Hauppauge, NY Nearly 40 years ago, Jack Kulka founded Kulka Construction and the concept of construction management to give clients quality build at lower costs. Since then, Kulka Construction has built over 22 million s/f across the tri-state and south Florida with a portfolio that includes world-class waterfront residences, community centers, retail centers, hotels, industrial facilities and corporate offices.
Construction management is a method of construction where Kulka manages the entire process every step of the way – from getting the approvals all the way to receiving a certificate of occupancy. The project owner provides a flat fee, and will never get charged for any change orders. Kulka acts as the owner’s rep, always looking out for their best interests with a motto of “whatever it takes to get the job done.”
It’s a service model that has served Kulka well, and has led to many competitors entering the market. But none can match the 40 years’ experience of Kulka.
Jack’s son Devin Kulka has also decided to capitalize on these market opportunities as he joins the management team. Devin has led efforts to rebrand the company and expand upon its services to offer general contracting, real estate development and capital consulting for real estate developers. As the company enters this next phase, Kulka Construction has become The Kulka Group.
The Kulka Group
While The Kulka Group will always maintain its award-winning expertise in construction management, the company has started to push into real estate development. This team, led by Devin, works with clients to research markets and how to best develop to the trending landscape, design the build, and ultimately work with its network of partners to broker, manage, and/or maintain the properties.
Right now, Devin acts as the property manager for Elkay Realty LLC. He worked to bring one property from a 57% occupancy rate to 100%. He has also started the process to utilize the new community solar program that PSEG is offering to make Elkay’s property in Hauppauge, one of, if not the first community solar program on Long Island.
Eventually, in a more long-term view, the company would like to move into real estate investment and consulting as well.
Building Green
Building green is one of The Kulka Group’s key drivers and is an integral part of the corporate culture. The company’s green and LEED project experience has shown clients that building green and high-performance facilities are cost comparable to traditional construction projects, due to decreased payback periods and reduced lifecycle costs.
The Kulka Group recently completed two projects that achieved high levels of sustainability. The Amneal Pharmaceuticals build in Brookhaven achieved LEED certification, and has a state of the art geothermal system incorporated into the building that produces significant savings. At the Perfume Center of America distribution center they worked with SUNation in order to install the second-largest private rooftop solar system in New York. The cost of installing it will be paid off in energy savings in only two years’ time.
It may cost a business more upfront to build green, but there are many rebates available from PSEG and the cost savings add up quickly in terms of ongoing energy costs, waste reduction, and water conservation.
Beyond the economic benefits, there are the obvious environmental benefits such as an improvement in air quality and less greenhouse emissions. But there are also less obvious social benefits that building owners will realize over time. As a result of better building efficiency, cleaner air, and more comfortable environment, productivity increases among the company’s team and health problems are drastically reduced, resulting in even more cost reduction and better overall company morale.
Commitment to Quality
While it’s obvious that The Kulka Group has undergone many changes over the past year, what hasn’t changed is their thoughtful approach to every build. Its diverse and visionary team combines expertise with passion to create beautiful, on-time and cost efficient commercial properties.
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