Corporation merges furniture and construction industries

Columbia Construction Corp. was founded in 1983 when two already established divisions of the Drury Industries organization were merged.

The first of the two divisions was Drury Construction, which was established due to the need within Drury Industries for a subsidiary company to construct quality buildings for owning and leasing as well as projects for the local community. The second division was established in 1982 as the furniture division to supply Drury Hotels. This was formed because of the ongoing need for higher quality furniture than what was being supplied by outside vendors.

In 1983, Charles L. Drury, Jerry M. Drury, Robert A. Drury and Martin L. Jansen merged the furniture and construction divisions and incorporated them under the name Columbia Construction Corp. These divisions were separated from the Drury Industries organization in order to devote more attention to this part of the business. Martin L. Jansen was the president, originator and guiding force in growing the company into one that is regionally known as a general contractor of commercial and industrial buildings and a company with a well-respected reputation. Today, Columbia employs 60 to 65 employees with an annual payroll at about $2 million.

In the early years, Drury Construction worked on numerous local projects. Past projects such as Saint Francis Medical Center, West Park Mall and the old Cape Girardeau Central High School are landmarks to all and examples of the craftsmanship that Columbia has continued to offer. Some of the more recently completed projects include Notre Dame Regional High School, Cape West 14 Cine, Pavestone Concrete Products Plan, Drury Inn in Sikeston, Hampton Inn in Cape Girardeau, and numerous office, medical, retail, church and school buildings, as well as many additions and renovations.

As a major support group to Drury Industries, Columbia's furniture division is involved in the manufacturing of furniture, producing specialized cabinetry, and has automated the process of door hardware installation in a manufacturing setting. Columbia's Furniture Division has grown hand in hand with Drury Inns and their architectural department to supply and design some of the highest quality furniture, cabinetry and door assemblies available in the hotel industry today. The custom cabinetry that Columbia produces has also become an integral part of the new construction and renovation work of other commercial projects within the Construction Division.

Martin Jansen's family values and strong work ethic provided the inspiration and leadership for a company with a family atmosphere and a strong feeling of loyalty among its employees. A number of employees began their working careers with Columbia and are still with the company today.

Martin Jansen was the president of the company from its inception until his death Oct. 24, 2000. Two of his sons, John M. and Gregory L. Jansen, have followed in his footsteps and are upholding the strong traditions and reputation of the company as they continue to expand the business.

Its mission is to provide excellent construction service to its many valuable customers through the successful and consistent operation of a growing organization. Columbia continues to improve business relations with its clients by offering assistance from the design stage to the completed construction project.

Columbia Construction's main office is located at 3630 Exchange Drive, while the furniture division is located at 111 S. Minnesota Ave.