Marcos Reyes was only seven when he moved with his family from Mexico to Chicago. Seeing the city for the first time as the Amtrak train rolled into Union Station left a powerful and lasting impression.
“Coming from a small farming community in Mexico of about 350 people and arriving at Union Station on a hot July night and seeing the Chicago skyline completely changed me,” recalls Marcos, president and CEO of Reyes Group, a general contractor. “I told myself that one day a little piece of this will be mine. I was fascinated with structures since I can remember and knew early on that I was destined to be a builder.”
Marcos also knew that education was the key, and his parents placed a high priority on good grades. He was a disciplined student from the beginning, enjoyed the learning process and graduated with a degree in civil engineering from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. After five years working in the field, he formed his own company.
“I started out with one five-man crew, and right now we have the ability to have nine, 10 crews,” said Reyes. His company specializes in structural concrete, underground utilities and civil electrical work. The company celebrated its 25th anniversary last summer.
Reyes Group started working with ComEd approximately 10 years ago as a subcontractor. Soon the company had opportunities to serve ComEd as a general contractor, always delivering on promises, says Marcos. “Our value proposition has always been to do what you say you’ll do, on time and on budget, and if you do that, one good job generally leads to another.”
Last year, Reyes was awarded its largest ComEd project to date, serving as general contractor for the first phase of the new Chicago North office complex that will replace the ComEd facility that opened at California and Addison streets in 1930.
The Chicago North project will engage diversity certified suppliers from the Chicago area to perform at least 50 percent of the design, engineering and construction.
“I’m very impressed with the way that ComEd has reached out to the minority contracting community,” said Reyes. “The company is serious about creating opportunities for diverse suppliers who share their commitment to superior quality and to creating strong communities.”
The priority for Reyes Group was building the underground storm water containment and storage system for a six-acre outdoor supply yard, which the company completed in December.
The complex will include a 100,000-square-foot office and a 65,000-square-foot warehouse. It will be home base for more than 600 ComEd field employees, engineering and administrative groups. It will be LEED Platinum certified, reflecting the highest rating awarded for energy efficiency by the U.S. Green Building Council.
Special features will include a 10,000-square-foot STEM education center, including classrooms for area students, along with technology and interactive energy efficiency displays, and more than 300,000 square feet of space reserved for community and civic group activities.
