Salt Lake City: Livability in the 21st Century

PAULSEN CONSTRUCTION
“General construction is a contrast between worrying
about where the next project is coming from and how to
successfully complete the project at hand.” This is a truth
well known to those at Paulsen Construction, who have
successfully made it through ninety years in the business.
Starting in 1924 by Paul Paulsen, who came to the United
States from Lofoten, Norway, Paulsen Construction has grown
to become one of Utah’s most prolific building contractors.
Paulsen, who has been described by his descendants as
a hard-working Norwegian who provided estimates on a
project by guessing how much it would cost to construct,
apparently had a gift for guessing well. The company not only
managed to stay in business through the Great Depression,
when many others failed, but is still going strong today.
In the 1940s the leadership of Paulsen Construction
was assumed by Paul’s sons, Herman and Byron, who had
been key individuals in the early days. The company was
incorporated in 1959, and is now led by Craig and John
Paulsen, with members of the family’s fourth generation also
involved in its activities.
As they always have, those at Paulsen Construction take
pride in providing a safe work environment and equal
opportunity for all employees and subcontractors while
delivering outstanding results for their clients.
“We are general contractors specializing in historical
restoration, seismic stabilization, educational facilities and
custom residential construction,” says John. “The company’s
mission, ‘Building Quality Products with Integrity Since
1924,’ remains very much in effect today. Our purpose is
to pursue construction projects within our communities
while delivering quality buildings for generations to come
and restoring buildings from generations past.”
Paulsen Construction employs knowledgeable and
skilled staff with the opportunity to expand industry skill
and techniques while retaining its values of responsive
leadership and concern for the industry’s future.
The company’s long history is a reflection of the area it
serves. In the early days, Paulsen Construction built many
apartment buildings in Salt Lake City, along with other
projects including the “This is the Place” monument,
the Daughters of Utah Pioneers Museum, and the second
Visitor Center at Temple Square.
After World War II and through the 1970s, the company’s
projects included many schools, and in the 1980s it
constructed numerous wastewater treatment plants.
From the 1990s to the present, Paulsen Construction has
diversified to include such projects as historic restoration,
seismic and custom residential work.
The growth of Paulsen Construction is evident in its
current basic statistics, which include an average employee
base of twenty-five to thirty and average annual revenue of
$10 million for the period from 2008 through 2012.
“We believe that by keeping our company at a reasonable
size, we can provide the attention to detail that our clients
deserve,” John says.
S A L T L A K E C I T Y — L i v a b i l i t y i n t h e 2 1 s t C e n t u r y
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