Spokespersons for national commercial contracting firm told reporters late last week that it has never turned a profit with the division and didn't see it happening any time soon. Indeed, the company said revenues for its current fiscal year, which ends in March, will top out at around $80 million, nearly a 30% drop from the $110 million it generated in 2000.

McCarthy opened its first Northwest office in 1991 in Bellevue by acquiring general contractor SDL Corp. The Beaverton office, which was being shut down last week, opened in 1996 and had big hopes after landing the $100-million Round at Beaverton Central contract shortly thereafter. In 1999, however, with two buildings half erected, the developer declared bankruptcy, leaving McCarthy high and dry.

Over the past decade, McCarthy as a whole has averaged $1 billion in annual revenues. It is considered by many to be one of the top 10 construction firms nationally and among the top 100 globally. Prior to these cutbacks, the company had 900 full-time employees and 2,500 people on the weekly payroll.