About

Cooper Tacia General Contracting grew out of a friendship between two high school students, John Cooper and Chris Tacia, who began a business splitting and selling firewood in Sanford, NC in 1996. The money they raised was used to start a small development in nearby Harnett County and eventually led to the creation of Southeastern Properties & Development Company – fulfilling a dream of getting into home construction.

Their first construction projects, in 2003, were mostly bathroom and kitchen renovations and single family homes – many of which they remember doing themselves, with their own hands. Eventually, they started building single-family homes and custom homes, creating neighborhoods and a sense of community.

And then the Great Recession hit in 2008. That’s when John pivoted to commercial space, specifically hospitality projects, building some of Raleigh’s most beloved restaurants including the area’s first Happy and Hale, Bida Manda, Gallo Pelon and eventually Brewery Bavana, Whiskey Kitchen, Crawford & Sons and Jolie.

From there, the company started working in the industrial space on large-scale manufacturing facilities, such as the Enviva Pellet Mill, Southeastern Timber Products and American Zinc Recycling. As their staffing and expertise grew, they expanded into other areas – government buildings, offices, apartments, schools, community centers, and water and wastewater treatment plants.

In 2020, the company was renamed Cooper Tacia General Contracting to reflect its growth in these various industry sectors and to acknowledge its work throughout the Southeastern United States. The firm has worked on projects ranging from $5 million to $40 million.