Storied Chicago construction firm hires Kinjal Patel as president

One of Chicago’s most storied construction companies just had a change in leadership.

McHugh Construction hired Kinjal Patel as president, replacing Michael Meagher, who will serve as one of McHugh’s board members, the Chicago Business Journal reported. Patel previously held an executive position at Lendlease, an Australian construction firm.

Patel, a graduate from the University of Illinois, will spearhead construction, renovation and adaptive-reuse projects across sectors including multifamily, hospitality, sports and entertainment, health care and light industrial.

McHugh, founded by James D. McHugh in 1897, is ingrained in Chicago’s skyline. It had a hand in eight of the city’s 10 tallest concrete buildings. Its notable projects include the 74-story Water Tower Place, built in 1976, and the 64-story Two Prudential Plaza, built in 1988. Those two were the tallest reinforced concrete structures in the world at the time of their completion.

McHugh’s local portfolio also includes McDonald’s headquarters building in Fulton Market, Presidential Towers in the West Loop and several downtown hotels, such as the Four Seasons. 

More recently, the company was a pioneer in the use of proprietary green concrete for high-rise buildings. It used a low-carbon concrete mix for The Reed, a 41-story residential tower in downtown’s Southbank.

Among the company’s other recent projects are the $13 million FlyOver ride at the Navy Pier entertainment venue, and the $30 million redevelopment of the former Ramova Theater in Bridgeport. McHugh converted the theater to a 36,000-square-foot facility with a brewery, restaurant and 200-person event venue.

While its footprint is firmly established in Chicago, McHugh is working to expand in markets such as Nashville and Miami.

—Quinn Donoghue 

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