Company Profile
C. Overaa & Co.
Company Overview
Overaa Construction, founded in 1907, continues today as a family-owned and operated general contractor. Headquartered in the East Bay, we conduct operations throughout Northern California. A well-established, dynamic and growing firm, we are consistently recognized as a leading general contractor. Overaa’s history includes noteworthy projects for the public and private sectors - many are repeat clients.
Company History
In 1902, Norwegian immigrant Carl Overaa came to the U.S. to pursue his dream in the “land of opportunity” and opened a small construction business in Richmond, California.
In 1926, Carl took a business leap of faith and submitted a bid to construct the Richmond High School. He won the contract, and his small company suddenly began to grow.
But mid-construction, the stock market crashed. Many subcontractors were forced out of business. But Carl and his employees stood strong. Together, they completed the project and went on to build more schools, churches, and stores in the growing Bay Area.
Little did they know then that they were laying the groundwork for what today has become one of the largest and most capable construction companies in the San Francisco Bay Area. Today Overaa specializes in significant commercial, institutional, and industrial construction projects requiring unique technical expertise in the form of high-quality craftsmanship, structural knowledge, and a design-build, collaborative approach.
Click here for a detailed timeline of Overaa’s history, including how company milestones dovetail with milestones in U.S. political and cultural history.
Notable Accomplishments / Recognition
OVERAA AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS
Engineering News Record (ENR) magazine
“Top 400 Contractors”, #228 nationally, 2010
Ranked #21 “Top 25 in Refineries and Petrochemical Plants” in the nation (2010), Engineering News Record
“Top Design Build Firm”, #90 nationally, 2009
“The Top 25 in Wastewater Treatment”, #14, The Top 400 Contractors Sourcebook 2006
“The Top 200 Environmental Firms”, #74, July 3, 2008
“The Top 20 in Religious and Cultural”, #20, The Top 400 Contractors Sourcebook 2006
Note: According to ENR, only 47 construction companies nationwide, including Overaa, are over 100 years old, and less than half are still family owned.
East Bay Business Times newspaper
“Largest East Bay Commercial Contractors”, #2, 2008
“Largest East Bay Construction Projects”, #11 for UC Berkeley Underhill Design Build Parking Facility and Athletic Turf, 2008 Book of Lists
“Largest East Bay Construction Projects”, #22 for Cal State East Bay Pioneer Heights Student Housing, 2007
California Construction magazine
Richmond City Hall for “Best of 2009” awards in two categories: “Overall Top Project”, “Best of Government/Public”
“Top Private Contractors”, #28, 2010
“Top Public Contractors”, #21, 2010
“Top Green Contractors”, #31, 2010
“Top California Contractors”, #26, 2010
“Top Design Builder Contractors”, #13, 2010
“Top Contractors 2008”, #30, April 2008
“Top Projects in California”, for Hollister Wastewater Treatment Plant, 2007
“Best of California 2007 – Industrial/Manufacturing” for Genentech CCP-2 Manufacturing Expansion, Vacaville, CA, December 2007
Beth Sholom Temple received Best of 2008 "Religious Facilities" award
Project Management Institute (PMI)
2010 Project of the Year (worldwide) for the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory - National Ignition Facility (NIF) award
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Certificate of Appreciation for providing quality service - 2010 Key Supplier Management Program
Structural Engineers Association of Northern California
Excellence in engineering design of a “Landmark Structure” for Beth Sholom Temple in San Francisco, CA, 2009
San Francisco Business Times newspaper
#5 “Largest Infrastructure Contractors in the Bay Area”, 2008
“Largest Construction Projects in the Bay Area”, Projects listed: Jamieson Canyon Water Treatment Plant in Napa, Mission Bay Block 27 Parking Structure in San Francisco, Pleasant Hill BART Garage Expansion in Walnut Creek, Lafayette Public Library in Lafayette. 2009
“Largest Construction Projects in the North Bay”, Projects listed: Jamieson Canyon Water Treatment Plant, Healdsburg Wastewater Treatment Plant. 2009
#11 “Largest Construction Projects in the North Bay”, Healdsburg Wastewater Treatment Plant, 2008
“Largest Commercial Contractors in the Bay Area”, #19, 2008
“Largest Construction Projects in the Bay Area”, #11 for BART West Dublin/West Pleasanton Station, #72 Pleasant Hill BART Garage Expansion, #73 UC Berkeley Underhill Design Build Parking Structure, 2008
“Largest Construction Projects in the East Bay”, #11 for BART West Dublin/West Pleasanton Station, 2008 Book of Lists
Design Build Institute of America (DBIA)
The Richmond Civic Center Project was awarded the top honor in the Design Build Rehabilitation/ Renovation/ Restoration category at Western Region DBIA Awards Ceremony. 2010
American Institute of Architects (AIA) Design Awards
The Richmond Civic Center Revitalization Project took top honors - the Award of Honor - for "Historic Preservation and Innovation in Rehabilitation" at the AIA San Francisco Chapter Awards Gala in San Francisco.
Mission Bay Block 27 Parking Structure received Excellence in Architecture at the AIA San Francisco Chapter Awards ceremony
Beth Sholom Temple received the 2005 Unbuilt Design Honor Award at the AIA San Francisco Design Awards Ceremony.
UCSF Mission Bay Building 23B Parking Structure: This project won the American Institute of Architects Chapter Excellence in Architecture Award. This innovative facility was featured in Shannon McDonald’s book - Parking Design – the Place of Innovation (pg. 253).
California Redevelopment Association
The Alameda Theatre/Cineplex/Parking Structure Project was awarded the 2009 California Redevelopment Association Award of Excellence in the Special Citation category.
International Parking Awards
UC Berkeley Underhill Parking Facility & Athletic Turf received the Award of Excellence in Category II & V for the 2009 International Parking Awards – the highest honors a parking structure can receive.
California Preservation Foundation
2010 Preservation Design Awards - Large Rehabilitation category for Richmond Civic Center
PCBC Gold Nugget Award
Outstanding Retail Project – Grand Award for Layette Mercantile, 2009
American Public Works Association
Schellville Tertiary Treatment Plant in Sonoma, CA received the APWA Project of the Year Award in 2009
Healdsburg Wastewater Treatment Plant in Healdsburg, CA received the APWA Project of the Year Award in 2009
Woodland Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) received the American Public Works Association (APWA) Northern California Chapter Project of the Year award in 2007.
Concrete Construction magazine
“CC100” list, #19 nationally, July 2006 issue
“Decorative Contractors”, #3, July 2006 issue
Precast/Prestressed Concrete Manufacturers Association of California (PCMAC- affiliate of PCI)
Projects featured:
• Kaiser South Sacramento Parking Structure
• UCSF Mission Bay Building 23B Parking Structure
Cal/OSHA
Overaa is a member of Cal/OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Program (VPP). 1 of only 11 contractors to participate (statewide)
Real Estate & Construction Review magazine
Cal State East Bay Pioneer Heights Student Housing Phase II recognized as one of the “Top Projects in California”, 2008 Edition
Recipients of the “Building of America” awards, 2009
• Saint Mary’s College Filippi Hall
• Alameda Historic Theatre
• UC Berkeley Underhill Parking Facility and Athletic Turf
• Beth Sholom Temple
• Richmond City Hall
Other Awards & Recognitions
Community Service Award for the New Construction & Renovation of Livermore Civic Center Library, 2000-2009
UC Berkeley Underhill Parking Facility & Athletic Turf was featured in the Contra Costa Times newspaper, December 28, 2007, “New Parking Structure Alters UC Berkeley’s South Side”
Beth Sholom was one of nine finalists under consideration in the religion and contemplation category of the new World Architecture Festival honors that were presented in Barcelona in October 2008.
Beth Sholom was featured in Architectural Record and the San Francisco Chronicle.
ConocoPhillips Safety Awards
Outstanding Safety Achievement Award (2005-2009)
Certificate of Appreciation (2006) awarded for support of RAPP Barbecue
Certificate of Appreciation (2006) awarded for support of CAST Safety Forum
Construction Employers Association (CEA) Safety Award
2006, 2007, 2008
2009 for President’s Safety Award and Excellence in Safety Award.
Community Outreach & Charity Work
“#1 Fundraiser in Northern California” for National Multiple Sclerosis Society, raising over $50,000 in 2007 (#6 nationally)
“#2 Fundraiser in Northern California” for National Multiple Sclerosis Society, raising $33,693 in 2008
2008 Sponsor for Junior Achievement’s “Ice Cream in the Park” at the Oakland Zoo.
2008 Co-sponsor with Cal Poly for the renovation of a homeless shelter.