Newsletter:  April 2007 a CarCo Investments is building a mixed-use project that combines residential and commercial. Jim Ellison is the new residential manager for LeDuc & Dexter Inc.

CarCo Investments' Mixed-Use Project in Fountaingrove

Commercial / Residential

Rendering of aerial view of Fountaingrove Village with commercial plaza and parking in front of 21 homes,proposed dry cleaners is at the far left (click image to enlarge)

The Fountaingrove Village development consists of retail/office and residential. Proposed tenants in the retail/office component include an upscale, gourmet neighborhood market, coffee shop, hair salon, dry cleaner, realtor, and various other complementary uses. “The market will be approximately 8,000 square feet in size and similar in style to the Skyhawk Village Market”, stated Kevin Carinalli, President of CarCo Investments. The project is located at Fountaingrove Parkway and Stagecoach Road in Santa Rosa.

Fountaigrove Village commercial plaza with market entrance to the right (click image to enlarge)

The 21 single family, duet-style homes are designed to be approximately 1,900 square feet with standard features including: granite slab counters, stainless steel Viking appliances, window coverings and front and back yard landscaping. Prices are estimated to start in the $600’s with an estimated completion date of September 2007.

LeDuc & Dexter's commercial department is now in the underground phase for the commercial shells installing the water, wastewater and gas lines.  LeDuc & Dexter's residential department will also be plumbing the homes and installing the residential fire sprinkler systems.   LeDuc & Dexter has worked with CarCo Investments and CarCo Homes on numerous projects including a recently completed residential project in Santa Rosa off Victoria Lane.

LeDuc & Dexter is installing wastewater lines for the commercial plaza (click image to enlarge)

		CarCo Investments is best known for their quality residential projects, however, according to Brian Olhiser, CarCo Investments Superintendent on the project, “building a commercial project such as this is made easier by selecting quality subcontractors with a lot of commercial experience such as LeDuc & Dexter”.
Fountaingrove Village duet style homes (click image to enlarge)

Jim Ellison - Residential Manager

The Company

	Jim Ellison is the residential manager for LeDuc & Dexter Inc.  Ellison assumes the position as head of the residential department that was previously held by Jim Kempers, who retired in 2006.  Before coming to LeDuc & Dexter Ellison had 25 years of experience in the plumbing industry, all of it with two companies.
Jim Ellison, LeDuc & Dexter Residential Manager

Ellison started his plumbing career with a company in Southern California as an apprentice and worked his way to the positions of plumber, journeyman and then foreman, working in the residential sector.  He then moved into a management position overseeing design for prefabrication and estimating.  Ellison was trained for the position of general manager and filled in as G.M from time to time before leaving the company after eleven years of service.

Ellison went to work for a large residential plumbing contractor in the East Bay in 1992 where he went from plumber to foreman to estimating before he took the position of supervising the estimating department and facility design for prefabrication.  “We had a state of the art prefabrication department at a company with 350 plumbers”, says Ellison.
		Jim Ellison in his office at LeDuc & Dexter

Ellison came to LeDuc & Dexter in February of 2007 to become the residential manager, a position that has been one of his career goals.   “I have wanted to get into a general manager position for a while”, says Ellison.  “I knew about LeDuc & Dexter and their reputation in the industry, they are very well thought of.  Now my goal is to grow the residential department.”