The previous Empire District Service Center in Baxter Springs was built in the early 1960s and located in a rock yard, which caused a dust problem for nearby residents. A new building was needed that would meet current code requirements and provide expanded space for growth. Crossland was hired to construct a new six-acre service center to house employee office space, new and longer fleet trucks, and materials.
The new service center is significantly larger than the previous location, encompassing a 2,000 SF office building for the line departments, including space for equipment storage and linemen to work from, a 7,000 SF heated garage to service line trucks, and a 10,000 SF building to store materials such as transformers, poles, and other equipment.
The new buildings have contemporary lighting systems, heating and air, and a backup generator for both systems. Office space included an attractive lobby, a ready room, breakroom, restrooms, open area for designers, and a shop for line managers to service transformers and test their meters.
Weather played a significant factor in job progress, but good communication and collaboration between field personnel, suppliers, and the design team maximized the efficiency of work between weather events.
