Justin Collamore looked at nearly forty spaces before finding a great spot for his company, Collamore Built to call home.
“I had always just wanted to be in an older building, but nothing really called to me,” he says when talking about his search. “I needed somewhere that I could see myself coming every day.”
At first he was interested in the carriage house on the three story tudor style historic Marble Cliff Manor in Marble Cliff, but it was a bit more space than what he needed. He came back to the building and saw what used to be the master bedroom and that was it.
“We loved the light in here, and the history of the building,” says Collamore. “This space is surrounded by trees and has a treehouse feel to it.”
The 600 square foot space is enough room for himself and his interior designer Brooke Jones. They also hold meetings, have a materials library, and a space for Collamore to work on oil paintings.
Marble Cliff Manor was built in 1908 as the residence of William K. Lanman of the Columbus Bolt Works. The inside has been kept in much of its original details.
“The building is in a great spot,” he says. “We do a lot of work in Dublin and Powell, and it’s easy access to Upper Arlington and Grandview.
Collamore began his residential design and construction firm twelve years ago. His designs and projects continue to garner awards from NARI, the National Association of the Remodeling Industry.
Many of his projects involve historic renovations and work on 1950s ranches and mid-century modern homes.
Collamore enjoys the freedom and flexibility that comes with owning your own business.
“I’m able to control the final project and make sure we are doing excellent work every day,” he says. “We can focus on detail and have a close relationship with our clients.”
It’s the hands-on aspect that brought him back into this business, and his love for the home.
“I always loved everything about houses,” he says. “House tours…design and architecture of all sorts.”
Collamore has been building houses with Habitat for Humanity since his high school days and continues to work with the group by donating as much as he can from a remodeling project.
“We take extra care during demolition to be able to donate items,” he says.
The company has been experiencing growth and Collamore would like to slowly continue. He has turned to business coaches to help him manage the growth and work through how to get to the next level.
“There’s always been a learning curve on the business end,” he says. Hiring professionals to manage certain aspects of your business can be a great boost. For him, it was a great accountant.
To learn more about Collamore Built, visit CollamoreBuilt.com.
Do you know of, have, or work in, a creative workspace and would like to be featured in this series? If so, please contact Anne Evans.