Phil Castle, The Business Times

Lori Siegesmund runs a construction company that offers a range of services — everything from framing and insulation to drywall and specialty ceilings.

But she’s especially excited about a new service that not only further diversifies the operation, but also helps customers with unique needs. “This empowers people to make choices.”

As owner and president, Siegesmund oversees 579 Construction based in Grand Junction and a new division called SafeSpace Builders.

SafeSpace Builders designs and installs modifications and equipment in residential and commercial spaces to better accommodate people with disabilities as well as help seniors stay in their homes. 

The firm recently received designation as a Medicaid contractor. That means it receives referrals and can directly bill Medicaid for services provided to people enrolled in the program.

Sue Hayes, director of marketing for SafeSpace Builders, says the operation is at once a business and needed public service. “I see it as giving back to our community.”

Siegesmund launched 579 Construction nearly three years ago as a new iteration of TP Acoustics, a business her late grandfather, Howard Perry, operated for 25 years. While that firm installed acoustic ceilings, it also provided other construction services.

Siegesmund worked with her grandfather for nearly 12 years, handling everything from accounting and payroll to estimating and project management.

Today, 579 Construction operates divisions for commercial framing, thermal and moisture protection and commercial drywall and acoustic and specialty ceiling installation and finishing.

Operating out of the Business Incubator Center in Grand Junction, 579 Construction works on a variety of projects throughout Colorado. The company employs a staff of 27.

SafeSpace Builders will serve Western Colorado, Siegesmund says, sending crews to various locations to handle multiple projects.

Those projects begin with a free assessment to determine what’s needed — whether that’s a full remodel; renovations in a bathroom or kitchen; or the installation of ramps, lifts and other devices. The firm also works with doctors, physical therapists and other health care providers to tailor services to their patients.

Modifications often are made to bathrooms and kitchens to make them more accessible and safer for people to use, Siegesmund says. That might include barrier-free showers and grab bars in bathrooms as well as lower cabinets and pull-out shelves in kitchens to accommodate people in wheelchairs. Lifts and ramps also are popular additions, she says.

Siegesmund says it’s important for her crews to remain sensitive to customers and their needs. “It’s definitely a more sensitive type of work.”

After a project, crews offer training on using new features and equipment to make sure customers know how to use them safely.

The projects make a difference in customers’ lives, Siegesmund and Hayes say.

Hayes she knows firsthand the benefits of modifications because of the assistance they offered her mother in dealing with the effects of a neurological disease. 

Hayes that instilled in her a passion for helping others facing similar challenges. Before joining SafeSpace, she served as director of a nonprofit organization providing mobility support for people living with physical disabilities.

Modifications and specialized equipment can help people remain safely in their homes for as long as possible, in turn avoiding the expenses associated with skilled care, Hayes says.

Siegesmund says she hopes to open a showroom in Grand Junction to display the various ramps, lifts and other equipment that can improve accessibility.

But for now, she says she’s excited about new services that will help customers with unique needs.

Hayes agrees. “It’s a lot of excitement. The community has really embraced what we do.”

For more information about SafeSpace Builders, call (970) 462-9472 or visit https://safespacebuilders.co. More information about 579 Construction is available at https://579construction.com or

www.loc8nearme.com/colorado/grand-junction/579-construction/6508781/.