Sylvester Construction Builds Beyond Obstacles   

Skyrocketing fuel costs and increasing prices for materials produced overseas were a challenge for Joseph Sylvester Construction Co. in 2004, and are expected to remain the same in 2005.

Despite those obstacles, the Boardman company completed three major construction projects last year and exceeded its expectations with residential lot sales at Southpoint Run in Boardman Township and Cherry Hills  in Beaver Township. 

Joseph Sylvester Construction specializes in commercial construction; real estate development and management; production of custom-designed cabinetry for corporate, retail, commercial, and residential properties; and is the local distributor and installer of Trendway office interiors and Trendwall moveable and reusable office walls.

Chief Executive Officer Joseph Sylvester Jr. says the cost of construction materials went up dramatically in 2004, largely because of natural disasters in the United States and abroad.  The near-constant fluctuation of prices made it difficult to bid on jobs because most material sales representatives can hold prices for up to 14 days, Sylvester says.

Compounding the problem are suppliers tacking surcharges on to their prices to make up for the increasing cost of fuel.  The costs for petroleum-based products, such as blacktop, are increasing as well, Sylvester says.

Sylvester says his company stays competitive by making sure its employees are educated about the products and services they offer.

Major projects that were completed last year include Caffe Capri restaurant, which Sylvester calls a “one-of-kind structure”, the St. Charles School administration building in Boardman and a 15,000-square-foot industrial building at Eastgate Commerce Park in North Lima for Superior Products.

The company expanded its Trendway product lines of office furniture and workstations, and was awarded a contract to be one of the premier dealers of TrendWall products, a moveable wall panel that goes from floor-to-ceiling and is a cost-effective alternative to drywall, Sylvester says.

Sylvester says he expects the company to expand into the East Liverpool area within the next five years.    

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