San Jose specialist in tenant improvements opens in Reno

In October of 2005 a friend invited Alex Hose, founder of San Jose-based TICO Construction, to check out real estate opportunities in Reno.

Hose and his wife, Marion, quickly snapped up the entire top floor of the Park Towers condo building on Island Avenue, purchased the Western Title building at 241 Ridge St. and acquired the office building at 201 W. Liberty St.

Hose, whose company became a significant player in the South Bay Area by specializing in high-end tenant improvements (TICO stands for "Tenant Improvement Company"), also secured a Nevada contractors license and opened a separate business office in Reno.

It's headed by Jason Powell, a former project manager with Devcon Construction.

TICO Nevada is intended to be a more diverse company than its parent.

"In the Bay Area people specialize a little bit more," Hose says. "Here we will probably be more of a shell contractor. We want to be a full-service general contractor. We live here now and want to be part of the community."

Hose says he will split his time overseeing the two businesses.

Powell, 36, says he received a call one day at work with what he calls "an offer I couldn't refuse."

"They offered me a partnership," he says. "And Nevada is huge on local people. That is one of the reasons why they hired me." Powell has lived in the Silver State 10 years, five in northern Nevada. He says TICO already landed a small tenant improvement job and is bidding on many others.

Hose says TICO's extensive experience is a good fit for this market.

"Maximizing and improving the space we have here is step one, and it is important that the owner get creative, cost-effective guys that can put together a good team."