What Sellen Construction does

Sellen Construction is a privately held, Seattle-based general contractor founded in 1944, operating for over 80 years as one of the largest commercial contractors in the Pacific Northwest. The company provides construction management, general contracting, tenant improvements, special projects, equipment rentals, and fabrication services to clients in healthcare, arts and culture, education, commercial real estate, sports, philanthropy, and civic sectors. Its project portfolio includes complex, large-scale builds such as the 43-story Bellevue 600 office tower, the Seattle Storm Center for Basketball Performance (the first U.S. facility purpose-built for a WNBA franchise), Seattle Children's Hospital expansions, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation campus, Amazon high-rises, and Microsoft offices.

The company's technical capabilities center on sustainable construction, including proprietary low-carbon concrete mix designs (achieving 52.4% embodied carbon savings on the Seattle Storm Center), tilt-up panel construction at scale (76 panels, 25,000 square feet), large-volume mat foundation pours, Virtual Design and Construction (VDC), and Building Information Modeling (BIM). It operates four wholly-owned entities supporting its core contracting work: Sellen Service Group (service and maintenance), Fabrication Shop, the Special Projects division, and the Sellen Community Foundation (philanthropy). The company also runs an internal preconstruction and estimating function, publishes proprietary Industry Trends reports covering the Pacific Northwest market for over 20 years, and maintains a direct-to-bid distribution model via the BuildingConnected platform.

Revenue is project-based, generated through competitive bidding and negotiated contracts with project owners, developers, and institutions. Sellen pursues work through direct relationships and RFP responses, targeting large-scale projects in healthcare, arts/culture, education, and commercial real estate across the Puget Sound region. The company is privately held by the Redman family, with Scott Redman as CEO and Chris Martindale as COO following a 2022 succession transition. Sellen has positioned itself as a sustainability leader, becoming a signatory to The Climate Pledge (net-zero by 2040), the first general contractor to receive Fair Pay Workplace Certification, and an initial signatory to BuildingGreen's Contractor's Commitment across all five ESG categories.

Name

Sellen Construction

Legal name

Sellen Construction

Website

https://sellen.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1944

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Sellen Construction is a privately held, Seattle-based general contractor founded in 1944, delivering large-scale construction management, tenant improvements, and sustainable building services across healthcare, arts/culture, education, and commercial sectors in the Pacific Northwest.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Construction Services

NAICS

Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (23622), Nonresidential Building Construction (2362)

SIC

General Bldg Contractors - Nonresidential Bldgs (1540)

akta.pro primary industry

Office & Corporate Building Construction (IMAFACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Works General Contracting (IMAFAAAG), Green Building & Energy-Efficient Construction (LEED, Weatherization) (EDAOAAAO), Roadbuilding & Paving Equipment Rental/Leasing (TLABAFAB)

Keywords

• Commercial construction services
• Construction management
• Tenant improvements
• Sustainable construction
• Healthcare construction

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Construction Services: General contracting services for commercial construction projects including healthcare facilities, arts/culture venues, education facilities, and commercial office buildings. Revenue is project-based, derived from construction contracts awarded through competitive bidding and negotiated agreements.
2. Special Projects: Tenant improvements and special construction projects for existing facilities, providing services to upgrade and modify commercial spaces.
3. Equipment Rentals: Construction equipment rental services offered to subcontractors and other construction firms.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Sellen Construction is a general contractor and construction management firm providing ground-up construction, tenant improvements, special projects, equipment rentals, custom fabrication, and post-construction service and maintenance for commercial clients. Its work spans healthcare facilities, arts/culture venues, educational campuses, commercial office towers, and sports venues primarily in the Pacific Northwest, with deep expertise in sustainable construction practices such as low-carbon concrete and Virtual Design and Construction (VDC).

Product overview

Sellen Construction is a general contractor and construction management firm based in Seattle, Washington, serving the Pacific Northwest region for over 80 years. The company's primary service offering is construction and building services, including ground-up construction, tenant improvements, and special projects. Alongside its core construction services, Sellen publishes supplementary products including the Industry Trends Report (market analysis and cost data), Craft Magazine (biannual project and partnership publication), and annual Sustainability, Community Impact, and DEI Reports. These publications support the company's brand positioning and partner relationships rather than constituting standalone software or technology products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sellen Community Foundation: The company's philanthropic arm focused on community giving, scholarships, and racial justice initiatives.
• Sellen Service Group
• Craft Magazine

Products and services

• General Contracting and Construction Management Project-based general contracting and construction management services for commercial clients, including ground-up construction of healthcare facilities, arts/culture venues, educational campuses, commercial office towers, and sports venues throughout the Pacific Northwest. Awarded through competitive bidding on RFPs and negotiated client agreements.
• Special Projects (Tenant Improvements and Renovations) Tenant improvements, renovations, and upgrades for existing commercial facilities, delivered with minimal disruption to ongoing operations, faster timelines, and specialized finish work.
• Equipment Rentals Rental of construction equipment to subcontractors and other construction firms to support project execution.
• Sellen Service Group Post-construction service and maintenance operations for delivered facilities, providing ongoing upkeep and support.
• Fabrication Shop Custom fabrication services supporting Sellen's construction projects, providing in-house fabrication capacity for project requirements.

Quantifiable outcome

• 52.4% reduction in embodied carbon emissions compared to regional average on Seattle Storm Center for Basketball Performance project
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Woodland Park ZoocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Sellen's team is partnering with Woodland Park Zoo for the Forest Trailhead project (Forests For All initiative) set to begin May 2024. Project will feature vulnerable and endangered animals representing forests of the world including tree kangaroos and red pandas.
• LMN ArchitectscoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024Architecture firm partner for Woodland Park Zoo Forest Trailhead construction project.
• BuildingGreen Sustainable Construction LeaderscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Sellen was one of the initial signatories to the Contractor's Commitment pilot year in 2021. Participated on the steering committee to develop the next version of the program. Framework covers five categories: carbon, water, waste, materials, and wellness.
• KEXPcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Sellen was selected to build KEXP's New Home in 2014, creating an incredible space where music and community intersect. Project Manager Mike McCarthy led the project with deep personal commitment. In 2022, Sellen returned to build the new Music Heals Stage.
• ACE Mentor Program of AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSellen provides board leadership (Kalin Magruder) and mentors (Rebecca Duff, Travis Harth, Kassie Edwards) to the program. The Sellen Community Foundation contributes to the student scholarship program which has awarded $1.5+ million to date. In the most recent year: 402 students from 91 high schools participated, 13 students participated all 4 years of high school, and 248 mentors participated from 92 professional organizations throughout the PNW.
• Social Justice Fund NorthwestcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of four nonprofit partners selected to receive $50,000 from Sellen Community Foundation for racial justice initiatives. Focuses on long-term social justice solutions throughout the region by funding activist organizations working in communities of color through programs like Giving Projects.
• Glover Empower Mentoring (GEM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of four nonprofit partners selected to receive $50,000 from Sellen Community Foundation. Mentoring program addressing school dropout prevention and diverting youth from criminal justice system into education, employment, and healthy relationships. Provides case management, group and individual mentoring.
• ANEWcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExpanded partnership for diversifying the trades and breaking down employment barriers for BIPOC and women. ANEW provides training, employment navigation, and support services leading to family-wage careers in construction. Sellen Community Foundation donations cover 12-week pre-apprenticeship for 25 students plus case management and tools. Subcontractor campaign raised $116,300 for ANEW.
• Lavender Rights Project - Reckoning Trade ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of four nonprofit partners selected to receive $50,000 from Sellen Community Foundation. Program aims to increase representation and retention for BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities within construction trades through training and presentations focused on gender diversity and intersectionality.
• Seattle Children's Odessa Brown Children's ClinicminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term pledge recipient from Sellen Community Foundation providing health services to BIPOC children in need in the Seattle community.
• Seattle CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Seattle Center and Seattle Public Schools to redevelop Memorial Stadium for capacity of 8,000 attendees with four locker rooms, covered stands, synthetic turf field, and restoration of the Memorial Wall.
• Seattle Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Seattle Center and Sellen to redevelop Memorial Stadium, with Seattle Public Schools being the owner/operator of the facility.
• MSR (architect)coreTechnology or IntegrationArchitecture firm partner for Memorial Stadium redevelopment project in partnership with Seattle Center and Seattle Public Schools.
• Generator Studios (architect)coreTechnology or IntegrationArchitecture firm partner for Memorial Stadium redevelopment project.
• NBBJ (architect)coreTechnology or IntegrationArchitecture firm for Bellevue 600, a new 43-story office tower in Bellevue, WA.
• Seattle StormcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConstructed the Seattle Storm Center for Basketball Performance - the first building in the United States dedicated to professional women athletes. Used low-carbon concrete and innovative tilt-up construction with 76 panels totaling 25,000 square feet. Facility opened Spring 2024.
• National Ready Mixed Concrete AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAwarding body for the 2024 Concrete Innovation Award for the Seattle Storm Center for Basketball Performance project, recognizing 52.4% embodied carbon savings.
• Amazon (Climate Pledge signatory)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSellen has joined The Climate Pledge, co-founded by Amazon and Global Optimism, committing to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2040. As builders, Sellen recognizes the built environment accounts for nearly half of global carbon emissions.
• BuildingConnectedcoreTechnology or IntegrationSellen uses BuildingConnected, a web-based bid platform, for all projects. Subcontractors and suppliers can register and submit bids through this platform. Preferred Vendor onboarding forms available through Microsoft Forms.
• Seattle Parks FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Westlake Park project reconstruction. Updates distributed through Seattle Parks Foundation for the Reimagine Westlake initiative.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Lease Crutcher Lewis: Seattle-based general contractor operating in the Pacific Northwest commercial, healthcare, and institutional construction markets. Most direct regional peer with comparable client base, project mix, and culture-driven positioning.
• Bouten Construction Company: Pacific Northwest-based general contractor serving healthcare, education, and commercial clients in Washington and Idaho. Closely comparable regional peer with similar culture, project mix, and tenant base.
• Absher Construction Company: PNW general contractor specializing in multifamily residential, senior living, and commercial projects. Direct peer in the Seattle market, particularly for tenant improvements and mid-rise commercial work.
• Lydig Construction: Washington-state general contractor with strong presence in commercial, education, healthcare, and public-sector construction. Comparable regional peer with overlapping client mix.
• Walsh Construction: Chicago-based national contractor with an active Pacific Northwest office pursuing commercial, healthcare, and institutional projects. Competes with Sellen on complex builds across the Seattle metro.

Broad incumbents

• Turner Construction Company: One of the largest U.S. general contractors with significant Pacific Northwest operations across commercial, healthcare, and institutional segments. Competes with Sellen on large-scale commercial projects in Seattle.
• Skanska USA: Global construction and development firm with active Seattle-area operations on commercial, healthcare, and civil projects. Competes for large institutional and tech-sector work in the PNW market.
• Mortenson Construction: National general contractor with a Seattle office pursuing complex commercial, healthcare, and sports/entertainment projects in the Pacific Northwest, overlapping with Sellen's healthcare and cultural segments.
• Clark Construction Group: Major U.S. general contractor with PNW operations on large commercial, healthcare, and institutional builds. Competes for high-rise and complex healthcare projects similar to Sellen's portfolio.

Regional players

• Andersen Construction: Pacific Northwest general contractor focused on commercial, healthcare, and higher education construction. Comparable regional peer with similar project typologies, though Andersen has a stronger Oregon footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sellenconstruct
• Facebookfacebook.com/sellenconstruction
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/39581
• Instagraminstagram.com/sellenconstruction

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sellen Construction