It is almost impossible to go anywhere in the Quad-Cities without seeing a Russell Construction & Development project. The company is incredibly proud of those deep roots in this community.
“We’ve helped build so many projects in the Quad-Cities, and we’re really proud of that. This is home,” said Director of Marketing and Client Relations Erin Wyant.
Russell has called the Quad-Cities home from the beginning. James V. Russell founded Russell Construction Company in 1983, opening his business in downtown Bettendorf. The company’s first major project was a small renovation project at the Steeplegate Inn in Davenport.
Over time they have grown into a household name in the Quad-Cities ever since, helping to build many notable projects across the region. These include the Figge Art Museum, the Davenport Sky Bridge, IH Mississippi Valley Credit Union headquarters, Hyatt Place East Moline, Bend XPO, and major buildings on the campuses of St. Ambrose University, Augustana College, and Black Hawk College.
People are also reading…
Today, Russell is headquartered in Davenport, with two more offices in St. Louis, Missouri and Olathe, Kansas. They have over 250 employees and are growing quickly.
Company Culture Matters
The culture at Russell has played a large part in fostering that growth. In 2021, they won a Kudos Best Culture Award and the Best Place to Work in the 2021 Quad-City Times Reader’s Choice contest. They also received the Iowa designation for the Best Place for Working Parents in 2022.
They are a company rooted in appreciating people, one of their core values. Russell team members enjoy Universal Paid Time Off, 12-week paid maternity leave, and a flexible work environment. Career advancement is also a benefit, which includes employing an in-house coach devoted to team member development and engagement. The company even has an internal committee that is tasked with creating new and creative ways to implement fun activities around the office. This includes frequent nerf dart wars that break out sporadically throughout the day, “Russell Field Trips” to job sites (and breweries), and in-house entertaining space, “Slainte,” which reminds team members daily to celebrate successes.
Russell believes a strong company culture begins with leadership. As a family-owned company with many internal departments led by women, they have one of the more progressive and equitable examples of leadership in their industry.
Caitlin Russell
In 2021, the company promoted Caitlin Russell to president. Caitlin, who has been with Russell since 2009, represents a huge step forward within the male-dominated industry.
As the company continues to grow under Caitlin’s leadership, they’re looking forward to helping build even more major projects within the Quad-Cities and beyond.
Notable Projects
West of the Quad-Cities, at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Russell is currently wrapping up construction on the new Stanley Museum of Art. The new 66,000 s.f. state-of-the-art space is a three-story structure featuring 16,500 s.f. of gallery space, a three-story lightwell, visible collection storage, an art lounge, a visual classroom, and an underground parking garage. It is set to open to the public in September and will house the University’s collection of over 15,000 objects including the world-famous painting, “Mural” by Jackson Pollock.
Back at home in the Quad-Cities several major projects are underway, including the demolition of the former Bituminous Insurance (BITCO) building in downtown Rock Island to make way for a new three-story federal building. Construction of this new 53,356 s.f. facility will begin in March and house multiple government tenants, including the United States District Court (Central District of Illinois), when it is completed in mid-2023.
Along the bustling 53rd Street corridor in Davenport, a new, mixed-use development, named Birchwood South is officially underway. The 37.93-acre property is subdivided into two parcels; Russell will develop the northern 17.93 acres with commercial and retail uses, and Dolan Homes will develop the southern 20 acres with single-family and townhomes. The goal of the Birchwood South development is to create a professional and upscale environment offering desirable amenities to Quad-Cities residents.
One of the economic strengths of the Quad-Cities is its geographical location between Chicago and Des Moines. Russell has leveraged that advantage to develop the Quad-Cities’ largest industrial lease project in more than a decade. In November 2021, real estate firm JLL and Russell announced the construction of a 251,100 s.f. Leased Warehouse Building on the new 95-acre Russell Industrial Park, located at 8730 Northwest Boulevard in Davenport. This project will utilize the advantage of the Quad-Cities’ geographical location to strengthen the local economy with new throughput for businesses looking to house and ship goods in our region.
Russell remains committed to developing the social and economic opportunities in the Quad-Cities area. They’re working on many more projects that will benefit the community, including the new East Moline Library, Orion Technical College in Davenport, the North Scott YMCA in Eldridge, and the recent completion of Augustana College’s new 52,000 square foot Peter J. Lindberg M.D., Center for Health and Human Performance.
Community Impact
The Quad-Cities will always be home to Russell, and the company aims to help strengthen the community through more than just construction and real estate. Russell is a proud and active community partner in the Quad-Cities.
Russell Construction holds “lasting community impact” as a core company value, which is why they attended or sponsored 50+ events across the Quad-Cities in 2021 alone, for such organizations as Junior Achievement, Big Brothers Big Sisters, American Heart Association, and ImpactLife. Everyone at Russell is encouraged to volunteer with nonprofit organizations they care about during their working hours and bring forward causes to support with their teammates. Most recently, a pop-up fundraiser was started by Kelly Young, the National Director of Development, to support the local animal shelter. She sent a message asking people to share photos of their pets –donations were made by team members and matched by Russell. Over 80 Russell folks gave and shared.
In May 2021, over 20 Russell employees dedicated their workday to volunteering for the Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa & Western Illinois as part of the United Way’s Day of Caring.
Employees also put their construction-industry knowledge to use to help a family in need. In June 2021, Russell sponsored the construction of a Habitat for Humanity home on 6th Street in Davenport.
For the last 33 years, Russell has hosted an annual charity golf outing that donates money for local charities in which team members help select. 2021’s tournament was a record-setter. Russell donated a total of $50,000 to Hand in Hand, which offers programs that empower children and adults of all abilities to learn and grow.
Russell has established itself as one of the best of the Quad-Cities, by not only building many of the largest and most notable projects around our community over the last 38 years, but also fostering a company culture that supports its employees and the greater Quad-Cities region. Keep an eye out as they continue to expand their reach and commit to growing people, buildings, and community here in the Quad-Cities.
