Brasfield & Gorrie Completes Construction of GE Global Operations Center at The Banks
September 22, 2016
Contractor Finishes Company’s Operations Hub within Budget and Ahead of Schedule
Birmingham, Ala. (September 22, 2016) – Brasfield & Gorrie recently completed construction of GE’s Global Operations Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. Part of The Banks development, the 10-story building adds 330,000 sq ft of Class A office space to Cincinnati’s Riverfront. Atlanta-based Carter is the developer and owner of the GE building.
With an open interior layout, GE’s new space centers on collaboration, offering unique opportunities for teamwork among its employees. The design features group work stations, huddle areas, and bold décor, including graphics of Cincinnati and GE’s history.
From the outset of the project, GE envisioned an efficient, team-oriented, creative workspace for Global Operations, the company’s in-house shared services organization with functions ranging from Finance/Tax, IT, HR to Legal, Supply Chain and Commercial Operations. Understanding that vision, Brasfield & Gorrie worked closely with GE’s design and engineering teams to create a workspace that allows teams to collaborate and encourages teamwork.
The cast-in-place concrete office building includes a unitized glass curtain wall system that was premanufactured in sections off site and then installed at a rate of one floor per week. Anticipating an extremely long lead time for glass, Brasfield & Gorrie recommended evaluating, selecting and releasing glass prefabrication months before construction began to accommodate the schedule. This early procurement of the project’s exterior glass helped set the stage for completing the office building ahead of schedule.
Brasfield & Gorrie used virtual design technology throughout preconstruction and construction to coordinate systems within the building, thereby minimizing issues in the field. Additionally, modeling the project allowed for seamless collaboration between the construction team, the design team for the core and shell office building and the design team for the building’s unique interiors. By integrating the building design with the interior design in the virtual model, Brasfield & Gorrie was able to ensure that each element of the project fit together properly. The design approach also minimized collisions and rework that otherwise would have occurred in the field.
Situated between Paul Brown Stadium and the Great American Ballpark, the GE Global Operations Center is a key portion of Phase II of The Banks. Carter is the master developer for the mixed-use project that will include up to 1 million sq ft of office space, 1,800 housing units, 200 hotel rooms, 300,000 sq ft of retail space, and a 45-acre park when completed. To date, Brasfield & Gorrie has completed five projects at The Banks, including apartments, parking, retail, and office space, totaling $171 million in construction volume and 1.4 million sq ft of space.
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About Brasfield & Gorrie
Founded in 1964, Brasfield & Gorrie is one of the nation’s largest privately held construction firms, providing general contracting, design-build, and construction management services for a wide variety of markets. We are skilled in construction best practices, including virtual design and construction, integrated project delivery, and lean construction, but we are best known for our preconstruction and self-perform expertise and exceptional client service. Brasfield & Gorrie has 12 offices and approximately 2,600 employees. Our 2015 revenues were $2.3 billion. Engineering News-Record ranks Brasfield & Gorrie 29th among the nation’s “Top 400 Contractors” for 2016.