Delta Dental of Colorado Project in Centennial Moving Forward

BUILDING DIALOGUE

With social distancing and other safety precautions in mind, construction began in April on Delta Dental of Colorado’s dynamic new office space.

Don Fitzmartin
President & CEO, Fitzmartin Consulting Co.

Delta Dental of Colorado, the state’s leading dental benefits provider, has assembled a team of professionals to execute a multifaceted plan to move its offices to Centennial later this year, when its lease ends after 25 years in the same building. The 55,000-square-foot space in Peakview Tower at 6465 Greenwood Plaza Blvd. will accommodate nearly 200 team members who work for the nonprofit organization and related Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation.

The project got underway with construction workers ruled essential and exempt under the stay-at-home order but adhering to the state’s guidelines to help stop the spread of COVID-19. DDCO is expecting to move in October and officially open the new office in November.

Design and construction for the new location is being overseen by a team of DDCO leaders and Stantec, a global leader in design. CBRE is the brokerage company and Fitzmartin Consulting is performing project management.

Greg Vochis, vice president and chief financial officer for Delta Dental of Colorado, said the company’s existing offices on South Ulster Street are spread out across three separate floors, and one of his primary goals with the new office project is more intelligent use of space. While the new office is roughly the same square footage as the existing space, DDCO will be able to use the space much more efficiently, allowing room to grow and easier access to upgraded amenities.

Having a knowledgeable team to shepherd the project through its multiple phases is crucial when plotting out a big move, Vochis said.

“Early on, we saw the importance of bringing in the right partners and acknowledging that we don’t have the expertise ourselves,” he said in January, when architecture design and furniture selection were occurring. “Our core competency is being the best dental benefits provider in the state of Colorado. We can best continue to serve all our stakeholders by having the right partners to assist us throughout the project.”

Sustainability, continuity and natural light have been key focuses from the beginning stages of the project, said Sarah McGarry, a principal with Stantec and the project’s lead designer.

An inviting café is intended to encourage collaboration.

A beautiful, cascading staircase is strategically placed at the perimeter of the building to let light into the office areas, as well as an inviting café that’s intended to encourage collaboration. A living wall near the reception desk adds floral flair and a welcoming presence to greet visitors and DDCO team members alike.

At the beginning of the design phase, McGarry met with each department head to envision and create a cohesive working space in which workflow adjacency was a priority. Currently, staff is segmented and spread out across noncontiguous floors, resulting in a physically fractured environment, according to McGarry.

The building will get a new sign that can be seen for miles, and the walls inside will be adorned with engaging artwork that brightens each room and hallway. The artwork and office design will reflect the work DDCO and the Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation performs throughout the State of Colorado, and the positive impact both organizations have on the community.

“DDCO wanted to make a space that was something the employees are proud of and they’re happy to be at work,” McGarry said.

Fitzmartin, in conjunction with Delta Dental of Colorado, is wrapping up the balance of selection for the project team: Signarama DTC Signs for Building Signage, Rand for construction, Wire to Wire for cabling, King System’s for AV and Elements for all new office furniture in a newly created rapid-prototyping process to enhance the office culture experience.

We have assembled a dream team, the city of Centennial permitting is fabulous with quick reviews, JLL property management team is rolling out the red carpet for us in the building, and we are below budget.

Published in the June 202 issue of Building Dialogue.