J.M. O'Neill's 30 Years as General Contractor Parallel Bay Area Business

By Nicole Zaro Stahl, Hacienda Network Staff Writer

Founded in 1983 by current President, John O'Neill, the general contractor J. M. O'Neill, Inc. (JMO) has a long history of commercial building in the Bay Area. Its work spans the gamut from the ground-up construction of sophisticated facilities for pharmaceutical and electronics manufacturing to more routine tenant fit-ups and office remodels. To illustrate the firm's diversity, Vice President Con McMahon cites three distinct types of projects in Hacienda: the 94,000 square foot, two-building Arbor office complex on West Las Positas Boulevard, completed in 1986; the 44,250 square foot two-story building at 5075 Hopyard Road, completed in 2003; and the 17,000 square foot refurbished home of Club One of Pleasanton, finished in December 2012. There have been dozens of other park projects in the intervening decades, such as expansions and upgrades at Simpson Strong Tie, Sabah International, and Gatan.

From Napa to Morgan Hill to Lodi, JMO goes far beyond the Tri-Valley to serve its clients. Its recent portfolio of projects encompasses lab facilities for the Food and Drug Administration in Alameda, for Elan and Celera Pharmaceuticals (formerly Axys) in South San Francisco, and for Impax Laboratories in Hayward.

Last July the firm marked the completion of another notable accomplishment, the new headquarters for apparel manufacturing giant VF Outdoor, owner of the North Face, JanSport, and Lucy brands. VF Outdoor's new 11-acre waterfront campus, on Alameda's Harbor Bay, consolidates all three entities at a single location, in four, two-story buildings totaling 161,000 square feet.

As befits a corporate culture closely allied to a healthy environment, the VF Outdoor project incorporated several strategies for a down-sized carbon footprint. A combination of features, such as the use of recycled wood and energy-efficient wind turbines, solar panels, and indirect/direct evaporative cooling units, are helping the project attain LEED Gold certification. JMO was involved in the pre-construction planning and was responsible for the construction of the site, shell and core, and interiors, led by John O'Neill as the Project Executive, Tony McGuire as Project Manager and Schuyler Youkstetter as the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Coordinator.

Like many businesses intensely focused on meeting each client's individual needs, JMO regards integrity and versatility as key to its longevity. The firm has 11 employees in its office in the Arbor complex, and 30 more out in the field. Working with JMO in the early design phase of a project allows clients to tap into the expertise of the firm's veteran management team.

"Our talented crew has been with us for many years, and we have acquired a great deal of experience in all facets of construction, whether the need is for a Class 10 clean room, structural seismic upgrades, or interior improvements in a facility that must remain operational while the work is being done," notes McMahon.

Going into the new year, McMahon sees a very positive construction climate on the horizon. "We enjoy frequent repeat business from current clients, and we are also aware of several new projects upcoming this year," he reports. "Because of our depth and diversity of talent, attention to detail, as well as service to our clients, we have been able to weather the ups and downs of the economy, and we feel confident about 2013."

For more information, visit www.jmoneill.com.

Photo: J.M. O'Neill has constructed a number of Hacienda buildings, including 5075 Hopyard Road.

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