The Concord Group

Edward Stritch
Chairman & C.E.O.

Edward Stritch has over 30 years as both a construction consultant and as a construction executive with major national construction and development firms.

As a construction executive, he was responsible for completing the $90 million Boston World Trade Center Project and for managing the construction and design activities for a $1 billion planned retirement community outside Chicago.

As a professional construction consultant he has worked in Europe and Australia with major International construction consulting firms before coming to the U.S. in 1979 as the principal-in-charge of a construction cost management firm.

Born in Dublin Ireland, he completed a degree course in Construction Economics and followed that with a professional diploma as a Chartered Surveyor, the European equivalent of a certified construction manager.

As both a consultant and an "in the trenches" construction manager, he has worked on governmental, commercial, institutional, industrial, and residential projects totaling more than $6 billion in value.

As a founding principal of The Concord Group, he brings the knowledge and experience acquired over the past thirty years to serve our client needs in successfully managing their construction projects.

Peter Renton
President

As a founding principal of The Concord Group, Peter offers clients a wealth of knowledge and management skills in pre-construction, construction management and budgeting/cost control services.

Over the last three decades he has played an instrumental role in the construction management and cost estimating on a wide variety of projects across the U.S., Europe and Middle East. He has resided in Chicago since 1981.

As a corporate executive who thoroughly enjoys the challenging demands and close working relationships that today’s construction industry demands, Peter continues to play a role in each major Concord Group project.

He works closely with his technical team on many of the company’s most challenging projects, providing valuable knowledge and input on all aspects of the project. His expertise in the project management process including contract review and preparation, cost estimating feasibility studies, on site observations, monitoring and co-ordination of various consultants has resulted in both project successes and client savings.

Peter holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Economics and Management from Leeds Institute of Technology in England, and is a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

WELCOME TO THE CONCORD GROUP

We are a team of highly skilled professionals in the fields of Construction Cost Estimating and Construction Program Management. As a team, we utilize our expertise and capabilities to assist clients in accomplishing all of their project objectives successfully.

The Concord Group, was founded in 1996 by Edward Stritch and Peter Renton, and is a leader in Construction Cost Estimating and Program Management. Our extensive professional experience and knowledge enables us to clearly define objectives and establish controls to keep all phases of construction on task, on budget and on schedule. Centrally located in the Midwest, with offices in Chicago and Milwaukee, we can service projects throughout the United States.

The Concord Group has built a reputation for accurate and timely work. This has allowed us to work with government programs, healthcare institutions, prestigious architectural engineering firms and property development companies around the nation.

At The Concord Group, we believe that combining experience, diversity and technology allows us to bring you the best service available.

EXCELLENCE THROUGH COMMITMENT

CLIENTS

Since 1996, The Concord Group has assisted clients in achieving their project goals. The following are some of our clients and projects:

Bauer Latoza Studio
Bayshore Management Company
C.C. Industries
Central City Production
Chicago Public Schools
Chicago School Associates
City of Highland Park
City of Milwaukee
Cohen Financial
Cornestone Real Estate Advisers
Covenant Healthcare System
CTE Engineers
DeStefano & Partners
Detroit Public Schools
DMJM
DuPage County
DuSable Museum
FGM Architects
Gensler Architects
Globetrotters Engineers
Gonzalez Hasbrouck Architects
Great Dane Trailers

I.N.G. Realty Partners
Johnson & Lasky
Lake Forest Country Day School
LCM Architects
Maureen Reagan Architects
Naperville Public Library
NIA Architects
OWP&P
Perkins & Will Architects
Perry and associates
Illinois School District 112
The Architects Enterprise
Urban Works Architects
Schroeder Murchie Laya Architects
Skidmore Owings & Merrill Architects
Solomon Caudwell Buenz Architects
The Art Institute of Chicago
University of Chicago
University of Wisconsin
Vinci Hamp Architects
Wallen Gomez Architects
Wrightwood Capital

POST CONSTRUCTION PHASE

During the Post-Construction Phase, we manage the building commissioning and the closing out all financial and contractual issues. We assist the client "move in" process as well.

Covenant Healthcare
St. Joseph Outpatient Center,
Wauwatosa, WI

We worked the project team to successfully commission and agree on the final costs. The construction contract was completed within the GMP amount, all savings accrued to the owner, and the total project costs including design fees, equipment and administration costs, were within the project's total cost..

CONSTRUCTION PHASE

During the Construction Phase, we perform budget reviews and review payment matters, prepare project status reports, provide quality assessments, and monitor the schedule.

Covenant Healthcare
St. Joseph Outpatient Center,
Wauwatosa, WI

The accelerated construction schedule required constant monitoring of the targeted milestone completion dates, timely processing of all payment applications (bi-weekly for the later part of the project), prompt responses from the design team for all RFIs and shop drawings/submittals, and timely responses on all matters requiring owner input, approval, or action.

Constant monitoring and coordination of the project schedule, the overall project budget, the design teams responsibilities and progress, owner equipment purchases, owner action items, and regulatory agency approvals, resulted in the successful completion of this project on time, on budget, to the owner's satisfaction.

BID/AWARD PHASE

During the Bid/Award Phase, we provide relevant information regarding the bidding process, prepare bid analysis and recommendations, review permit and insurance issues, and review contractor's proposed schedule for completeness and reasonableness.

Covenant Healthcare
St. Joseph Outpatient Center,
Wauwatosa WI

We developed a project delivery plan which included obtaining structural steel and steel reinforcing bids based on $/Ton and schedule, and a Guaranteed Maximun Price (GMP) based generally on design development documents

Our in-house estimating department prepared a detailed cost estimate that was used to review, negotiate and approve the general contractor's proposed GMP.

The project was completed within the project budget and within 1% of our estimated cost.

PRE-DESIGN PHASE

During the Pre-Design Phase, we assist clients in identifying project objectives, budgeting and financial feasability, master project scheduling and organization, and project delivery methods.

Covenant Healthcare
St. Joseph Outpatient Center,
Wauwatosa, WI

We helped our client establish the project delivery method necessary to construct this 210,000 square foot Ambulatory Care Facility and 900 space parking structure within a 10 month period from the start of construction. This plan required a fast track approach to the design, bidding and construction phases.

DESIGN PHASE

During the Design Phase, we assist clients with cost management and analysis, meeting management, design document reviews, approvals by regulatory agencies, and monitor the master schedule and budget.

Covenant Healthcare
St. Joseph Outpatient Center,
Wauwatosa, WI

To meet the aggressive project completion date, the design phases – from schematic development through construction documents – required a commitment from the entire design team to adhere to a fast track multi-bid package approach.

Each of the design disciplines met their commitment to this approach which enabled construction activities to progress as required to meet the targeted completion date.

CASE STUDY

EXPERIENCE

Since 1996, The Concord Group has taken on a wide variety
of projects throughout the United States.

With a focus on Cost Estimating, Program Management,
and Specialized Services, we have the experience and professional
ability to assist clients at any stage of a project.

Cost Estimating

With our extensive background and focused practice on cost issues, we can provide projects with cost estimates at all stages of design.

Our experienced staff have provided estimating services on thousands of projects, both new construction and renovation.

We can answer questions on all construction cost related issues and we will help you to make the right decision.

Significant Project Experience:

Educational
Healthcare
Institutional
Governmental
Commercial
Industrial
Residential

Program Management

As the owner's representative we monitor and coordinate all aspects of the project during the project planning, design, construction and close-out phases.

Our experience has allowed our team to effectively represent clients on projects ranging from high end residential to large commercial and institutional facilities.

Significant Project Experience:

Industrial
Institutional
Residential
Commercial
Healthcare
Governmental

Specialized Services

Our experienced staff can support you with Dispute Resolution/Claims Analysis, Condition Surveys, Due Diligence and Replacement Cost Analysis.

We provide expert advice and input to assist the owner in achieving project goals.

Significant Project Experience:

Condition Surveys
Dispute Resolution
Replacement Cost Analysis
Governmental

Excellence Through Commitment

The excellence of The Concord Group is in understanding our clients’ needs and providing for them all the necessary services to achieve a successful construction project. Our commitment is the total involvement of The Concord Group on your project.

We provide Program Management Services for all phases of the construction process. We can assist you in master planning and recommend prudent strategies for successful project completion. We monitor the design process, interact with regulatory agencies, review and recommend bids, review on-site progress and quality control, oversee the entire project development process, and provide cost control from project inception through completion.

Our Cost Estimating Services provide a basis for the financial control of your project. We create a construction budget from the project’s conceptual parameters. We monitor compliance with the approved budget throughout the construction process. We participate in value engineering and evaluate proposed building design solutions as to quality, first cost and life cycle cost. Through change order evaluation and progress payment reviews we maintain cost controls from bid award through construction completion.

We can provide Specialized Services to manage all the construction challenges that occur during a project. We offer property acquisition analysis, condition surveys, replacement cost analysis, dispute resolution, and insurance claims analysis.

The Concord Group is a professional construction consulting team that serves you throughout the entire project. We provide our clients the necessary skills to successfully master the many challenges inherent in the construction process.