T.W. Clark Construction LLC has expanded beyond general contracting, positioning the Spokane Valley-based company as a vertically integrated builder-developer capable of guiding projects from land acquisition through leasing.

T.W. Clark president and CEO Steve Sunleaf says the company is now functioning as a one-stop shop for development, bringing a historically fragmented process of securing land attorneys, builders, architects, engineers, and other components of the development process together under one roof.

In doing so, clients are able to turn undeveloped land into income-producing property through one team, while giving the company greater control over project outcomes, timing, and long-term performance. Since launching the development arm, the company has built over 3,000 units and rebranded to T.W. Clark Construction & Development, Sunleaf says.

“We’ve tried to make ourselves that one-stop shop so that we can be useful to people in a way that is connected all the way through,” Sunleaf says. “It makes the whole thing just seamless. And that was our goal. We wanted to be useful to our communities.”

T.W. Clark is headquartered in a 10,000-square-foot structure built by the company’s founder and namesake, Tom Clark, at 1117 N. Evergreen Road, in Spokane Valley. Sunleaf purchased the company from Clark in April 2013 after serving seven years as project manager at the business. T.W. Clark employs 150 people, completes about 10 projects a year, and has an annual revenue between $100 million and $150 million, Sunleaf says.

When the Journal last caught up with Sunleaf in 2023, T.W. Clark had completed and sold its first company-owned property — a 12-unit apartment complex in Spokane Valley — for $3.4 million the year prior. Sunleaf told the Journal at the time that selling the development was a purposeful stepping stone that allowed him and his team to learn the process of development.

The following year, two company-owned developments began: a 72-unit development, dubbed the Sawtooth Flats apartments in Post Falls, and a 68-unit multifamily complex in Spokane Valley, called Empire Flats. Since then, T.W. Clark has built 1,000 company-owned units, he says.

“It took five years of reading and a lot of doing to see how it all comes together,” Sunleaf says. “But we now have that wisdom.”

After years of working with outside developers and navigating the complexities of permitting, design, and construction, Sunleaf says he saw an opportunity to simplify the process for others. That experience is what ultimately drove the company to expand its development services beyond its own projects.

By bringing those services in-house, Sunleaf says T.W. Clark is helping clients avoid costly missteps while aligning development decisions with construction timelines and long-term financial performance. That approach is rooted in the company's broader development philosophy and how it approaches builders' roles in shaping communities.

“I like to say we build communities where people thrive, not just apartments where people dwell,” he says.

That mindset also influences the design process, with an increasing emphasis on health, wellness, and connection to the surrounding environment. Across its developments, T.W. Clark incorporates features aimed at encouraging activity and improving quality of life, including walkable layouts, access to nature, and on-site amenities, such as fitness spaces and recreational areas.

Sunleaf explains those decisions are informed by years of feedback from tenants and leasing agents, as well as lessons learned from building thousands of units for other developers.

Among the most common requests are practical design elements, such as entryway storage, larger closets, functional kitchen layouts, and bedroom dimensions that provide more livable space.

“They are simple things, but they make a difference,” he says.

Currently, T.W. Clark has expanded its reach to East Wenatchee, Washington, with two company-owned developments underway including a 125-unit project under development near a river and a 10-mile trail system. The second is an eight-building 192-unit development featuring a workout facility, clubhouse, and pickleball courts, he says.

“We love the community over there,” he says. “It’s a hallmark of what we're trying to create in that you’ve got skiing that’s within 30 minutes, you’ve got a river that’s right there. In fact, our Wenatchee site is a block away from the kayak launch area, so you can throw your kayaks and go for a cruise out onto the lake.”

As T.W. Clark continues to expand its footprint, Sunleaf says the company will work to refine its business practices.

“We’re really not trying to grow as much as we are trying to perfect,” he says. “We want to be as useful as we can to people.”