World Wide Technology's New Headquarters to Revitalize Westport Plaza

St. Louis Construction News and Review Magazine July-August 2017 issue:

Standing seven stories tall and spanning 208,000 square feet, World Wide Technology Inc's new $75 million global headquarters in Maryland Heights' Westport Plaza is brimming with cutting edge technology to be used by nearly 1,000 of its employees later this month.

In a joint venture led by general contractor TW Constructors and partner Clayco, WWT's new headquarters represents the largest contract ever awarded to TW Constructors. The joint venture has been working closely with Westport Plaza owner Lodging Hospitality Management to develop the project as a dynamic new hub for WWT and revitalizes the 42-acre office, retail and entertainment area built in the 1970s.

Planning and design of the massive structure, adjoining outdoor plaza space and adjacent five-story parking garage began three years ago, according to M+H Architects, the project's design firm. M+H Project Manager Rick Hansen said WWT's current 57,000-square-foot campus, built in 2013 by TW Constructors and designed by M+H and O'Toole Design Associates, will remain as an advanced technology center; the new, much larger location in Westport will house WWT's executive leadership, marketing, sales and administration.

"One of the primary goals of this project was to create an innovative, collaborative and energetic environment that incorporates and reinforces World Wide Technology's core values," said Hansen. "WWT is known for providing office spaces where people want to go to work, and it is committed to maintaining a healthy work-life balance."

From the below-grade 300-seat auditorium to C-suites on the top floor, the new headquarters visually and functionally supports these corporate priorities. State-of-the-art technologies are integrated throughout the facility, Hansen said. One example of this is the auditorium's 51-foot by 12-foot LED screen, one of the largest in North America, according to M+H Project Architect Sean Naeger. "The lower level of the new headquarters -- including the adjacent terraces -- has been designed to allow public use during non-work hours when Westport Plaza has specific events taking place," Naeger said. "This project is truly a catalyst for rejuvenating the plaza," he said.