The Kemp Story

OUR HISTORY

In 1896, Kemp was established to deliver quality buildings and construction services to our clients for a fair and reasonable price. Through four generations of family leadership, the company has remained privately owned and operated. Today, Kemp is focused on achieving continuous operational improvements to enhance our clients’ satisfaction. Our construction teams embrace the use of technology and progressive building tools, effectively bringing new means to old construction methods.

The Early Years

1896

Kemp Brothers General Contractors was founded by first generation Kemp family members.

The Early Years

1936

Don and Clyde Kemp, second generation owners establish Kemp Brothers Construction.

The Early Years

1948

The original Kemp headquarters office was built in Whittier, California.

The Early Years

1955

Don Kemp (left) at the ground breaking ceremony of the new Palmdale High School in Palmdale, California.

The Middle Years

1968

Laying foundation for the nine-story Santa Monica Hospital building. Cleared a traffic route for 75 ready-mix concrete trucks and poured 3,451 cubic yards of concrete in ten hours. This broke the Southern California construction record for concrete pours.

The Middle Years

1978

Sherman Solaas joins Kemp to bring new operations leadership to the firm.

The Middle Years

1978

Kemp captures industrial industry contracts including Aerospace Corp., TRW, and General Motors.

The Middle Years

1994

Northridge earthquake moves Kemp into major reconstruction of Northridge Hospital in Los Angeles, California.

The Middle Years

1994

Sherman Solaas retires and passes on the Kemp torch to his sons, Steve and Greg Solaas.

The Middle Years

1998

Kemp builds the King Kong attraction and installs the new Universal Studios Hollywood sign in Universal City, California.

Recent Years

2000

Kemp moves its headquarters to an expanded location in Santa Fe Springs, California.

Recent Years

2002

Kemp completes multiple train-wash and maintenance facilities with Amtrak and Metrolink.

Recent Years

2011

Kemp performs major seismic upgrade and renovation to Hoag Hospital's patient tower in Newport Beach, California.

Recent Years

2014

Kemp redevelops the historic Los Angeles Police Academy campus for the City of Los Angeles. The shooting ranges were used in the 1932 Olympics for pistol and revolver matches.

Recent Years

2017

Kemp is awarded LAUSD's Cleveland Charter High School - Design/Build Modernization in Reseda, California.

Recent Years

2019

Completed first Design-Build Project, LAUSD's International Studies Learning Center

Recent Years

2021

Kemp is awarded the historic John Burroughs Middle School Design-Build Project in Hancock Park, California.

LEARN MORE ABOUT US

LEARN MORE 
ABOUT US