616 bertrand Ave.

St. Marys, Kansas

 

Owner: St. Mary’s Properties

Size: 15,000 sf

Services provided: programming, architectural design, interior design

This new 2-story, 15,000 square feet building replaced two demolished buildings on the south side of Bertrand Ave. (US Hwy 24) in downtown St. Marys, Kansas. The Owner desired the building to have a Neoclassical masonry facade so it would complement the historic commercial storefronts along the traditional “Main Street” commercial corridor. The golden rectangle defines the proportions of openings and other elements. The facade is built of brick and native Kansas limestone with a preformed metal entablature crowning the composition. The street level was given large windows to provide good visibility for potential future retail or restaurant tenants.

The building’s initial tenant was a home security technology company. They desired a more contemporary work setting that facilitated collaboration and teamwork. The ground floor contains conference rooms, a dining/gathering space, and shipping and receiving. A unique feature of the second floor customer support center is a walking track that encircles the workstations, enabling employees to accumulate daily steps while providing customer support via telephone. Perimeter offices have glazed walls to allow views to the central open office and to allow daylight to penetrate into the space.