MARCH 2016 \ BUILDING DIALOGUE \
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A
s employers focus on recruitment, they are
becoming more conscious of the ways in
which the upcoming generation of profes-
sionals is influencing the workforce. In order
to engage this group and secure top talent, organi-
zations have found that the needs of today’s physical
workplace have shifted. This can especially ring true
with government facilities, as engagement, collabora-
tion and obtaining value for their public dollars tend
to be of the utmost importance to clients.
Due to expertise with government projects and cre-
ating people-centric workplaces, our firm was awarded
the Colorado Department of Transportation’s first build-
to-suit office project in more than 30 years – its Region 4 headquarters.
The design-build firm’s chief aim was to deliver both a 47,000-square-
foot office and light-duty maintenance facility in Greeley, as well as a
21,000-square-foot maintenance facility in Platteville, that helps to at-
tract and retain top-level employees.
In doing so, the administrative building design consolidated several
CDOT offices and now includes Colorado State Patrol as a partner in the
building, allowing the organization to functionmore efficiently through
improved communications and collaboration.
However, the project’s significance extends beyond the sticks and
bricks of the building; a secondary goal for the project was to deliver a
building that enhances the western gateway to Greeley, an important
benefit for the entire region.
“CDOT now has the ability to function more productively and play a
more significant role in the region’s operational capacity,” said David Fox,
deputy director, PropertyManagement Program for CDOT. “Our new build-
ing provides a powerful physical presence as it welcomes residents and
visitors alike to Greeley from our prominent location along Highway 34.”
In order to meet the updated needs of CDOT, we partnered with Hum-
phries Poli Architects on the office portion of the project, delivering a
collaborative, multifunctional and sustainable facility designed and
built to LEED-certified standards.
The project’s architecture, which took into strong consideration the
work environment, delivered floor plates with a 90 percent open office
to 10 percent closed office ratio in order to heighten connectivity among
employees.
David
Shigekane
President,
The Neenan
Co.
