The VandenBoom Verstegen Wealth Management building project is being recognized as one of the most impressive and unique construction projects completed by a Wisconsin contractor in 2022. Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC) of Wisconsin will be honoring Keller, Inc. with a GOLD Projects of Distinction Excellence in Construction Award for the ground-up wealth management building project located in Kimberly, Wisconsin.
The uniqueness of this project for our team were the design desires of the ownership group and the site they acquired. The challenges developed as the site constraints changed along with budget constraints that ultimately would determine the success of the build. The exciting experience for our Keller group was taking what the owner’s saw as their only aesthetic option for the build that would satisfy their investment vision and allow them to stretch that vision into design elements that also satisfied real aesthetic dreams.
The site began initially as 2.67 acres with access along two siding streets; however, during design programming in our schematic discovery and needs assessment phase, changes to the size of the site were made which would bring the investment of land to a minimum allowing for additional use of those dollars in the building. With that decision, it was decided to purchase only a 1.15-acre portion of the site where the City Developer requested the break and that then located their purchased portion at the corner of the intersecting streets, this allowed for access along only one street.
Now that the team was set on location and limits provided by that site and also the investment, a large amount of attention then was paid to value engineering throughout the rest of the design process. We were constantly evaluating the budget impacts of structure, overall size, design aesthetic and placement on the site while allowing for future addition desires, storm water drainage design and parking requirements. This attention to detail allowed the team to align the building design with a strictly identified three-pronged outline for budget, aesthetic, and functional needs.
The positive outcome for the owner’s was a successful design solution that captured their investment desire, solved their program conditions and in the end allowed for their experience inside and out of the new building to meet their visual desires. Then began construction which came off without a hitch thanks to great project management and upfront attention to design detail.
The Projects of Distinction Awards recognizes construction projects that are built on merit and are judged by a panel of construction experts based on several criteria, including quality, owner satisfaction, unusual challenges, and safety. The awards will be presented at a January banquet at the Glacier Canyon Lodge in Wisconsin Dells.
Projects are recognized in a number of different types and sizes of general construction and specialty trades. Projects are all completed between October 2021 and September 2022.
“Projects of Distinction demonstrate the excellence in construction services by ABC of Wisconsin members,” said John Mielke, president of ABC of Wisconsin. “These unique projects are evaluated by a panel of experts in the field, including architects, engineers and educators in the construction industry and allow Wisconsin’s merit contractors to demonstrate their professionalism, craftsmanship and safety.”
A list of the award winners can be found at abcwi.org/POD.
Keller, Inc. is an award winning, single-source, design/build general contractor headquartered in Kaukauna, WI, with offices in Madison, Milwaukee and Wausau. As 100% employee-owned, they are leaders in the construction industry specializing in new construction, remodel, retrofit, and reroof projects. They have the staff and expertise to take projects from the early phases of design through the construction process to ensure that the project is completed on time and within budget.