Frisco Building's $1.5 million makeover benefits tenants

The Frisco Building's new owners have wasted no time bringing the nearly 40-year-old office building at 3253 E. Chestnut Expwy. into the 21st century.

Springfield Underground Inc. CEO Louis Griesemer acquired the building in February 2000 and immediately began planning his moves.

"We started (construction planning) the day we took over the building," Griesemer said of the $1.5 million remodel.

Griesemer's plans, which include meshing the building's historic railroad theme with state-of-the-art technology, are nearing completion.

The 11-phase project has only two phases remaining, according to Project Manager Tim Flavin with Wirt Construction Co.

New for the building's four tenants which include some of Springfield's largest employers are an upgraded fitness center and office spaces, and an interior redesign by Butler Rosenbury & Partners. The last projects a food court, cafeteria and conference/board rooms are scheduled for completion next summer.

Employees of O'Reilly Automotive, Burlington Northern Santa Fe, Dairy Farmers of America and Dairy Concepts bring more than 500 people through the Frisco Building daily.

A fifth company, Griesemer's Springfield Underground, will add more employees to the mix when its corporate offices occupy about 4,000 square feet on the first floor. The company now rents space at 3107 E. Chestnut Expwy., Ste. J.

However, Griesemer said he is not looking for additional tenants for the Frisco Building's 125,000 square feet of leaseable space; partly because it is 95 percent leased and partly because he is focused on the existing tenants.

"We're in a very enviable position where we've got four core tenants that are really solid companies," Griesemer said. "Our objective is to hold them in here long term. (It's) a long-term investment."

Griesemer's focus hasn't gone unnoticed.

"It's kind of a different texture and feeling where you've got a landlord that lives locally and is interested in the quality of work that takes place and the satisfaction of the tenants," said Roger Howard, director of government affairs for BNSF.

BNSF has about 40 employees on the first floor.

Railroad theme

Walking through the newly designed corridor at the Frisco Building, it's easy to realize the building's history. Designer Kathe Bruton with Butler Rosenbury & Partners retained the railroad theme at the request of Griesemer with many historic railroad and train pictures sprinkled throughout the building. BNSF's presence adds to the historical tie.

"All of us are proud of the railroad heritage of the Frisco and what it means to the community of Springfield," said Howard, who heads the first-floor office. "It was nice of Louis to rename this the Frisco Building."

The building held the Frisco name from when it served as the railroad's headquarters in the 1960s until the Burlington Northern merger. In the mid-1980s the railroad sold the building to Mid-America Dairymen, now DFA. Griesemer bought it from DFA when DFA moved its corporate offices to Kansas City.

To further the local railroad heritage theme, Bruton said a 6-foot model train that belongs to the Grant Beach Park's train museum will be housed at the Frisco Building during the winter months.

Technological changes

Besides the office and design changes, the building's mechanical infrastructure also needed some attention. According to Griesemer, the mechanical system was in dire need of improved technology resulting in changes not seen, but felt.

"There wasn't adequate capacity to cool this building," he said. "The answer on a hot summer day was to open windows."

Now its HVAC and security systems are run from a single computer in the building's command center.

The $500,000 mechanical system includes 150 digital thermostats that also are adjusted from the command center computer.

"It's all computerized. The digital thermostats are not actually talking to the furnace, it's talking to the PC which tells the furnace what to do," Griesemer said. "The fact that you can do this all on PC-based software is state of the art. There is a half million dollars of machinery," which has been saving him between $2,000 and $3,000 each month.

Tenants first

Griesemer said the upgrade is being done with existing tenant needs in mind. O'Reilly is the building's largest tenant with occupancy of the entire third floor and part of the second floor.

"O'Reilly is always moving and expanding, so we want to be in a position that if they come up with more space needs, they will talk to us first," he said. "We're making a priority of taking care of the tenants we already have."

Those tenants are anxious for the food court and conference rooms to arrive.

"Meeting spaces are something that is difficult for a single employer to justify," Howard said. "But when you bring these different groups together (with) a single space, it really makes the use of the building attractive."

Griesemer said a caterer will operate the food court, which will offer an outdoor eating area.

"We've got great tenants. At 95 percent full, you can't do (much) better than that," he added. "We'll have the money to do the remodeling and continue upgrading the building as long as we keep it that full. One feeds off the other. We think the food court, fitness center and all of that makes it an attractive package."