Ground-up commercial construction
Harrison Construction started with interior finish-outs and later set up a ground-up division for freestanding buildings. We build freestanding restaurants, drive-thru and pad-site buildings and other small commercial buildings, with pre-construction, permitting, construction management and close-out under one contract.
- 13 ground-up buildings on record, 931 to 8,000 sq ft
- For El Pollo Loco, Starbucks, Dillas Quesadillas, Northlake Storage and 1 more
- 11 in Dallas–Fort Worth, 2 elsewhere in Texas and 1 other state
What ground-up construction covers
- Site due diligence and constructability review
- Estimating and value engineering of the building and the site work
- Permitting and coordination with the city and utilities
- Site work, foundation, structure and envelope through the trades
- Interior build-out, kitchen and equipment for restaurants
- Drive-thru, patio, parking and site elements
- Inspections, certificate of occupancy and close-out
- Restaurant brands and franchiseesbuilding a freestanding or drive-thru location on a pad site.
- Developers and landownersdelivering a pad building for a single tenant.
- Convenience-store and retail operatorswith a prototype building to repeat.
- Owners who compared ground-up with conversionand chose to build new.
Lonnie helped me bring in project after project, on time and under budget. He takes pride in his finished product so he hires the right people for his team and then places them in the correct job position.
What to settle early
More parties, longer lead
A ground-up project involves the site, the utilities, the civil work and the building. Permitting and site conditions take longer to settle than in a finish-out, which is why pre-construction matters even more.
The prototype meets the site
A brand’s prototype drawings need to be adapted to the lot, the grade, the utilities and the city’s requirements. Constructability review finds those adjustments early.
One team to the opening
The same team that builds the shell finishes the interior, so there is no handoff between a building contractor and a finish-out contractor.
Our ground-up buildings include freestanding Starbucks stores with drive-thrus in Denton, Early and Irving, Dillas Quesadillas restaurants in Frisco and in Ruston, Louisiana, El Pollo Loco restaurants and the Northlake RV and Boat Storage facility with its canopies and site work.
- Site visit, due diligence and prototype review
- Estimate, value engineering and development schedule
- Permits, bidding and subcontractor qualification
- Site work, structure, envelope and interior
- Inspections, certificate of occupancy and close-out
Buildings we built from the ground up
13 ground-up buildings we have completed
From the Harrison Construction project records: El Pollo Loco (6), Starbucks (3), Dillas Quesadillas (2), Northlake Storage and Huffman Warehouse, with contracts ranging from $100,000–$250,000 to more than $2 million.
| Project | City | Address | Size | Work | Completed | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northlake Storage | Northlake, TX | 1801 Whyte Rd | 440,000 sq ft site, 876 sq ft building | Ground-Up · Phase 1 · Phases 2 and 3, canopies | Over $2M | |
| Dillas Quesadillas | Frisco, TX | 2055 University Dr | 3,000 sq ft | Ground-Up | $1M–$2M | |
| El Pollo Loco | Grand Prairie, TX | 2660 S HWY 161 | 3,150 sq ft | Ground-Up | 2018 | $1M–$2M |
| Dillas Quesadillas | Ruston, LA | 1003 Cooktown Rd | 1,400 sq ft | Ground-Up | 2024 | $500K–$1M |
| Starbucks | Irving, TX | 4080 W. Airport Freeway | 931 sq ft | Ground-Up | $500K–$1M | |
| Huffman Warehouse | Grapevine, TX | 3324 Hall Johnson Rd | 8,000 sq ft | Ground-Up | $100K–$250K | |
| El Pollo Loco | Arlington, TX | 4911 S Cooper St | 3,150 sq ft | Ground-Up | ||
| El Pollo Loco | Bedford, TX | 1900 Central Rd | 3,150 sq ft | Ground-Up | ||
| El Pollo Loco | Grand Prairie, TX | 2125 N State Hwy 360 | 3,150 sq ft | Ground-Up | ||
| El Pollo Loco | Hurst, TX | 1245 W Pipeline Rd | 3,150 sq ft | Ground-Up | ||
| El Pollo Loco | Irving, TX | 2137 Estrada Pkwy | 3,150 sq ft | Ground-Up | ||
| Starbucks | Denton, TX | 4910 Teasley Lane | 1,980 sq ft | Ground-Up | ||
| Starbucks | Early, TX | 117 Early Blvd | 2,200 sq ft | Ground-Up |
From the Harrison Construction project records. Sizes are the leased or built area of the space. Contract is the range of the contract value, never the amount; a blank means the office has not added it yet.
Why owners choose Harrison for ground-up construction
Restaurants, finish-outs and medical offices, built here
Founded in Fort Worth by Lonnie Harrison, who has more than 25 years in construction. 190 completed projects on record in 8 states, for Firehouse Subs, Sonic, Five Guys, Taco Cabana, Starbucks, El Pollo Loco and 7-Eleven, among 73 brands.
Licensed in Texas and 29 other states
What a landlord, a lender and a franchise brand ask for first, with a ground-up division and a finish-out team under one roof.
Meetings, reports, changes priced first
Regular progress meetings and electronic project reports from the site visit to the punch list. A change is priced and approved before it is built.
Do you build from the ground up?
Yes. Our ground-up division builds freestanding restaurants and other small commercial buildings, in addition to interior finish-outs.
Do you build drive-thru and drive-in restaurants?
Freestanding restaurant brands with drive-thru and drive-in formats are on our client list, including Sonic, Taco Cabana and Starbucks. Ask us about the format you are planning.
Can you build outside Texas?
Yes. Harrison Construction is licensed in other states for brands that roll out several locations. Ask us about the states you are planning.
How is ground-up different from a finish-out?
Ground-up adds the site, the foundation, the structure, the envelope and the utility connections, with more reviewing parties and longer permitting. A finish-out starts from a space a landlord delivers.
Planning a project that needs ground-up construction?
Planning a new location, build-out, renovation or commercial development? Tell us about your project and we’ll help identify the next step.
What to send us
The address, the lease or letter of intent, any drawings or the brand’s prototype set, and the date you need to open. Not all of it is needed to start the conversation.
Email office@harrisonconstructionteam.com or call (817) 988-0242.
