Comstock Construction
As a staple of the Twin Town area, and one with a wealth of history, Comstock started out straightening barns and has grown into a full-service builder for projects of all sizes. Learn more about Comstock right here.
1. Can you share a brief history of how Comstock Construction began and evolved into the successful company it is today?
Comstock Construction traces its origins back to 1924 when Clark Morrell Comstock made the pivotal decision to transition from farming to construction, auctioning off his farm in Mooreton to establish the company in Wahpeton. Initially focused on barn straightening and small remodeling projects, the company began to expand its scope when Clark's son, Lynn, joined in 1945, gradually venturing into home construction and light commercial work.
The family tradition continued with Lynn's son, Bob, who led the third generation of Comstock Construction. Under Bob's leadership, the company incorporated in 1976, broadening its portfolio to include larger commercial projects and earthwork services. In 2002, Bob's son Michael assumed leadership, ushering in a shift towards prioritizing project outcomes over pricing, which further propelled the company's growth.
Today, Comstock Construction operates three offices in Fargo, Wahpeton, and Fergus Falls, serving the tri-state area of North Dakota, Minnesota, and South Dakota. They offer comprehensive end-to-end solutions from site prep to building to facility maintenance, saving clients time and hassle by being their one point of contact for all construction needs.
2. What are some of the key values and principles that have guided Comstock Construction throughout its century-long journey?
At the core of everything we do at Comstock Construction lies a simple yet profound mission: to extend a helping hand to our fellow human beings. It’s encapsulated in our tagline, “Building Upon our Legacy of People Helping People.” This isn’t just a slogan; it’s the essence of who we are, the driving force behind our existence. By teaming up with others to turn their dreams into reality, we’re not just constructing buildings; we’re bettering our community. We’re making a tangible difference in people’s lives. And that’s what makes us most proud.
3. Over the years, what have been some of the most significant milestones or projects that Comstock Construction has been involved in?
Looking back over the past 100 years, it’s hard to pick just a few milestones and projects that have meant the most to us on our journey. But if we had to pick some, I’d say internally we’re probably most proud of growing from a one-person operation to a team of over 100 strong today. Opening up shop in Fargo and Fergus Falls were definitely standout moments in our story, too. The Comstock Family has been very thoughtful in how they’ve grown the company.
Around our neck of the woods in Wahpeton/Breckenridge, these are some projects folks will definitely recognize that we’re proud of:
- Butte Gym converted to NDSCS Allied Health
- Wahpeton Wal-Mart
- St. John Church
- Giant Snacks and their additions
- AmericInn- Wahpeton
- Imation Building #20, which is now Bobcat
- Wahpeton Elementary School
- Faith Church
- Bell Bank
- Bremer Bank
- ’97 flood fight
These projects are more than just buildings to us. These projects represent our dedication to bettering our community and supporting our neighbors. We’ve stayed true to our roots of ‘building upon our legacy of people helping people,’ and it’s neat to reflect back on these projects and the positive impact they’ve meant for our cities.
4. How has Comstock Construction contributed to the growth and development of our community over the past century?
I think we’d be hard pressed to find a small town within a 100-mile radius that we haven’t done work in over the past century, and that’s pretty powerful. The work we do literally shapes our cityscapes, small as some may be. It’s impactful. Our projects add a lot of value to the local communities we call home. We’ve protected our neighbors from flooding by improving county drainage ditches. We’ve built schools to provide modern spaces for our kids to grow and thrive. We’ve built places of worship that are often the cornerstones of our Midwest communities. We’ve built public libraries that help connect people to information and promote lifelong learning. We’ve built college buildings that help bring up the next generation workforce. We’ve done countless projects for local businesses that have added to the small-town shopping scape. We’ve built healthcare facilities in rural areas to better service our rural residents. All of these projects have a purpose. They all seek to offer more for their communities. And that gives us a big sense of pride knowing that we’re bettering our world through the local clients we serve every day.
5. What sets Comstock Construction apart from other construction companies, both in terms of quality of work and community engagement?
We’re local. A lot of our competition isn’t from the area. We have a sweet spot in servicing more rural communities, because coming from one ourselves, we understand the unique challenges those projects bring. We also realize the big importance these projects have to smaller communities. We’ve always said that our clients are a name, not just a number. It’s about bringing their dream to fruition, a dream that may have been in the works for years and years, and you want a contractor that understands the importance of a project to a community and treats it as such.
We also strive for a high level of quality workmanship in everything we do. One of our core values is “We Value Reputation,” and that sets us apart in a positive way. A job isn’t just a job to us, it’s the hopes and dreams of our clients that we’re helping turn into a reality. It means something. And it means a lot to them, so we want to do it right, which is another core value of ours “We Do the Right Thing.” We do what’s right, not what’s always easy, but what’s right for everyone involved.
6. In what ways does Comstock Construction prioritize sustainability and environmental responsibility in its projects?
In our industry, sustainability and environmental considerations have become standard, with architects incorporating them into project designs long before shovels break ground. Sustainability is especially meaningful to us because the projects we work on are integral parts of the communities we call home. Many of these communities are where we grew up or where our friends and family reside, so doing right by them is a top priority.
We also play our part by implementing measures to reduce waste and promote reuse wherever possible on jobsites. For instance, we recycle demolished concrete, repurposing it as fill material for future projects. This not only helps lower costs for our clients and saves time by avoiding the need for new materials, but also reduces the burden on landfills, doing right by our clients, the communities, and our environment.
7. Can you share any memorable stories or anecdotes from the company's history that highlight its resilience and dedication?
Just the fact that we are still in business 100 years later is a great testament to our resilience and dedication. Only 3% of companies make it to that milestone, and we’re lucky to be counted among them.
But the journey hasn’t always been easy. For example, five short years ago the company’s landscape looked vastly different. Back then, the construction industry operated on a hard bid basis. For us, that meant scanning the local newspapers, submitting bids, and crossing our fingers for a win. But soon, the tide turned against us. Despite our efforts, we found ourselves losing far more projects than we secured, a bitter reality to swallow. It was a wake-up call prompting us to ask ourselves, "What now?"
We refused to compromise our integrity by simply aiming to be the cheapest option in a ruthless market. Instead, we recognized the shifting preferences of clients who valued quality over mere affordability. This marked the turning point where we decided to pivot our strategy. Rather than chasing after low bid projects, we set our sights on preferred work.
This shift demanded a significant overhaul in our approach. We invested in relationships, creating a dedicated Business Development department led by Jason Flack. This team focused on nurturing existing connections and forging new ones, crafting compelling proposals that showcased our commitment to excellence.
The results spoke volumes. Over the past five years, our revenue soared, and with it, our ability to offer clients a more comprehensive experience. No longer were we simply builders; we became partners, guiding clients through every stage of their project. From design to development, we offered insights that went beyond the blueprint, saving our clients both time and money.
And that’s just one small example of the many ways we’ve adapted to change and continuously improved our processes to ensure our company is here for the long haul. Our entire story is one of resilience and dedication. The hardships have shown us that whatever challenges may come our way, we’re more than equipped to overcome them, and we’ll do it because we’ve done it before.
8. How does Comstock Construction foster a positive work culture and support its employees' professional development?
The Comstock family has set a great tone for the culture at Comstock Construction. They’re very humble and down to earth and have always put people first. Employees are a name and not just a number. Leadership not only knows employees’ names but the names of their spouses and kids.
We’re very team oriented. Often, you’ll see field guys helping each other out not only on the jobsites, but on home projects over the weekend. We try to ensure a good work-life balance for our staff, allowing them flexibility when and where they need it most, like making it to a kid’s sports game.
One of the coolest things about Comstock is that we have a lot of different career opportunities. We’ve seen folks move up in ranks throughout their tenure from field laborer to superintendent, we’ve had project managers go on to holding leadership positions within the company. And we’ve also had people who love their craft specialize in that area who are now training up our younger generations. It’s really a pick-your-path environment that offers a lot of flexibility to make your job your own.
9. Looking ahead to the next century, what are Comstock Construction's goals and visions for the future?
Our main goal is to continue our legacy of people helping people, by building up our local communities. It gives us a sense of great pride driving by projects we worked on and showing it off to our friends and family members.
We’re also concentrating on steady, sustainable growth that allows for consistently high levels of craftsmanship and satisfied clients.
To do these two things we’re focused on training the next generation of construction workers so we can feel confident in passing the torch to continue the work for another 100 years.
10. Finally, how can the community continue to support and celebrate Comstock Construction's legacy moving forward?
Advocate for the trades. The statistics show that within the next ten years 40% of the construction workforce will be retiring, and we’re already starting to see it play out. The impact will be felt by everyone. The best thing people can do is to expose our youth to career opportunities within the construction industry.
For those who like working with their hands there are roles like carpenters, electricians, and heavy equipment operators. People who would rather be behind a desk can look into pre-construction planners, architects, and engineers. Or those who want the best of both worlds, project managers, inspectors, and safety managers. There’s something to fit everybody and far more opportunities in the construction industry than most realize.
And if you’re interested in the local construction scene, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Address:
280 11th Street South
P.O. Box 1145
Wahpeton, ND 58075
Contact:
(701)-642-3207