Who We Are
Beginning in 1932, James E. Roberts-Obayashi Corporation and our predecessor companies have consistently delivered high-quality, award-winning construction services in the Bay Area and Northern California. Our work focuses on projects under negotiated contract, in a variety of sectors including affordable and market-rate rental and for-sale housing; senior independent and assisted living facilities; commercial and adaptive-reuse projects; and mixed-use developments. We are dedicated experts in the rehabilitation and new construction of all building types including wood frame, metal frame, and concrete structures.
“Roberts Obayashi is a first-rate company. Over a 30-year period, RO constructed 22 projects for us. They were a pleasure to work with.” - Art Evans, EPMI
History
Founded in 1932 in San Francisco, Moore & Roberts was formed during the depths of the Great Depression by Gene Moore and Jim Roberts. The company built a reputation for constructing landmark structures throughout the Bay Area and Northern California. During World War II, the company contracted with the federal government to build a multitude of structures including hospitals, barracks, warehouses, officers’ quarters and thousands of public housing units. This flurry of experience established the company with a significant competitive edge and expertise in constructing a wide variety of building types within extremely fast-tracked schedules. It was an exciting period of dramatic growth for the company.
As the Bay Area construction industry matured during the post-war building boom, Jim Roberts reestablished the company as James E. Roberts Company and relocated the business across the bay, to Oakland. During the 1970’s, James E. Roberts Company completed several joint ventures with Obayashi Corporation, a construction company from Tokyo, Japan founded in 1892. Significant projects completed by the venture include the Kyoto Inn and Miyako Hotel in San Francisco’s Japantown. A series of successful collaborations led to a merger in 1978, thus formalizing the new entity of James E. Roberts-Obayashi Corporation. With a shared philosophy of honesty, integrity, and building long-term repeat client relationships the company continues to grow.
In 1983, Larry Smith assumed co-ownership of the company with Obayashi Corporation. Under Larry’s leadership, the company completed such high-profile projects as the Fruitvale Transit Village in Oakland, the International Hotel project in San Francisco, Heritage Homes on the site of the demolished Geneva Towers in San Francisco and the rehabilitation of the historic Hotel Oakland following the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989.
2007 marked a year of leadership transition, with Larry assuming the role of Chairman and Scott Smith succeeding him as President and CEO. Scott continues to foster an enduring tradition of management excellence, construction expertise and financial strength, strengthening James E. Roberts-Obayashi Corporation as one of the most respected builders in Northern California.
James E. Roberts – Obayashi specializes in multi-family housing of all types. We work for both market-rate and non-profit affordable housing developers. Our projects range in size from 10 units to 665 units and from single story to 15 stories in height. Our projects are built with several different structural systems including wood (Type V and Type III), concrete (Type I), structural steel, and load bearing metal (Type II and Type III).
Our Philosophy
We attribute our success to a commitment to teamwork and a proactive, solution-oriented approach to all our projects. We have earned a respected reputation for our collaborative approach throughout the building process, engaging every member of the project team — Owner/Developer, Architect, Engineers, community stakeholders, subcontractors, and suppliers— to successfully fulfill a project’s vision. Not only do we deliver quality projects and services, but we also further distinguish ourselves by the extra effort and resources we commit to ensure that all vested interests are incorporated into the ultimate success of the project. Our success is founded on delivering the highest level of Quality, Value, Productivity, and Safety possible while holding ourselves to an unmatched level of Integrity.
Financial strength
Not only have we been in the construction business since 1932, because of our ability to remain profitable, but we have been partners with Obayashi Corporation since 1978. Obayashi Corporation is the largest contractor in Japan and among the top 20 contractors in the world. James E Roberts – Obayashi Corporation has made the list of the ENR Top 400 Contractors in the United States many times. This partnership offers the financial strength to bond large projects and share the experience of all Obayashi Group companies.
Self-Perform Expertise
We have been self-performing Concrete, Rough Carpentry, and Finish Carpentry work for many years. This expertise brings the added benefit to our clients of Value, Quality, and Schedule Control.
