Just three years after lockdown, social distancing and remote work might seem a little soon to be investing in the workplace of tomorrow. Renovations and upgrades are one thing, but is now the best time to commit to a palatial office campus with palm-fringed reflecting ponds, covered walkways and top-tier environmental features such as heat-reducing electrochromic glass, rooftop solar farms and rainwater-collecting cisterns—to say nothing of an expansive dining hall that’s been compared to “a luxurious cruise ship”?

For JM Family Enterprises Inc., the answer was yes, absolutely. The $18-billion automotive company has never been content to warehouse employees in fluorescent-lit cubicle mazes. In fact, the company has long attracted top talent to its Deerfield Beach, Florida, headquarters, and is listed among Fortune magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” for the 24th year in a row. On the eve of JM’s 50th anniversary in 2018, the company partnered with Kaufman Lynn Construction, with the initial goal of adding a new training and conference center for in-person programs to its existing headquarters campus. But a hint of what was to come could be found in Kaufman Lynn’s mission statement, which emphasizes “relentlessly advancing each client’s vision, beyond their expectations.” The vision for JM’s project soon bloomed into a complete, $144-million overhaul of its headquarters—one the company hopes will serve its workforce as they head into the next 50 years, and beyond.

COLLABORATION MEETS COVID

At the start, Kaufman Lynn and its design partner, PGAL Architects, of Boca Raton, provided JM with ideas for the training and conference center that aligned with the company’s vision for the next half century. With the future on their minds, the three partners began to brainstorm—and the project’s scope expanded. “The facility continued to evolve through the design process, during construction and after construction,” says Garrett Southern, senior vice president with Kaufman Lynn, “as JM continues to respond to the needs of their businesses and associates.”

Compatibility was key. “Of all the projects I have worked on, this is one of the best examples of collaboration I have had the pleasure of being involved with,” Southern says. Kaufman Lynn project executive Rob Naylor agrees: “Being agile and effective requires more than a great project team; it takes an extended family of trade and design partners that share the same philosophy and have the resources to accommodate.”

When project plans hit a speed bump at the outset of the pandemic, the economy-wide sea change in work styles actually served as inspiration for creating a flexible, safe office environment. “With remote-work considerations at the forefront of business minds, including JM’s, the view of office space evolved,” Naylor says. Adds Rick Jorden, JM’s director of design, construction and real estate: “We saw that the needs of our ever-growing workforce were evolving, and that collaboration and agility was becoming more of a priority.”

And with more people finding comfort in outdoor and well-ventilated spaces—and Florida enjoying year-round warmer weather—new features included amenities such as a multiuse outdoor “dine-and-work environment,” with large reflecting ponds as an aesthetic bonus.

PHASING AND SCHEDULING

During 41 months of work, the approximately 1,200 employees based at JM’s headquarters were able to carry on with their work at the site. Construction included:

• three brand-new, 88,061-square-foot office building
• a 29,500-square-foot dining facility, with seating for 302 people
• a 309,573-square-foot parking garage for 831 cars, with solar panels and rainwater-storage cisterns
• a 6,500-square-foot energy plant with three 500-ton chillers
• a welcome center
• $12 million in hardscaping features

How did Kaufman Lynn pull it off? First of all: phasing. The initial phase began with a focus on the parking garage and central energy plant. Construction then shifted to two of the new office buildings, connected by the new dining facility. Next up was the third office building, plus a 60,000-square-foot outdoor dining area.

Also crucial: scheduling. “We limited work in different areas at certain times of the day,” Naylor says, “and limited deliveries during peak travel times for associates.”

The meticulous planning did leave room for a little excitement. Naylor says: “One of the most intricate portions of the phasing was the demolition of an existing building. The four-story structure was only two feet away from new construction and was systematically dismantled to allow safe removal. This truly was a sight to be seen!”

Since the campus overhaul was conceived with the goal of attracting and keeping top talent—what did JM Family employees think of the revamp? Naylor says: “On the first day of opening the new campus, JM’s media department shot a video that captured associates’ reactions as they entered the dining hall. Jaw-dropping, big smiles and words like ‘amazing’ and ‘unbelievable.’ This was one of the greatest rewards to receive for this project.”