Nov. 1 event marks opening of 106 11^th Avenue Building

The Department of Enterprise Services is inviting people to come and see the newest building on the Capitol Campus at noon, Nov. 1.

The 106 11^th Avenue building is the result of the construction project called the 1063 Block Replacement Project that was initiated by the 2013 legislature. The building was constructed with materials that match other buildings on the West Campus, but require less maintenance. One example is the limestone on the building’s exterior that closely resembles the sandstone on historic campus buildings.

A model of sustainability

The high-performance building embodies the vision for sustainability on the campus, said Enterprise Services Director Chris Liu.

“It’s constructed with features like solar panels, geothermal wells that draw heat from the earth, sustainable landscaping, and smart systems for energy use that conserve water and energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” Liu said, noting that the building will have 71.4 percent less CO2 emissions than the average office building - equivalent to taking 291 cars off the road for a year or eliminating the electricity use from 204 homes for a year.

The new building also comes with a guarantee in the form of a performance agreement with the design-builder, Sellen Construction. Under the five-year agreement, the design-builder is responsible for any adjustments needed if the building does not reach energy efficiency targets.

The new building is expected to help the state avoid more than $100 million over its lifetime compared to leasing space, according to 2015 life-cycle cost estimate by the Office of Financial Management. A building’s typical “life” is estimated at 50 years, though many stay in use longer than that time frame.

Streamlined building process

The project was completed using the design-build construction model in which the project architect and construction firms form a team and work together throughout the project, instead of having design and construction happening separately and then put out to bid.

“Enterprise Services and the project team did a tremendous job ensuring the building was completed on time and on budget,” said Gov. Jay Inslee. “This is a success story highlighting the benefits of using a streamlined design-build approach.”

Enterprise Services Engineering and Architectural Services Program Director Bill Frare said the design-build approach was especially beneficial in incorporating the solar panels for the building when the state Department of Commerce awarded Enterprise Services a grant for the photovoltaic arrays because adjustments to accommodate the panels could quickly be made.

He also commended the Enterprise Services project managers and the design-build team for being quick to adapt when challenges like the wettest spring on record arose.

“The project team was able to continually adjust the work sequence, allowing a focus on less weather dependent activities to stay on schedule,” Frare said.

Project budget

The total design-build budget was $85.7 million.

• $13 million appropriated for predesign, design, project management, demolition preparation and other planning activities by the 2013 Legislature.
• $69 million appropriated for construction by the 2015 Legislature.
• $1.7 million came from a Washington Department of Commerce grant for solar panels (photovoltaics.)
• $1.98 million came from the Office of Financial Management for work added to the project’s scope so that more tenants could occupy the building, and to cover costs associated with a delay in funding for the construction phase of the project.

Made in Washington

The project provided numerous opportunities for innovation that advanced sustainable products from Washington State including lower-carbon concrete mixes and skylights that reduce the need for interior lighting.

From the solar panels to brick and steel, you will see that “made in Washington” was a project priority -- 88 cents of every dollar was invested in Washington labor and materials. That’s $68 million supporting the Washington economy.

“We made sourcing from Washington businesses a top priority from the beginning,” said Victoria Buker, Sr. Project Manager for Sellen Construction. “The design-build team was thrilled to surpass our original goal of sourcing 75 percent from Washington businesses and materials, ultimately reaching 88 percent.”

In addition, internal furnishings such as modular work stations were crafted by Correctional Industries, a job training program within the Department of Corrections.

Moving in

The building will be occupied by numerous state agencies. Move-ins will occur between Nov. 3 and the end of February 2018. The building will be occupied by:

• Washington State Patrol (WSP)
• Office of Financial Management (OFM)
• Governor's Office of Regulatory Innovation & Assistance
• Results Washington
• Office of the State Treasurer (OST)
• Legislative Evaluation and Accountability Program Committee (LEAP)
• Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee (JLARC)
• Legislative Service Center (LEG-TECH)

More information

Learn more on the 1063 Block Replacement project web page

See the 106 11^th Avenue Building web page

Event details

• Noon – Gather on front plaza, pick up tour information.
• 12:15 p.m. – Opening remarks.
• 12:45 p.m. – Enter building for self-guided tours.