Versatility topped Ron Cleveland’s list of priorities when he and his wife decided to construct a new building in Beaumont, Texas, to accommodate the two businesses they jointly own.
Cleveland also wanted to create a structure that would serve as an effective marketing tool for his construction firm.
An 11,526-sf custom metal office building met both goals and, since opening its doors in 2010, has served as the headquarters of both Ron Cleveland Construction Co. and the local Keller Williams Realty franchise.
“I wanted to be able to say, ‘Here’s what you can do with a metal building’ to clients and potential clients,” says Cleveland, a Star builder since 1979. “So many people have a preconceived notion of a metal building as just a rectangular box with tin walls. That is definitely not the case.”
Now it’s not unusual for prospects to visit Cleveland’s space without knowing it’s a metal building.
“I’ve had clients come here to meet with me about constructing a new office building who were not even aware this was a metal building,” he says.
Cleveland also has had people ask him how it was possible to build a wooden porch without supporting columns.
“I tell them it’s not wood; it’s structural steel surrounded by wood. Sometimes they don’t believe it,” he says.
The structure is designed to withstand a 130 mph wind load, and its exterior walls are open to metal stud framing and brick veneer. The lack of interior load-bearing walls provides ultimate flexibility for current and future tenants.
“If I sold this building, it could easily be redesigned to accommodate a doctor’s office or any other kind of business,” Cleveland says. “Because of the large clear-span interior, there is a lot of flexibility to rearrange the space as you choose.”
That flexibility also facilitates synergies between the two businesses that currently occupy it.
“This has become a one-stop shop for commercial real estate,” he says. “We sell land, do design and build from this one office.”
The project’s three main sections form a U-shaped building. An eight-foot, three-sided overhang at the entrance features cedar siding at the soffits that matches the window trim and exterior column wraps. Overhangs at the gabled ends of the entrance include two hip frames, each of which attaches below the roofline to create a Dutch-type hip gable. Above the hip frames, the building extends beyond the roofline to create a mission-style aesthetic.
Two roof planes feature custom-designed valley beams and purlins that attach to the beams with open areas below. The roof planes accommodate false dormers with sheeting and trim that match the roof panels.
Beyond providing customers of both businesses with a positive first impression, the new building also has directly contributed to Cleveland’s bottom line.
“I’ve sold two buildings because of this building,” Cleveland says. “It’s helped my business very nicely.”
Building Team:
Owner: Ron Cleveland
Star Builder: Ron Cleveland Construction Co. LLC
Architect: Architectural Alliance, Inc.
General Contractor: Ron Cleveland Construction Co. LLC
Erector: Ron Cleveland Construction Co. LLC
Roof Panels: Star Building Systems
Insulation: Guardian Building Products
Related Stories
| Mar 7, 2014
Thom Mayne's high-tech Emerson College LA campus opens in Hollywood [slideshow]
The $85 million, 10-story vertical campus takes the shape of a massive, shimmering aircraft hangar, housing a sculptural, glass-and-aluminum base building.
| Mar 6, 2014
BD+C wants to hear about your breakthrough ideas and projects for the Giants 300 report
BD+C's 2014 Giants 300 survey form is now available. But completing the survey is just one way to participate in the July Giants issue.
| Mar 6, 2014
Must see: Tour Seinfeld's apartment with virtual reality headset
Fans of the show can now explore a virtual 3D model of the iconic New York residence, thanks to one Web designer's painstaking effort.
| Mar 5, 2014
5 tile design trends for 2014
Beveled, geometric, and high-tech patterns are among the hot ceramic tile trends, say tile design experts.
| Mar 4, 2014
How EIFS came to America
Design experts from Hoffmann Architects offer a brief history of exterior insulation and finish systems in the U.S.
| Mar 4, 2014
If there’s no ‘STEM crisis,’ why build more STEM schools?
Before you get your shorts in a knot, I have nothing against science, technology, engineering, or even mathematics; to the contrary, I love all four “STEM” disciplines (I’m lying about the math). But I question whether we need to be building K-12 schools that overly emphasize or are totally devoted to STEM.
| Mar 3, 2014
Engineering and construction CEOs are cautiously optimistic about the global economy, says PwC
Firm leaders remain leery about the availability of skilled workers, the state of government debt and deficits, and rising material prices, according to PwC’s 2014 Global CEO Survey.
| Mar 1, 2014
Dramatic fractal roof highlights SOM's new Mumbai airport terminal [slideshow]
The terminal merges new technology and traditional regional architecture, notably in the fractal roof canopy that runs throughout the terminal.
| Feb 27, 2014
Target converts former prison dump into latest big-box store
Target's new San Rafael, Calif., location was built on the site of the former San Quentin prison dump.
| Feb 27, 2014
Open or private offices? It depends on the business plan
Open layouts are grabbing headlines as a hallmark of the new workplace—think the Google campus or Facebook's headquarters. And for smaller-scale operations, open designs are often lauded for being less expensive than private office plans. But does that mean all offices should have an open layout?