REALIZING THE CORPORATE VISION UNITED S NEW HEADQUARTERS IN HARTFORD, CT

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Kimberly Washington
5 years ago
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1 REALIZING THE CORPORATE VISION UNITED S NEW HEADQUARTERS IN HARTFORD, CT

2 Solidus is a Commercial Design and Construction Company that specializes in custom builds for community banks and credit unions. We use a unique collaborative method to plan and execute our projects, and we guarantee project cost and deadline No change orders, no wasted time. We serve all of New England, and have built hundreds of branches across the region.

Melissa Etheridge, Project Manager, United Bank United Bank is a large community bank, ranked by Fortune as #39 out of the 100 fastest growing companies, and the only Connecticut-based publicly

3 From a business development, brand exposure and employee engagement perspective, we re witnessing a strong return on our investment thanks to the successful design and build out of our Corporate Offices. Melissa Etheridge, Project Manager, United Bank United Bank is a large community bank, ranked by Fortune as #39 out of the 100 fastest growing companies, and the only Connecticut-based publicly traded company on their 2017 list. Solidus and United have worked together over the past 13 years, with United increasing their assets from $2Bn to $7Bn during the past four years. Solidus has completed numerous branch renovations for United as well as extensive work on their previous corporate buildings. We recently discussed the design and execution process for the project with Eric Newell and Melissa Etheridge, United Bank s CFO and Project Manager, respectively. We were interested to know if the finished space resembled and felt like the one they d envisioned in the planning stages, and how the intensive planning phase compare to the execution of the project itself.

4 DESIGN PROCESS (Location & Corporate Vision) LOCATION We investigated two potential properties for a new United headquarters in downtown Hartford, to be designed and built based on their executive vision. Our architect worked on some rough layouts to determine how each space would work, and eventually the bank decided to take several floors in the Goodwin Square tower in downtown Hartford. During several months of planning and changes, Solidus worked with all the bank s departments to generate the concept. The plan was to move about 250 people onto three of the four floors, and an additional 25 people onto the 26th floor, which is the executive floor. One major challenge for us was that the client planned to sub-lease their existing space, which meant a two-phase move-in deadline: Columbus Day weekend and Veterans Day, 2017 (October-November). We were therefore under a lot of pressure as we began construction in late September. But we did it. This project really started for me when I began sourcing the space in June 2016, said Newell. We were initially in the process of just determining whereabouts in Hartford we would choose to go. It took us some time to land on Goodwin as a definite location, then a while to negotiate the lease. They started demolition the day after Valentine s Day, February, The design process with Solidus had started in November, 2016 and construction didn t start until late September, So from November 2016 to late September, 2017 we only saw design file images of the space in 2-D. We walked this space many times when it was right down to the studs. And then suddenly, almost overnight, it was like Wow it s done! CORPORATE VISION Solidus worked on our previous corporate offices in Glastonbury, said Newell, and having worked in that environment from 2012 to 2016, I knew what I liked and what I didn t like. So, when we started the design process we wanted to know how we could build off that to improve it. We also wanted to expand the concept and make it a little more modern. The previous offices had a lot of natural light, it was very open, but there was a lot more clutter and it wasn t as professional looking. At the first meeting we had with Solidus I already knew there were some things I absolutely did not want. For instance, I didn t want filing cabinets everywhere. I didn t want storage to be an issue. Also, our old conference rooms had wire management problems, says Etheridge. We had wires coming out of everywhere in those conference rooms. So coming here, we wanted

5 everything concealed, clean and tidy. Using what we got wrong at the last place as a starting point for planning this new environment made the process much easier. The architect was able to understand my vision pretty succinctly. There wasn t a huge amount of back and forth on this project, which was nice. The devil s always in the details, but big picture-wise, everyone was very much on the same page from the beginning, which helped a lot. The interior designer and I kind of clicked; we had a lot of the same ideas and we were able to put it all into reality fairly easily. One thing I did want in the beginning were a lot more informal touchdown areas because we had a lot of younger people coming in here who feel at home relaxing in that kind of environment without necessarily needing to be in a conference room. We initially had a lot more of that planned. But then reality set in; the designers explained that those types of areas take up a lot more real estate than you imagine. Despite this, I think our vision to implement touchdown spaces has been pretty successful. We have touchdown spaces on 22, 20, and 24, which was the last floor to be designed. On the 22nd floor the floor most people come in on is what we call our Main Conference Center. That was another concept I wanted because we never really had enough conference rooms at the previous corporate office, and there were fights every day over who could use them. As a result, we spent a lot of time on conference room designs and asking ourselves, Alright, do we have enough conference rooms? because we were bringing a lot more people together in this space. Here, each conference room has its own particular type of use. For instance, you can have a collaborative conference room where three or four people sit at a conference table that s positioned against a wall where there are screens they can work on together, or you can have a very formal boardroom type environment where people conduct a more traditional cross-table discussion. Was there a conscious intent to design them to be all unique in their own way? The interior designer was the one who really drove that, says Newell. What I really enjoy is that you can go into any one of our conference rooms and it doesn t feel like you went into a different office environment from the whole. It was very well pulled together and the aesthetic is consistent across all the different conference spaces. There are numerous conference rooms throughout the space, with various kinds of furniture and flat screen displays. Everything is highly integrated. There are small monitors (connected to the computers at Reception) outside each conference room displaying scheduled meetings. People can use the monitors to reserve conference rooms and see which times are currently available in each room. A huge amount of information technology and audio-visual infrastructure was built into the different floors. Each conference room is distinctive and

stylish. An artist was commissioned to create some original pieces, including three in the lobby and one in each of the boardrooms. Meeting spaces and connectivity are a theme on all floors.

The spiral staircase connecting the 20th, 21st and 22 nd floors enables employees to move between floors internally without using elevators and is a great meeting facilitator.

6 stylish. An artist was commissioned to create some original pieces, including three in the lobby and one in each of the boardrooms. Meeting spaces and connectivity are a theme on all floors. Conference rooms, the internal staircase, and client/employee balconies all contribute to this effect. The spiral staircase connecting the 20th, 21st and 22 nd floors enables employees to move between floors internally without using elevators and is a great meeting facilitator. The internal staircase is a really awesome aspect of the design, Newell said. It connects three floors, 20 to 22. It s just really easy and efficient to get around. Previously, we had multiple buildings, and everyone would call each other or , but this is much more efficient. Our CEO loves it; he doesn t even need to schedule a meeting. He just does his loop and whoever s in their office he makes a stop and they have a meeting. The next items on the list were the beautiful balconies. There are two balconies on the 22nd floor, which Solidus worked to transform into sleek welcome/hangout areas for the bank s clients and its employees. The level of aesthetics on both the 22nd and 26th floors is designed to impress. The client and employee balconies were fitted with new concrete and glass railings, new pavers, outdoor furniture and a bar. The employee lounge opens directly onto the beautiful employee balcony, and Newell and Etheridge expect this area will be a major focus of activity as the weather improves. We wanted to leverage the balcony spaces for entertaining purposes for clients, said Newell, and we also renovated a new balcony area for our employees. What I m super-thrilled about

is that our lunch room, which we spent a lot of time designing, and which is always full as it is such a welcoming and popular space, adjoins the employee balcony.

7 is that our lunch room, which we spent a lot of time designing, and which is always full as it is such a welcoming and popular space, adjoins the employee balcony. So it will be interesting in the summer to see what it will be like when people are hanging out on this large balcony. We haven t really utilized it yet because we moved in during the winter, but I m sure we ll be using it all the time during the summer, said Etheridge. The United Bank University (training facility) complex was incorporated into the design quite late in the process, which meant adding the 24th floor to the execution plan. We decided to include United Bank University (training facility) in the project by adding the 24th floor late into the project, and it was a very complex floor, said Newell. We were already working on four floors, so a fifth couldn t be just easily added. It was a lot of work, totaling 72,000 square feet of office space, which is going to be a challenge for anybody. Execution Process (IPD, Communication &Transparency, Site Staff) IPD (Integrated Project Delivery) The first phase included extensive renovation work on the 26th and 22nd floors. These floors demanded high-end finishes from our designers and tradesmen. The 26th floor is shaped like an octagon (following the exterior shape of the tower itself), and it was extremely challenging to understand how we would integrate our design into that somewhat unconventional shape.

8 We also had to bring in 1,300 50lb. bags of gypcrete to float the floor so that it would be level, because it was in poor condition after the previous tenant had tried to rip up the floor tile. There was one freight elevator for the whole tower, which posed some logistical challenges for us, as everything had to be transported to the floors in that single elevator; sheetrock, electricals, wiring, wall coverings, computer equipment, carpets, and furniture. All the furniture and there was a lot of furniture had to fit in that elevator, and it s not a big elevator. These moves had to be meticulously planned, coordinated and executed in a particular order for them to be a success. Communication & Transparency We often emphasize the value we place on regular communication and transparency with our clients, and how we and keep them informed at all times during the project. We also value our commitment to solving problems as they arise. Did Newell and Etheridge feel that these aspects of our value proposition were met adequately? Getting the right players to the table and forming what has become a weekly coordination meeting definitely has helped, Etheridge said. It involves IT, Security, Facilities, and all the Solidus people such as architects, designers and the trades. We implemented this pretty early on in the project. There would easily be ten to 25 people at any of these meetings. The meetings kept the project under budget and on deadline. What is great is that I have a very strong relationship with Solidus CEO Mark Charette, says Newell. Whenever there was a roadblock to progress of any kind, Mark would get right on it and make sure it was resolved immediately, which is important on a project of this scale. I don t think there s been a day that I haven t talked to Jen Miller in probably two years or more, Etheridge said. And I mean daily. I m always in contact with everybody, and so is Eric. We use everything from s, phone calls, coordination meetings, to online project management tools like Basecamp to stay in touch. Earlier in the project we were having challenges with the IT infrastructure component, said Newell. It was such a huge job it required far more than the usual scale of organization, and we needed a special solution. (Solidus Project Manager) Jen Miller is an awesome project manager, and we appointed Melissa as a liaison between Solidus and the end-users for all the various technologies and features that were integrated into different areas of the building. Our IT department has a beautiful space here now, said Etheridge, An extensive area.

Site Staff In addition to our project managers and construction executives, we also like to know how site staff and subcontractors perform on our projects.

Dave, Gil, and Dan were all awesome. They re always super-responsive, always proactive and eager to help. They even provide brief updates if you just run into them in the hallway.

9 Site Staff In addition to our project managers and construction executives, we also like to know how site staff and subcontractors perform on our projects. We asked Etheridge if our site superintendents on the project provided good up-to-the-minute information on how the assignment was progressing. I have them on my speed-dial, so yes, says Etheridge. Dave, Gil, and Dan were all awesome. They re always super-responsive, always proactive and eager to help. They even provide brief updates if you just run into them in the hallway. They re telling you something at all times, and the difference this makes is immense. They are always part of our meetings. Have the Modern Architecture & Workspaces been a success? MODERN ARCHITECTURE AND WORKSPACES Q &A Modern architecture and workspaces are now subject to much greater review and scrutiny by employees and others, so had Newell and Etheridge had an opportunity to collect the opinions of the workforce and determine if the design has been a success for those who truly use it?

10 We ve never had any complaints from anyone who works here about the big picture and the design. Also, this is the first bank headquartered in Hartford since 2001, so we had a lot of positive response because we re bringing jobs into the city. And then they come into the space and they re like Wow! and they re just amazed at the investment we ve put into it. It puts us on the map and it encourages the community to do business with us. We re a $7 billion dollar bank and there s an impact there that people feel coming into our space. It s very different from them coming to our previous HQ in suburbia. It gives that constituent a confidence level, whether it s an employee feeling that we re here to support the community, or a customer thinking that this is a stable company. We always had an intention to hold networking events in the space, because it was something that we always planned, but it s now been expanded due to its popularity, said Etheridge. We max out on those events, says Newell, because everyone wants to come. In terms of what the event is, it could be our own customers, or some other group of people in the community. Some of our executives are on boards of foundations or community organizations, and sometimes they will bring organizations into our space to have their board meetings. For instance, Brandon Lorey, who is our Head of Consumer Banking, works with a men s group against domestic violence and one of the co-chairs of the group is Senator Blumenthal. And so the Senator and the whole group held a monthly meeting in the space, which is a great setting to send a message to the community. We also do monthly networking events in the space, says Etheridge. We cater it out, it s great for business, and it s great for networking. It s right on 22, the main lobby area. They move out those eight chairs and bring in cocktail tables. Local businesses cater it.

There s a whole is greater than the sum of the parts quality thanks to the superlative architecture.

11 The result is an absolutely stunning space that is modern, fresh, welcoming and highly functional. It is sleek and formal, with casual touchdown stations where employees can relax and charge electrical devices. There s a whole is greater than the sum of the parts quality thanks to the superlative architecture. The conference rooms retain their unique personalities with aesthetic consistency across all floors, with artfully concealed wiring and clutter. The carpet, which features the bank s color palette, sweeping branding features and curves, was cut and fitted in place. It s a truly holistic environment that people love. This large project achieved several goals. For the employees it s a cool place to work, the executives of the bank are assured they ll attract and retain talent through their leading edge approach, and Solidus is proud to have contributed to making a local institution even greater than it already was.

12 To learn more about our integrated design and construction services, contact: Mark Charette, CEO, Solidus. e: t:

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