General Construction
Management
Manager-at-risk
Design Build
Self perform

history

J. W. Kelso Company, Inc. was founded in 1979 by John Kelso and J. H. Wedemeyer. Its establishment continued a long Kelso family tradition of involvement in the construction industry in Galveston County dating back to the turn of the 19th Century. The rich history includes construction of:

  • Galveston Causeway
  • Portions of Galveston Seawall
  • Moody Civic Center
  • First Hutchings Sealy Bank (presently Bank of America)
  • Texas Cruise Terminal (a renovation of a project originally constructed in 1927 by John Kelso's grandfather)
  • Renovation of the Open Gates Conference Center on the University of Texas Medical Branch campus
  • San Luis Convention Center
  • Renovation of the Open Gates Conference Center on the University of Texas Medical Branch campus
  • Additions to the Moody Memorial First United Methodist Church (a project originally constructed in 1969 by John Kelso's father)
  • Galveston County Justice Center

The company owns a significant amount of construction equipment and self-performs a large percentage of its work including demolition, pile driving, earthwork, concrete, carpentry work and interior finishes.

Our philosophy at J. W. Kelso is simple -- we begin and complete each project knowing that our reputation for excellence is on the line. We strive to complete all projects with a satisfied owner and pride in our work. We firmly believe it is this philosophy that has led to our continued success.

For each new project, J. W. Kelso brings together a top-flight team of qualified professionals, including long-standing craftsman and dedicated internal development and construction team members. These specialists know and understand the design criteria, construction standards and building materials. Their focus is on maintaining strong communication with the owner and architect to ensure each project is of the highest quality when delivered to its owner. It is our commitment to our customer that has built the J. W. Kelso name over the past 39 years.