Drake Construction

What Drake Construction does

Drake Construction Company is a privately held, employee-owned general contracting firm founded in 1954 and headquartered at 1545 East 18th Street in Cleveland, Ohio. The firm delivers preconstruction, estimating, self-perform labor (carpentry and general labor), and full general contracting services across healthcare environments, occupied retail renovations, historic preservation, commercial office, and multi-family residential projects. Its self-perform workforce is supported by long-standing partnerships with local carpenter and laborer unions, and the firm maintains long-term relationships with a qualified subcontractor base.

The company's customer base spans enterprise healthcare systems (notably Cleveland Clinic), national retail brands (Arhaus Furniture, Pinstripes, Joseph Beth Booksellers, Parmatown Mall), telecommunications and industrial firms (Charter Spectrum, Danaher, BP Amoco, CardPak), government entities (Medina Post Office Carrier Annex), and historic real estate (Historic Newton Apartments). All operations are concentrated in the Cleveland and northeast Ohio region, with no evidence of geographic expansion beyond this footprint.

Revenue is generated through project-based engagements, including fixed-price contracts, cost-plus arrangements, and construction management work, with pricing determined through client-specific estimating rather than published rate cards. The firm has received OSHA Elite Contractor recognition from the U.S. Department of Labor and Historic Preservation Recognition from HUD, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and the Cleveland Restoration Society. Leadership is anchored by President Steven J. Ciuni (in role since 2004), supported by a six-person senior management team with deep regional construction experience.

Name

Drake Construction

Legal name

Drake Construction Company

Website

https://drakeconstructionco.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1954

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Drake Construction is an employee-owned, Cleveland-based general contractor founded in 1954, providing preconstruction, self-perform carpentry, and full contracting services to healthcare, retail, and commercial clients across northeast Ohio.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Construction Services

NAICS

Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (236220), Construction (23)

SIC

General Bldg Contractors - Nonresidential Bldgs (1540), Operative Builders (1531)

akta.pro primary industry

Office & Corporate Building Construction (IMAFACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sports & Recreation Facility Construction (Stadiums, Arenas, Community Centers) (IMAFACAI), Government & Civic Building Construction (Courthouses, City Halls, Public Safety) (IMAFACAF)

Keywords

• General contracting services
• Commercial construction
• Preconstruction services
• Construction management
• Tenant build-outs

Headquarters

HQ city

Cleveland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. General Contracting Services: Project-based construction services including new construction, renovations, and tenant build-outs. Revenue generated through fixed-price contracts, cost-plus arrangements, and construction management engagements. Preconstruction services (estimating, budgeting, scheduling) provided as part of client acquisition.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Drake Construction is a Cleveland-based general contractor providing preconstruction planning, professional estimating, self-performed carpentry and labor, and full general contracting services for healthcare facilities, occupied retail spaces, occupied multi-family housing, commercial offices, and historic renovation projects. The firm operates as an employee-owned company generating revenue through fixed-price, cost-plus, and construction management contracts.

Product overview

Drake Construction is a traditional general contracting company offering an integrated suite of construction services rather than a unified software product or platform. The core offerings include preconstruction/planning services, professional estimating and budgeting, self-perform work using in-house laborers and carpenters, and general contracting across diverse project types including healthcare environments, retail renovations, and multi-family housing. The company has been operating since 1954 serving the Cleveland and northeast Ohio region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Preconstruction Services Planning and budgeting services including schematic design collaboration, budget restraints management, and scheduling optimization to maximize project effectiveness based on client needs. Provided to property owners, architects, and designers preparing upcoming projects.
• Estimating Services Transparent, client-focused budgeting process with dedicated estimating staff who identify, quantify, and price all cost components to make each project successful from start to finish.
• Self-Perform Work In-house laborers and carpenters providing flexibility and overall control of projects, with maintained relationships with local carpenter and laborer unions for trained trade workers. Includes clean and organized work sites suitable for controlled areas and active retail spaces.
• General Contracting Full-service general contracting spanning environmentally controlled areas, occupied retail spaces, and occupied multi-family housing, with a diverse and agile project staff that manages challenges across healthcare, retail, historic, and commercial projects.
• Cost-Effective Materials Sourcing Staff-prepared sourcing of the most cost-effective materials and products available to suit each project need regardless of style or design requirements, leveraging relationships with excellent suppliers and subcontractors.

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Local Carpenter and Laborer UnionscoreOthersLong-standing commitment to local union partnerships providing trained and qualified trade workers. These relationships enable skilled craftsmanship representation across specific trades on construction projects.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Walsh Construction: Family-owned general contractor with deep healthcare and institutional building expertise. Comparable to Drake on privately-held ownership, healthcare specialization, and project mix.
• Gilbane Building Company: Employee-owned (since 2018) general contractor with strong healthcare, commercial, and institutional building practices. Closely comparable to Drake on ownership model, healthcare focus, and regional commercial project mix, though at meaningfully larger scale.
• The Boldt Company: Employee-owned (100% ESOP) general contractor serving healthcare, commercial, and industrial markets. Similar ownership structure, healthcare focus, and self-perform capabilities as Drake.
• Whiting-Turner Contracting Company: Mid-Atlantic-rooted, employee-centric general contractor doing commercial, healthcare, and institutional building construction. Comparable to Drake on self-perform culture, healthcare exposure, and nonresidential building mix.
• Barton Malow Company: Employee-owned (via employee stock ownership plan) construction firm with healthcare, commercial, and sports/recreation practices. Closely comparable on employee-ownership model and nonresidential building focus.

Broad incumbents

• Turner Construction Company: Largest U.S. commercial general contractor with significant healthcare and institutional building practices. Overlaps with Drake on healthcare and occupied-space expertise, but operates at vastly greater scale and geography.
• Skanska USA: Global construction firm with major U.S. healthcare, commercial, and institutional building portfolio. Competes with Drake for larger healthcare and commercial projects, though Drake operates in a much smaller regional niche.
• Clark Construction Group: Large U.S. general contractor with healthcare, commercial, and institutional practices. Comparable in building types served but competes at a much larger project scale than Drake.

Regional players

• Cleveland Construction, Inc. Cleveland-based general contractor operating in the same northeast Ohio geography as Drake. Direct overlap in market, service offering (general contracting, preconstruction), and customer base across commercial and institutional segments.
• The Albert M. Higley Co. Cleveland-area construction manager and general contractor with a similar mix of commercial, healthcare, and institutional clients. Comparable on regional footprint and project types.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Drake Construction