At Nowland Associates, our people are the foundation of our quest for excellence. We pride ourselves on being an innovative, forward-thinking construction company that only works with the best clients, subcontractors and consultants. We strive to deliver the highest quality construction services and workmanship that exceeds expectations. For more than 80 years we have cultivated a reputation for ourselves built on honesty, integrity and quality.
To provide the highest quality construction services leaving every customer completely satisfied and wanting to recommend Nowland Associates to their friends and colleagues,
To foster a work environment that is family oriented, fulfilling, and an enjoyable place to work, where every employee works hard, shares the load equally, and does whatever it takes to ensure the job is done well,
To promote working with subcontractors who share in our ideals, to treat subcontractors better than our competition, and by doing so ensure that Nowland Associates is the first choice construction company with whom our subcontractors choose to do business,
To be proud that the Nowland name is on the business, and continue to work hard to maintain the exemplary reputation earned through successive generations of doing the right thing.
Our story begins in the mid 1920’s when brothers Gifford “Pop” Nowland and Clarence Nowland started Nowland Brothers General Contractors, a construction company whose foundation was that of high quality craftsmenship, and a business etich of honesty and integrity. Those founding principles still ring true today through three generations of family ownership.
Nowland Brothers General Contractors Founded in the mid 1920’s by Gifford Alfred and Clarence Lewis Nowland
Stock Markets collapsed on Tuesday October 29th, 1929 marking the beginning of the great depression.
In 1942 Nowland Brothers Construction is officially recognized as a commercial construction company.
On May 8, 1945, both Great Britain and the United States celebrate Victory in Europe Day. Cities in both nations, as well as formerly occupied cities in Western Europe, put out flags and banners, rejoicing in the defeat of the Nazi war machine.
After graduating from the University of Delaware and honoring his commitment to the ROTC Program, Gifford Worth Nowland, oldest son of Gifford Alfred, established his own construction company. His business focused on individual professional buildings as well as some custom homes.
In 1962, Gifford A.’s third son Dale, began working as a construction laborer for Nowland Brothers, upon completing his service in the U.S. Navy. Upon completing his apprenticeship in carpentry Dale worked his way to become a field Superintendent where he ran his first commercial project for the North Star School.
On January 1, 1966, a partnership between Nowland Brothers General Contractors and Giff Nowland Construction Company was formed. Each company invested equally in the new entity, Nowland Associates.
In 1969 Nowland Associates became a dealer for Star Building Systems located in Oklahoma City, OK. The tradition continues today after nearly 50 years dedication to Star.
After completing construction of the Chapel North office building, Nowland Associates relocates from Windy Hills in 1970. This would remain the company’s home until 2001.
After operating as a partnership for seven years, it was decided that the company should incorporate, and on January 1, 1973, each partner again contributed an additional equal investment as stockholders, and the corporation Nowland Associates, Inc. was formed. Shortly thereafter, Clarence Nowland retired and ended his involvement with the family business.
Shortly after the formation of Nowland Associates, Co-founder Clarence L. Nowland retires from the company. On December 16th, 1975 Clarence passed away.
A groundbreaking ceremony is held for the City of Newark Municipal Building located on South Main Street. Gifford W. Nowland attends the ceremony and is pictured on the far right.
This photograph is one of the last taken of Gifford A. working with his two sons Gifford W. and Dale Nowland. This image captures the ideals of Nowland Associates and hangs proudly in our office today. It was taken in 1974 at a job trailer on the construction site of a new facility for Kimble-Terumo located in Elkton, MD.
On October 5, 1974 tragedy struck and Gifford W. Nowland passed away suddenly, leaving his share of the corporation to his wife, Virginia M. Nowland. The loss was devastating to the family and to Nowland Associates, and as a result Dale began working in the office to help maintain the business and client relationships.
In 1981, Nowland Associates became a Charter Member of Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of Delaware, when the organization became established in Delaware. Dale Nowland played a critical role in the organization’s founding and the company remains an active member today.
In 1982, Nowland Associates constructs its first building for W.L. Gore and Associates. The facility in Fair Hill would be the first of many collaborative projects, a relationship that continues today.
On November 9, 1989, as the Cold War began to thaw across Eastern Europe, the spokesman for East Berlin’s Communist Party announced a change in his city’s relations with the West. Starting at midnight that day, he said, citizens of the GDR were free to cross the country’s borders
In 1991, the third generation of family leadership began as Dale’s oldest son Jeff, began working for Nowland Associates full time upon receiving his B.S. degree in Construction Engineering from Bradley University in Peoria, IL.
In 1993, Dale's second son Jim, began working for Nowland Associates after earning a B.S. in Structural Engineering from Bucknell University in Lewisburg, PA. During this time Jim served a four year apprenticeship at Gredell and Associates Structural Engineers in order to earn his Professional Engineering license.
Dale Nowland and Bill Burkley create a partnership to develop the Upper Chesapeake Corporate Center in Elkton, Maryland. The “Burk-Land” office building (shown) was one of the first buildings constructed in the park.
In 1996, Co-Founder Gifford A. Nowland steps down from Nowland Associates at age 80. After 8 years of battling illness, he passes away at age 88.
In 1999, Nowland Associates completes it’s first project with St. Andrew’s School. It was the complete renovation to the school’s existing library. Nowland Associates still maintains the partnership today having managed dozens of renovation and new construction projects for St. Andrew’s. Pictured was a complete renovation to the schools historic gymnasium.
After 58 years, Nowland Associates constructs their own office building and relocates all operations to a new facility at 2009 Ogletown Rd. in Newark.
In 1999, Dale’s youngest son Giff began his apprenticeship with Donham and Sweeney Architects in Boston, MA after earning his Bachelors or Architectural degree from Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA. In 2001, Giff began working full time for Nowland Associates, Inc.
On September 11, 2001, 19 militants associated with the Islamic extremist group al-Qaeda hijacked four airplanes and carried out suicide attacks against targets in the United States. Two of the planes were flown into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, a third plane hit the Pentagon just outside Washington, D.C., and the fourth plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. Almost 3,000 people were killed during the 9/11 terrorist attacks, which triggered major U.S. initiatives to combat terrorism and defined the presidency of George W. Bush.
On December 31, 2004, Dale Nowland retires leaving his three sons, Jeff, Jim and Giff to continue on with the family tradition as the third generation takes the helm. Jeff Nowland is named President.
In 2007 the Cecil County Government selected Nowland Associates to Design | Build a new Administration Building to consolidate their governmental operations. The building is located in the Upper Chesapeake Corporate Center in Elkton, MD.
In 2017, Nowland Associates celebrates its 75th anniversary with a gala event at the Chateau Bu-De winery. Over 400 attendees were on hand made up of clients, contractors, associates, family and friends. It was an amazing event to reconnect with so many, and to reflect on 75 years of accomplishments.
The novel human coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was first reported in Wuhan, China, in 2019, and subsequently spread globally to become the fifth documented pandemic since the 1918 flu pandemic
Gifford "Pop" Nowland (Middle) with two sons Dale (left) and Giff (right)
Gifford "Pop" and Dale Nowland collecting an award at the Star National Sales Meeting
Emma Jane and Dale Nowland receiving a Star Building Systems Master Builder Award
Third generation sons Jeff, Giff and Jim with father Dale Nowland at their office in Newark, DE