CREJ - Journal

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60 / BUILDING DIALOGUE / MARCH 2015
T he Bureau of
Land Manage-
ment partnered
with the U.S. General
Services Administra-
tion, the federal gov-
ernment’s landlord, to
consolidate and ren-
ovate its space at the
Denver Federal Center
in Lakewood to better ac-
commodate the work of
its employees.
BLM occupied both
Building 40 and 50 at the
DFC. Once complete, BLM
will reduce the amount
of space it uses by close to
40,000 square feet, giving
taxpayers an annual rent
savings of about $445,000.
To provide 430 BLM em-
ployees with a modern,
productive, comfortable
workplace while reducing
space and rent payments,
GSA conducted an em-
ployee engagement study.
Results of the study were
then incorporated into
the design of the space. In
addition to space and cost
savings, the project will
result in space that better
accommodates BLM’s mis-
sion and work processes.
For example, elements cur-
rently under-represented
for employees are things
like right-sized conference
rooms and breakroom
amenities, which are now
included in the design.
Efforts were also made
to open the floor plan to
allow natural light into the space as much as possi-
ble. Construction started in December 2013 and will be
phased so that BLM employees can continue to occupy
the space during construction. The project is scheduled
to be complete in November.
Construction services were awarded to E-Corp., a U.S.
Small Business Administration 8(a) firm. The furni-
ture contract was awarded to Steelcase. The furniture
design was a collaborative effort among the contracted
furniture vendor, GSA’s in-house designer, and repre-
sentatives of the BLM. Using the engagement study and
architectural design as the backbone of the layout, GSA
providedmaterial and design selections that accommo-
dated BLM’s divisional functionality, such as amounts
of desk space and storage, and minimum heights of
workstation partitions (union-negotiated).
Features of the new space include:
• Central multipurpose social and meeting hub.
• Additional conference and huddle rooms.
• Wi-Fi throughout entire space.
• Reduced workstation sizes.
• Workstations with low panels heights to increase
access to daylight and collaboration among employees.
• Private offices for executive leadership only.
• Updated HVAC via ESPC.
• Updated lobby, way-finding, and space connectivity.
BLM and GSA goals are to renovate and improve
building interiors and systems furnishings while re-
ducing employee footprint and consolidating occupied
space that result in rent savings to BLM and, ultimately,
the taxpayer. \\
Sally Mayberry
Regional
Public Affairs
Officer
U.S. General
Services
Adminis-
tration
Rocky
Mountain
Region
BLM suite prior to construction
BLM suite after renovation
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