The UP Companies (UPCO), including its divisions Square Up Builders and Hustle UP Laborers, has relocated its Kansas City metro office for a third time in six years to accommodate continued growth and improve accessibility across the region.
The new office location at 1201 NW Chrisman Farm Road in Grain Valley, Missouri, a rapidly growing suburb just 22 miles east of Kansas City, features a combined office and warehouse space to meet its growing needs. UPCO previously operated out of 13313 W. 98th St. in Lenexa, Kansas.
UPCO Kansas City supports commercial, warehouse and data centers, and healthcare projects for some of the region’s most recognized and established general contractors. The company currently employs nearly 50 carpenters and drywall finishers, as well as a team of office staff at its new location.
UPCO began pursuing work in the Kansas City area in 2016 to better serve its general contractor clients and established its first local office and warehouse in 2020. The company is signatory to the St. Louis-Kansas City Carpenters Regional Council and is actively expanding its workforce to serve general contractors, owners and facility management customers within a few hours of its new base.
In March, Chris Blanchette was promoted to General Manager of UPCO’s Kansas City operations. He originally joined the firm in 2023 as a Senior Estimator for Square UP, UPCO’s full-service carpentry division. Prior to Square UP, Blanchette held estimator and project manager roles for Nebel Construction Services and Allied Construction Services, both located in the Kansas City metro area. A skilled carpenter by trade, Blanchette has certifications in Construction Communications and Construction Leadership.
Current Kansas City-area projects include a partnership with St. Louis-based KAI Enterprises and Turner Construction on a new headquarters for Community Builders of Kansas City (CBKC), located in the Outlook District at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Chestnut Avenue. The new 60,000-square-foot, three-story office building will feature private rooftop terraces and is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.
UPCO Kansas City also recently partnered with Clayco Construction to complete the build-out of a new 1.5 million-square-foot retail distribution center for Ace Hardware Corporation in Kansas City. The warehouse is expected to be fully operational in 2025 and will bring 350 new jobs to the area.
“As demand has grown across the Kansas City region, our commitment to delivering high-quality carpentry and labor services has grown with it,” said Michael B. Kennedy, CEO of The UP Companies. “This move represents not just a change in location, but an investment in our people, our clients, and the long-term success of our presence in this thriving market.”