THE KOLL STORY
It All Started in Los Angeles in 1882
"Building was flourishing in L.A. and many people were moving west because the transcontinental railroad was offering trips to California for $1.00. Los Angeles had a growing population of 22,000 when . . ."
August (Gus) Juergen Koll
left his native Denmark and came to America at the young age of twenty-three. He brought with him a love for woodworking, and the different varieties of woods and effects that they produced. The fascination with woodworking led him to his vocation, first as a carpenter and operator of a small joining shop which became the A. J. Koll Planing Mill in Los Angeles. His associations with the lumber industry and the growing popularity of the Los Angeles area led Gus Koll into a natural progression of events that brought him into the building of finely crafted custom homes and commercial construction. A.J. Koll passed his love for exotic woods and woodworking onto his son. . .
Harvey W. Koll
and with that came more involvement in the building industry. Harvey opened his own wholesale lumber business in 1921. During the depression he kept the business going by filling in with a variety of other jobs. As times got better, the lumber business got healthier and Harvey did some residential and commercial development just as his father had. During World War II he aided the war effort by manufacturing sugar pine plugs for plugging bullet holes in amphibious vehicles. In 1961, Harvey was elected International President of the Wholesale Lumberman’s Association, and was a member of The Hoo Hoo Club 155 in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. He continued in the building trade by developing industrial property and later passed his talent and experiences on to his son. . .
M. H. (Mike) Koll
who with two generations of the building industry involvement behind him, was a natural to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather, August, and his father, Harvey. After graduation from college, Mike served his country as an enlisted man in the air force and later as a Lieutenant in the Pacific as a Combat Engineer. After his military service, he returned to the construction industry as a carpenter, building commercial and industrial buildings, then moved to operate a split timber and shingle mill in the California redwoods. His experience continued to grow superintending the construction of residential homes and in 1960 he formed his own successful building company. Mike continued the family legacy working well into his nineties until his passing in early 2013. Mike was involved in building over 3500 residential units, and he shared his experience with the next generation of family builders, starting with his son. . .
William J. (Bill) Koll
who began at an early age working for his dad, became more infatuated with cars than the building industry. Leaving college, he began working in an automobile dealership and driving race cars... but, building is built into the Koll family. In 1972 Bill formed his own construction company and car racing became a hobby. He succeeded in both by winning his division at the 24 Hours of Daytona two years in a row, and continuing the building legacy, in Southern California, by developing, designing and building several award winning communities. Bill continues the Koll family tradition of quality and craftsmanship in north Idaho, designing and building exquisite custom homes and like his father, extends all of his knowledge to his son. . .
Gregory S. Koll
who worked with his father on several projects at an early age but turned his eye towards the emerging hi-tech industry. Greg worked with new technologies and new media, encompassing web technology, digital video and the design industry. Feeling the lure of the wood grain in his blood, Greg turned back to the Koll family business and formed his own construction company in Southern California. Pulling from the vast resources of his long family history and integrating new building technologies and science, Greg continues the Koll building legacy. His dedication, attention to detail, patience, love of construction and natural talent are apparent in all that he does. Koll Custom Homes develops land and builds custom residential homes in beautiful Southern California.