Hoffman Construction Company Explained

Hoffman Construction Company
Type:Privately held company
Foundation:1922[1]
Founder:Lee Hawley Hoffman
Industry:Heavy construction
Engineering
Project Management
Products:Construction contracting
Location:805 SW Broadway, Suite 2100 Portland, Oregon
Area Served:Pacific Northwest
Key People:David Drinkward, President, CEO[2]
Revenue: (2023)[3]
Num Employees:1,200
Num Employees Year:2023
Homepage:hoffmancorp.com

Hoffman Construction Company is a privately held construction company founded in 1922 based in Portland, Oregon, United States.

History

Lee Hoffman (May 15, 1850 - August 8, 1959)[4] moved to Portland in the 1870s with his family and worked constructing bridges and other projects, including the Bull Run pipeline.[5]

The company started out building primarily apartment buildings and industrial structures in Portland. It had grown to more than 400 employees by 1928.[6]

Hoffman expanded to Seattle in 1929.[7] The firm also built Cushman Dam No. 2 that year near Shelton, Washington, for Tacoma Power and Light.[8] Eric Hoffman (1923–2016) became president of the company in 1956 and chair in 1974.[9] Lee Hawley Hoffman died on August 8, 1959. Cecil Drinkward came to Hoffman in 1967 as a vice president, and his son Wayne joined in 1985.[10] Cecil Drinkward became president in 1974. In the late 1960s, the company shifted emphasis from paper and forestry industry to commercial construction.[11] After Hoffman completed an expansion at the Snake River Correctional Institute in Eastern Oregon, the state audited the work on the project in 1999.[12] [13] Auditors alleged some overpayments, while the company and the Oregon Department of Corrections disputed those allegations.[12] [13]

The Intel D1X project built by Hoffman was named as the largest construction project in Oregon history in 2017. Intel hired Hoffman for this project in 2010. The newspaper reports "several billion dollars" but the exact amount is a "closely guarded secret".[14] In 2015, Hoffman filed a $50.8 million lien on the D1X. In December 2017, The Oregonian followed up to report that Hoffman had withdrawn the "mysterious $50 million lien". Intel said "The terms and conditions of the resolution are confidential,"[15]

Hoffman moved into the Fox Tower in downtown Portland in 2000 after constructing the building and added a permanent lobby exhibit showcasing the company's history.[16] The company is re-locating to Lake Oswego in 2025.[17]

Hoffman Construction was issued a warning by the City of Portland in September 2020 for having utilized a subcontractor that obtained women-owned status fraudulently so they can be awarded jobs as a subcontractor on Portland city government projects under a program designed to help disadvantaged business. This came after the subcontractor under question was caught.[18]

Hoffman is known for building the Fox Tower, Memorial Coliseum, the Oregon Convention Center and the Wells Fargo Center.

Footnotes

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Hoffman Construction — Our History . 2024-10-23 . www.hoffmancorp.com . en-US.
  2. Web site: Hoffman Construction — About Us . 2024-10-23 . www.hoffmancorp.com . en-US.
  3. Web site: Portland Business Journal Private 100 fastest growing companies. 2024-10-23 . www.bizjournals.com.
  4. Beckham, p. 110.
  5. Beckham, pp. 10-11, 34, 44.
  6. Beckham, pp. 59-60.
  7. Beckham, p. 67.
  8. Beckham, p. 71.
  9. Contractors. Western Construction. 1974. 49. 75. King Publications.
  10. Beckham, pp. 10-11.
  11. News: Rogoway . Mike . Dec 29, 2016 . Eric Hoffman, former Hoffman Construction president, dies at 93 . August 16, 2020 . The Oregonian.
  12. News: Miller. Brian K.. Hoffman strikes back at auditors. 21 May 2014. Portland Business Journal. March 28, 1999.
  13. News: Miller. Brian K.. State still mulling audit of Hoffman Construction. 21 May 2014. Portland Business Journal. Jun 27, 1999.
  14. News: Intel in $50 million dispute with D1X contractor, Hoffman Construction. Oregonian/OregonLive. Mike Rogoway The. 2017-06-01. oregonlive.com. en-US. 2019-04-16.
  15. News: Hoffman withdraws mysterious $50 million lien on Intel's D1X factory. Oregonian/OregonLive. Mike Rogoway The. 2017-12-11. oregonlive.com. en-US. 2019-04-16.
  16. News: Mayer/Reed interprets legacy of Hoffman. 21 May 2014. Daily Journal of Commerce. October 27, 2000.
  17. Web site: Manning . Jeff . 2023-08-13 . Hoffman Construction to leave downtown Portland headquarters . 2024-10-23 . oregonlive . en.
  18. Web site: KATU Staff. 2020-09-30. Portland painting company fined for posing as woman-owned business to receive contracts. 2020-11-14. KATU.