James McHugh Construction Co. has had a steady hand in building Chicago's skyline. The company's contributions include the Civic Opera House, the Arlington Park horse-racing complex, and the historic Blackstone Hotel. The firm offers general contracting, consulting, construction and project management, design/build, and concrete services. It builds both private and public works that are complex, large-scale, and often high-rise. Clients have included American Airlines, The University of Chicago, and the US Navy. James McHugh Construction was founded in 1897 by James D. McHugh, an Irish bricklayer, and remains a family-owned business run by chairman James P. McHugh.