Jacobsen built itself a new headquarters in 2021, and part of the project included an improved warehouse facility. The warehouse offers more efficiency for Jacobsen’s self-performed concrete work and management of rental equipment. The new space consists of a 12,000-sq-ft warehouse, a 4,000-sq-ft shop, 13,000-sq-ft of office space on two levels and two hazardous materials storage rooms.

The site’s water table was only 2.5 ft below grade. The project team mitigated the impact of this obstacle by starting foundation work in July, when the water table is at its lowest.

Using tilt-up construction, the team poured 25 concrete panels into horizontal forms at the jobsite, hoisting each up into the structural frame of the building as it was ready; this provided advantages in cost, schedule and safety. The warehouse’s construction also offered an opportunity to integrate new safety protocols. Every meeting started with a “safety share” by at least one participant describing one way they work safely. Project leaders implemented an initiative called My Attitude Can Help Others (MACHO), which encouraged craftworkers to nominate each other for awards for safety-promoting behaviors. This fostered a constant dialogue about the importance of working safely and keeping each other accountable. The efforts paid off: The project had a zero OSHA recordable incident rate and zero lost-time accidents over more than 22,000 worker-hours.