The Hodgdon Group

California-based The Hodgdon Group (THG) prefers not to keep it simple. “The more complex a project is, the better it suits us,” says Aaron Hodgdon, president of THG. Aaron founded the company in 1992, initially specializing solely in commercial real-estate development.

In the past decade THG has grown to include general contracting, construction management and tenant brokerage services. The majority of THG’s projects are on the West Coast, spanning Southern California to San Francisco and over to Salt Lake City, Utah.

The THG team sees many of its projects through start to finish, with tenant representation services often starting with brokerage services for land and building acquisition or lease negotiations. Once a solid location is identified for a client, THG follows through the process from conceptualization to ribbon-cutting ceremonies.

The team’s completed projects include local and national organizations ranging from fast food restaurants and national retailers to government offices. Every site is developed to specific time frames and the individual needs of THG customers. “Our favorite client is an owner/user that allows us to manage the real-estate aspects so they can remain focused on running their business,” Aaron states.

Construction segments are subcontracted for owner/user projects, as THG offers only management services on-site. “We use a lot of regular subs, but every project is put out to bid,” Aaron explains.

The company employs LEED-certified specialists, a growing trend in the industry on a national level. Aaron emphasizes, “It’s almost a requirement here to comply with LEED.” California recently passed a statewide Green Code for all new building projects that holds standards very similar to those set by LEED. The requirements include everything from reduction of water consumption and energy use to low-volatile organic compound (VOC) material implementation on job sites.

Full Service in Action

One of Aaron’s favorite projects was in the private aviation sector. THG was hired to implement four wide-body hangars for a set of Boeing 747 jetliners. The complex structures are located at the Southern California Logistics Airport; each hanger is roughly 80,000 square feet. The company took no issue with the large clear-span buildings, but the systems were complex. The project took three years to complete, but the THG team did it with a smile.

THG both consulted on and managed the construction of the Orange County Retail Development, a five-acre compound in Laguna Hills. The land, acquired for Ashley Furniture by THG, is the former site of a Circuit City, which was demolished to make way for a new Ashley store along with a Total Wine and a Chick-Fil-A restaurant. The revamp of the old electronics store site is part of an urban village plan to implement a downtown-like area for shopping and food, and it was completed in summer 2012.

Other diverse projects include a rail spur for Union Pacific, the first Havaianas sandal store in the United States – located in Huntington Beach – in addition to a new campus for Summit Career College with two medical training labs in the company’s hometown of Colton. THG has recently broken ground on a new project in Huntington Beach. The company is managing, start to finish, a remodel of a 90,000-square foot building and the new construction of a 40,000-square foot office building.

Flexible Solutions

Like many real-estate firms, THG faced challenges during the slowdown. However, the company’s broad range of services allowed the team to derive revenue from multiple sources.

“We were fortunate that while one sector of our business slowed down, the other grew,” says Aaron. “While some clients eliminated physical growth they also had a great reliance on outside services, as they reduced the size of their internal real-estate departments providing a growth opportunity for us.”

The team is pushing hard to maintain an influx of revenue for THG. Aaron is also striving to keep the team busy. “For a small team we do a lot of work,” says Aaron proudly.

The company displays an impressive portfolio, and a wide range of services ensures that THG will continue to be relevant, especially with the market returning to California. The team’s diverse experience and commitment to excellence ensures repeat customers for THG; Ashley Furniture has hired the team on nearly two-dozen projects so far.

With the support from affiliates HMC Construction Inc. and Hodgdon Group Realty Inc., THG offers distinct services on an individualized basis through an integrated approach. The Hodgdon Group consistently delivers what’s promised, no matter how large or small a project may be.