General Services Administration (GSA) Selects JE Dunn Construction for Façade Renovations on the Charles Evans Whittaker U.S. Federal Courthouse in Kansas City

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (May 17, 2022) – JE Dunn Construction, the 9th largest government contractor in the country, has been selected by the General Services Administration to provide façade renovations on the Charles Evans Whittaker U.S. Federal Courthouse in downtown Kansas City, Mo. When complete, the renovation will provide new glass curtain wall systems, enhanced building security and an exterior update of one of Kansas City’s most iconic structures located in the City’s government corridor. JE Dunn Construction, with its national headquarters across the street from the building, was the original contractor for the building in 1998.

The contract delivery method is Construction Manager as Contractor (CMc), where JE Dunn will work the architect, Krueck Sexton Partners out of Chicago, and their consultants to refine the design and price of the U.S. Courthouse renovation over the next 10 months.  At the completion of design, construction is expected to take approximately 24 months. The courthouse building is at 9th and Locust on the eastern side of Kansas City’s downtown area. The iconic structure, originally designed by Ellerbe Beckett, flanks the 5.2-acre Ilus W. Davis Park in the City’s government corridor. 

Over the past 20 years, the eastern side of downtown Kansas City has seen significant investment and improvement, setting the stage for future development. Twelve years ago, JE Dunn Construction constructed a new, 200,000 sq. ft. national headquarters with an adjacent City of Kansas City, Missouri parking structure for 750 cars, which serves the government corridor and KC Live District. In 2012, the GSA and JE Dunn completed a major renovation of the Richard Bolling Federal Building, solidifying the federal government’s commitment to the urban core.

“JE Dunn Construction partnered with the GSA on 30 projects over the past 30 years.  We appreciate their commitment to institutional design and construction and understand the responsibility the agency carries as the nation’s largest landlord,” stated Margaret Bowker, Senior Vice President of JE Dunn Construction. “We worked for two years to assemble the right team to produce the best technical approach for the building, its occupants, the busy area, and the federal government.”
Margaret Bowker, Sr. Vice President, JE Dunn Construction

“We are honored to be a part of this project and continue our long-term relationship with the GSA,” said Donny Tennyson, Vice President at JE Dunn Construction.  “The GSA is committed to providing federal employees and agencies with state-of-the-art facilities, and we are thrilled to help them execute their mission. We are using a team that has curtainwall renovation experience as well as courthouse construction and tenant transition planning experience.”
Donny Tennyson, Vice President, JE Dunn Construction

JE Dunn has worked with the GSA on over $1.6 billion in construction in the last 30 years.  The company is currently completing a multi-phased renovation of the Bannister Complex in Kansas City, Mo.; a renovation of the GSA Denver Federal Center Building 53; and is part of the GSA Region 6 and Region 7 IDIQ Contract Pools, which gives the GSA access to the company’s construction resources throughout the country.  JE Dunn led the construction for several previous GSA projects including the National Nuclear Security Administration Campus, the Richard Bolling Federal Building, and the IRS Campus, all located in Kansas City. JE Dunn has also worked with the GSA on Land Port of Entry projects in the Western U.S. and eight U.S. Federal Courthouses.

Construction on the Charles Evans Whittaker Courthouse commences in the Spring of 2023 and is scheduled for completion in 2025.