Crease HVAC, a Rochester-based specialty HVAC contractor, is expanding significantly with a move to a 31,000-square-foot facility in Henrietta from its current 7,000-square-foot space on West Avenue. The expansion, announced November 26, 2025, represents a major growth milestone for the 20-22 employee company that specializes exclusively in the air side of HVAC systems.
The $835,000 project has received approval from the Monroe County Industrial Development Agency (COMIDA), which granted a $37,200 sales tax exemption to support the expansion. According to reporting from the Rochester Business Journal, the new Henrietta facility will allow Crease HVAC to significantly enhance its fabrication capabilities and add staff positions including a project manager and office administrator.
Owner Kevin Bischoping shared his vision for the move: "We literally don't have a place to put a desk in our current building. It's been pleasant growth and sometimes surprising growth." The firm currently projects approximately $5 million in revenue for 2025, marking substantial growth since Bischoping took full ownership in 2020 from Great Lakes Ornamental Iron.
Crease HVAC has built its reputation on a highly specialized business model—focusing exclusively on the air side of HVAC work rather than offering full-service mechanical contracting. This specialization has made the company invaluable to general contractors across the region. The bulk of the company's work is performed on K-12 school buildings in Rochester-area districts including Gates Chili, Brighton, Hilton, Penn Yan, Mount Morris, and Kendall.
The time-sensitive nature of school HVAC work is precisely where Crease HVAC thrives. "We're doing six months of work in 10 weeks during the summer," explained Bischoping. Most contractors avoid this demanding schedule, but Crease HVAC has made it a competitive advantage. The new facility will support accelerated production cycles with additional fabricating equipment to be installed in the Henrietta location.
Bischoping's strategy of remaining specialized rather than expanding into additional trades has proven effective. "We're possibly the last or one of the last companies that only does the air side," he noted. This approach prevents the company from competing with its customers—the general contractors who hire them for duct work and systems. Instead, Crease HVAC positions itself as a valued ally and specialized asset.
The company's commitment to expertise has even earned Bischoping a seat at national industry tables. He serves on both the technical resource committee and HVAC resource committee of the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors' National Association (SMACNA), representing the Rochester region alongside firms from Cleveland, Detroit, Philadelphia, and Texas.
The business wasn't always focused on HVAC. When Fred Ledtke started Great Lakes Ornamental Iron, his original vision was creating ornamental railings and gates. However, with a background in HVAC, he was persuaded to add duct work services for contractors. Bischoping came on board in 2015 with a five-year buyout plan, having previously worked with Ledtke at Northern Air Systems and in general contracting.
When Bischoping achieved full ownership in 2020, the name change to Crease HVAC made strategic sense—the company's work had shifted entirely to HVAC, and the new name reflects Bischoping's personal passion for hockey. "Crease HVAC was my subtle ode to a goaltender's crease," he explained. The expansion project LLC was named 2 Minutes for Holding LLC, a reference to a hockey penalty for holding—a detail Bischoping says "most people don't get, but hockey people get it."
Throughout the company's rapid expansion, Bischoping has prioritized maintaining the close-knit culture that has become a competitive advantage. "I enjoy knowing everybody that works for me, really getting to know them. We work hard at our culture, we try to make it a place where employees are proud of what they do," he stated. The company has become known in the Rochester construction community as a workplace where employees seek out opportunities to join.
The Crease HVAC expansion signals continued strength in the Rochester-area construction sector, particularly in education infrastructure. The company's growth demonstrates how specialized contractors can thrive by focusing on niche markets and maintaining quality standards. For developers and general contractors in the region, the expanded capacity means enhanced capability to meet aggressive school construction timelines during summer breaks.
With the COMIDA approval in place and a clear expansion strategy, Crease HVAC is positioned to accelerate its growth trajectory. The new Henrietta facility will support job creation for project management and administrative roles while expanding fabrication capacity. The expansion also reflects the ongoing demand for specialized HVAC services in Rochester's K-12 education market, where facility upgrades and new construction continue to drive business in the region.
Source: Rochester Business Journal, November 26, 2025 (Article by Kevin Oklobzija)
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