Olsson Associates ready to move into Haymarket HQ

There were stair railings missing, bare walls where art is supposed to be and contractors still in the building doing painting and other touch-up work.

But Olsson Associates' new corporate headquarters at 601 P St. is "99 percent" complete, President Brad Strittmatter said Thursday, and its 200 local employees will start their days in the new building on Monday.

Olsson partnered with Tetrad Development of Omaha to build the new four-story building on the southwest corner of Canopy and P streets.

When the project was announced last year, cost was estimated at about $17 million. Strittmatter said it may wind up being a bit higher. The building cost $10 million, and Olsson spent just over $4 million to build out and outfit its space. He estimated the costs of finishing remaining space at about $3 million to $5 million.

The engineering and design firm will occupy all of the second floor and most of the third, taking about 46,000 square feet of the 82,000 square feet available.

Olsson and Tetrad, who share ownership of the building, are hoping to attract an office tenant for the fourth floor and retail and office tenants to the first floor. Strittmatter said there has been some interest in the spaces but no signed deals as of yet.

Olsson's space is mostly banks of office cubicles with the occasional office and conference room sprinkled in.

It has a very modern feel, with partially exposed ceilings and large windows that let in a lot of natural light.

"From a design standpoint, that's good for employees," Strittmatter said. "It's very sustainable to have natural light."

The new space also has more employee amenities than the offices Olsson is leaving at 1111 Lincoln Mall, including a rooftop deck off the third floor that will be available not just to Olsson employees but also employees of other tenants in the building.

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Olsson Associates ready to move into Haymarket HQ