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POWER LIST: GENERAL CONTRACTORS

Deacon Construction has had an eventful year.

The Portland-based contractor finished Mercato Grove, a major housing and retail project in Lake Oswego. The multi-building development forged ahead despite the pandemic, record heat, ice and flooding.

Also, Deacon joined with the city of Beaverton in a private-public partnership that produced Hyatt House 鈥� a five-story, 125-room hotel.

Deacon is now nearing completion of Dallas Retirement Village west of Salem.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a really high-quality senior living project, but they鈥檙e one of the few who decided to keep building during COVID,鈥� said Chip Laizure, Deacon鈥檚 vice president.

Deacon has succeeded by focusing on hospitality, senior living, multifamily and industrial projects. Many of the firm鈥檚 clients are repeat business partners.

鈥淲e鈥檙e relationship-based,鈥� said Eric Kneeland, executive vice president.

Being accountable and detailed has helped win clients鈥� trust, Laizure said.

鈥淲hen we go through a process with our clients, we鈥檙e 100 percent open book,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e generate a lot of detail, and we show it all to our clients.鈥�

That transparency has helped win long-term relationships with clients such as Koz, a micro-housing developer. Deacon is beginning its sixth multifamily building for the Washington developer.

Deacon also operates as an open shop, allowing it to use nonunion labor.

鈥淏eing open shop allows us to run about 10 percent cheaper than some of these other firms that are bound to the unions,鈥� Laizure said.

Deacon is looking forward to a rebound in hospitality, with some signs of financing returning amid higher occupancy rates, Laizure said.