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New Main Office Complex Update What's below: New BEC Building Complete New BEC Building Complete
BEC Moves into New Headquarters Office Complex 02/27/2006 – Bandera Electric Cooperative, Inc. (BEC) announced recently that its new 26,500 square-foot facility near Bandera is complete. All employees have moved into the new office complex and the Cooperative’s business functions are operational. The new headquarters facility will allow BEC to better serve its members who have over 31,000 meter locations in a seven county region in the Texas Hill Country. The Cooperative has experienced tremendous growth in recent years. The new main office complex was built for several reasons. “Our old main office was flooded twice, and if we had expanded it we would have been spending our member-owner’s money on something that would have ultimately been damaged by floods,” said Bobby Waid, CEO and General Manager. “In addition, we had cramped work areas, only one storage closet, and various departments were working from several buildings on the property because of the lack of room in the main office.” The new office gives employees more room, better security and a more efficient arrangement. The fact that the new building is located above the flood plain is a plus also. The new office gives members who pay their electric bill in the Bandera office a new drive-in window, after hours drop box and better areas to conduct other business. There is a new community room which BEC will eventually allow local community groups to use. BEC is still working on guidelines for the community room. The new complex was started in March 2005. There are still some items on the punch list that need to be resolved. The landscaping needs to be completed and the road leading up to the facility is only temporary, but the facility itself is functional. Tom Dance was the Architect for the project and Huser Construction Company, Inc. of Kerrville was the general contractor. BEC employee David Swint served as the construction coordinator for the project. Building Complete 02/01/2006 - The new 26,500 square-foot main office complex that BEC began building in March 2005 is now complete. There are still a few items on the punch list that need to be resolved prior to all offices being occupied and the landscaping must be installed, but the building itself is finished. BEC will begin the process of moving into the new office this week. The Information Technology area will be the first part of the Cooperative to make the move. The telephone and computer systems will need to be fully functional before other areas can assume new offices in the complex. BEC has been experiencing tremendous growth in the past few years. Its current offices were inadequate to meet the changing needs of Members. Bobby Waid, CEO and General Manager, explained the need for the new facility before construction began. “Our present office has been flooded twice, and if we expanded we would be spending our member-owner’s money on something that will ultimately be damaged by floods. In addition, we have cramped work areas, only one storage closet, and various departments have been moved to several buildings on the property because of the lack of room in the main office.” Once BEC employees get set in the facility BEC will be able to better serve all its members. One of the new features members who pay at the Bandera office will notice is a drive-in window. Building Nears Completion 12/19/2005 - The ceilings are in the walls are painted and the carpet and baseboards are being installed. The building is very nearly compete. The parking area still must be paved and a bunch of other details before employees can make a move. "The mood among employees is excitement," says David Swint, BEC building project coordinator. Part of Building Now Has Power 11/3/2005 - The outside walls have most of the stucco applied, however the inside has been completely transformed. The drywall board and much of the paint is now in place inside, giving the place a more finished look. The drop-in ceiling is in place in some sections. The electric and communication wiring is installed. The power has been connected and the lights are working in some sections. The emergency generator has also been installed and wired in. It is essential that BEC be able to operate even in times of disaster and the generator helps insure that we are ready with our systems even when power is interrupted. The drop-in ceilings and the floor remain to be finished in most areas. While the wiring is almost complete the fixtures are not all in place. The restrooms remain to be completed and most doors have yet to be installed. Finishing work in all areas will need to be done. BEC is in the process of setting up a move-in process where there is no impact to members. The cooperative has to consider how it will keep telephone and computer communications operational during the change over from the old office to the new office. These plans will not be finalized until after BEC takes possession of the building. That time is still a ways away. Not only does the building need to be completed, but the exterior parking lot and driveways. Plus, landscaping and a host of other details are yet to be completed. Some of these yet to be finished projects require good weather. All in all progress is going well and is about on schedule. Tom Dance is the Architect for the BEC main office complex project and Huser Construction Company, Inc. of Kerrville is the general contractor. Completion of the building is expected sometime in the first quarter of 2006. Interior Walls Taking Shape 09/27/2005 - The outside walls of the new 26,500 square foot BEC main office complex are complete except for the stucco, and that process has begun. The interior is beginning to take shape too with several areas almost finished. Much of the heating and air conditioning ductwork is in place, as is the electrical and communication systems wiring. Pipes for the plumbing are roughed in also. One area that is coming along well is the new BEC system operations center. David Swint, BEC building project coordinator, shows (photograph) where four large video monitors will be located. The area will greatly enhance BEC's ability to monitor and control its electric system. It is a good step forward for BEC and will improve outage recovery efforts. It will be particularly important during times of bad weather. Tom Dance is the Architect for the BEC main office complex project and Huser Construction Company, Inc. of Kerrville is the general contractor. Completion of the building is expected sometime in the first quarter of 2006. Building Progress Continues at Rapid Pace 08/23/05 - Progress on the construction of the new BEC building continues at a rapid pace. Rock masons have begun to install the rock that will adorn the outside of the building. Also, interior wall studs are up in most areas and drywall installation will begin this week. Plumbing, HVAC ductwork and electrical work continues to progress. Tom Dance is the Architect for the project and Huser Construction Company, Inc. of Kerrville is the general contractor. Most Building Trades Now Working Inside 7/27/2005 - The metal studs are up on most of the exterior walls at the new BEC main office complex and most trade groups are working under the roof. Plumbers, electricians, HVAC workers and others are making good progress. The project is on schedule and work at the facility continues at a fast pace. Tom Dance is the Architect for the project and Huser Construction Company, Inc. of Kerrville is the general contractor. Steel "Topping Out" Tradition Honored 6/30/2005 - An addition at the new BEC building site is an American flag and an evergreen tree branch. The items are part of a long tradition in the steelworkers trade. They are usually added at the highest point of the steel skeleton on a "high-rise" building. We are reminded that in the Texas rural Hill Country this is a high-rise. The flag honors the freedom we Americans enjoy and celebrate this time of year. The tree branch goes back, some say, to an old Native-American custom that no building should be higher than a tree. Native-Americans played an important role as steelworkers when many of the first skyscrapers were constructed. "This effort is a gesture of wishing prosperity to the building and safety to those who use it, as well as recognizing the diligence of the construction workers for their care and concern while building it," said one historian about the tradition.
Steel Skeleton Takes Shape 6/28/2005 - The steel skeleton for the new 26,500 square foot BEC main office complex is taking shape. "We are about on schedule and its good to see the general contractor Huser Construction Company is taking advantage of the good weather," said Tom Dance, Architect. The crew assembled an entire roof skeleton section on the ground and using a crane lifted the pieces into place. We have an action photo of the roof raising process (this is a large animated GIF file and is best viewed in MS Explorer using a high-speed internet connection). Below is a photo taken June 28 showing the progress on the new BEC building. BEC Finishes Pouring Concrete Foundation
6/20/2005 - Over 40 trucks began bringing concrete to finish the foundation at the new BEC main office complex Wednesday, June 15. The first half of the foundation was poured June 7. The pour started at 3 a.m. to give the concrete time to cure when the temperature was not at its peak. The over 450 yards of concrete used, finished covering the floor of the 26,500 square-foot facility. The concrete will be wet cured for several days before it will be ready to accept walls. Some structural steel columns will go up beginning the week of June 20. New Building Site Close to Finished Elevation
BEC Uses Professional Approach to New Facility Construction 4/06/2005 -- Bandera Electric Cooperative, Inc. (BEC) exists to serve its member-owners. BEC is a regional electric distribution utility that delivers electric service to its member-owners in Bandera and six adjoining counties in the Texas Hill Country. As the Cooperative planned the construction of its new headquarters facility near Bandera, BEC acted honestly, responsibly, professionally and with a great deal of planning and thought. Once architects finished the plans for the new facility, management and the board of directors selected Huser Construction Company, Inc. of Kerrville as the general contractor for a majority of the project. The selection of Huser came after bids were solicited from regional firms skilled at managing large construction projects. Additionally, a qualified BEC employee has been assigned to monitor Huser’s work and to coordinate the various portions of the overall project that are not included in the Huser bid. As the general contractor, it was Huser’s responsibility to recommend qualified subcontractors and material suppliers to BEC and the design team. Generally, Huser assembled a selected list of qualified sub-bidders based on previous work experience, insurance and financial capabilities, adequate personnel and equipment and other factors. Huser solicited bids from these and other qualified subcontractors and suppliers by posting a request for proposals with the San Antonio Area Builder’s Exchange, Associated General Contractors (San Antonio Chapter that includes the Hill Country) and F.W. Dodge. Huser received the sub-bid proposals, tabulated and evaluated them based on price, completeness of work scope, and the qualifications outlined above. Huser’s recommendations were then presented to BEC and the architect for final approval by the team. A number of area firms, including contractors that are also BEC member-owners, have been awarded contracts, and will be working on the project. BEC has been an integral part of the Hill Country for many years and is building this new facility to better serve its member-owners. The Cooperative’s focus is meeting your needs with integrity, accountability, innovation and commitment to communities in which we serve. Periodic updates on the progress of the project will be posted on BEC’s website. BEC to Build New Main Office Building 3/9/05 - Bandera Electric Cooperative, Inc. (BEC) announced today that it will be constructing a new corporate office behind its current building. Construction on the new 26,500 square-foot facility will begin immediately. The new building will provide BEC members with a number of enhancements such as a drive-up payment window, a community meeting room, improved overall business efficiency and a building several feet above any floods in recorded history... see rest of story including a drawing |
Bandera Electric Cooperative, Inc., P. O.
Box 667, Bandera Texas 78003, 1-866-BANDERA
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