The Curatola Group is taking shape in Central Ohio as an engineering informed general contractor and construction management platform focused on helping owners address complex facility and infrastructure needs through practical construction execution.
The company brings together the construction and engineering experience of Dax Clapsaddle, P.E., and the field leadership of Justin Curatola. Their combined backgrounds are intended to create a construction business that connects preconstruction planning, engineering judgment, estimating, project coordination, and field execution.
Clapsaddle’s career spans approximately 17 years in construction, including work on large bridge, levee, and dam projects for a marine heavy civil construction company. His experience includes survey layout, 3D modeling, estimating, in house engineering, deep foundations, shoring, marine construction, and complex construction planning.
For approximately 12 years, Clapsaddle managed survey layout, modeling, and engineering functions for George J. Igel & Co., a major heavy civil contractor in Central Ohio. His experience in those roles shaped an approach centered on constructability, risk management, and supporting field personnel with clear technical and operational direction.
“Construction is ultimately about turning plans into safe and effective work in the field,” said Clapsaddle. “The office should provide the engineering, planning, estimating, and business support that allows field teams to execute successfully.”
From Engineering to Business Ownership
Clapsaddle’s responsibilities eventually expanded beyond engineering. He moved into estimating and helped establish drilling, piling, and shoring as standard service offerings at George J. Igel & Co. His work in shoring also led several Central Ohio general contractors to refer to him as “The Shoring Guy.”
In 2024, Clapsaddle established Structured Design & Consulting, moving from an established contractor environment into business ownership. The transition added responsibilities involving client relationships, contracts, payroll, cash flow, quality control, and the long term reputation of the business.
That experience further shaped his interest in building a broader construction organization capable of creating career opportunities, developing skilled tradespeople, and providing owners with an experienced construction resource.
A Partnership Combining Field and Technical Experience
The relationship between Clapsaddle and Curatola developed through professional work and a shared interest in construction. Curatola contributes field leadership, masonry expertise, operational experience, and relationships within the construction community. Clapsaddle contributes engineering judgment, estimating, preconstruction strategy, risk management, and organizational systems.
The partnership is intended to address a recurring challenge for property owners: managing construction projects that require specialized knowledge without maintaining a dedicated internal construction department.
The resulting business, The Curatola Group, is initially focused on Central Ohio and serves owners, municipalities, institutions, and commercial and industrial facilities. Its areas of work include masonry restoration, structural repair, concrete and site work, demolition, and light commercial general contracting.
An Owner Focused Construction Model
The Curatola Group is being developed around the concept of serving as an external construction resource for owners that do not have an internal construction department. Projects may involve investigating existing conditions, defining scope, developing constructible solutions, coordinating contractors, managing changes, documenting decisions, and maintaining accountability through completion.
The company’s approach places emphasis on the relationship between design intent, field conditions, budget, schedule, contracts, and construction execution. By bringing these considerations together during planning and project management, the company intends to provide owners with a more coordinated approach to construction challenges.
Professional engineering services remain separately defined through Structured Design & Consulting. This structure is intended to maintain clear professional, ethical, and contractual boundaries while allowing construction and engineering considerations to be coordinated when appropriate.
Building a Company Around Its People
The long term development of The Curatola Group also places emphasis on workforce development and leadership. Clapsaddle’s vision includes creating opportunities for employees to build careers, develop technical and leadership skills, and participate in the long term success of the organization.
Potential initiatives include profit sharing, employee benefits, mentorship, and internal advancement. The broader objective is to create an environment where experienced construction professionals can share practical knowledge with younger workers and help develop the next generation of field and business leaders.
“The field is the heart and soul of the company,” said Clapsaddle. “The office has one job: give our people the support, clarity, and opportunity they need to succeed.”
A Regional Vision With a Central Ohio Foundation
The Curatola Group’s initial focus remains regional, with Central Ohio providing the foundation for its construction and management operations. Over time, the company expects to explore opportunities to serve facility portfolios and owners across the Midwest.
The intended growth strategy emphasizes recurring relationships with owners, disciplined project selection, risk management, documented processes, and a network of specialized construction partners. The company is being structured to expand its capabilities while maintaining direct involvement in project execution and client needs.
For Clapsaddle, the development of The Curatola Group represents another stage in a career that began with technical construction work and expanded into engineering, estimating, business ownership, and organizational leadership. The company’s formation brings those experiences together with Curatola’s field expertise and construction background.
The Curatola Group is being positioned around a straightforward construction principle: technical judgment has value when it helps people make better decisions and execute work effectively. Its development reflects an effort to connect engineering, construction management, and specialized field capabilities around the practical requirements of owners and their projects.
About Dax Clapsaddle
Dax Clapsaddle, P.E., is a construction executive, professional engineer, and Partner at The Curatola Group. He is also CEO and Managing Member of Structured Design & Consulting. His professional background includes heavy civil construction, bridges, deep foundations, temporary structures, estimating, constructability, structural engineering, and business leadership. His work focuses on connecting technical judgment with practical construction planning and field execution.
About The Curatola Group
The Curatola Group is a Central Ohio general contractor and construction management company focused on engineering informed solutions for facilities, commercial and industrial properties, municipalities, and institutions. Its services include project coordination, preconstruction, estimating, scope development, contractor management, masonry restoration, structural repair, concrete and site work, demolition, and light commercial construction. Professional engineering services are provided under separately defined scopes through Structured Design & Consulting. Visit their website and email them at justin@curatolamasonry.com.