WICHITA, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Expansion of Koch Industries, Inc.’s Wichita headquarters is moving forward with the company announcing today that it has hired Hutton Construction of Wichita along with its partner GE Johnson as construction manager for the project. In addition to Hutton, project manager is Cassidy Turley; project architect is Wichita-based Howard + Helmer Architecture; and project engineer is Professional Engineering Consultants, also of Wichita.
In December 2012, Koch confirmed it would expand its 1,025,000-square-foot Wichita headquarters on 37th Street North between Oliver and Hillside. The project will include construction of a new 210,000-square-foot office building to be situated on the northwest side of the campus. The new building will have three stories plus a lower level and the capacity to accommodate 745 employees. More than 2,900 people are employed by Koch companies in Wichita and they currently have more than 250 open roles at the Wichita headquarters. In 2012, Koch companies paid compensation and benefits to Wichita employees totaling nearly $400 million.
The new free-standing building, which will connect to other buildings on the campus via walkways and tunnels, is the first phase of a long-term master plan to handle potential future growth for Koch in Wichita. Construction of the new building will begin in the fall of this year with completion slated for mid-2015. In addition to office space, the new building will include a satellite Café Koch and training space.
“This is an exciting time for us and for Wichita as we add the office capacity and other infrastructure to accommodate the next phase of Koch Industries’ growth,” said Dave Robertson, president and COO of Koch Industries, Inc.
Relocation of 37th Street North
To accommodate the new building along with additional parking and possible future growth, work will begin in mid-June to re-route 37th Street North about one-quarter mile north of its present location. A right-turn lane for eastbound traffic will be added on Oliver at 37th Street. Other than this, the current intersections at Oliver and Hillside will not change and 37th Street will remain open to traffic until the new street is completed in October. The cost of the re-routing is being fully paid for by Koch.
According to Craig Highfill, vice president for facilities solutions for Koch Business Solutions, LLP, the street construction signals the start of a multi-year project that will transform the 100-acre Koch campus into an eventual 180-acre complex. “People will start to see changes right away as we begin moving dirt and laying the groundwork for new utilities, additional parking, new interior roads and more,” Highfill said. “We’re working closely with the City to make these changes as seamless as possible for people traveling 37th Street.”
About Koch Industries, Inc.
Based in Wichita, Kan., Koch Industries, Inc. is one of the largest private companies in America with annual revenues of about $115 billion. It owns a diverse group of companies involved in refining, chemicals and biofuels; forest and consumer products; fertilizers; polymers and fibers; process and pollution control equipment and technologies; minerals; commodity trading and services; ranching; and investments. Since 2003, Koch companies have invested about $50 billion in acquisitions and other capital expenditures. With a presence in nearly 60 countries, Koch companies employ about 60,000 people worldwide. In 2012, Koch companies employed nearly 50,000 people in the United States and paid compensation and benefits totaling more than $4 billion. From January 2009 to present, Koch companies earned more than 570 awards for safety, environmental excellence, community stewardship, innovation, and customer service.
About Hutton Construction & GE Johnson
Hutton Construction, a leading commercial construction company based in Wichita, Kan., was founded in 1992 and is a proven leader in construction management and design/build delivery methods. With additional offices in Garden City, Kan. and McPherson, Kan., Hutton has built a strong portfolio of work throughout Kansas and the Midwest. On this project, Hutton has partnered with GE Johnson, a Colorado Springs, Colo. construction company who will provide additional support throughout construction.
About Cassidy Turley
Cassidy Turley is a leading commercial real estate services provider with more than 3,700 professionals in more than 60 offices nationwide. The company represents a wide range of clients—from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies, from local non-profits to major institutions. The firm completed transactions valued at $22 billion in 2011, manages 455 million square feet on behalf of institutional, corporate and private clients and supports more than 28,000 domestic corporate services locations. Cassidy Turley serves owners, investors and tenants with a full spectrum of integrated commercial real estate services—including capital markets, tenant representation, corporate services, project leasing, property management, project and development services, and research and consulting. Cassidy Turley enhances its global service delivery outside North America through a partnership with GVA, giving clients access to commercial real estate professionals in 65 international markets. Please visit www.cassidyturley.com for more information about Cassidy Turley.
About Howard + Helmer Architecture
HOWARD + HELMER architecture is a multidiscipline firm of architects, interior designers and technical professionals located in Wichita, Kansas. Founded in 1981, Howard + Helmer offers design experience ranging from renovation and expansion projects to planning and designing entirely new facilities. Howard + Helmer architecture is committed to providing high-quality client services tailored to the individual requirements of each project.
About Professional Engineering Consultants
Professional Engineering Consultants, P.A. was established in 1965 and has a staff of more than 255 with offices in Wichita, Topeka, Lawrence, and Pittsburg, Kan. as well as offices in Tulsa and Oklahoma City, Okla. PEC provides a full range of consulting engineering services nationally. These services include Transportation, Airports, Water/Wastewater, Municipal Services, Land Development, Mechanical, Electrical, Structural and Telecommunications. The firm also maintains a laboratory offering Surveying, Geotechnical, Inspection, Materials Testing, and Air & Water Balance.
