SEI Finishes Costco OKC Call Center.

We do a lot more for Costco than build warehouses. The company’s newly renovated call center in Oklahoma City is a great example.

In August 2021, SEI began renovating a nearly thirty-year-old, 227,000 SF office building to accommodate just over 2,000 employees. According to Bill Staton, Project Manager, the multi-million project has been quite an undertaking.

“When we began the project, we knew it would be quite the project. We had significant interior demolition, and we needed to upgrade the site’s 900-space parking lot, add a second lot with 600 spaces, and bring the exterior sidewalks and slopes into compliance with ADA requirements.”

Then again, Bill and his team love a challenge. So inside the four-story building, SEI got to work with new wall configurations, flooring, ceiling tiles, and constant challenges dealing with an older boiler/chiller HVAC system.

“One of Costco’s core values is employee welfare and comfort,” Staton adds. “So the client wanted to ensure that heating and air conditioning creates an ideal working environment.”

Other measures contributed to the call center’s efficiency and comfort. For example, all joints and seams in the roof were recaulked, as were all the windows on the full glass exterior. We even installed motorized window shades in the lobby to keep out the strong Oklahoma sunlight.

The final result? One happy client and a modern work environment for nearly 2,000 happy call center employees. So delighted, in fact, that Costco has asked SEI to upgrade a major amenity on the campus, the Cafeteria-Deli.

“They loved working with us so much that they’ve decided to remodel their existing cafeteria so the employees will have a better experience, complete with a self-serve deli, pizza bar, salad station, and beverage station, along with an all-new kitchen. We’re working on the budget right now.”

Of course, a big project is a team sport, which means many different people played a role in its success. MG2 Architects worked with us, as always, to ensure a seamless process. And Bill Staton singles out team members as well.

“Matt Simmons was the Site Manager for most of the project and did a fantastic job. Regina Maness, Project Engineer, was always on the go. She kept things moving efficiently with the subcontractors and their daily reports, etc., keeping Matt on his toes! She was always on the go. Finally, Zach Lilly is wrapping things up as we install some recently added fire alarm devices, coordinate with the local inspectors, and get the final certificate of occupancy. It shows what can be done when you have the right team working in the right way.”

We’re proud of Bill, Matt, Regina, and Zach—not to mention everyone else on our crew—for doing such an impressive job on this call center. Thanks, guys, for a terrific job. Your commitment is Reason Number One why, when results matter, SEI gets the call.