The Special Projects Division of Turner Construction Company in Nashville, a member of multiple AGC chapters, has completed the buildout of Schneider Electric’s new southeast regional office in Cool Springs, which will consolidate several of its existing Middle Tennessee locations under one roof.

Schneider’s new 150,000-square-foot office space in the Two Franklin Park building occupies floors 1, 4, 6, 7 and 8, with additional renovation on floor 5 in preparation for future expansion. Currently more than 800 Nashville-area employees work in the space. Construction began in April on the $11.2 million project, designed and engineered by Gresham Smith & Partners.

The state-of-the-art, virtually wireless regional office includes a data center, as well as an Innovation Hub where Schneider engineers will focus on improving, innovating and expanding existing and future product concepts. The office’s Nashville-themed, open-concept design lets employees move freely through a connected workspace. There is an abundance of formal and informal meeting spaces; multipurpose work cafes, with one conference room designed for large gatherings; and features that include a movable wall system and electric-vehicle charging stations. Millwork ceilings in the building’s entryways and exposed beams throughout contribute to the space’s modern aesthetic.

"We wanted a sophisticated workspace that gives our employees cutting-edge tools to help them do their jobs effectively," said Jim Wright, real estate project manager, Schneider Electric, a member of multiple AGC chapters. "We knew that Turner had the experience and organizational strength to get the job done."

The project’s expedited schedule posed a unique challenge, requiring the complete six-floor renovation, including floor-to-floor cut-outs for stairwells, in under 8 months. Turner’s Special Projects Division (SPD), a group that specializes in fast-track tenant improvements, met this schedule by dividing its work plan into trade-specific phases. This allowed specialized subcontractors to perform work in prerequisite order from floor-to-floor without overlap.

Since access to floors was unusually limited — only stairwells and a 3,500-pound freight elevator were options — Turner removed exterior walls from the building and scheduled a daily two-hour timeframe, during non-business hours, to lift materials into the building with a crane. Drilling was done on nights and weekends to reduce noise for the building’s existing tenants.

"This project is a perfect showcase of the strengths of our Special Projects Division," said John Fleming, senior project manager at Turner in Nashville. "Working on an accelerated schedule is something we’re good at — and there’s nothing better than exceeding a client’s expectations. We’re very proud of this job."

Several of Schneider Electric’s own solutions are also incorporated into the project, such as Energy Management, the Building Automation System and Access Control.