After nearly a decade of being based in NAI Hiffman’s One Oakbrook Terrace, ARCO/Murray recently relocated to 3110 Woodcreek Drive in Downers Grove.
Joe Pomerenke, Partner, Director of Business Development, at ARCO/Murray, said that general company growth pushed the company to move.
“We’ve been fortunate to have increased our revenue by over 50 percent, every year, for the last six years,” he said. “It was a tough decision to make because we were located in Oakbrook Terrace near a lot of our trade partners, brokers, developers, and others that we do business with. But, the bottom line is, we looked at it as an opportunity to stand on our own, create some identity, and plan for future growth.”
The building underwent a transformation to prepare for the move, the final product resulting in a 54,082 square foot, two-story building with 29,139 square feet of office space, a 13,906 square feet warehouse with loading dock, and 4,981 square feet of tenant space.
“You would have had to see the building before we bought it,” Pomerenke said. “I think the building is a very good representation of our company’s capabilities. We found a building that was built in the late 80s—it was a build-to-suit for Delphi. They had a two-story office component that was 24,000 square feet, and a single-story warehouse component that was 30,000 square feet. Delphi had them connected by a glass atrium, and there was no defined entrance.”
“It took a lot of vision to be able to see what the building could be,” he continued. “As well as a lot of creativity to be able to transform it cost effectively, and really take advantage of the square footage. It had all the right tangibles, the location and square footage, except the functionality and aesthetic that really defines our brand. So we ripped off the entire skin, and built our own offices.”
To encourage ARCO/Murray’s “work hard/play hard” culture, a regulation size basketball court with volleyball markings/net pole floor sockets was added, along with a fitness center complete with men’s and women’s locker rooms. Another focus of the renovation was state-of-the-art AV equipment. Some of these enhancements included controlled access of the 17 HDTVs and building sound system provided by a customized iPad application, a 6’x10′ digital display wall featuring four 70″ HDTVs in the two-story atrium, and exterior zoned audio on the patio.
“We love it, and we’re having a ton of fun,” Pomerenke said enthusiastically. “In our old office, we had the good news bell. It was a little bell that hung on the wall, and every time we signed a new project, the person responsible for it would ring it.”
Now in their new office, with two floors, and 55,000 square feet, Pomerenke said that doesn’t work—but they’ve come up with a better solution.
“Now we have a surround sound AV system, and it’s connected to an iPad. So I sit in my office, turn on the bell on my iPad, and follow it up with a song. Each person has their own theme song, and when they hear it, they parade around the office giving everyone high-fives.”
“With the basketball court,” he added,” We’re working out, and playing four or five games a week. At the end of the day, I typically go into our break room and I’ll see people playing ping pong, watching the news, or relaxing. It’s been great.”
The office space itself consists of perimeter closed door offices and interior open office space with LED lighting and occupancy sensor control. Additional improvements included new precast panels, glass curtain walls, foundations, and the addition of 1,834 square feet of roof and 817 square feet of mezzanine.
“Our business demands a lot of people. Construction is traditionally a business of hard work, and a lot of hours. So we’ve created an environment that has soft seating, and comfortable relaxing spaces where you can really take a break and rejuvenate.”
Pomerenke also noted that the company has a lot of employees that commute from the city. “The locker room amenities have been an incredible benefit to them,” he said. “We have a full- service laundry that picks up from the office and drops it off. We also just opened a barber shop. So we’re bringing all of the amenities that you need to get things done in life—that you can never find time to do—and make it convenient to get done at work.”
With ARCO/Murray’s work hard/play hard” culture, and all of the amenities they provide for their employees, it’s no surprise that the company recently won a number of workplace awards. In 2013 and 2014 the company made the list of Chicago’s 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For. In 2014 they were named by the Daily Herald/The Business Ledger as one of the Best Places to Work in Illinois, and in 2013 the company placed second in the category for the same award. In addition, ARCO/Murray has also been named to Crain’s Fast Fifty list of the fifty fastest growing companies in Chicago for the last three years.
