Case Study | Construction Management

Executive Hills: Complex Industrial Repositioning Through Precision Construction Management

Jarbou Ronnisch Construction (JRC) served as Construction Manager on the repositioning of a 120,000+ SF vacant industrial building in Auburn Hills Technology Park, executing a targeted partial demolition and structural conversion that unlocked the asset’s market potential where others saw only obstacles.

The Project

Executive Hills presented a challenge that most in the market had walked away from: a bank-owned industrial building exceeding 120,000 square feet that sat vacant for over five years. The core problem was structural and spatial. The building’s layout was dominated by second-floor office space, a configuration that made it unappealing to the industrial users who would otherwise be natural tenants for a building of this size and location.

The opportunity, as JRC saw it alongside the owner, was surgical: remove the right portion of the second floor, expand the high-bay industrial footprint, and reposition the asset for a significantly broader pool of users without a full gut renovation.

JRC’s Role

JRC was engaged as Construction Manager, taking responsibility for the full scope of preconstruction planning through construction execution. The work required both technical precision, selectively demoing a portion of a multi-story industrial structure while preserving the integrity of the remaining building, and careful sequencing to deliver the project efficiently.

Preconstruction & Planning

JRC’s involvement began in preconstruction, where the team conducted a detailed constructability review to determine exactly which portions of the second floor could be removed while maintaining structural integrity across the rest of the building. This analysis was critical: an overly conservative approach would have left too much office space in place to move the needle with tenants, while an aggressive one risked costly structural complications.

From that review, JRC developed the phasing strategy, project budget, and subcontractor procurement plan, ensuring the scope was well-defined and competitively bid before a single piece of equipment arrived on site.

“As a construction manager, we understood the complexities of demoing out a portion of the second floor in a way that made the building work for the market, not just structurally, but commercially.” –Frank Jarbou

Construction Execution

The centerpiece of JRC’s scope was the partial demolition of the second floor, removing the excess office square footage and opening up the high-bay industrial space below. This type of selective structural demolition requires experienced crews who can work precisely within an existing building envelope, protecting what stays while efficiently clearing what goes.

JRC performed key elements of the demolition work, maintaining direct control over schedule, safety, and quality throughout the most critical phase of the project. Structural modifications were completed to support the expanded high-bay configuration, and the team managed the full construction schedule through to a market-ready finish.

 

The Outcome

Following JRC’s repositioning work, Executive Hills moved from a stagnant bank-owned asset to an actively marketed industrial property generating significant interest. The conversion of underperforming office space into high-bay industrial area expanded the building’s appeal to a much wider array of users, validating both the original vision and the execution that brought it to life.

Executive Hills is a demonstration of what becomes possible when a construction manager brings preconstruction expertise, self-perform capability, and a clear-eyed read on what a building needs to succeed in the market.