How general contractor W.E. O’Neil Construction has maintained its competitive edge for over a century
The story of W.E. O’Neil Construction began 100 years ago when William E. O’Neil, working as an office boy for a local architectural firm, dreamed of bigger opportunities. Through hard work and determination, William founded W.E. O’Neil Construction in Chicago, though the timing was challenging – just four years later, the Great Depression began. Despite serious economic difficulties, the company survived by taking on projects such as the Chicago World’s Fair and securing public contracts in New York, Massachusetts, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. In 1935, William’s son, Art O’Neil, joined the business, continuing his father’s legacy of dedication to employees, customers, and the community.
Photo: Tom Rossiter Photography
Over the years, W.E. O’Neil Construction continued to adapt and grow, moving confidently into new markets. During World War II, the company contributed significantly to Army and Navy expansions at Great Lakes and Fort Sheridan near Chicago. In 1946, W.E. O’Neil introduced a profit-sharing plan prioritizing employee benefits, a program still active today, which ultimately evolved into 100 percent employee ownership.
In the 1950s, following successful projects like the Syracuse War Memorial, the company expanded its presence in New York, where it built portions of the US interstate system through New York, Illinois, and Indiana. By the 1980s, the fourth generation of the O’Neil family joined the firm as it continued geographic expansion, first to Tucson, Arizona, then establishing its first California office in Los Angeles.
Further growth followed, with new offices opening in Denver, Nashville, and San Diego. W.E. O’Neil expanded both organically and through strategic acquisitions. For instance, in 2022, it incorporated an existing general contractor in Austin, Texas, into its operations, formalizing its presence in Texas. Today, W.E. O’Neil maintains a network of 12 offices across six states, allowing the company to deliver personalized client attention typical of smaller firms.
Collaboration and dedication
Several factors have been crucial to W.E. O’Neil Construction’s century-long success. Its core values, originating from founder William Edward O’Neil and reinforced by successive family generations, have consistently driven excellence. Despite changes over a century, the emphasis on relationships within project teams has remained essential, as evidenced by over 80 percent of business coming from repeat clients. Great value is placed on the relationships developed with clients. The team recognizes that communication is the cornerstone of these relationships, so they listen and become partners in their clients’ building successes.
The company’s success is further grounded in its commitment to people, quality, integrity, and responsiveness to client needs. Committed to developing construction leaders of tomorrow, its approach involves individual mentoring as well as practical, workshop-based trainings for growth in both technical and soft skills. This culture encourages innovation and has led W.E. O’Neil to become an award-winning and nationally recognized industry leader.
Another critical element of success is the company’s 100 percent employee-owned business model. Employees’ ownership stake aligns their personal interests with the company’s success, promoting strong collaboration and dedication. This creates a powerful dynamic that benefits not only staff but also clients and the work itself.
Currently, W.E. O’Neil operates offices in Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Tennessee, and Texas. The company manages mostly large-scale projects across various markets nationwide, with its Special Projects Group handling smaller-scale work. Top markets include aviation, education, infrastructure, aerospace, senior living, multifamily, tribal, and gaming. The company’s Chicago roots are in the trades, and their ability to self-perform concrete bring benefits to projects like driving the schedule; improving quality, safety, and security; and reducing cost in escalating markets.
Trusted partner
Looking forward to the coming years, as the company enters its second century of operation, it seeks to build on successes like the unique LAX (Los Angeles International Airport) Midfield Satellite Concourse (MSC) South project, an extension to the existing concourse of the west gates of Tom Bradley International Terminal. Utilizing a construction technique called offsite construction and relocation (OCR) – a first-of-its-kind at LAX – the concourse was built in nine segments roughly a mile and a half away from the project’s site. Once assembled, these segments were transported across the runway and set in place. The OCR technique was both innovative and adaptive, saving public funds and time with a high degree of building control and supervision; it also enabled less disruption to the airport and the broader location.
The LAX project illustrates how far W.E. O’Neil Construction has come since its first days in Chicago. In its near century of operation, W.E. O’Neil has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to its core values of quality, integrity, and responsiveness. These principles continue to guide the company’s growth and success, ensuring that W.E. O’Neil remains a trusted partner in the construction industry for years to come.
In February 2025, in recognition of a century of excellence in construction, philanthropy, and economic contribution, the City of Chicago officially proclaimed 2025 as W.E. O’Neil’s 100-year anniversary. The firm has played a pivotal role in shaping the Chicago skyline and community. From local landmarks such as The Museum of Contemporary Art, Lane Tech High School, Crown Fountain at Millennium Park, restoration of the Chicago Theatre and the firm’s first project – the Primate House at Lincoln Park Zoo; to modern developments like Lincoln Common, Block 37, the University of Chicago’s William Eckhardt Research Center, and LondonHouse Hotel, its work has left an enduring mark on the city.
As part of its centennial celebrations, the company will host events and initiatives throughout the year. With a legacy built on resilience and growth, W.E. O’Neil Construction stands ready to embrace future opportunities and challenges, and Construction Today looks forward to reporting further on this stalwart in US construction.