Fretz Construction Company Receives Recognition

04/16/2013 | Fretz Construction Company

Fretz Construction Company was recognized with Landmark Awards in the Historic Renovation and Rehabilitation/Renovation categories for the restoration of the 500 Fannin Building and in the Special Project category for the Annunciation Catholic Church Restoration. These were presented by the Houston Business Journal at their annual awards gala held Thursday evening at the Houstonian.

The 500 Fannin Building, formerly Wilson Stationery and Printing Company, originally designed by William Ward Watkin and most recently by Ziegler Cooper Architects, is a striking art deco building in the north end of downtown Houston. After being vacant and in severe disrepair for over three decades, the building has been fully restored to its original beauty, and enhanced with environmentally conscious features which have put the building on track for LEED Gold certification.

Annunciation Catholic Church embarked on a complete sanctuary restoration which included foundation work, new exterior coating, stained glass restoration and most noticeably, the restoration of the steeple, including new gold leaf. The steeple had not been touched since 1945 when Fretz Construction Company re-erected the steeple after a storm.

“Receiving three Landmark Awards from the Houston Business Journal is a true honor for our firm, and it speaks to the quality of the construction that our good people produce for our clients on a regular basis. Both of the winning projects were special ones for our company,” said Bob Fretz, Jr., President of Fretz Construction.

Fretz Construction Company is a 90-year-old privately held construction firm, continuously owned and managed by the Fretz family since 1923. The firm has built its reputation serving a variety of religious, not-for-profit, educational, medical and historic restoration clients. Fretz Construction employs many second and third generation employees who know and respect the reputation of the firm and continue to provide their clients with the finest in skill and quality.