Building Pepper Indiana from the ground up

At Pepper, we don’t just build strong structures, we build strong relationships.

Relationships have been a key to our success for one simple reason: they are at the core of everything we do. Each one is different but our commitment to strengthening our ties with clients and design and trade partners has been constant over our last 25 years in Indiana.

For each of the key markets that we serve, there are notable projects and relationships that served as a catalyst for the success we’ve experienced throughout our company’s history. Many of our first projects were with clients that we still work with today.

While some relationships date back to our formative years and others have been developed more recently, we never lose sight of the fact that without these relationships we wouldn’t be here today and on track to continue growing. 

As part of Pepper Indiana’s 25th anniversary, we want to recognize the projects and relationships that started it all, in addition to those that hold a special place in our company’s history.

Healthcare

Healthcare is the market that started it all for Pepper Indiana. And the $100 million St. Vincent Hospital Master Facility is the project that brought Pepper to Indianapolis in 1989. It’s the project that created the opportunity for Pepper Indiana to be formed and was just the tip of the iceberg when it came to relationship building in the healthcare market.

Over the years, healthcare has remained one of Pepper Indiana’s top markets. We’ve built relationships with Columbus Regional Hospital, Indiana University Health, Community Health Network, Elkhart General Hospital, Decatur County Memorial Hospital and Parkview Health. We’ve led projects large and small, new construction and renovations, in addition to some projects that have changed the landscape of healthcare in the state of Indiana.

• Indiana University Health North Hospital - the start of Pepper Indiana’s expertise in large-scale healthcare construction. The hospital holds as a prominent place in providing healthcare to northside-Indiana communities.
• Riley Hospital for Children Simon Family Tower - a special project in the hearts of Pepper employees. The team worked closely with IU Health and Riley Hospital to make the experience special for patients and their families.
• Parkview Regional Medical Center - took Pepper Indiana’s experience with large-scale healthcare construction to another level. The new one-million-square-foot campus provides comprehensive healthcare services to a region previously limited in access to advanced services.
• Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Hospital and Eskenazi Health Campus - among the first and largest new health campuses in the U.S. registered publicly in the U.S. Green Building Council’s national LEED database. 
• Community Hospital East Campus Redevelopment - made a direct impact to the east-side community and was used to create job opportunities for east-side residents on the project.

 Indiana Neuro Diagnostic Institute and Advanced Treatment Center - designed to transform the landscape of psychiatric and mental healthcare in the state of Indiana through modern facilities that offer active treatment.

Retail

While healthcare may have given us our start in Indiana, it certainly wasn’t the only market that paved the way for our success. 

In 1994, Pepper Indiana was awarded construction of the Nordstrom at Circle Centre Mall in downtown Indianapolis. Part of the city’s downtown revitalization effort, the project was recognized with the Keep Indianapolis Beautiful: A Monumental Affair Excellence in Design and Development Award. From that point on, retail has remained a consistent market for Pepper Indiana and gone on to include a variety of projects and relationships.

• IKEA Fishers - offers Hoosiers and surrounding states a new retail destination. The store features one of the largest solar rooftops in the state. 
• Simon Property Group – includes several notable projects 21-years, including Hamilton Town Center and work at the Fashion Mall at Keystone, both located on the north-side of Indianapolis. Up next, we’re headed back to Circle Centre Mall for a renovation of the mall itself.
• Cabela’s – neighboring Hamilton Town Center, this prototype store includes custom and unique features, like a floor-to-ceiling fireplace and chimney, high-end millwork, mountain and aquarium.

Industrial & Manufacturing

Centrally located, the need for industrial and distribution facilities in Indiana has continued to grow over the years. And so have our relationships.

It all started with relationships like The Pizzuti Companies and Indianapolis Fruit Company in the early 2000s, and we’ve only expanded from there. In fact, we’ve leveraged our experience in industrial construction as a springboard into manufacturing segments, such as defense, food processing, pharmaceuticals and automotive.

• Developers – many relationships that started in Indiana have now expanded to our Pepper Ohio office. Over the years, we’ve worked with VanTrust Real Estate, Ambrose Property Group, Jones Development Company, Verus Partners, Strategic Capital Partners, Scannell Properties and more. 
• Rolls-Royce Reinvestment & Modernization of Manufacturing Operations - a relationship that started with an interior office renovation in 2012, the modernization and consolidation project includes facility, equipment and infrastructure improvements spanning one million square feet. 
• ELSA Stamping Plant Expansion – built to increase capacity of their automotive production line and keep up with client demand. 

Higher Education

Pepper Indiana’s entrance into the higher education market didn’t happen until 2001 with construction of the Valparaiso University Christopher Center Library Services building. And while we began building relationships with other campuses across Indiana, like Purdue University, Butler University and Indiana University, it wasn’t until 2014 when Indiana passed a bill allowing public institutions to utilize the Construction Manager as Constructor (CMc) project delivery method, known as Construction Manager at Risk in the private sector, that our resume truly began to expand. 

Since then, Pepper has been able to help public colleges and universities navigate CMc delivery and fully realize the benefits it can bring to a project. Our experience on gone on to include both private and public institutions, in a range of project types.

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  Purdue University – includes several projects, from research facilities to residence halls to utility work. In 2005, Birck Nanotechnology Center promoted interdisciplinary research between faculty and graduate students with cleanrooms and research spaces. In 2017, Flex Lab Facility provided multiple lab types in a flexible arrangement to accommodate Purdue’s evolving research needs. 
• Indiana University North End Zone Addition for Memorial Stadium - created a visible landmark on the Bloomington campus, in addition to housing one of the largest strength and conditioning centers in the country.
• University of Indianapolis Health Pavilion – built to bring together educators and providers to close the gap between learning and practice.
• Other projects underway include a Dining Hall Renovation for Indiana State University, Muncie Campus Improvements for Ivy Tech Community College, a renovation and addition to Agricultural and Biological Engineering facilities at Purdue and Butler University’s Science Building Addition and Renovations.

Commercial Office & Interiors

Pepper Indiana’s project history includes commercial office and interiors work from the earlier years, but it was around 2009 when we took a serious look at how we could expand our presence and better serve clients within this market.

From traditional office layouts to open concept, DIRTT wall systems to collaboration spaces, whether a new building, employee relocation or renovation of existing, we’ve certainly learned a lot along the way.

• Edgeworth-Laskey - a longtime partner, from tenant improvements to new commercial office buildings, on properties across Indianapolis.
• Bowen Engineering Corporate Headquarters Renovation - Pepper Indiana’s first LEED Gold certified project.
• Rolls-Royce Meridian Center Renovation – phased renovation of 13 floors across two buildings in preparation for a relocation of 2,500 employees to downtown Indianapolis. 

Moving Forward

All of these, of course, don’t even scratch the surface of the many projects and relationships that have helped Pepper Indiana become the company that it is today. Every project we’re involved with has an impact on who we are and how we operate.

Making a connection with those we work with has been vital to our success over the last 25 years. Building upon those relationships – and making new ones – will continue to be an important value for years to come.