One of the first things passersby notice at a construction site is the fencing. Keeping thousands of dollars of machinery and construction supplies safe, and preventing pedestrians from wandering into a perilous situation are the jobs of companies like Area-West Fence Co.

Part of the American Fence Association, Area-West Fence Co. provides temporary and permanent fencing for commercial development in Downtown San Diego and surrounding areas. “We’ll provide fencing for any commercial project from roads to bridges to schools,” says Santo Pernicano, president and CEO.

All the jobs Pernicano has worked are significant, but he says the Downtown ones are higher profile. “From a marketing standpoint they are a little more important.” Because of all of the building taking place Downtown, “when you have a project it is more visible.”

With ballpark-related construction booming, Pernicano predicts good things in the firm’s future. “I think our business will increase down there.”

After working with American Fence Co. for 17 years, San Diego native Pernicano started his own business in April 1997.

As a subcontractor, Area-West Fence Co. primarily works with general contractors in San Diego. A member of the American Subcontractors Association and the American General Contractors, Area-West Fence Co. is looking to grow by expanding to Riverside, San Bernardino and Orange and Imperial counties. Pernicano hopes to be doing business as far away as Sacramento within the next five years.

Past Downtown fencing projects have included those for Roel Construction at the Hilton Hotel in the Gaslamp Quarter and for the Renaissance condos. Area-West also works with contractors like Swinerton Builders, Douglas E. Barnhart Inc. and Hanson SJH Construction.

Ornamental iron fencing is growing in popularity, but Area-West Fence Co. also installs chain link fences and metal beam guard railing for roads and highways. The installation and placement of a fence can take from one day to three years. The company will work on more than 200 projects annually, and have about 30 to 40 project fences up at any given time. For large projects like those Downtown, the fencing changes as the property develops. “Our part varies as the project grows,” Pernicano says.

— Noelle Darras