Construction work on Heartland's new headquarters is well on its way toward completion.
Originally slated for occupancy in early December, the facility now looks to be finished by the end of the December, with Heartland expecting to move in to its Lakeview Industrial Park location by the end of January.
Mike Malone, Heartland's chief financial officer, said the contractor continues to be optimistic indicating work can be completed by the end of December.
"The furniture is scheduled to be moved Jan. 4," he said. "We expect to move in by the end of January."
Contractors currently are working on several finishing touches inside the building, including painting walls and installing ceiling fixtures.
Heartland's plans for a new headquarters were first unveiled in February and made official in April with a groundbreaking, but construction itself was delayed until later in May because of Heartland's need to obtain additional permitting to build the facility.
Additional moisture this summer also delayed construction.
"It was a wet summer that really impacted things," Malone said.
Although contractors have been working with a compressed schedule, Malone said, the timeline has only shifted about a month.
"The plans have stayed pretty close," he said. "There's not a lot of deviation from those plans. Materially it's gone as drawn."
The new company headquarters will be a unique feature for Madison. Plans for the 9,400-sq.-ft. facility are on track to being the first building to receive the highest energy efficiency ranking awarded by the Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program.
Heartland's goal is LEED platinum certification, which is the highest rank obtainable.
To achieve that goal, the company has to take into consideration sustainable site development, water efficiency, energy efficiency, atmosphere, the use of recycled materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, innovation and design.
Some of the features incorporated in the facility include the use of solar panels to generate part of the company's power and use electricity generated from the wind farm in Wessington Springs for additional power.
The building will also feature occupancy sensors, low flow water fixtures and a heating system that allows for individualized control within each office.
The building has utilized recycled and reused materials for its facility.
Malone said one example of the recycled materials in Heartland's new headquarters is the use of ceiling panels made from wood boards previously used as bleachers in a Nebraska High School football stadium.
To use the boards for ceiling panels, Malone said, the boards were stripped down the middle, planed and finished. The building also features polished concrete floor in the hallways and lobby.
"Ninety percent of the public areas have windows," Malone said, indicating that all offices also have windows. "There's a lot of natural light."
The interior of the building features large wooden beams and some exposed concrete wall.
"As a power company, we wanted it to look a little industrial in there."
When Heartland announced its project, the company announced the buyer for its current headquarters: The South Dakota Association of Rural Water Systems, which is relocating its Sioux Falls office to Madison.
Malone said the SDARWS is awaiting Heartland's notice that the project is completed.
"They're ready to move in," Malone said.
Heartland Manager Mike McDowell said that SDARWS will probably be moving in as Heartland moves out.
Malone said that the total project is coming in under the original budget.
"So far we've been a little under," he said.
The project anticipated a $2.4 million facility with addition costs for furnishings, for a total project cost of $3 million.
Originally slated for occupancy in early December, the facility now looks to be finished by the end of the December, with Heartland expecting to move in to its Lakeview Industrial Park location by the end of January.
Mike Malone, Heartland's chief financial officer, said the contractor continues to be optimistic indicating work can be completed by the end of December.
"The furniture is scheduled to be moved Jan. 4," he said. "We expect to move in by the end of January."
Contractors currently are working on several finishing touches inside the building, including painting walls and installing ceiling fixtures.
Heartland's plans for a new headquarters were first unveiled in February and made official in April with a groundbreaking, but construction itself was delayed until later in May because of Heartland's need to obtain additional permitting to build the facility.
Additional moisture this summer also delayed construction.
"It was a wet summer that really impacted things," Malone said.
Although contractors have been working with a compressed schedule, Malone said, the timeline has only shifted about a month.
"The plans have stayed pretty close," he said. "There's not a lot of deviation from those plans. Materially it's gone as drawn."
The new company headquarters will be a unique feature for Madison. Plans for the 9,400-sq.-ft. facility are on track to being the first building to receive the highest energy efficiency ranking awarded by the Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program.
Heartland's goal is LEED platinum certification, which is the highest rank obtainable.
To achieve that goal, the company has to take into consideration sustainable site development, water efficiency, energy efficiency, atmosphere, the use of recycled materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, innovation and design.
Some of the features incorporated in the facility include the use of solar panels to generate part of the company's power and use electricity generated from the wind farm in Wessington Springs for additional power.
The building will also feature occupancy sensors, low flow water fixtures and a heating system that allows for individualized control within each office.
The building has utilized recycled and reused materials for its facility.
Malone said one example of the recycled materials in Heartland's new headquarters is the use of ceiling panels made from wood boards previously used as bleachers in a Nebraska High School football stadium.
To use the boards for ceiling panels, Malone said, the boards were stripped down the middle, planed and finished. The building also features polished concrete floor in the hallways and lobby.
"Ninety percent of the public areas have windows," Malone said, indicating that all offices also have windows. "There's a lot of natural light."
The interior of the building features large wooden beams and some exposed concrete wall.
"As a power company, we wanted it to look a little industrial in there."
When Heartland announced its project, the company announced the buyer for its current headquarters: The South Dakota Association of Rural Water Systems, which is relocating its Sioux Falls office to Madison.
Malone said the SDARWS is awaiting Heartland's notice that the project is completed.
"They're ready to move in," Malone said.
Heartland Manager Mike McDowell said that SDARWS will probably be moving in as Heartland moves out.
Malone said that the total project is coming in under the original budget.
"So far we've been a little under," he said.
The project anticipated a $2.4 million facility with addition costs for furnishings, for a total project cost of $3 million.
