It was a happy birthday indeed for Thomas Daniels on Monday morning.
He got to celebrate the morning with the groundbreaking for the Capital Gainz complex, which will soon be the home of Capital Plumbing, Capital Mechanics and a lease center.
'It's a dream come true,' he said. 'We always wanted to get to a size where we'd have to have our own building, have to have our own place.'
After working through adversity for years, they are now there.
'Sometimes those difficult times are hard to see through, but after you get through them and you see what you're made of, then all of a sudden things start coming together, and you put your trust in God,' Thomas said. 'He'll handle it from there.'
He owns the companies with his wife, Sarah Daniels, who serves as the president of their companies.
'We're just blessed beyond belief to be able to start this and in a great community with so much support,' Sarah said about the Capital Gainz complex.
There will be 7,700 square feet for Capital Plumbing and Mechanical at the back of the lot at the corner of U.S. 377 and South Donation Street, with a 10,800 square-foot lease center facing the highway.
'We'll rent it by the square foot, but there's opportunity for six bays in there,' Daniels said. 'But if somebody comes in and says they want two, three bays, then we'll rent out whatever square footage they want.'
The growth their company has seen has exceeded her expectations, and she credited Thomas with that.
'He is the rock and the stronghold of everything,' she said.
Eric Francois, who works for the Daniels, said he is grateful for the way they treat their employees and excited to see the way the company is evolving.
'This company is growing really quick, ... and it's awesome to see all this support out here that we have,' he said. 'And I'm just excited to see what the future brings.'
He added that the Daniels 'run this company like we're their family.'
'I'm very honored to be a part of this company,' Francois said.
Several members of the Tioga community as well as the Pilot Point Chamber of Commerce turned out to celebrate with the Capital family.
Tioga Mayor Craig Jezek and Tioga Police Chief Curtis Macomb participated in the turning of the dirt.
Jezek said the center could help highlight what's possible for future commercial projects around town.
'It's good growth,' Jezek said of the project.
Lisa Cave, who serves on the Chamber board and who is working with the Daniels as part of the lending team with PointBank, said she is so happy to see the project fully starting.
'[Thomas] really wants to bring new vitality to Tioga and continue to watch it grow, and what he wants to do is also help other business owners,' she said. '... It is a great project, and it's been great to be a part of that and to have this relationship with him.'
Thomas also thanked Terry Hilliard with Signature Company Realtors, who sold the lot to the Daniels.
Hilliard said after the ceremony he wanted the right buyer for the property.
'This will spark a lot of other ideas here,' Hilliard said. 'It will show people that it can be done.'
At the close of the ceremony, Ruby Daniels, Thomas' mother, announced that it was her son's birthday, prompting a round of 'Happy Birthday.'
'It has just made my heart so happy, and he's a blessing, and he's doing what God wants him to do,' Ruby said. 'It's just an honor to have a child that grew up to do this.'
