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Publication: Illinois Business Journal, October 2020

Breese, Illinois-based firm honors heritage, employees in modern office space

������Ƶ Company, a second-generation family-owned construction company and one of the top 75 largest general contractors in the Midwest, announces the opening of its new, 40,000-square-foot headquarters, located at 400 S. Germantown Rd. Breese, IL 62230. This new construction consolidates five separate facilities into a single, central building that is more than 30 percent larger than the previous workspaces.

“Our plan for this new headquarters was rooted in a two-fold purpose,” said Keith Poettker, president of ������Ƶ. “We wanted to celebrate the vision and craftsmanship of the Poettker team and demonstrate our skills and capabilities to our clients, as well as offer employees the best possible environment in which to grow and expand their career while ensuring work-life balance.”

Inspired by the traditional style of German bank barns, the new headquarters’ exterior façade complements the history and values of the Breese community while featuring materials and finishes that are prominent in Poettker’s diverse portfolio: structural steel framing, concrete, exposed glulam beams, masonry, metal wall panels, wood plank siding, and standing seam metal roofing. Visible from multiple elevations, the sharp pitch in the spine of the central roof is reminiscent of traditional barn roofs and serves as a core visual element that pulls the side structure together into a unified, organic whole.

Among the new headquarters’ prime features is an outdoor sanctuary incorporating a tranquil lake with a waterfall and two fountain features, beautiful landscaping and entertaining areas. The back of the building features a walk-out lower level with a covered gallery that echoes passages built on the sheltered side of German barns. The gallery leads to the 1/3-mile walking path, which allows employees to break from the traditional nine-to-five work environment and destress with nature.

Other amenities include:

• An expansive lobby and guest lounge boasting 37-foot ceilings with sightlines to the exterior lake and natural elements.
• Cubicles tailored toward a 21st century environment, including sit-to-stand workstations and open collaboration concepts.
• Geothermal HVAC system, solar panel farm and LED lights to reduce energy consumption by 75 percent along with reducing the carbon footprint by 65 percent.
• Health and wellness facilities available on site, including a 24/7 fitness center equipped with lockers and bathrooms, and a dedicated health wellness room.
• In-house training room with real time conversation features that can accommodate 100 people.

The headquarters opening comes alongside recent success in the company including the opening of a Southeast regional office in Charlotte, North Carolina, as well as leadership promotions to accommodate strategic growth within the company.

“Next year we’re celebrating our 40th year in business and there is no better way to honor our company culture, community and longtime employees than a beautiful new headquarters that reflects the professionalism and skills of our employees while honoring our culture and heritage,” added Keith Poettker. “We’re very proud of the collaboration among all firms and consultants throughout the development of our vision and look forward to continuing to be a premier leader in attracting and retaining the most talented construction professionals in order to continue our growth while maintaining exceptional service for our clients.”

St. Louis-based Oculus Inc. served as the architect and interior designer of record and Aviston, Ill.-based Netemeyer Engineering Associates Inc. served as civil engineer. Other design consultants included IMEG of St. Louis as structural engineer, BRiC Partnership of Belleville as the MEPFP coordinator and DTLS of St. Louis as the landscape architect.

 

This article originally appeared in the October 2020 online issue of the Illinois Business Journal.��

Also featured in: St. Louis Business Journal, St. Louis Construction News & Review, Construction Forum St. Louis, The Breese Journal, BND.com, and Highland News Leader.