Colorado-Real-Estate-Journal_480333

32 / BUILDING DIALOGUE / SEPTEMBER 2025 ELEMENTS Design-Build Building a Reputation for Design-Build Excellence T hroughout its history, Opus, a highly reputable design-build firm with offices in select mar- kets around the country, including Den- ver, has always operated as an integrat- ed multidisciplinary team. Whether we work with our own developers or pro- actively provide design-build expertise and services to other developers and clients with existing facilities, the Opus model effectively integrates all stake- holders from the beginning for the best outcome. As this case study on a large-scale media distribution cli- ent demonstrates, it’s a rewarding business practice for our firm and our clients. An enduring foundation By 2013, Opus was well known for developing, designing and building high-quality modern spec industrial develop- ments throughout the Denver market. In Douglas County’s Compark Business Campus alone, Opus had, by then, com- pleted seven such buildings and had received approval on a conceptual site plan for an eighth. Simultaneously, a media distribution company was in the market for a research and development facility for its established local workforce, and it found an opportunity in Douglas County. When it learned that Opus had preap- proval for an 85,000-square-foot flex industrial building in its preferred location, the media distribution company se- lected this site. Because Opus hadn’t yet finalized the building design, we were able to customize it to meet the client’s specific research and development needs, in essence taking a sim- ple spec warehouse development and turning it into a spe- cialized build-to-suit with a 26-foot clear height, 50,000 sf of office space, a 25,000-sf climate-controlled data research and innovation lab and 10,000 sf of room to grow. To bring Opus’ new design to life, the client retained Opus as the structural engineer and shell builder, and it brought in EUA to complete the interior tenant improvements and Cator Ruma & Associates to handle its mechanical, electri- cal and technology needs. Construction began in late 2013, and in October 2014, the client’s advanced engineering, product, IT, operations and care teams took occupancy of the new facility. “Often at this stage, once the building is up and the initial design-build work is complete, a design-builder moves on to whatever the next opportunity is. It’s as if the next client is more important than the last one,” said Ryan Zink, senior project manager with Opus. “But that’s not the Opus way.” Opus’ way includes offering an integrated approach to development, design and construction such that its de- velopers think like designers, project managers think like owners and the entire team has a vested interest in provid- ing lasting value to clients. Collaboration and commitment Opus designed and built this facility for growth – with room for 378 employees on day one and, with those 10,000 additional unfinished square feet, room to accommodate 70 more down the road. Down the road arrived just months later in early 2015 and, with it, the client’s need to accom- modate not 70 but 135 additional employees. Extremely pleased with the process and results with the initial design and construction, challenge in hand, the media distribution company went straight to Opus’ de- sign-build team, EUA and Cater Ruma to find a solution. Unable to build out to house the additional employees, the team opted to build up, designing a sizeable mezza- nine above the 10,000-sf unfinished space. During initial construction, a temporary demising wall was installed between the unfinished square footage and the data lab. That wall, together with some extensive dust mitigation efforts, allowed the client to continue to operate without interruption during construction, which included adding foundational footings, removing and adding windows and installing a pair of staircases and an elevator shaft. James Erwin Regional Vice President of Construction, Opus Opus signed multiple design-build contracts with the client that would enable the media distribution company to grow in size, scope and scale while remaining in the facility Opus originally de- signed and constructed in 2014. Construction wrapped up on the most recent facility modifications that added a third 4,000-amp electrical service and backup power systems.