Kreg Tool Headquarters

March 2020 – July 2021

The Kreg Tool Headquarters is a spacious facility spanning 154,000 square feet. It comprises of 120,000 square feet dedicated to manufacturing and warehousing, while the remaining 34,000 square feet is designated for office space. The construction of this project followed a design-build approach in collaboration with Neumann Monson. However, the project encountered several challenges, the first being the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Initially, work commenced in early March, but progress had to be halted until April, with the exception of grading activities. One noteworthy obstacle faced during this time was the absence of a road leading to the green field site. Simultaneously, the city of Ankeny was working on constructing a road that aligned with the start of our construction. Unfortunately, this process took nearly five months to complete.

During the initial two months, we managed to utilize a makeshift temporary road that ran alongside the road under construction. However, as the weather conditions became increasingly wet, this alternative route was no longer viable. To overcome this hurdle, we collaborated closely with Kreg and neighboring landowners to secure an easement through an existing farm field. This solution enabled us to continue with the construction process seamlessly, ensuring minimal delays as we received necessary materials like precast elements, steel, and concrete for the foundation work.

Graham self-performed a significant portion of the project, encompassing various tasks such as constructing the foundations, installing blocking, handling specialties, millwork, and the installation of all doors, hardware, and door frames. The floor-to-ceiling entrances prominently featured wood panels, which required us to install
blocking along the entire office wall in multiple sections. We then proceeded to install charred wood paneling, wood slat walls, wood slat ceilings, as well as wood doors and frames.

The main focus of the entrance area is a grand staircase weighing 30 tons, which was suspended from the steel structure in the central “marketplace” area. This impressive staircase was installed after the completion of the floors and while the framing work was still in progress. To hang the staircase, its individual pieces were carefully lowered from the structure using a chain fall system, and then firmly affixed in position using a welded clevis and threaded rods.