By Irene Jones
By Irene Jones
While some builders focus on individual custom homes and remodeling, Dennis Moresco and Midland Pacific Building Corporation have set their sights on creating neighborhoods and communities. In the past five years, the development arm of Midland Pacific Building Corporation has been responsible for eleven neighborhoods on the South/Central Coast and in Central California.
Just as individual aspects of each home are important to selling homes, the atmosphere of the neighborhood and the look and feel of the community as a whole are what keeps property values up and that is every bit as important to today's homebuyer as the interior of the home, according to Dennis.
"I walk through every house and look it over inside and out, then look at the development as a whole as it progresses," says Dennis. "I want everything just right. Midland Pacific Building Corporation strives to make each development a hallmark. Our reputation depends not only upon the home, but the neighborhood as well. We want people to know that Midland Pacific Building Corporation means quality throughout."
Dennis, Chief Executive Officer and founder of Midland Pacific Building Corporation, started out as most builders -- initially working for his father "swinging a hammer" on framing jobs. After graduating from California Polytechnical State University in San Luis Obispo with a degree in architecture, Dennis progressed from framing to building one house, then many. He branched out to build apartments, offices, and into commercial and industrial construction. At the same time, he worked to become a licensed architect.
"I wanted to build a house as an owner/builder and was told I'd have to have a general contractor's license to do that," explains Dennis. "So in 1976, I passed the test and started building my house. Before I finished my house, I had people asking me to build their homes. Then I invested in and built some apartments. Within a year and a half, I was deeply involved in my own business as a general contractor on the South/Central Coast." He still wanted his architect's license, so he worked in that field as well and received his license in 1981.
Dennis brought in partners along the way and branched into several related businesses. As the market and economy changed, so did Midland Pacific Building Corporation. Development trends showed them that housing was the best focus. Eventually, Midland Pacific Building Corporation began to concentrate solely on development -- and building neighborhoods.
Based in Atascadero, Midland Pacific Building Corporation now has 13 employees, including Dennis as CEO, and partners Leo Michaud, President, and Kevin McGurty, Executive Vice President. Other principals offering their expertise in the firm are Susan Jones, Vice President in charge of development; Reed Harris, Vice President in charge of marketing; and Bill Sporleder, Vice President in charge of construction.
Dennis, besides being the general contractor and architect for the company, has found that he enjoys his role as developer most of all. Over time, however, he became concerned that laws on the state and local levels were negatively affecting homebuilding and development. He joined his local Building Industry Association in the hopes of making a difference. It turned out to be a good move for Dennis. During his second year in the Association, Dennis was elected president of the BIACO. He also became active in the state organization. So active, in fact, that this year he is serving as president of the 5000-member California Building Industry Association.
Through his contacts and association with builders throughout the state, Dennis and Midland Pacific Building Corporation have stretched to areas of California beyond the Central Coast.
"We watch the market and the trends and work to offer the best price and value in whatever area we're developing," says Dennis. This translates into being aware of the buyer's mindset, the community's job markets, and the esthetics of the neighborhood. "I take the time to walk through every development several times and ask myself, 'Would I want to live here?'" It's a policy that has worked. Dennis was named Builder of the Year by the BIA in 1995.
Dennis is no stranger to being part of the community. A native of the Bay Area, Dennis and his wife, Patty, live in Atascadero with their two sons, Danny, 14, and Jimmy, 12. "My family is my base. It is the foundation upon which I have built my life as well as my company," says Dennis. Because he has always lived in rural areas and knows rural attitudes, Dennis bills himself as a small company from a small town. However, that doesn't keep him from setting his sights high. He sees a future of continued growth in homebuilding. As Midland Pacific Building Corporation expands to participate in this growth, he sees his neighborhoods standing out as hallmarks of quality, service, and value.
"With our great team of subcontractors, consultants and suppliers, we are building a reputation with every home and every neighborhood," he adds. "Our goal is to build neighborhoods that remain as a standard in the community -- and in the industry." The results speak for themselves -- sales continue to increase across the state in neighborhoods built by Dennis Moresco and Midland Pacific Building Corporation.
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