The story of Moderno Construction Management isn't just about building houses. It's about three generations of a family committed to one mission: keeping the move-to-acreage dream alive for families throughout Prior Lake, Lakeville, and Scott County.
While other builders chased maximum profits and rapid expansion, the Tupy family stayed rooted in what matters: serving families, building community, and creating homes that become the backdrop for generations of memories.
This is the story of how 800+ custom homes became 800+ family legacies—and why that distinction matters when you're choosing who will build yours.
Every family business starts somewhere. For Moderno, it began with a simple observation: families in the South Metro Minneapolis area wanted something most builders couldn't—or wouldn't—provide.
What Families Wanted:
What the Industry Offered:
This gap between what families wanted and what builders offered created Moderno's founding opportunity—and our enduring purpose.
The construction industry hasn't always valued transparency and client advocacy. In fact, the traditional model actively works against it. General contractors profit by marking up every aspect of your project—the more you spend, the more they make. This fundamental conflict of interest hurts families.
The first generation of Moderno construction leadership recognized this problem and built something different:
The Project Management Model:
This wasn't just a business strategy—it was a values statement. It declared that families deserved advocates, not adversaries, when building their custom homes.
According to Construction management industry research, this approach wasn't common in residential construction. Most builders stuck with traditional general contracting models because they generated higher profit margins. Moderno chose a different path: sustainable success through genuine service.
As the South Metro grew, Moderno grew alongside it—but always with purpose, never just for growth's sake.
Strategic Community Development:
Rather than buying land indiscriminately, the family identified areas where acreage living remained viable as development pressured increased. This strategic approach led to communities like:
Each community reflected the core mission: making acreage living accessible to real families, not just luxury buyers.
Every family business faces a critical transition point—how does the next generation honor founding principles while adapting to changing markets?
For Moderno, this transition brought modernization without compromising values:
Process Improvements:
Relationship Deepening:
Market Positioning:
The second generation proved that you could professionalize operations while maintaining the family-focused, client-first culture that defined Moderno.
Today, Jake Tupy represents the third generation of Moderno leadership—and he brings fresh energy to timeless values.
Jake's Vision:
"While Moderno is a force in the luxury market, our highest motivation is keeping the move-to-acreage dream alive in an ever-changing world. We leave the ego behind and are proud to offer tremendous open-book value to any home building project."
This statement captures everything that makes Moderno different:
Modern Approaches to Timeless Values:
Jake's leadership modernizes how Moderno serves families without changing what matters:
Technology Integration:
Process Optimization:
Community Focus:
"800+ custom homes completed" sounds like a marketing statistic. It's not. It represents:
This experience base provides enormous value:
Expertise You Can't Fabricate:
Relationships That Benefit You:
Systems That Prevent Problems:
Compare this to builders with 50 projects completed—or even 200. The depth of knowledge from 800+ builds across three generations provides confidence no new builder can match.
What makes Moderno different from other custom home builders in the South Metro? It's not just our construction management model, transparent pricing, or local expertise—though those matter enormously.
The real difference is philosophical:
We're Building Legacies, Not Just Houses
Your custom home isn't a transaction to us. It's the setting for your family's life—birthdays, holidays, daily routines, and milestones. It's where your children will grow up and your grandchildren might visit someday. It's a legacy.
This perspective changes everything about how we approach construction:
Decision-Making:
Quality Standards:
Relationship Approach:
"We were hesitant to build a home because of some horror stories we heard from friends and family. After meeting the staff at Moderno it immediately changed our minds. We appreciate the project management style that Moderno offers versus a typical builder. It allows us to be more involved in the every day decisions. Jake, Ashlee and Alex have been so great at walking us through every detail of the process so it doesn't feel overwhelming."
— Megan DeMeuse, Prior Lake Homeowner
This testimonial captures what matters most: transformation from hesitation to confidence, from overwhelm to clarity, from transaction to partnership.
What Our Clients Consistently Highlight:
These aren't isolated comments—they're patterns repeating across 800+ projects because our systems prioritize these outcomes.
The developments Moderno has created represent more than land subdivided and sold. They're communities thoughtfully designed to serve families long-term:
Scenic Bay Estates - Prior Lake's premier lakefront community offering acreage lots with lake access. Families here enjoy privacy, natural beauty, and proximity to Prior Lake amenities.
Harvest Bluffs - Acreage living with beautiful topography and thoughtful lot placement preserving natural features while maximizing buildable area.
Holman Addition - Credit River area lots from 2.5-5 acres starting in the $200,000s, proving acreage living remains accessible to middle-class families.
Cardinal Pass - Coming Spring 2025, our newest community continues the mission of providing quality acreage opportunities in desirable locations.
Terra Farm, Skluzacek Addition - Multiple established communities demonstrating long-term commitment to Scott County development.
Each community reflects principles guiding Moderno's work:
Over three generations, we've witnessed enormous changes in custom home construction:
Design and Style Evolution:
Technology Integration:
Construction Methods:
Client Expectations:
Through all these changes, core values remained constant: serve families with integrity, build quality that lasts, price honestly and transparently, remain committed to the community.
Being "born and raised in the South Metro" isn't just biographical detail—it's competitive advantage benefiting every client:
Geographic Knowledge:
Regulatory Expertise:
Relationship Benefits:
Market Understanding:
This local expertise, accumulated over three generations and 800+ builds, can't be duplicated by builders new to the market—no matter how skilled they are elsewhere.
Our mission statement isn't accidental or casual. It reflects deep belief in what acreage living provides families:
Beyond the Physical Space:
Acreage living offers intangible benefits crucial to quality of life:
As the Twin Cities expands, pressure intensifies to fill every acre with dense development. We believe families still deserve the choice of spacious, private acreage living—and we're committed to preserving that option.
Economic Accessibility:
"Keeping the dream alive" means affordability. Through strategic land acquisition, efficient community development, and transparent construction management, we keep acreage living within reach of middle-class families—not just the wealthy.
Our Holman Addition lots starting in the $200,000s prove that commitment. Combined with transparent construction management saving 10-15% versus traditional contractors, families earning $120,000-$180,000 annually can achieve the acreage dream.
As Moderno enters its fourth decade, we're building for the future while honoring the past:
Continuing Community Development:
Enhanced Technology and Communication:
Expanding Expertise:
Deepening Community Commitment:
When you choose Moderno Construction Management for your custom home, you're not just hiring builders—you're joining a legacy of 800+ families who trusted us with their dreams.
You benefit from:
Whether you're considering a lakefront property in Scenic Bay Estates, an acreage lot in Holman Addition, or exploring opportunities in our upcoming Cardinal Pass community, you're choosing a partner committed to your success.
Building a custom home is one of life's biggest decisions. It deserves a builder whose values, expertise, and commitment match the magnitude of your investment.
At Moderno Construction Management, we've spent three generations proving that transparency, integrity, and genuine client advocacy aren't just marketing messages—they're the foundation of everything we do.
Here yesterday. Here today. Here to stay.
That's not just a tagline. It's a promise that the family helping you build your dream home will be here for your children—and possibly their children—continuing the legacy of service that's defined us for three generations.
Contact Moderno Construction Management today at 952-234-8879 to discuss your custom home project. Let's explore how our three-generation legacy of transparent project management, local expertise, and genuine client advocacy can make your acreage living dream a reality.
Visit our communities, tour completed homes, and discover the difference that building with a family-focused, value-driven partner makes. Your legacy begins with choosing builders who care as much about your success as you do.
Welcome to the Moderno family.
