Veneklasen Construction

10/31/2026

Happy Halloween! 🎃

Our crews wear high-vis every day — tonight it's not a bad look for trick-or-treaters either. A little reflective tape, a flashlight, and a buddy go a long way.

Have a fun and safe time tonight from all of us at Veneklasen Construction. 👻

10/26/2026

Cheers to five years of Built by Women! 🥂

Veneklasen Construction was proud to be a cocktail sponsor for the 5th Annual Built by Women industry event, which brings together women in and around West Michigan’s construction industry.

What started as a conversation among a few women has grown into a community that creates real opportunities and connections.

Thank you to this year’s panelists, Jamie Cardinal of Clark Construction, Santa Matias of United Freedom Painting, and Linda Blanchard of Thermal-Tec Roofing, for sharing their experience and insight.

Congratulations to Stephanie Snowden, Jennifer Granning, and the whole Built by Women team on an incredible milestone. Here’s to the next five years!

10/21/2026

Rob Miller, our Director of Estimating, gets to know a project before almost anyone else does. At that point it’s just drawings, a scope and a number.

So it means something when he drives past the finished building years later:
“Every time I drive by with my family members, I point out, ‘Hey, we built that. We built that.’ They probably get annoyed with me.”

What he enjoys most is walking into those buildings and meeting the people who work there every day. Sometimes Veneklasen was the general contractor. Sometimes it was our steel department or our carpentry crew.

Either way, Rob likes being able to say, “Yeah, we actually built this.”

10/19/2026

Many building projects start with one number: how much space do we need?

The answer is a number that usually comes from one of two places. Either it’s based on how cramped things feel right now, or it’s the last few years of growth stretched out into the future. Both are reasonable places to start. Neither tells you where your business is actually going.

Build too big and you’re paying to heat, maintain and finance space you haven’t grown into yet. Build too small and you’re back at the drawing board sooner than planned, usually with less time and less budget.

Our latest article looks at how to pressure-test that square footage number before it’s locked into steel and concrete. 👇

https://bit.ly/4yM9qn7

When you planned your current facility, did you end up with too much room or not enough?

How much building space do you need? Discover how to plan for future growth, avoid expansion mistakes, & make smarter facility decisions.

10/16/2026

This week, some of our team members shared who opened the door for them. Now we're looking at who's next.

A lot of students have never seen what a construction career looks like up close, or how far it can take them. The West Michigan Construction Institute changes that with hands-on training and national credentials in the skilled trades, right here in Grand Rapids.

We're proud to support WMCI and contribute both financially and with our time. Because sometimes all it takes is one mentor, one site tour, or one conversation.

Know a student or career-changer in Grand Rapids considering entering the trades? Send them to https://bit.ly/47bOPwd.

10/15/2026

Katelyn Wodek joined Veneklasen this year as a Project Engineer. She's in the stretch where everything is new: the drawings, the schedules, the trades, and how it all fits together on the jobsite.

"I found my way into this industry by saying 'yes' to every chance to learn from others. As I learn the ropes early in my career, I've been fortunate to work alongside hardworking, passionate people who share their knowledge freely and care deeply about the lasting impact of what we build."

Every career in construction starts with someone willing to teach. We're glad Katelyn's started here.

If you're early in your construction career: what's one thing someone did that made you feel like you belonged here?

10/14/2026

After 20 years in architecture, Michael Lake made the jump to general contracting. Five years later, he’s a Senior Project Manager at Veneklasen, helping new team members find their footing.

"My first door into the construction industry was through architecture, where I spent the first 20 years of my career. Five years ago, Doug Ritz, my first manager at Veneklasen Construction, opened the next door by helping me make the jump to general contracting. His enthusiasm for the team and his leadership convinced me that Veneklasen was the right place to land. With newer team members, I try to lead by example and live out our core values, especially Integrity: always doing what's right for our clients, trade partners, communities, and the company."

Opening doors doesn’t only happen at the start of a career. Sometimes it’s helping someone take the next step. Who has helped you take the next step in your career? Tag them below.

10/12/2026

Our CEO, Chris Veneklasen, got his start on the steel crew at 16, working spring break and summers in the field.

“I was fortunate to work under Clay Towns and Jeff Kenney, who both went on to spend more than 40 years with our company. They taught me the value of hard work, taking pride in what you do, and doing things the right way.”

This week is Construction Inclusion Week, and the theme is “Opening Doors.” For Chris, it started with people like Clay and Jeff, who took the time to teach someone new.

Who opened the door for you? Tag them below. 👇

10/09/2026

Some buildings just keep finding new ways to serve their city. 🏛️

The Lemon Wheeler building on Ionia Ave. has been part of downtown Grand Rapids since 1883. Soon its upper floors will become 27 apartments, with HopCat staying right where it is downstairs. The historic exterior isn't changing, but the inside is getting ready for a new chapter.

We're proud to be partnering with Lee Shore Enterprises and Lott3Metz Crutcher Architecture on this renovation. More neighbors in Heartside is a good thing for everyone!

10/07/2026

Terra Station is officially open! 🎉 We cut the ribbon yesterday on six buildings, 141 apartments, and two retail spaces, all built over the course of two years.

We're so proud of our crews and partners who worked on this one every day. Thank you to the City of Hudsonville, Ottawa County, and everyone who helped make it happen. We can't wait to see the community it brings together.