About Us: Our History

A Tradition of Excellence

The success of your building depends on the stability and performance of the contractor you select. When you choose Merit Construction Northwest, your project will be backed by the assurance of five decades of industry leadership.

As a team-build and full-service general contractor, Merit has consistently received recognition at the local and national levels for its people, its projects, and its ideas since it was established by the late E.J. "Jimmy" Zarelli in 1957. Jimmy passed his belief in attentive service and no-nonsense solutions down to his sons Len and Carl, who now guide the firm.

As Len and Carl joined their father in the early 1970s, Merit began to diversify into a much wider range of construction projects, including schools and commercial projects. When Len and Carl took over the helm of the business in the 1980s, they also expanded Merit’s market presence into churches, restaurants, and financial institutions. As they made the decision to separate the real estate holdings from the construction entity, our name changed to Merit Construction Northwest as we are known today.

The Recognized Leader

A pioneer of the team-build concept, Merit is legendary for its ability to bring in projects on time and within budget. For example, the Tacoma Dome and Convention Center (a team-build project) prompted the American Public Works Association to honor Merit's joint venture, Tacoma Dome Associates, with it's "Contractor of the Year" award in 1984.

Your Partner in Solutions

By combining a "strategic partnering" approach with innovative solutions and meticulous project management skills we've developed a long list of satisfied clients. We'd like to add you to that list, as well.

To ensure success, consider what the proven performance and personal integrity of Merit Construction Northwest could do to help you achieve your goals. We think you'll discover that, by adding Merit Construction Northwest to your project team, you'll be laying the cornerstone for a reliable future.

"Founded on character, strengthened by integrity, renowned for quality."