When the Blue KC tenant improvement project broke ground in February 2024, it presented the project team with a complex urban project, full of unique challenges in downtown Kansas City. The JE Dunn team is working inside Blue KC’s new headquarters to build out five of the tower’s eight floors, working within busy city streets and multiple future tenants on a 162,500 SF project.
“We had a lot of stops and starts with the owner, as well as many changes,” said Susan Schaefer, General Construction Group Market Leader. “Throughout it all, though, the team maintained transparent, trusting relationships with the owner, owner’s representative, and design team.”
Improvements to the Blue KC space had to be completed without damage to the façade or core of the building, which had recently been completed by another firm. When the project team realized the material elevator did not have capacity to transport many of the tools and equipment needed, they quickly devised and implemented a plan to remove windows, install outriggers on every floor, and hoist materials up the side of the completed building.
“We have such an agile, flexible team,” Schaefer said.
Schaefer is one of several women leading the Blue KC project — part of a rising number of woman-led construction projects.
“Women have a way of listening, rolling up our sleeves, and collaboratively problem solving.” she said.
Peggy Olivarez, Aptitude Project Manager, has been in the construction industry for 10 years, and she said she is glad to see the number of women on job sites steadily growing.
“As more women have become part of the project team, it feels like it’s a little bit softer; there is a common end goal that everyone is trying to reach,” Olivarez said. “I love seeing Susan Schaefer and Blue KC owner Susan Klotz in leadership roles. Diversity breeds diversity.”
JE Dunn’s partnership with Blue KC and the design team from HOK proved key to the project’s success. Aptitude: Intelligent Integration has also been involved from the project’s technology from beginning, supporting structure cabling, sound masking, AV, security, and more. Aptitude and Self-Perform made up more than 25% of trade partner contracts on the project.
“Working with the project team has been really great,” Olivarez said. “We were involved in a lot of preconstruction work and have had great conversations with the owner throughout the project.”
Senior Project Engineer Julia Mount hopes to see more women pursuing careers and advancing in our industry.
“Women can enhance the project and overall industry processes with their management styles,” she said. “More women need to be represented at the leadership level because it really helps to see someone in the role you’re pursuing and know that it’s a possibility.”
From coordinating the cranes for material delivery to closing busy, downtown roads, the team had to cleverly tackle challenges every step of the way. Alongside their male teammates, the women on the Blue KC team have worked hard from the start to make the project a success.
“I really care about our company and our people,” Schaefer said. “I care about our progress, the decisions we make and the impact those decisions have. I care about our employee owners and clients, many of whom are diverse. To be the best we can be, it is important to continue to grow the diverse perspective at the table making decisions and leading our company.”
As the project nears its April 2025 completion date, Project Engineer Katie Smith hopes their problem-solving team and its female leaders to inspire future generations of builders.
“As a kid, I wouldn’t have imagined that this type of job existed,” Smith said. “There’s a world where you don’t have to swing a hammer and still go to the job site every day, and it’s so much fun.”
