Klassen Corporation, a Bakersfield architectural and construction company, is opening an office in Santa Clarita after more than a decade of working on area projects. “We think our capabilities can enhance community development,” CEO Jerry Klassen said. The family-owned company is working on a project with the College of the Canyons (COC), and has experience developing schools, industrial facilities, and other large-scale projects, he said. The new office, located at 25152 Springfield Court, will house four full-time employees, said Jennifer Blackwood, the company’s director of marketing. The office will officially open on May 17. “We recognized its growth, so that is why we have chosen to expand here” in Santa Clarita, Blackwood said. Klassen began establishing a name for itself in Santa Clarita with the construction of a Kaiser Permanente facility in 1999, Blackwood said. Founded in 1977 by three brothers – two architects and one contractor – the firm has designed and built facilities in California, Texas, Alaska, New Mexico, and soon will begin a project in North Dakota. By using the design-build method, a scenario where design and construction are contracted with a single entity, Klassen has become a go-to company for clients such as the College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita, who are focused on meeting tight construction deadlines and specific budget allocations. Most recently, the firm completed the college’s Mentry Hall addition – the fine arts facility – as part of a pilot program that allowed the school to develop campus facilities as design-build projects. Awarded by the state of California, the program allowed design-build guidelines to be used by three specific community college districts for five community college facility construction projects selected by the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges. “It (design-build) benefits the campus and the district because you don’t have communication problems normally associated with different entities,” Blackwood said. “It really shaves off a lot of time.” The company also has proved it can save money for its clients, Klassen said, noting the expansion of the fine arts facility expansion has been one of the company’s most important projects. “We helped them save 18 percent compared to the next bidder and delivered it a year earlier,” Klassen said. Now, the College of the Canyons has been approved by the chancellor to do all projects with the design-build method, he said. Currently, the firm is handling another COC project, which involves a two-story, 52,000-square-foot addition to the college’s existing 40,000-square-foot library. In addition to working with the college, Klassen said the company is hoping to woo new clients. “We are very optimistic in the Simi Valley area – the land is still there,” said Klassen. The company recently designed a 23,716-square-foot Kaiser Permanente facility in Simi Valley. The Antelope Valley College physical education and sports facility also will receive a makeover by July 2012, as Klassen takes on seven major projects as the construction manager. Those projects include renovations of parking lots, fields and stadiums.
Klassen Corp. Building its Future in Santa Clarita Valley
