to donors to demonstrate that funds are being used wisely and appropriately. Bellows projects are an “open book.” We pride ourselves on maintaining proper and thorough accounting and we are relentless in our

B ellows B yline | SBpring 95 th A nniversary yline 2012 | S pring 2009

to help our clients assure donors their money is being maximized toward the highest possible benefit of the organization. n

Flexibility

Special purpose projects are one-of-a-kind facilities that are reliant on fundraising. Clients often choose distinguished architects resulting in a unique and sometimes complex design.

Bellows has the sophistication and experience to fulfill the design and strategy presented by these renowned architects. In addition, the fundraising process can be very lengthy. We remain flexible throughout to accommodate scope

Bellows’service philosophy: honesty, flexibility

and partnership changes based on fundraising

donor tours and fundraising events,

developments. We understand the

giving potential donors a firsthand

fluid nature of this process, and our

glimpse of the project. We work

clients trust us to be present at every

closely with the client to provide

turn, providing solutions to make the

a safe and successful experience.

most of their fundraising dollars.

We have also installed web-cams

n

Partnership

We partner with our clients throughout the fundraising process,

that stream real-time progress so that donors can follow the project’s progress.

offering tools to strengthen their

The culmination of these principles

efforts. We accommodate on-site

represents Bellows’ true investment in more than just constructing a building. We capture the personal element and embrace the purpose which drives the organization whether it be helping the families of special needs children or enriching Houston’s cultural landscape.

Employee Spotlight Norm Molen began his career as his neighbor’s carpenter’s assistant at the age of 16 and hasn’t stopped building since.

After becoming a professional carpenter and working as a subcontractor, Norm joined Bellows in 1994. He started as a carpenter foreman and after one year was elevated to general foreman. A few years later he was elevated, yet again, to general superintendent and has built some of Bellows’ most notable projects including the Byzantine Chapel, the Rienzi Museum and most recently he completed the Asia Society Texas Center.

The Asia Society Texas Center holds a very special place in Norm’s heart as it was the last project that Tom Bellows assigned to him. “I wanted, more than anything, to know when the project was complete that Tom would have been extremely proud of what we accomplished. This project was extremely high-profile and I wanted our work to reflect attention to detail and ultimate craftsmanship. I know Tom would be very pleased with the result,” Norm mentioned.

Norm is a self-proclaimed “perfectionist” and that is one of many reasons he has been assigned to such notable projects.

“Norm’s enthusiasm and above-andbeyond dedication to our clients’ projects and goals matches that of our clients, often leading to a special rapport.

For Norm and all of us at Bellows, it’s personal,” stated Laura Bellows.

S pring 2012 | B ellows B yline S pring 2009 | 95 th A nniversary

W. S. Bellows Construction Corporation Post Office Box 2132

Houston, Texas 77252-2132

Project in Progress EOG New Office Building

EOG Resources, headquartered in Houston, is constructing a new office building for their Midland Division. The project will include a 3-story office building with approximately 86,000 square feet and a structured parking garage.

EOG implemented a true design-build process with Morris Architects and Bellows, charging the team to achieve three

key objectives - construct a building that is low-maintenance and efficient with potential for later sale, while working within the fixed budget.

The new facility may serve as a prototype for future EOG office developments in other locations.