The Summit Company Completes High-End Custom Build for Local Community
The Summit Company has always let their faith guide them in how they conduct their business. So, it is no surprise that a little “divine intervention” led them to their most recent and ambitious project—The Highland Township Municipal Building.
“We were nearing completion on our previous project and really did not see anything on the immediate horizon,” said Tony Dattilio, President of The Summit Company. “I admit I prayed a bit and gave our architect a call to see what his thoughts were. That is when I heard about the Highland Township project.”
The multi-million-dollar project involved extensive renovation and expansion to the Highland Township offices and Activity Center. The resulting new look of the building truly captured the community’s spirit while offering state-of-the-art office space and public auditorium for local meetings.
“This is by far one of our largest, most ambitious project for Summit to date,” said Dattilio of the seven-million-dollar Highland Township renovation project. “The fit and finish of this project was amazing and gives it a very local feel, with attention to quality and durability. Everything was planned with great attention to detail but also built to last.”
Dattilio mentioned the exterior sheeting by way of an example of meeting both aesthetic and durability needs of the project.
“We used a solid composite board made primarily of plastic that was stained by Canadian Company, Wood Tones, to mimic stained wood, yet will not rot or weather like it’s lumber alternative,” said Dattilio. “This will dramatically limit the need for exterior upkeep like painting or replacement—that will continue to look amazing for generations.”
According to Dattilio, the architect, Lindhout Associates Architects, deserves most of the credit for designing a flawless project. He also credits the tenacious oversite and input of their client through Highland Supervisor Rick Hamill. It was his continued involvement that made the project a true reflection of Highland Township.
“This new building will carry the township 50 years into the future and will include cost saving technology to benefit our residents,” said Hamill. “I am proud that we were able to incorporate so much rich history into the design and still feature the latest in technology for our staff to perform their jobs more effectively and efficiently.”
The Highland Township Hall was originally built on John Street in 1953 and had served the growing community for 68 years. The Activity Center was added in the 1980s. But soon it became apparent that the Township was in need of more space and additional technology to better serve their community.
“We had the resources to pay for the
project in full,” said Hamill. “That is probably unusual for many local municipalities, but we had been planning for this eventuality for a while and knew that we would need a new facility to better serve the needs of our constituents. I am proud we were able to do this without raising any additional taxes.”
With a township population of 4,000 when the original hall was built in the early 50s, Highland had found itself at nearly 20,000 residents in 2022 and the offices have not expanded significantly. It was time to bring the facilities up to date.
During the renovation, Hamill and his team did not miss a beat providing all township services by phone, online or in-person in their temporary “shacks.” The temporary office complex was the brainchild of Hamill, who realized not everything could be done online or via phone.
“We bought a number of temporary garden sheds to house several employees during public hours,” said Hamill. “Most were by appointment, and on occasion it was chilly, but served the need to meet and conduct business until our new township hall could be utilized. Truthfully, some of our staff miss those shacks,” he joked.
Dattilio is proud of his team and their ability to work with a number of ABC contractors, such as Douglas Electric and Multi Drywall Partition on this project. He firmly believes in working with companies that embrace the merit shop philosophy.
“There is a confidence in working with fellow member companies,” Dattilio said. “You have an expectation of excellence and know these companies have been vetted by ABC and embrace the same values you do. A level playing field for everyone where you are judged by the quality and value of your work—who could ask for more.”
