Woman-owned general contractor · Greater Philadelphia 215-639-1900

Philadelphia, PA  ·  General contractor since 1985

We build the work we self-perform.

Smith Construction is a woman-owned general contractor in Northeast Philadelphia. For four decades we have delivered commercial, municipal and institutional projects across the Greater Philadelphia area — with our own tradesmen on the critical work.

Request a quote See recent projects
In business
40+Years, continuous operation
Ownership
WomanOwned and minority-owned
Region
PhillyGreater Philadelphia area
Trades
UnionApprenticeship training 25+ yrs

A-100  /  What we do

Three ways we come onto a job

Bring us in early to shape the budget, hire us to build it, or hand us the whole delivery. Most clients use more than one.

01 — Before the build

Preconstruction

Numbers you can plan around, before drawings are final.

  • Conceptual estimating and budgeting
  • Constructibility review
  • CPM scheduling
  • Subcontract market analysis
02 — In the field

Construction

Our own forces handle the critical scopes rather than subbing them out.

  • General construction and project management
  • Site work and selective demolition
  • Concrete flatwork and formwork
  • Rough and finish carpentry
  • Metal studs and drywall
03 — On paper

Contract delivery

Structured to fit how your project is funded and who carries the risk.

  • Traditional lump sum
  • Guaranteed maximum price
  • Construction management at-risk
  • Cost plus

A-201  /  Featured work

Kingsessing Recreation Center

Municipal · Exterior restoration

Exterior envelope restoration of a historic Philadelphia recreation building — new windows, new roof, new GFRC cornice and balcony, masonry repair, and a cleaned and repointed façade.

See the photographs

Restored pediment and decorative window screens at Kingsessing Recreation Center

Pennsylvania State Police Headquarters

Municipal · In progress

A new headquarters at Belmont and Monument Avenues in Philadelphia, replacing the fifty-year-old building on the site. Designed with sustainable systems throughout and built to stay in service for the next fifty.

View the project record

Building area
54,000 SF
Location
Philadelphia, PA
Delivery
CM at-risk
40+Years in business
25+Years apprentice training
5Person management team
1General contractor, start to finish

Have a project in mind?

Send us the scope and a rough timeline. We will tell you what it takes to build it.

Request a quote

A-101  /  Scope of work

Services

We cover a project from preconstruction planning through closeout anywhere in the Greater Philadelphia area. Our reputation was built on workmanship, which is why we keep the capability to perform critical tasks with our own forces instead of passing them down the chain. Our tradesmen have been in apprenticeship training programs for over twenty-five years.

01  /  Preconstruction

Get the number right first

  • Conceptual estimating and budgeting
  • Constructibility review
  • CPM scheduling
  • Subcontract market analysis

02  /  Construction

Self-performed where it counts

  • General construction
  • Project management
  • Site work
  • Selective demolition
  • Concrete flatwork
  • Concrete formwork
  • Rough carpentry
  • Finish carpentry
  • Metal studs and drywall
  • General requirements

03  /  Contract delivery methods

Structured to fit the job

  • Traditional lump sum contracting
  • Guaranteed maximum price
  • Construction management at-risk
  • Cost plus

Not sure which delivery method fits?

Tell us how the project is funded and who is carrying the risk. We will walk you through the options.

Talk to us

A-201  /  Project record

Projects

Municipal and institutional work across Philadelphia — including historic buildings where the job is to bring the structure back rather than replace it.

Institutional · Full building renovation

Kingsessing Library

Scope
Full renovation
Sector
Institutional
Location
Philadelphia, PA

A gut renovation of a Free Library of Philadelphia branch — from the roof and masonry down to the finishes, systems and furniture, then back out to the grounds. The building stays what it was; everything that makes it work is new.

1  /  Exterior envelope

  • Masonry cleaning, repairs and repointing
  • Window replacement with security grilles
  • Refurbishment of the original window grates
  • Exterior door replacement
  • Full roof replacement — SBS at low slope, asphalt shingles at pitched
  • Roof accessories and new roof drains
  • Fall restraint system and roof access ladders
  • New exterior lighting and security cameras

2  /  Interior

  • Selective demolition — partitions, ceilings, flooring, doors, casework, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection
  • Hazmat remediation
  • Salvage and relocation of items
  • ADA upgrades
  • Elevator replacement
  • Toilet room renovation and reconfiguration
  • New finishes throughout
  • Casework and interior furnishings
  • Interior signage and wayfinding
  • Heating and air conditioning systems
  • New power and lighting throughout
  • Security, IT and AV upgrades
  • Furniture procurement and installation

3  /  Site improvements

  • New story circle and ADA-compliant path
  • New storage and equipment shed
  • Fencing
  • Reconfiguration of the community garden and relocation of garden-related structures
  • Tree removal and planting

Kingsessing Library — exterior, interior and site

Municipal · Exterior restoration

Kingsessing Recreation Center

Scope
Exterior
Sector
Municipal
Location
Philadelphia, PA

Exterior envelope restoration of a historic Philadelphia recreation building. The façade, roof and openings brought back to serviceable condition with the original detailing kept — repair where it can be repaired, replacement only where it cannot.

Scope of work

  • Replacement of existing windows with new metal insulated units
  • New roof, including sheathing and decking repair and insulation
  • New GFRC cornice
  • New balcony and metal railing
  • Masonry repair and replacement, including lintels and coping
  • Cleaning and repointing of the exterior façade

Kingsessing Recreation Center — exterior envelope restoration

Municipal · In progress

Pennsylvania State Police Headquarters

Building area
54,000 SF
Sector
Municipal
Delivery
CM at-risk
Location
Philadelphia, PA

A new headquarters at Belmont and Monument Avenues, replacing the fifty-year-old building on the site. Designed with sustainable systems throughout and built to stay in service for the next fifty.

G-002  /  Company

About us

Smith Construction is a woman-owned construction business built around a flexible management style and a set of assets most general contractors of our size do not carry. Nearly forty years of steady growth, drawing on the construction experience of J.A. Smith Construction and minority ownership, has made us a competitive force in the Greater Philadelphia area. Across commercial, municipal and institutional work, we build the highest-quality project we can and keep the client relationship past the punch list.

G-002.1  /  Management team

Who runs the work

The people below run every project we take on, from the first estimate to the final walkthrough.

Renee Ohntrup

President · Acting CFO

  • 30 years construction experience
  • BBA, Temple University
  • Construction Management Certificate, Drexel University
  • Paralegal Certificate

Chris Chinnici

Vice President · PM · Estimator

  • 35+ years construction experience
  • Managing Partner, Craft Management
  • A.A. Business Studies, BCCC

Steve Ward

Senior Superintendent

  • 20+ years construction experience
  • Philadelphia Carpenters Training Program
  • Member, Carpenters Union

TJ Ohntrup

Project Manager · Estimator

  • M.S. Construction Management, Thomas Jefferson University
  • Member, Laborers Union

Jacob Cancel

Project Manager

  • 7+ years construction experience
  • Project Management Professional (PMP)
  • B.B.A. Business Management, Temple University
  • OSHA 30-Hour Construction · Procore certified

G-005  /  Staff directory

Meet the team

Five people carry a project from the first budget to the final walkthrough. You will deal with them directly — not a call center, not a rotating account manager.

Renee Ohntrup

Owner · Chief Executive Officer

Leads Smith Construction as its owner and serves as acting CFO. Thirty years in the industry, and the reason the company holds its woman-owned certification.

  • 30 years construction experience
  • BBA, Temple University
  • Construction Management Certificate, Drexel University
  • Paralegal Certificate

Direct  215-639-1900 ext. 101

Chris Chinnici

Vice President · Estimator

Prices the work and oversees delivery. Thirty-five years of estimating and construction management across commercial and municipal projects.

  • 35+ years construction experience
  • Managing Partner, Craft Management
  • A.A. Business Studies, BCCC

Direct  215-639-1900 ext. 102

TJ Ohntrup

Project Manager

Manages schedule, submittals and subcontractor coordination from preconstruction through closeout.

  • M.S. Construction Management, Thomas Jefferson University
  • Member, Laborers Union

Direct  215-639-1900 ext. 103

Jacob Cancel

Project Manager

Came up through the company — site crew in 2018, assistant project manager in 2022, project manager since 2024. Runs several jobs at once, holding scope, schedule, budget and quality together while keeping vendors, clients and field crews pointed the same way.

  • 7+ years with Smith Construction — crew, assistant PM, project manager
  • Project Management Professional (PMP)
  • B.B.A. Business Management, Temple University
  • OSHA 30-Hour Construction · Procore certified

Direct  215-639-1900 ext. 104

Steve Ward

Senior Superintendent

Twenty-plus years running municipal, educational and commercial sites — sequencing the trades, holding the schedule, and keeping the self-performed crews to the standard the company was built on. He came up through the Philadelphia Carpenters Training Program, so he can do the work he is supervising.

  • 20+ years construction experience
  • Philadelphia Carpenters Training Program
  • Member, Carpenters Union
  • Municipal, educational and commercial projects

Direct  215-639-1900 ext. 105

Want to talk to one of them?

Call the office and ask for the person handling your project type, or send the scope through and we will route it.

Request a quote

G-003  /  Contact

Request a quote

Smith Construction Company

Have a project in mind? Send the scope and a rough timeline and we will get back to you.

Office
10400 Drummond Rd.
Philadelphia, PA 19154
Phone
215-639-1900
Email
info@smithconstructioninc.com
Hours
Monday – Friday, 7:00 AM – 4:00 PM

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