Lee Building Company
| Lee Building Company | |
|---|---|
| Type | Construction |
| Founded | 1939 (Charlottesville) |
| Founder | Robert Edward Lee and Robert Erwin Lee, co-founders |
| Headquarters | Charlottesville, VA |
| No. of locations | Charlottesville |
| Employees | |
| Parent | Lee Construction Group |
| Divisions | Lee Town & Country Homes |
| Website | https://lee-bc.com/ |
|
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Lee Building Company, previously known as R. E. Lee and Son, Inc., is one of the oldest construction firms in Virginia which originated in Charlottesville.
History
Lee Building Company was co-founded as R. E. Lee and Son, Inc. in 1939 by Robert "Bob" Edward Lee, a mechanical engineer, and his son, Robert "Bobby" Erwin Lee, after the family had moved to Charlottesville in 1911. Prior to 1950, the company's main emphasis was on building custom homes for individuals. In the late 1950's, the company expanded from building private residences to include some commercial construction. The firm began to concentrate almost exclusively on commercial contracts in the 1960's. In the 1970's, the company began to compete for institutional and industrial contracts as well. Previously, they had branch offices in Hampton and Fairfax, Virginia. The company celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1989[1].
In 2020, R. E. Lee and Son returned to residential construction with the creation of a new division called Lee Town & Country Homes that focuses on custom home building.
In 2021, as part of a larger company rebranding, R. E. Lee and Son changed its name to Lee Building Company[2].
Generations of Family Business
- 1st Generation: Robert "Bob" Edward Lee (1878-1952) - co-founded R. E. Lee and Son
- 2nd Generation: Robert "Bobby" Erwin Lee (1908-1978) - co-founded R. E. Lee and Son. He attended Charlottesville High School and graduated from the [[University of Virginia School of Engineering[[ in 1929 with a B.S. in civil engineering. He served as a major in the army corps of engineers in World War II from 1943 to 1945.
- 3rd Generation: Robert "Robin" Erwin Lee, Jr. (1940-2025[3]). He graduated from the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business in 1964 with a Master's degree in Business Administration [4] and served in various roles over the course of his tenure.
- 4th Generation: Christopher E. Lee (1966-2015[5]) worked at all levels of the company over the course of his career. He was serving as CEO of the parent company R. E. Lee Companies when he passed away in 2015.
Lee Construction Group
In 1997, Piedmont Virginia Companies was formed as a parent company to manage the group of construction and property management related companies formed by Robin Lee in recent years, including R. E. Lee and Son. Piedmont Virginia Companies changed its name to R. E. Lee Companies in 2014 to highlight on its connection with R. E. Lee and Son; this rebrand also included aligning of marketing materials for all the companies in the group. In 2021, the parent company changed its name once again, to Lee Construction Group. The 2021 rebrand also included changing R. E. Lee and Son's name to Lee Building Company.
Lee Construction Group provides the operational support to the companies in its group in accounting, marketing, human resources, and general operations.
Lee Construction Group includes:
- Lee Building Company (1939 - current) ] - Commercial Construction General Contractor known as R. E. Lee and Son from 1939 to 2021
- Lee Town & Country Homes (2020 - current) - Residential Custom Home Builder
- Piedmont Development Group (1998 - current) - Commercial & Residential Real Estate Land Development and Construction Management Firm known as Piedmont Professional Services from 1998 to 2002, and R. E. Lee Construction Management and Professional Consulting from 2002 to 2010
- Piedmont Facilities Management (1998 - current) - Facilities and Property Management Firm known as Piedmont Carpentry from 1998 to 2001; also known as Handyman of the Piedmont
- Piedmont Concrete Contractors (1997- current) - Commercial Concrete Contractor
- Piedmont Plaster & Drywall (1991 - current) - Commercial Metal Framing and Drywall Contractor
- Piedmont Waterproofing Contractors (2017 - current) - Commercial Waterproofing Contractor
Projects
R. E. Lee and Son has been involved with many important projects in the Charlottesville area[6]. In 1976, the company renovated the interior of the Rotunda and won the "Build America Award" for most outstanding construction project in the U.S. by the Association of General Contractors and Motorola Corporation. Projects at the University of Virginia include Clemons Library, the Law School, the Graduate School of Business, the Drama Building, the Schools of Education, Engineering and Nursing, Wilson Hall, Newcomb Hall, Thornton Hall and Monroe Hall as well as Lambeth, Copeley and Married Student Housing projects and the Scott Stadium expansion. [7]
Work history includes restoration and maintenance of some of the best known historical homes in Virginia including Monticello, Morven, Mt. Vernon and Shadwell, also known as the Peter Jefferson House. [8]
References
- ↑ Web. A GUIDE TO THE PAPERS OF R. E. LEE AND SON, INC., 1935-1962, Special Collections Department, University of Virginia Library, retrieved January 15, 2021.
- ↑ Web. Name Change Announcement, June 16, 2021, retrieved June 6, 2025.
- ↑ Web. Robert Lee Obituary, Daily Progress, Lee Enterprises, April 1, 2025, retrieved June 6, 2025.
- ↑ Web. A GUIDE TO THE PAPERS OF R. E. LEE AND SON, INC., 1935-1962, Special Collections Department, University of Virginia Library, retrieved January 15, 2021.
- ↑ Web. Christopher Erskine Lee, retrieved June 6 2025.
- ↑ Web. Project Gallery, retrieved June 6, 2025.
- ↑ Web. A GUIDE TO THE PAPERS OF R. E. LEE AND SON, INC., 1935-1962, Special Collections Department, University of Virginia Library, retrieved January 15, 2021.
- ↑ Web. A GUIDE TO THE PAPERS OF R. E. LEE AND SON, INC., 1935-1962, Special Collections Department, University of Virginia Library, retrieved January 15, 2021.