Dive Brief:
- Swinerton, a San Francisco-based commercial construction company, announced its new adaptive reuse office space in Charlotte, North Carolina, in the FreeMoreWest neighborhood.
- The new office, at 8,535 square feet, more than doubles the original footprint and will house the regional team of 90 employees.
- With over $125 million in revenue in the region, Swinerton’s expansion is a sign of its commitment to and outlook on the office and healthcare markets in the region, a company executive said.
Dive Insight:
The adaptive reuse space, designed by Redline Design Group, features a 1,700-square-foot mass timber mezzanine designed, fabricated and installed by Swinerton’s mass timber affiliate Timberlab. The mezzanine "affords the growing company space for future expansion and an architectural wood finish often coveted in traditional office environments," according to the press release.
"One of the primary reasons was to make a space that helped us to attract and retain top talent in the region," said Jared Hoeflich, vice president and division manager at Swinerton. "Then, just as important was showcasing what our team is capable of from a product standpoint, and partnering with folks that we knew we wanted to be working with and that were offering innovative solutions."
In partnership with CBI Workplace Solutions, glass and solid wall systems by Falkbuilt form private office walls in addition to conference room entrances in the building. The space also includes an architectural feature wall, fabricated by Southeastern Architectural Systems, and custom break room booth seating designed and fabricated by Atlantic Commercial Caseworks.
Outside, glass roll-up patio doors lead to flexible workspaces away from the traditional desk space. McKenney’s HVAC installed stainless, spiral ductwork and strategic air distribution throughout the space.
Almost all employees remained in the office throughout the pandemic, said Hoeflich. Although some team members were out of the office due to tending to their kids or other pandemic-related effects, Swinerton "really never shut the office" and "barely left," said Hoeflich.
The space also illustrates Swinerton's belief in a resurging office market in the region.
"[My outlook for the office market] is very positive. I think that people are anxious to get back into a collaborative environment," said Hoeflich. "We're not in any way lacking optimism about where the industry is going in the long term. The revenue growth that we expect in the region, all of that is unchanged."
Other amenities of the new office include outdoor venues such as the mixing yard — a communal space that can be used by tenants or the public — and adaptable furniture to accommodate different types of groups and events. Complimentary electric bikes also allow workers to attend meetings in the immediate area.
"A lot of our [optimism] has to do with net migration. The population [surge] increases demand for development and growth in the Charlotte area," said Hoeflich. "It has to do with the financial hub that Charlotte is, and a lot of our clients that we do work with are based in Charlotte. [Also,] over the next several years, there's a high concentration of health care construction and our plan is to be a part of that."
