Key Unveils its New Office Space in Historic Higbee Building on Cleveland's Public Square
Three floors of downtown office space to house approximately 1,000 Key employees
Complete renovation includes high-tech workspaces, restored historic features and 'green' enhancements
"Main Street" on each floor with Higbee store photo murals
CLEVELAND, Aug. 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- KeyCorp is unveiling this week its new high-tech, contemporary office space in the heart of downtown Cleveland following a complete renovation and refurbishment of three floors -- about 221,000 square feet -- of the historic Higbee Building on Public Square.
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Approximately 1,000 Key employees – about 20 percent of Key's Cleveland-based workforce -- will occupy the space, which retains a number of architectural elements of the historic Cleveland department store while at the same time anticipates changes in work styles and needs of employees and the highest standards for energy conservation and the environment.
The space provides standard offices, but also work areas where staff can temporarily touch down, plug in and meet in small groups, huddle rooms and casual meeting areas with flat-screen TVs for online access and presentations. (See the accompanying Fact Sheet for additional detail and features.)
"Our Higbee Building investment demonstrates our commitment to our headquarters city," said Key CEO Henry L. Meyer III. "It maintains hundreds of jobs in the heart of our city. At the same time, the project capitalizes on new technology, contemporary space planning and anticipates changes in the way we work and employee preferences. In addition, we have designed the renovations with the highest environmental standards in mind.
"We needed space that was readily adaptable to our changing functional needs, as well as changes in the way many of our staff work and their preference for more work-life balance," Meyer added. "We have designed this functionality into our space at Higbee, and partnered with building owner Forest City Enterprises, which has done a magnificent job in bringing this historic building back to life, aesthetically and functionally."
Meyer noted that Key is seeking LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification for the new space. Such certification by the U.S. Green Building Council recognizes characteristics including a healthy work environment; minimized use of natural resources; increased energy efficiency; use of recycled materials; and alternative transportation sources. Forest City was recently notified that the renovations on the building’s core and shell had been awarded “gold” certification from the Green Building Council.
"Early on, we alerted Mayor Jackson of our intention to consider alternative locations," said Meyer. "We worked with the Mayor's office and a number of Cleveland economic development leaders to consider viable alternatives within the City of Cleveland."
Many Local Firms Lead and Contribute to Project
About 30 area women- and minority-owned companies were part of the project. Three Cleveland companies had lead roles in architecture, design, engineering and construction: Vocon -- architecture and design; Karpinski Engineering, Inc. -- engineering; and Turner Construction Company -- construction. New York-based Gensler was also engaged in architecture and design.
Among the technology and historic features of the new space are: (see Fact Sheet for a more complete listing)
- The floors have secured wireless access throughout, and power and LAN access are integrated into all work surfaces and tables, including 'touch down' offices for short-term projects. There are "work bars" for visitors, and formal and casual meeting areas are equipped with flat-screen TVs for online access and presentations.
- Each floor has a designated "Main Street" which features wall displays of photos from the Higbee archive collection, including photos of the famous Twigbee Shop for Children at Christmas, the Silver Grille, and the Higbee Shoe Department.
- Former Higbee President Asa Shiverick's office has been fully restored, including floor-to-ceiling walnut walls, molded plaster ceiling and lighting fixtures, consistent with its original design. The office is designated as the Historic Boardroom and marked with a bronze plaque providing information on Higbee history and its president.
The Higbee Building Erected in 1931
Built in 1931, the 14-floor, 887,000 square-foot Higbee Building was for decades the home to the Higbee and Dillard's department stores. The Cleveland Visitors Center, The Greater Cleveland Partnership, The Silver Grille, Verizon and XO Communications, are now building tenants. The renowned building has been owned and operated by Forest City since 1990.
In addition to its 73 branch offices in greater Cleveland, Key also has large numbers of employees across Public Square in Key Tower and at its Tiedman technology and operations center, among other locations. The company has about 15,500 employees nationwide.
Cleveland-based KeyCorp is one of the nation's largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $94 billion. Key companies provide investment management, retail and commercial banking, consumer finance, and investment banking products and services to individuals and companies throughout the United States and, for certain businesses, internationally. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/.
Note to Editors: For up-to-date company information, media contacts and facts and figures about Key lines of business, visit http://Key.com/newsroom to view our Media Newsroom.
SOURCE KeyCorp
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