South Puget Sound Community College and the Thurston County Economic Development Council wanted to create a permanent hub where students, local businesses, and government agencies could flourish in a shared facility. As a result, the Center for Business and Innovation was created. In order to maximize the project budget, the organizations Korsmo Construction and KMB Architects renovated a 1979 unused office building in Lacey, WA. The project holds particular significance as the first construction contract performed by Washington State Department of Enterprise Services using the design-build delivery method.
Major improvements to the 52,000-square-foot building include mechanical, electrical, and HVAC upgrades to accommodate the technological needs of students and staff. A new exterior envelope and replacement of the original mansard roof updated the building’s exterior aesthetics and functionality. The building was remodeled using environmentally conscious principles, with sustainable features, such as increased natural lighting through the use of skylights, reuse of original concrete floors, native plant landscaping, and energy efficient HVAC.
The newly-renovated facility houses SPSCC’s Center for Corporate and Continuing Education, a business resource library, a state-of-the-art testing center, computer labs, three 100-seat classrooms that can be reconfigured into a 300-seat event center, eight conference rooms, offices, and classrooms.
