This article originally appeared in The La Jolla Light
Murfey Construction is well known in San Diego, particularly in La Jolla, for the seven-year-old company’s commercial and primarily residential building services, everything from general contracting to consulting. It’s also recognizable for its distinctive pelican logo and, of course, for that spelling of Murfey (for founders Scott and Russell Murfey).
Well, neither that name nor the pelican are going anywhere, but what Jesse Lyons, director of operations and marketing, calls a “brand expansion” will designate the parent company as Murfey Company. Divisions of Murfey Company, each offering their specific services, will have their own established brands: Murfey Construction (general contracting); Veritas Urban Properties (real estate development), BidRancher (software application development); and Murfey Management (property management). The idea, Lyons said, is “to encompass all the different activities and the brands we manage and those we hope to add.
“There are a number of things we do well. That’s the reason we wanted to create our parent company.” The other reason? To show that Murfey is a major player. “Our message is we’re a big company,” said Lyons, who came onboard at Murfey three years ago.
By any name, the company’s emphasis is on urban infill. “I think the No. 1 thing is we want to bring value to the community,” Lyons explained. “It’s really about taking a space that no one else wanted or could do anything with or which sat vacant for years, and turning it into something usable.”
One such project set for January, when ground will be broken, is the 78-unit, mixed-use Driftwood luxury apartment building in Point Loma in the Sports Arena (aka Valley View Casino Center) area on the corner of Kenyon and Kemper streets. Driftwood, Lyons said, is a perfect example of the kinds of space utilization projects that “provide valuable housing to San Diego, which is virtually starved for new apartments.”
Murfey Construction — or should we say Murfey Company? — is occupying a new residence itself, having recently relocated from Pacific Beach to the former Buffalo Breath costume store space in Old Town. Murfey today boasts 30-plus employees, with more than 40 years of combined industry experience.
In addition to the brand expansion and the development of residential properties like Driftwood in early 2017, there is plenty on the Murfey horizon. “We actually have a hotel division where we are working (on remodel projects) with some of the nation’s hotel chains,” Lyons said, “not just in California but in a couple of other states as well.”
But growing and improving communities through well-conceived projects remains at the top of the list. “We really see ourselves growing further as a trusted urban infill developer,” said Lyons. “We’re always looking for the unused pieces of dirt that are out there.”
— Murfey Construction, 2050 Hancock St., Suite B., San Diego (858) 459-6865. murfeyconstruction.com
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