Partners: network

Mark Benjamin, Morley Benjamin, Sherman Given, Bert Lewitt, Charles Muttillo

Active 1947-

Firm Notes

Morley Benjamin started this construction company in 1947, building houses in first in Pacoima, CA and then in Lakewood, CA, and Whittier, CA. In 1948, he got into business with Sherman “Tex” Given, and the two remained partners until 1980. Given retired in that year. The company's web site recapped its growth during the twentieth century: " During the 1950s, the re-named Morley Construction Company moved into competitively bid public work, completing schools and civic buildings throughout the region. In the ’60s and ’70s, construction for private clients predominated with negotiated contracts and often repeat customers. The company built commercial buildings, recording and television studios and thousands of apartment units.

Bert Lewitt joined the organization as a project manager in 1970 and Morley’s son, Mark Benjamin, started as an apprentice carpenter shortly thereafter. The salaried staff grew as did the number of trade workers in the field. Tex Given retired in 1980, which began the transition to a new generation of leadership. The 1980s was a decade of growth and change. The salaried staff continued to expand as middle managers and college graduates joined the company. An employee ownership plan was created to give staff a stake in the company’s progress. In 1984, Benchmark Contractors, Inc. was formed as an open-shop contractor to meet the needs of a growing residential market. At the same time, a holding company now known as Morley Builders was formed to help market services. With the turn of the century, Morley continued its managed growth in both human and financial resources. The early 2000s saw Morley’s reputation for quality take on new prominence as the builder of choice for new landmarks. The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, the Getty Villa Museum and the California Science Center were just the beginning of great projects in the new century." (See Morley Builders, "About Us: Company History," accessed 04/12/2017.)

In 2024, Charles Muttillo was Morley Builders' president. The firm had its main office at 3330 Ocean Park Boulevard Santa Monica, California 90405-3240. Tel: 310.399.1600. (2024). Two other offices were maintained in San Diego,CA, at 10509 Vista Sorrento Parkway Suite #205 San Diego, California 92121, tel; 619.299.2211 (2024); and at Irvine, CA, 2151 Michelson Drive, Suite #261, Irvine, CA 92612, tel: 310.399.1600 (2024).

PCAD id: 5652