photo credit: IdeaMensch

Key Takeaways

• Design-Build unites design and construction under one contract, improving coordination and accountability.
• Early collaboration helps identify and solve site issues before construction begins, avoiding costly delays.
• Rolling cost feedback during design gives owners financial clarity and reduces late-stage value engineering.
• Parallel workflows allow construction and design to progress simultaneously, speeding up delivery timelines.
• Integrated delivery streamlines communication with agencies and utilities, enhancing project predictability.

Audie Tarpley leads Dillon Construction Group in Indianapolis as president and owner, overseeing business development, design, estimating, and project management across office, industrial, retail, and multifamily work. His track record includes delivery of the 150,000 square foot headquarters for Lids, a five story, 135,000 square foot headquarters for Merchants Bank, and The Quarry Luxury Apartments with 208 units and a cast in place garage. Earlier leadership roles at Duke Realty Investments and Bear Creek Capital involved full lifecycle responsibilities from acquisition and entitlement to construction oversight, schedule compression, and value engineering.

Mr. Tarpley studied civil engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology and has participated in industry groups such as The Real Estate Council and the Urban Land Institute. These experiences provide direct context for how integrated delivery improves predictability and coordination on complex office and industrial programs.

Design-Build Integrates Teams for Office and Industrial Projects

Office and industrial developers face growing pressure to deliver buildings on tight timelines while managing costs and complex approvals. Traditional delivery methods often separate design and construction, leaving gaps between plans, regulations, and real site conditions. These gaps create delays and cost surprises that ripple through entire projects. To address these challenges, more teams are adopting Design-Build, a delivery method that unites design and construction functions under one entity from the start.

Design-Build brings designers, builders, and owners together under a single contract. Instead of one group producing drawings and another later bidding and building, a single team manages both. This structure allows teams to establish coordinated decision-making early, letting design choices and construction methods evolve side by side. For office and industrial projects where timelines hinge on tenant commitments and phased site work, this approach creates the conditions for more predictable execution.

When design and construction teams coordinate early, they lock in sequencing decisions and schedule baselines before teams finalize drawings. Builders flag site constraints, technical conflicts, and logistics issues while plans remain flexible. These early adjustments give owners firm expectations for both cost and schedule performance once work begins.

Teams improve budget control by supplying rolling cost feedback throughout design. Owners can refine scope and materials as estimates develop, setting realistic financial baselines. This process avoids disruptive late-stage value engineering and gives developers and tenants cost clarity before groundbreak.

Design-Build also allows construction to move ahead while design continues. Crews can start grading, foundations, and utility work while interior or specialized design is still advancing. On large office campuses and industrial parks, this sequencing supports phased occupancy and accelerates delivery timelines by months without sacrificing coordination.

Beyond internal timelines, external coordination with agencies and utilities can move just as quickly. Contractors engage earlier with permitting authorities and utility providers, preparing accurate submittals and anticipating regulatory hurdles. Entitlement, or the process of securing zoning and approvals, often dictates when teams can begin construction. Tackling these steps in parallel reduces approval bottlenecks that might otherwise stall site mobilization.

Inside the project boundary, the same structure sharpens how teams coordinate grading, structural framing, utility corridors, and building envelopes. Aligning these technical systems upfront minimizes field conflicts that typically lead to costly change orders during active construction. This level of internal coordination is especially critical in multi-building industrial parks and corporate campuses where shared infrastructure serves multiple phases.

A single contractual structure also reshapes accountability. Because one entity manages both design and construction, owners can track performance through a single framework and resolve disputes without navigating multiple contracts. This governance model reduces administrative layers and creates a clear line of responsibility, which distinguishes Design-Build from traditional methods.

Consider a logistics park project. The Design-Build team aligns early on grading and utility strategies, allowing site work to start while vertical design moves forward. The team submits permitting and entitlement packages in parallel. As crews pour foundations, structural design packages finalize, and interior systems follow in sequence. This timeline shows how early joint decisions translate directly into steady field progress.

Design-Build is gaining traction not just as a tactical way to deliver projects faster, but as a structural shift in how development teams organize work. Its integrated framework is redefining how owners, designers, and builders structure responsibility and sequence decisions. As more organizations adopt this model, it is reshaping office and industrial development, influencing everything from permitting timelines to how teams plan and execute future projects.

About Audie Tarpley

Audie Tarpley is the president and owner of Dillon Construction Group in Indianapolis, where he directs business development, design, estimating, and execution. His portfolio includes the Lids headquarters, the Merchants Bank headquarters, and The Quarry Luxury Apartments with structured parking. He previously served with Duke Realty Investments and Bear Creek Capital, guiding planning, entitlement, and construction.

Educated in civil engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology, he is active in professional groups including The Real Estate Council and the Urban Land Institute.

FAQs

What is Design-Build in construction?

Design-Build is a project delivery method where one entity handles both design and construction. This structure improves collaboration, reduces risk, and shortens project timelines compared to traditional methods.

Why is Design-Build faster than traditional project delivery?

Design-Build allows design and construction activities to overlap. Teams coordinate early, resolve issues before construction starts, and can begin site work while design continues – saving valuable time.

How does Design-Build help control project costs?

Design-Build teams provide continuous cost feedback during the design phase. This transparency lets owners refine budgets in real time, preventing costly surprises later in the project.

What are the main benefits of Design-Build for office and industrial projects?

Design-Build increases predictability, reduces administrative complexity, and enhances accountability. It’s especially useful for large-scale office and industrial developments with tight schedules.

Why is Audie Tarpley a key figure in Design-Build delivery?

As president of Dillon Construction Group, Audie Tarpley applies Design-Build principles to deliver complex office and industrial projects efficiently, backed by decades of engineering and leadership experience.