TOLEDO, OH (WTOL) - ProMedica says says they still do not have enough space for all of its employees in its new headquarters.
CEO Randy Oostra says Promedica is looking at getting another building downtown to fit everyone.
The company is already moving employees into the old Steam Plant, Key Bank, and Edison buildings. There are also employees in One Seagate Center and the Renaissance Hotel.
"We need somewhere between probably 50 and 100,000 additional square feet. So we've got some ideas in the downtown," Oostra said. "We'd like to get something proximate. You can either purchase a building, lease a building or actually build something from the ground up. So we're looking at all options right now."
Hopefully in the next six months, ProMedica will firm up those plans.
Meanwhile, another group of employees will move downtown into the old Steam Plant building later this week.
It's a tall order, turning an historical building that's been empty for decades, into office space for hundreds of employees.
"I think it was the fact that we could preserve a piece of history," said ProMedica project manager Bernie Merritt. "Certainly, we're an anchor institution, this building could be seen as an anchor of Toledo as well, in terms of the smoke stacks and just that it's been here for as long as it has been."
Plenty of history remains in the building, including a crane beam that was used to haul equipment through the plant. There is also the old arched windows that were meticulously renovated with the approval of the historical society.
ProMedica says it re-used as much material as possible, including several thousand bricks.
"The masons did a fantastic job of re-laying them, matching a lot of details from a hundred years ago," Merritt said.
About 430 employees will be in the old steam plant building. Altogether, a thousand will be downtown, coming from 22 sites. The way the work space is designed, those employees will actually get to know one another.
"It is an open work environment. Very much about collaboration, very much about ideas and thought leadership exchange," said Design Director with HKS Architecture, Anthony Montalto.
The first group of employees will have orientation Friday, and will start work at the old steam plant, Monday.