A Company Is Shaped By Its Past
GBA, Inc. is a General Contracting company doing work in South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana, Nebraska and Wyoming. GBA, Inc. has a wide experience in full service commercial and industrial projects for public/private owners strongly promoting design-build construction. In and around Rapid City, GBA, Inc. has built: schools, clinics, apartments, motels, medical facilities, fast food establishments, churches, and office buildings. GBA, Inc. has also done many projects on the Indian Reservations such as single and multi family homes, schools, clinics, shelters, and office buildings using 99% local labor. At present time, there are approximately 65 people on the payroll.
The Beginning:
Glenn C. Barber, founder of Glenn C. Barber & Assoc., Inc., began the company in 1989 after the death of the remaining major partners of Robbins and Stearns Lumber Company. Robbins and Stearns was a construction company and lumber yard which began in Rapid City in 1911.
J.L. Robbins came from Pennsylvania, in 1907 and started several small West River lumberyards to supply homesteaders. In 1911 homesteading was over. Robbins closed his small rural lumberyards and moved to Rapid City and opened what was then the 6th lumberyard in town.
Service Sets Us Apart:
In order to move his products he started the “First Time Payment Plan” with terms for homebuyers, to buy a home, long before typical home mortgage existed in this area. Robbins built the 1915 Firehouse, a well-known Rapid City landmark, as well as the first JC Penney building on Main Street. By building and financing family homes and building commercial properties for lease, Robbins and his partner Clifton Stearns were able to survive the Great Depression after World War II.
Robbin's Son In Law, Charles Keown and Cecil Urban built Robbindsdale starting with small efficient, low-cost homes for returning veterans. This has grown into an area containing thousands of homes and apartments and what is now South East Rapid City.
Growth Continues
Glenn C. Barber joined Robbins and Stearns in 1960 after he graduated from South Dakota School of Mines and Technology with an Engineering degree. He bought in to the company in 1966. After operating successfully in Rapid City for 80 years, Robbins and Stearns closed their old, traditional lumberyard and wholesale distribution. At that time they had built 3 major subdivisions. R & S Construction Company, a subdivision, and most of the long time employees continued with Glenn C. Barber and became Glenn C. Barber & Assoc., Inc. in March of 1989.
Strength in Family
In August of 1989, Bill G. Barber joined his father in the company as Vice President of the company. Bill graduated from Arizona State University in Phoenix, AZ with a Construction Management degree in 1986. He had been working for Montgomery Engineering in Los Angeles for 3 years prior to coming back to Rapid City.
Bill created a niche for himself by building specially designed buildings for the medical community, such as the Black Hills Surgery Center, Black Hills Imaging Center, and Mt. View Animal Clinic (formerly Pro-Motion Building). He has also done extensive work at Rapid City Regional Hospital. In 2000, Bill became President of the company, with Glenn’s semi-retirement.
Glenn C. Barber & Associates Inc
2801 Plant St.
Rapid City, SD 57702
Call: 605-342-7006
E-mail: gba@gbaconstruction.com
© 2007. GBA Construction. All Rights Reserved.
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