About Us

Who We Are

Since 1904, teamwork has been the Sheehan key to successful partnership and satisfied residents. The Sheehan Companies are committed to working closely with customers offering unparalleled expertise in all aspects of development, construction and property management in order to maximize the value of your real estate investment while achieving the highest level of quality in the building industry. In turn, we are dedicated to providing an outstanding living experience for tenants and a smartly designed, productive homebase for commercial clients.

about us

Sheehan's History

From the start Sheehan Construction Company was formed as a family business with a dare to dream and a focus on the future. More than one hundred years ago, Gene and Jack Sheehan walked into the office of the Indiana Secretary of State to incorporate their new venture, Sheehan Construction Company. On March 10, 1904 the brothers formed their sanitary sewer business and went to work designing and installing hundreds of miles of sewer lines. Some of Sheehan's earliest jobs were downtown Indianapolis and Camp Atterbury, a military installation located in southern Indiana.

The company prospered in sewers for some time but struggled during the Depression and experienced the ultimate set back when the Sheehan brothers passed away. Coping with the loss of its founders, their nephew, James Earl Curtis stepped in to fill the void and the Sheehan tradition continued. As one of the first companies with the knowledge and capability to assemble sewers, James E., grandfather of the present owners, helped write industry laws mandating that installers be compensated with land if customers neglected to pay their service fees. As the sewer business became more competitive, Sheehan evolved into developing and building single family residences starting with the land the company had acquired from delinquent sewer customers. This shift in gears put Sheehan on the map as a leading innovator in the construction industry, building state of the art track homes offering all the latest features available in the 1940's.

Sheehan's Growth

Sheehan's Growth As the company grew, so did the need for cash. Every project was 100% financed and Sheehan was dependent on the bank's lines of credit. A reputation for making solid financial decisions and paying on time allowed Sheehan to build strong relationships with lenders and opened the door to numerous construction opportunities

In early 1960, James E. passed away, leaving the company in the able hands of his wife Cora. Together with her son, James J. Curtis, Sheehan Construction continued to pave the way inventing new methods of developing and financing projects with the changing times while meeting the needs of customers and residents.

Sheehan's involvement in rehabilitation projects proved to be especially challenging. As a pioneer in the construction of multi-family public housing, the company felt the pain of working with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development while experiencing the gain as the need for lowincome apartments escalated. In the late 1970s, Sheehan got serious about apartments and HUD work. By this time, virtually all their work had evolved into multi-family product.

Sheehan's growing financial strength and outstanding reputation allowed the company to forge ahead into other residential markets. The company began building condominiums as well as conventional apartment communities. Sheehan is known for its tenacious ability to locate and develop parcels that prove to be ideal for a particular project, whether it be low-income or luxury housing. One of Sheehan's first condominium developments was built in the middle of nowhere along Keystone Avenue and 82nd Street in Indianapolis. Today, the area is thriving with businesses, offices, hotels, restaurants and the popular upscale Fashion Mall at Keystone at the Crossing.

Naturally, Sheehan diversified further into the development of subdivisions, custom homes, office space, retail strip centers and mixed use developments. Even so, Sheehan's earlier transition into the residential multi-family markets has proved critical to the company's success and its ability to focus on the future.

Cora maintained her role with Sheehan Construction as Chairman of the Board until her death at the age of 94. Today, James J. Curtis, the current chairman, is an active participant in the company and has three of his five children continuing the family tradition. His eldest son James J. Curtis, Jr. is President, J. Robert Curtis is Vice President and project superintendent and Kelli Adams is Secretary of the Sheehan Companies.