What do you do with one of those vacant discount sales clubs? Turn it into a state-of-the-art office for one of the nation's largest insurance companies.

State Farm wanted to consolidate several Southwest Michigan offices into one facility for internal claims processing and training, providing up to 600 workstations.

To overcome the stigma of working in a vacant 100,000 sq. ft. windowless industrial building, a continuous 240-foot-long skylight was inserted at the peak of the pre-engineered structure. Flared walls and indirect light coves extend the reach of this light feature on each side out to the office areas. Punched window openings into pre-cast concrete panels bring additional natural light into the perimeter of the building. The need for central communications equipment closets, to facilitate paperless office operation, helped define the perimeter of the sky-lit circulation spine. This "main street" provides a central route for employees to reach their individual neighborhoods and work station addresses.

The existing warehouse provided numerous fire exits, ceiling space for mechanical, electrical, and built-in fire sprinkler systems, and plenty of employee parking. The twenty-foot high open space allowed for generous 12 foot ceilings in the open office spaces. Ample room remained above ceilings to add new variable air volume boxes, ductwork, new cable trays, and miles of computer network cabling. Even the old tire changing bays were retained as claims adjuster's facilities where damaged cars can be brought in and used for training purposes.

Linear direct/indirect fluorescent lights on a 12½ foot grid are evenly distributed within the 50 foot structural bays. Most electrical/computer connections were made by way of power poles from suspended ceilings, the exception being the "main street" under the skylight, in which under-floor raceway was installed. The only full height walls constructed were at new toilet rooms, staff lunch areas, training rooms, security control at the lobby, and the main frame computer room.

To assist with the makeover, the exterior street facade needed a more corporate look than provided by the original warehouse. Exterior insulation and finish system over pre-cast concrete panels relieves the cold concrete feel, and the new standing seam metal roof at the entrance canopy completes the transformation. The skylight is Kalwall, and new entry and windows are painted aluminum.

This adaptive reuse of an existing warehouse provides a modern, well-equipped, light filled space at a reasonable cost for State Farm's operations.

Budget
$ 2,100,000

Size
100,000 s.f.

Owner
State Farm Insurance Co.

Consultants

Mechanical/Electrical
Byce + Associates
Kalamazoo, Michigan

Interiors
State Farm Corporate Services

Office Systems
Knoll

Photography
Tod Walters
Kalamazoo, Michigan