OUR STORY

1969

Doster is Founded

Doster is Founded

In December of 1969, Thomas E. Doster starts Doster Construction Company, Inc. in his hometown of Birmingham, Alabama. In the beginning, the new company was a one-man show that was sometimes operated out of the trunk of Mr. Doster’s car. In the early days, the family company consisted of three employees with Mr. Doster managing projects and his wife, Sissy, managing payroll, accounting and the back house of the business.

First Project

First Project

Doster Construction Company begins with a $4,000 basement renovation in Birmingham, Alabama. After a few small home renovations, Doster wins a bid from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and will go on to complete more than $150,000 in construction volume its first year in business.

1971

Carraway Health System

Carraway Health System

Doster begins their 40+ year history working with Carraway Health System with the Front North Tower at Bessemer Memorial Hospital. Doster will go on to complete numerous projects and thousands of work orders for the health system, establishing the company as a top healthcare contractor.

1974

New Irondale Office

New Irondale Office

Doster quickly expands and moves to a new office in Irondale, Alabama in 1974 to accommodate its growing staff.

1975

Nashville Office Opens

Nashville Office Opens

Doster enters the Nashville construction market in 1975 and opens an office in Shelbyville, Tennessee.

Retail Market

Retail Market

Doster enters into the retail market and begins construction on a new Kmart in Birmingham in 1975.

Bill Bowman

Bill Bowman

In 1975 Future Vice President, Bill Bowman, joins Doster as Estimator and Project Manager. Bill will go on to the lead some of the company’s largest projects including the Renaissance Montgomery Hotel and Convention Center, Van Antwerp Historic Renovation, and the Trustmark Building. He will retire from Doster in 2015 after 40 years with the company.

1976

Bart Starr Lincoln Mercury

Lincoln-Mercury created the ‘Sports Panel’ in the late 1960s and early 1970s with some of the most famous names in sports. Doster builds the Bartt Starr, a Green Bay quarterback, Lincoln-Mercury dealership in the early ‘70s.

1977

Jim Walter Resources

Jim Walter Resources

In 1977 Doster teams with Jim Walter Resources on a coal mine project in Birmingham, Alabama.

1978

The People’s National Bank

The People’s National Bank

Doster completes construction on the People’s National Bank in Shelbyville, Tennessee.

1980

ENR Top 400

ENR Top 400

Doster ranks in Engineering News Record’s List of Top 400 Contractors for the first time in 1980. Doster will go on to be included in the list every year thereafter.

1983

Alabama Power Headquarters

Alabama Power Headquarters

In 1983, Doster starts a joint venture on the $75 million, 18-story Alabama Power Headquarters in Birmingham, Alabama, Doster’s largest project to date at the time of construction.

Doster Aviation Services

Doster Aviation Services

In 1983, Doster begins Doster Aviation Services in order to manage work around the country.

1986

General Motors

General Motors

Doster enters into the automotive industry in 1986, beginning decades of excellence in industrial construction, with the General Motors assembly plant in Tarrytown, New York.

John F. Kennedy Space Center

John F. Kennedy Space Center

Doster completes construction of the Orbiter Atlantis Pad at the John F. Kennedy Space Center.

Embassy Suites California

Embassy Suites California

Doster’s reach goes all the way to the Pacific Coast with a new hotel in Milpitas, California.

1987

$100 Million in Revenue

$100 Million in Revenue

Doster continues growing rapidly and their annual revenue reaches $100 million for the first time in 1987.

Landmark Hotel in Homewood

Landmark Hotel in Homewood

Doster constructed this landmark hotel property in Birmingham in 1987. The 10-story, 242-suite Embassy Suites Hotel features a large atrium skylight, extensive marble and tile work, and a glass back elevator in an open full-height atrium. This was another key building block that fueled growth in the full-service hospitality sector.

1988

Longtime Employees

At Doster our most valued asset is our people and they have been the foundation for our success over the last fifty years. Here are some of our longtime employees in their early years with the company.

1992

Bell South Data Center

Bell South Data Center

Doster breaks ground on the Bell South Data Center in Birmingham, Alabama.

1995

Walton Doster Joins the Company

Walton Doster Joins the Company

In 1995, Walton Doster (far left pictured here with other Doster employees and Purdue alumni) joins the company as a Project Engineer after graduating from Purdue University.

1996

Encompass Health

Encompass Health

Doster completes their first project with Encompass Health (formerly HealthSouth Corporation) Doster will complete more than 100 projects (and counting!) with the health system in 21 states across the country.

1997

Saturn Corporation

Saturn Corporation

Contracts with the Saturn Corporation grow considerably throughout the 1990s as Doster is recognized as a leading industrial contractor.

1999

Contractor of the Year

Contractor of the Year

Doster is selected as the General Contractor of the Year by the American Subcontractors Association of Alabama in both 1999 and 2010.

2003

Modern Healthcare Ranking

Modern Healthcare Ranking

Doster is ranked as the 9th leading healthcare contractor in the nation by Modern Healthcare. Doster established itself as a leading healthcare contractor working for clients like Carraway Health System, Community Health Systems, Encompass Health, UAB Health System, and Children’s of Alabama and is currently ranked by Modern Healthcare as a Top 20 General Contractor.

ISO 9001 Certified

ISO 9001 Certified

Doster becomes an ISO 9001 registered company in 2003.  We were recognized as one of the few contractors in the United States at the time to achieve the rigorous ISO 9001 registration. The fundamentals of the program led to our modern-day continuous improvement efforts and standard operating procedures.

2005

Ross Bridge Resort & Spa

Ross Bridge Resort & Spa

Doster completes construction on the Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf Resort and Spa in 2005, the first destination resort built in central Alabama.

2006

A New Generation of Leadership

A New Generation of Leadership

Walton Doster is named President and Chief Operating Officer of Doster Construction Company.

2007

Children’s of Alabama

Children’s of Alabama

Doster and Children’s of Alabama begin a partnership that will continue to this day.

2008

Trussville High School

Trussville High School

Doster completes construction on the 361,000 square foot new Hewitt-Trussville High School in Trussville, Alabama. At $70 million, it was the largest education project built in the state of Alabama during the time of construction and established Doster as one of the top school builders in the country. It was also one of Doster’s first green projects.

Montgomery Hotel & Convention Center

Montgomery Hotel & Convention Center

Doster completes its largest project to date, the $175 million RSA Montgomery Hotel & Convention Center in Montgomery, Alabama. The facility accommodates a 395,000 square foot, 4-star hotel that boasts a 14,000 square foot ballroom and 347 rooms.

2009

Velocity in the Gulch

Velocity in the Gulch

Doster completes construction on Velocity in the Gulch in Nashville, Tennessee. The first infill project of its kind, the project consisted of 264 high-end residential units, 20,900 square feet of retail and an “embedded” parking deck to support both uses. Nashville’s Gulch has been certified as the first green neighborhood in the South and one of only about a dozen in the country.

2010

Compass Bank

Compass Bank

Doster and Compass Bank have had a long-standing relationship since the 1980s and have built more than 20 facilities together in Alabama and Florida. The LEED Gold Certified BBVA Compass at The Grove (pictured here) was a new retail bank building that would be used as the prototype basis of design for future branches.

2011

VD+C Department Established

VD+C Department Established

Doster first adopted Building Information Modeling (BIM) in 2011 and established a full-service Virtual Design & Construction Department the same year. Learn more here.

2013

Employee Milestones

In 2013, Doster celebrated three employee’s 40-year Service Anniversaries (the first in the company to reach this milestone). Tim Robertson, General Superintendent, Charlotte McCaslin, Manager of Benefits & HR, and Charlie Hubbard, General Superintendent, have been a constant at Doster throughout the years and their dedication and leadership has touched everyone at the company.

University of Alabama Science and Engineering

University of Alabama Science and Engineering

Doster delivered the University of Alabama Science and Engineering Phase IV project. The facility provided approximately 205,000 square feet of research and instructional laboratories, research support amenities, faculty offices, graduate student workstations, conference/meeting facilities and collaboration spaces to the UA campus.

First Friday

First Friday

‘First Friday’ was established in 2013 as a way for our teams to better connect with their colleagues. The first Friday afternoon of each month we get together for fun and fellowship.  What started out as a small gathering in our breakroom has grown to a full-out themed event hosted by different departments each month.

2015

Van Antwerp Building

Van Antwerp Building

Doster earns a National Excellence in Construction® Award from Associated Builders and Contractors in 2015 for the historic renovation of the Van Antwerp Building in Mobile, Alabama.

2016

Hall of Fame

Hall of Fame

Thomas E. Doster is inducted into the AGC Alabama Construction Hall of Fame.

Top Multifamily Contractor

Top Multifamily Contractor

Doster is recognized as on of the Top Multifamily General Contractors in the nation by the National Multifamily Housing Council

2018

The National Memorial for Peace & Justice

The National Memorial for Peace & Justice

The Equal Justice Initiative holds a grand opening of the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, Alabama on April 26, 2018.

Austin High School

Austin High School

Doster completes construction on a new $50 million high school for Decatur City Schools in 2018.

Voted Best Place to Work

Voted Best Place to Work

Doster is recognized by the Birmingham Business Journal as a Best Place to Work.

New Corporate Headquarters

Doster completed a total renovation of our Birmingham headquarters in 2018 to accommodate our growing team (now reaching nearly 250 employees) and create a more open and collaborative working environment for our employees.

2019

South Hillsborough VA

South Hillsborough VA

Doster completed construction on the South Hillsborough VA Primary Care Clinic in Riverview, Florida in 2019. The clinic serves more than 10,000 Veterans in the Riverview, Ruskin, Sun City Center, Gibsonton and Apollo Beach areas. The new facility was delivered ahead of schedule and is pursuing LEED Silver certification.

31 States

31 States

Doster lands a project in New Hampshire marking their 31st state in the United States to work in.

Doster Turns 50

On December 5, 1969, entrepreneur Thomas E. Doster, III started a construction company in his hometown of Birmingham, Alabama. 50 years later, Doster Construction Company has built over 4,100 projects that span 31 states for some of the nation’s leading companies.

2020

Graduate Hotel Opens in Nashville

Graduate Hotel Opens in Nashville

Doster completes construction on the new 12-story, 205-room Graduate Nashville hotel with AJ Capital Partners.

Nashville Office Expands

Nashville Office Expands

Doster expands in Nashville and moves to a new office to accommodate their growing team.

2021

Foundry Yards

Foundry Yards

Doster completes construction on new luxury mixed use development in downtown Birmingham, Alabama.

Doster Opens Huntsville Office

Doster Opens Huntsville Office

On August 5, 2021 Doster held a ribbon cutting and grand opening celebration at their new office in Huntsville, Alabama.

2022

Sugar Hill Apartments

Sugar Hill Apartments

Doster breaks ground in Sugar Hill, Georgia on this new 306-unit development.

Groundbreaking at Lockheed Martin

Groundbreaking at Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin and Doster officially broke ground on a new $16.5M missile facility located on their Huntsville, Alabama campus on Monday June 27, 2022

2023

Doster Named “Best Place to Work”

Doster Named “Best Place to Work”

Doster is named as a Best Place to Work by the Birmingham Business Journal.