Creative Memories

St. Cloud, Minnesota

The Creative Memories/Antioch Company facility is a manufacturing, warehouse, distribution, and office facility located adjacent to I-94 in south St. Cloud. The company is a multinational manufacturer and distributor of products that organize and preserve photographs and other memorabilia, headquartered in St. Cloud, MN. The project is a 326,000-square-foot building located on a 50-acre site. Manufacturing and warehouse areas total 304,000 square feet; the two-story office area consists of 22,000 square feet. The massive size of the building is aesthetically softened by the medium sandblast finish on the 38′ precast walls. An eloquent window wall system with sunshades at the two-story office area complements the manufacturing portion of the facility. The project includes 446 parking spaces and 11 loading docks. The interior of the office space features naturally finished maple veneer panels, maple millwork and trim; custom print wallcoverings and wall fabric; custom glass window walls; and one-of-a-kind modular workspace panels. The highlights of the lobby space are the custom semi-circular reception desk and a cantilevered stairway with glass guard railings, in a space with a 24-foot ceiling height.

The manufacturing and warehouse area contains a computer-controlled picking, packing, and distribution system, and a complete music/paging system. The enormous space is made more amenable with exterior windows in the plant and warehouse, and painted surfaces on walls, the underside of the roof structure, ductwork, and piping, to increase light levels. With a 30′-6″ clear ceiling height, the area contains a state-of-the-art ESFR (Early Suppression, Fast Response) sprinkler system, and is fully humidified and air-conditioned.


Challenges


Shingobee Builders was selected to be the general contractor for this project while it was still being designed. Shingobee immediately began a collaborative effort with the project architect, GLTArchitects of St. Cloud, providing budgeting, scheduling, and plan review, as the architect completed the design and construction documents. Construction started in August 2002.

Shingobee closely managed several major changes in the work during construction, to maintain the schedule for beginning warehouse racking, six months from start of the construction. Seven weeks after breaking ground, the size of the facility was increased by 42,500 square feet; and eight weeks into the project, the direction of the racking was rotated 90 degrees. Further attention to changes was necessary when, several months into the project, the office portion of the building had raised access flooring added to both levels, and the front parking lots were doubled in size. Despite the changes, the six-month schedule to start warehouse racking was met, and the warehouse was occupied by the owner one month later. Remaining areas were completed and occupied in phases, with total turnover of the building by August 2003.


Results


Creative Memories’ facility has created a landmark for motorists traveling along Interstate 94 near St. Cloud. Access to the facility was made easier with the construction of a new exit ramp off I-94, located within 1/2 mile of the building.

The new facility more than doubled Creative Memories’ space in St. Cloud, where their world headquarters, technology center, manufacturing, and distribution were located at that time. They operated worldwide, with four manufacturing facilities in the United States, and sales in 90 countries.


“Beginning with the bidding process, the professionalism and dedication to achieving results desired by the owners was readily apparent and demonstrated by the staff at Shingobee. The honesty and integrity of the organization, and their commitment to safety proved to be the deciding factors in the selection of Shingobee Builders as our General Contractor and partner.

I would highly recommend Shingobee Builders for any construction project. They guided this project to completion in only eleven months, ahead of schedule and under budget, both absolutely unheard of in today’s building climate. It would be hard to imagine another building project without Shingobee Builders as our partner.”

Steven R. Severson, Operations Manager
The Antioch Company
Award of Excellence, Associated Builders and Contractors Minnesota Chapter
Project of the Year, Minnesota Construction Association

 

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