Downing Construction

What Downing Construction does

Downing Construction, Inc. is a privately held design-build construction contractor founded in 1966 in Indianola, Iowa, by D. Robert (Bob) Downing. The firm operates a single-source service model that integrates general contracting, construction management, architecture and design, interior design and furniture, real estate and development, and an in-house self-perform finish carpentry division branded as Crosscut, intended to consolidate architect, contractor, and vendor relationships under a single provider for the client.

The company targets five primary verticals in the U.S. Midwest: dental, medical, commercial, multi-family, and industrial/warehouse. Dental is the most penetrated vertical, with nearly 250 dental projects delivered throughout the Midwest since 2006 across Iowa, Nebraska, and Texas. The named customer base is dominated by small dental practices (Matta Family Dental, Tooth Haven Pediatric Dentistry, Little Pearls Pediatric Dentistry, Capital View Dentistry, Dentistry at Somerset, West Branch Family Dentistry, Waukee Dental, Prairie Creek Dental, Ankeny Orthodontics, Cornerstone Dental, Prairie Creek Endodontics, Greenfield Dental, River Town Family Dentistry, Today's Dental, Edwards Smith Family Dentistry, and others), with enterprise accounts including Corteva Agriscience, Mission Cancer + Blood, Peoples Bank, Access Systems, River Hills Surgery Center for Iowa Ortho, and Vibrant Insurance providing larger-ticket project volume. The headquarters is at 509 East Scenic Valley Ave., Indianola, Iowa, with a satellite office in Waukee, Iowa operated by appointment.

Downing generates revenue through project-based professional services contracts covering design-build, construction management, and related design services, priced individually per project scope (no standard pricing tiers are disclosed). The go-to-market motion is sales-led and relationship-driven, with the company explicitly targeting 100% repeat and referral-based business rather than broad marketing investment. Ownership transitioned in 2019 from founder D. Robert (Bob) Downing to Justin Brown (President) and Joe Butler (CEO), with Scott Schurman added as owner and Chief Operating Officer in 2023; Kandace Edwards serves as Chief People Officer with a client development remit.

Name

Downing Construction

Legal name

Downing Construction, Inc.

Website

https://downingconstruct.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Downing Construction, Inc. is a privately held Midwest design-build contractor founded in 1966 that delivers integrated general contracting, construction management, architecture, interior design, and real estate services for dental, medical, commercial, multifamily, and industrial clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Design-Build Construction Services

NAICS

Construction of Buildings (236), Residential Building Construction (23611), Industrial Building Construction (23621)

SIC

General Bldg Contractors - Nonresidential Bldgs (1540), General Bldg Contractors - Residential Bldgs (1520)

akta.pro primary industry

Office & Corporate Building Construction (IMAFACAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Residential Design-Build & Renovation-Integrated Builders (IMAFABAE)

Keywords

• Design-build construction
• General contracting
• Construction management
• Architecture and design
• Commercial construction

Headquarters

HQ city

Indianola

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations

Revenue model

1. General Contracting Services: Traditional general contracting services for design-build projects, utilizing experience and project diversity to serve as a preferred construction partner.
2. Construction Management: Alternative project delivery method coupled with design and construction expertise, providing clients with flexible approaches to project completion.
3. Architecture & Design Services: In-house architecture team providing design services from small-scale renovations to ground-up buildings.
4. Interior Design & Furniture: Interior design and furniture solutions as part of the Single Source Solution, creating complete finished spaces.
5. Real Estate & Development: Partnership with trusted real estate professionals to help clients find the right location, determine feasibility, and negotiate purchases or leases.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Downing Construction is a design-build contractor providing integrated general contracting, construction management, architecture, interior design, and real estate/development services under a single-source model. It specializes in dental, medical, commercial, multi-family, and industrial/warehouse projects across the Midwest.

Product overview

Downing Construction is a design-build construction firm offering a unified portfolio of services centered around simplifying the complicated construction process. The company provides six integrated service lines: General Contracting, Construction Management, Architecture & Design, Interior Design, Real Estate & Development, and CROSSCUT (a self-perform finish carpentry team). This service-based model enables Downing to deliver projects from concept through completion using a single-source approach, serving sectors including dental, medical, commercial, multifamily, and industrial/warehouse construction throughout the Midwest since 1966.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Crosscut: A self-perform team focused on fine detail of finish carpentry, providing Clients For Life service designed to take away the stress of all the last minute details after the construction project is complete.

Products and services

• General Contracting Design-build general contracting services that proactively identify and address critical paths to successful project completion, serving as a preferred construction partner.
• Construction Management An alternative project delivery method combining design and construction expertise to provide clients flexible approaches to project completion beyond traditional general contracting.
• Architecture & Design In-house architectural services helping clients realize their vision for functional, efficient buildings, from small-scale renovations to ground-up construction.
• Interior Design Interior design and furniture solutions as part of Downing's Single Source Solution, creating complete finished spaces ready for immediate use.
• Real Estate & Development Partnership with trusted real estate professionals to help clients find the right location, determine feasibility, and negotiate purchases or leases.
• CROSSCUT A self-perform finish carpentry team focused on fine detail work, providing 'Clients For Life' service to handle last-minute details after construction projects are complete.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 250+ dental projects completed throughout the Midwest since 2006
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers41 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Crosscut (Internal Team)coreOthersCrosscut is described as Downing's self-perform team for finish carpentry, providing Clients For Life service. While technically an internal team rather than an external partner, it operates as a distinct unit within Downing's Single Source Solution offering.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Ryan Companies US: National design-build firm with strong Midwest presence, comparable healthcare and commercial verticals, and integrated architecture + construction offering. Operates at materially larger scale but addresses the same customer segments.
• Walsh Construction: Regional design-build firm with Midwest presence, comparable commercial and multifamily construction focus. Larger scale than Downing but operates with similar integrated design-build methodology.
• McCarthy Building Companies: National design-build contractor with deep healthcare specialization. Operates in overlapping healthcare construction verticals and offers comparable integrated design-build delivery at significantly larger scale.
• Pepper Construction: Midwest-based design-build firm with significant healthcare, commercial, and industrial project experience. Larger scale and broader geographic reach but directly comparable in integrated design-build delivery model.
• The Weitz Company: Des Moines, Iowa-based national design-build contractor with similar Midwest roots but materially larger scale. Operates across commercial, healthcare, and industrial verticals with overlapping customer base in Iowa and surrounding states.

Regional players

• Rinderknecht Construction: Iowa-based design-build contractor with similar commercial and industrial focus and Midwest regional footprint. Comparable in scale and integrated delivery model to Downing.
• Hubbell Construction Services: Iowa-based general contractor focused on commercial and industrial construction. Comparable Midwest regional presence and similar mid-market project profile, though broader in vertical mix than Downing's dental-specialized offering.

Direct peers

• Frana Construction: Iowa-based design-build general contractor with overlapping commercial and healthcare verticals in the Midwest. Comparable in size, scope, and integrated design-build delivery approach.
• Russell Construction: Davenport, Iowa-based design-build contractor with comparable size, Midwest geographic focus, and similar commercial, healthcare, and industrial verticals. Operates as a similarly structured private firm with integrated design-build delivery.
• Conlon Construction: Cedar Rapids, Iowa-based design-build firm with comparable Midwest footprint, multi-vertical commercial/industrial focus, and similar scale (50-100 employees). Directly comparable on geography, delivery model, and customer profile.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Downing Construction