Cicero’s Development Corp. has been selected by Zink Food Services for an extensive design-build project that will expand the company’s headquarters and help it accommodate future staffing demands. The food service equipment distributor recently annexed approximately 2,000 square feet at 5400 Patton Drive in Lisle, Illinois, from the adjacent office of iit/SourceTech, an IT services company.

Cicero’s will build out the annexed area—which is in need of structural and design changes—from ceiling to floor, complete with new offices, a store room and a hallway, along with upgrading existing mechanical and datacom systems. Simultanuously, Cicero’s will be repurposing a 715-square-foot space within iit/SourceTech with a stage and A/V equipment for employee training, along with installing a demising wall to separate the two companies.

Cicero’s Development is scheduled to complete the design-build project—from blueprint development to coordinating construction activity—in less than seven weeks, all while avoiding disruption to the business operations of Zink Food Services, iit/SourceTech or those of other tenants in the building.

“Renovation work that involves demolition of walls, the installation of HVAC, fire suppression and electrical systems, and interior fit-out and finishes can be both noisy and dirty when mishandled by less-than-qualified contractors, especially with two concurrent projects in the same property,” said Sam Cicero, the company’s president. “Communication with the client and scheduling is key to avoiding disruptions. For example, we’ll develop a demolition and debris removal plan with a second shift to do the majority of the work at night when the building is empty. We also train our tradespeople to keep work stations closed off, clean and safe.”