2025 Mountain States Best Projects
Best Renovation/Restoration: ESI Headquarters Building
ESI Headquarters Building
Meridian, Idaho
BEST PROJECT
Submitted by ESI
Owner & General Contractor ESI
Lead Design Firm Grey Wolf Architecture
Structural Engineer Tamarack Grove Engineering
MEP Engineer Cator Ruma & Associates Co.
What was once a three-story call center has been transformed into a state-of-the-art headquarters for ESI, optimized to improve collaboration, inspire innovation, foster teamwork and cultivate relationships. The facility sits on more than 16 acres and features 19 conference rooms, 17 huddle spaces, five bid rooms, a classroom, an employee gym, a café and an innovation lab with interactive virtual and augmented reality capabilities.
Rehabilitating a 20-year-old building presented multiple challenges. Several tons of materials had to be extracted from the building before several tons more could be brought in. Old concrete flooring and structural materials were removed to accommodate a new grand staircase and revamped floor plan. The new design also called for skylights to enhance natural lighting throughout the building. Modifications were made to use the skylight openings as access points for moving materials in and out.
Photo courtesy Slack Media, Tobin Rogers
MEP teams faced significant challenges after removing the raised floors throughout the building’s office spaces. The electrical team modified thousands of feet of wiring that had to be replaced or rerouted to support each floor’s complete layout overhaul. Electricians worked closely with the design team to shape and adjust the floor plans to meet the design intent while preserving the functionality of the work areas.
The building’s exterior features cross-laminated timber (CLT) columns and canopies, but placing 40-ft CLT beams at and around the building’s entrances was a lift—each beam weighed around 10,000 lb.
Reclamation and recycling furthered the project’s sustainability goals. The old call center included all the original cubicles, office furniture and fixtures. Instead of hauling all this metal to the landfill, the project team refurbished cubicle panels and cabinets, reassembled them and installed them in the new office layout. Remaining scrap metal and copper wire were recycled, with the proceeds donated to the contractor’s charitable foundation, ESI CARES. And wood for two 18-ft-long conference tables and the 104 stairs for the grand staircase were sourced from fallen trees.
