By Valerie James
Brick by brick, beam by beam, phase by phase, Mark Turner Construction (MTC) strives to set itself apart from other businesses. It has spent the past decade building its reputation the old-fashioned way, through hard work and dedication. In fact, it can be said that Mark Turner Construction is synonymous with dedication — dedication to high standards and innovation, to personal accountability and the successful completion of projects, to philanthropy and bettering the surrounding community, to clients and project partners and to details surrounding all aspects of construction.
Founded in 2014 by Franklin Bowser, the past decade has taken the company from tender roots to the experienced contractor it is today. “It’s been a decade of building, not just structures and projects, but relationships, reputation and trust,” says Bowser. “I’m proud of our progress.”
Over the past 10+ years, the business has completed nearly 500 projects in the Commonwealth of Virginia to include a wide range of markets, such as higher education facilities, multi-family housing, historic renovation, commercial/office, industrial, municipal and government buildings. The vision of having a company built on integrity, skilled craftsmanship and stellar customer service is coming to fruition one project at a time. MTC provides a wide range of services including pre-construction/construction, design-build, construction management at risk, Building Information Modeling, and is a distributor of Varco-Pruden pre-engineered metal buildings. An example of the company’s tangible dedication and pride can be seen in the vast renovation of the historical Whittaker Hospital in downtown Newport News into the Whittaker Place apartments, one of the company’s early accomplishments.
The business has continued to grow, with a total completed and ongoing workload of more than $250 million. Thirty dedicated employees oversee and ensure the completion of each project. Tara Proffitt, one of these dedicated employees and a project administrator, says, “I was excited about the opportunity to grow professionally, contribute to meaningful work and be part of a team headed by leadership I deeply respect. I’ve been with MTC for nearly eight years and believe in the company’s mission and values and appreciate the family environment that is fostered within this company.” Another employee, Gary Nolan, project superintendent, notes “Whether it’s through staffing, facilities or materials, Mark Turner Construction wants to be the best. Our dedication to the company and its mission does not go unnoticed or unappreciated.”
MTC has a strong desire to support the surrounding communities and to be an influential presence. Simply put by Bowser, “Mark Turner Construction doesn’t just work within these communities, we’re part of them. Supporting our community has always and will always be part of our mission.” As part of its commitment to this endeavor, the business regularly supports charitable organizations and community events in its quest to improve the communities it serves through its core values of teamwork, respect, honesty and quality. Mark Turner Construction demonstrates this principle every day by leading with this most important example.
The business has two locations. The first office, located in Glen Allen, Virginia, was opened in 2016 and serves the Central Virginia/Charlottesville geography. The second, the Newport News office, was established in 2018 to serve the Hampton Roads area. Recently, as more staff has been hired in Hampton Roads, the company has moved to a new renovated office in the revitalized downtown Newport News Yard District. The historic renovation culminated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony on May 22.
Bowser reflects on Mark Turner Construction’s success, saying, “I am proud of our journey and look forward to continuing to build relationships, add to the company’s accomplishments and continue to improve our communities.”
TO THE POINT:
Mark Turner Construction
Address: 91 29th St., Newport News, VA 23607
Contact: Valerie James, business development manager
Phone: 757-910-2333
Email: vjames@markturnerconstruction.com
Website: markturnerconstruction.com
