Washington Electric Cooperative moves into new facility
The doors opened for the first time Jan. 30 at Washington Electric Cooperative's new headquarters facility at 440 Highland Ridge Road in Marietta, near Exit 6 of Interstate 77.
Office hours are 7:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Drop payment boxes are located at the front of the new facility and also at Warren's Plaza on St. Rte. 60 in front of Warren's IGA. The
cooperative also strongly urges members to take advantage of the easy
and secure online or phone payment methods that are offered.
The cooperative's phone numbers remain the same:
Main: (740) 373-2141
After Hours OUTAGE calls: 877-544-0273
Pay-By-Phone: 866-923-8148
Washington Electric breaks ground on new
facility
There was nothing as satisfying as the sound of a co-op
shovel sinking into the southeastern Ohio soil on March 8, 2011, as Washington
Electric Cooperative members, employees and trustees broke ground on the co-op's
new headquarters facility.
Local government and business leaders joined in the
celebration at the building site on Highland Ridge Road near the northern
Marietta exit on Interstate 77. The symbolic gesture signified not only the
beginning of the project's construction phase, but was also a recognition of
Washington Electric's commitment to providing affordable, reliable electric
service to its members now and in the future. Efficiency and sustainability
have been the driving forces behind the project from the beginning, and once
completed the 30,000 square foot facility will combine the cooperative's three
existing buildings and bring all 26 employees under one roof.
Under a perfect blue sky, representatives of the
cooperative's past and present joined with some of the folks who helped the
project transition from plan to reality to turn the first shovelful of earth.
Taking part in the ceremony were 40-year co-op employee and Director of
Operations and Engineering Calvin Hendershot; Washington County Commissioner
Steve Weber; Clyde Knoch, a member of the crew that set Washington Electric's
first poles 70 years ago; Muskingum Township Trustee Carolyn Dempsey; WEC
Second Vice Chairman Frank Haught; and Marietta Area Chamber of Commerce
Executive Director Charlotte Keim. In addition to co-op employees, the crowd
gathered at the construction site also included representatives from Washington
County Farm Bureau Federation, Ohio Small Business Development Center, and The
Ohio State University Extension Service.
Washington Electric Cooperative is pursuing LEED (Leadership
Energy Environmental Design) certification for the facility. LEED was developed
by the United States Green Building Council, whose mission is to promote
healthful, durable, affordable and environmentally sound building practices in
building design and construction. "Green" building features of the
co-op building include geothermal heating/cooling and hot water; solar panels;
enhanced roof and wall insulation; energy efficient windows; in-floor radiant
heat; natural ventilation; low-flow plumbing fixtures; LED lighting; recycled
materials; natural daylight; and regional materials.
Mark Mondo Building and Excavating of Reno is the project's
general contractor; Mondo is a local contractor and has committed to using only
local labor for this project. Washington Electric's board of trustees has
authorized the sale of the current co-op office at 406 Colegate Drive and
warehouse property on St. Rte. 821 in Marietta.
General Manager/CEO Ken Schilling, left, speaks to the crowd of co-op employees, trustees and supporters during the groundbreaking ceremony.
Excavation work continued in April.
A Washington Electric Cooperative crew sets new electric poles at the facility site at the end of May.
Construction crews work at installing the facility's steel frame in early June. This portion is the office
area at the front of the building.
June
The steel frame began going up in July.
By August, the exterior was ready for the brick work.
Insulation and siding work continued through September. This is the rear portion of the building.
This shot shows some of the landscaping at the front of the building.
Nearing completion!
