opening remarks

C onstruction is the art of building, but building is so much more than “bricks and mortar.” Building relationships with our clients and understanding their business is crucial be-fore ground is ever broken on a project. We understand that your construction project

is not just a means to an end, but part of the legacy you leave behind, marking your company’s accomplishments.

More than 30 years of building relationships has been the foundation of our success, and we plan to continue that pursuit into the future. Communication is the key. While a contractor’s technical knowledge is essential for successful construction, so is the relationship between a contractor and its suppliers and subcontractors. That is why we are enthusiastic about this new magazine and its ability to share our stories and industry expertise, highlighting our val-ued relationships with clients and working partners.

I hope you find this magazine as informational and enjoyable as Kuepers and its business partners had publishing it.

Steve KuepersExecutive Vice PresidentKuepers Inc.

Doug kuepersPresident

steve kuepers Executive Vice President

Dan kuepersProduction Manager

Jennifer solsethThe Hearth Room

Executive Vice President

michael patrickController, CPA

Leah HeggerstonDirector of Marketing

sean kaneskiDirector of Project Development

mark CrossArchitect, AIA, NCARB

michael anglandArchitect, AIA

michael CarpenterMechanical Engineer, PE

Chris raimannSenior Designer

Jeremy adamsProperty Management & Maintenance Manager

ray austinField Operations Manager

Todd DeChaineLandscape & Irrigation Supervisor

Tammy meierHuman Resources Manager

Project DeveloPmentKristopher Solseth

Eric CarderAmy Collins

Lee WangstadDale DitterRyan Blank

ArchitectureEric LarsonSam Koob

Andy WaletzkoSteven LustJody Falk

Sarah GoodrowTrudy Gross

Sarah SchmidtSarah Rutz

Project mAnAgementBruce WeaverDan KennedyCale LaVoiePaul ReierMike Hays

Roger LorenzEric HalbertNate HolzerDan Richter

Joe Klemmetsen

interior Design/showroomThe Hearth Room

Sara Raimann Gwen BurggraffGenevieve Kec

Liz StewartPaula Kovatovich

Catherine DeutschlanderLeAnn JeffcoatLaurie MellerKate Johnson

Laura HuntAnna Struss

MN LIC 0002599

14643 Edgewood Drive, Suite 115 • Baxter, MN 56425 • (888) 829-0707 • (218) 829-0383 fax • www.kuepers.com

MIDWEST BUILDING 3

in THis issue

FeAturesGood New Days Ahead for Good Ol’ DaysRebuilding history ..................................................... 5

The S.E.H. Building Revitalization project a triumph in design, construction, and safety .........................................12

Nature Vision Preserving history and building for the future ....... 20

PArtnersStandby Generators Used correctly, these units can pay for themselves during an outage .............................. 8

inDustry rePortsSmall Businesses are the Backbone of Our Economy Valuable resources for growth are closer than you think .............................................. 11

Green Aesthetic Common-sense strategies make green design affordable .........................................17

5 12 20

Midwest Building is published by QuestCorp Media Group, Inc., 885 E. Collins Blvd., Ste. 102, Richardson, TX 75081. Phone (972) 447-0910 or (888) 860-2442, fax (972) 447-0911, www.qcmedia.com. QuestCorp specializes in creating and publishing corporate magazines for businesses. Inquiries: Victor Horne, vhorne@qcmedia.com. Editorial comments: Darren Nielsen, dnielsen@qcmedia.com. Please call or fax for a new subscription, change of address, or single copy. Single copies: $5.95. This publication may not be reproduced in part or in whole without the express written permission of QuestCorp Media Group, Inc. To advertise in an upcoming issue of this publication, please contact us at (888) 860-2442 or visit us on the Web at www.qcmedia.com. October 2007

About the Cover:The new two-story SEH Building was constructed in the heart of downtown Brainerd, Minnesota, and is headquar-ters for the architectural/engineering firm Short Elliott Hendrickson (SEH).

Architect: Mark CrossSenior Designer: Chris Raimann

4 MIDWEST BUILDING

MIDWEST BUILDING 5

When it rains today, Bob and Cindy Tyson, owners of Good Ol’ Days Family Resort, can’t help but cringe at the memory of their old resort cabin roofs leaking, just

one of the many worries they faced running the 90-plus-year-old resort. Sinking cabin floors, shifting walls, separating chim-neys, and other structural problems resulting from the decay-ing cabins caused them to spend more than 25 percent of their

revenue on upkeep and repairs. “We were watching (the resort) go backwards,” says Bob Tyson. Those maintenance worries are behind them now. This past summer, with the help of Kuepers Inc., Architects & Builders, the Tysons were able to offer their guests brand new cabins and a spacious main lodge with guest quarters. The path to their new resort, however, was not without its obstacles. >>

HistorySituated in the midst of the enormous white pines on less than

three acres alongside Lower Cullen Lake in Nisswa, MN, is Good Ol’ Days Family Resort. Originally founded in the early 1900s as a logging camp, a dozen wooden cabins were used as bunkhous-es for the loggers. Later, as the logging industry waned, these bunkhouses would be converted into guest cabins for a vacation destination called Sikaren Resort.

It was while vacationing at another resort in the Brainerd Lakes Area that the Tysons entertained the idea of running their own resort. When they learned about the looming demolition of Good Ol’ Days Resort to make way for a proposed town home develop-ment, they jumped at the chance to save it and purchased the resort in 1999.

Unfortunately, operating a resort today has proven to be dif-ficult in the Brainerd Lakes Area. This type of resort has become nearly extinct over the last 25 years due to the current economy and changes to planning and zoning laws. In Nisswa, there were as many as 27 resorts, but that number has dwindled to just two. Many resort owners have chosen the easier option of downzon-ing from commercial to residential, and divided up their property into lake lots for resale. Eventually, the Tysons were forced to con-sider that option. While it was tempting, they couldn’t see going that route. “We just didn’t feel it was the right thing to do,” said the Tysons.

It became clear that they would have to incur the added ex-pense of rebuilding in order to stay competitive and provide the amenities consumers demand today. Thus began the partnership with Kuepers in their tremendous effort to preserve and improve the resort while developing a sustainable business strategy.

PlanningThe Tysons initially came to Kuepers in August, 2005, for ad-

vice on whether or not the project was feasible. After running some numbers, Steve Kuepers believed it could work with the right financing. They met with a consultant at the Small Business Development Center, who helped them develop a business plan. This step led to the financial requirement of preselling six of the 10 cabins to ensure financial stability. The remaining four cabins would not be available for purchase, but all would remain in the rental pool.

Another important component for feasibility of this project was scheduling. Kuepers had to meet two deadlines: architecture completion by the beginning of the 2006 summer season for pre-selling units, and construction completion by the beginning of the 2007 summer season for confirmed guest reservations.

The next hurdle the Tysons faced was obtaining a building per-mit via eight variance requests, the most any individual or organi-zation has ever asked for in the city. The owners were required to present their plans to the Planning and Zoning committee first.

6 MIDWEST BUILDING

Lakeside at Good Ol’ Days Family Resort

MIDWEST BUILDING 7

The new site plan was the exact opposite of the existing lay-out. The new development would place the parking lot and build-ings next to the road, meeting the 75-foot lakeshore setback and providing more green space and a natural buffer near the lake. The improved site plan design eliminated previous run-off prob-lems, and any water that does run into the lake now is filtered and cleaned as it goes through the soil and water table first. “This proj-ect was the perfect balance of development with stewardship of the lake,” says Pat Trottier of the survey company Landecker & As-sociates. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) even used the Good Ol’ Days site as a prime example of good lake stewardship and planning and for erosion control training.

The owners were granted all of the variances they applied for. “It just goes to show you how much was wrong with the existing resort,” says Bob Tyson. Although it was unusual for the city to grant so many variances for one project, the committee realized the economic and environmental benefits of the project.

Once the site plan was finalized and variances had been granted, work began on the design of the guest cabins and main lodge. The Tysons’ close involvement throughout the design process meant little time was wasted going back and forth on design changes.

DesignKuepers’ architect Mark Cross designed the new cabins and

lodge in an Arts & Crafts style reminiscent of the old resort, but with a fresh appeal. The owners were very conscientious of keeping the quaint atmosphere of the previous resort. They wanted guests to feel as if they were “stepping back in time,” but with all the modern conveniences. Cross combined period-oriented detail with an updated look throughout all of the build-ings. Mission style craftsmanship and furnishings enhance the overall appearance. The main challenge in designing Good Ol’ Days was incorporating everything the owners desired and still meeting their strict budget.

The Hearth Room, Kuepers’ interior designers and show-room, worked with the Tysons throughout the project on over-all interior design and finish selections. The two-bedroom and three-bedroom guest cabins have an open floor plan, but still offer a cozy great room with fireplace, pine flooring, and vaulted ceilings. Multiple dining options include a raised bar at the full-sized kitchen, a spacious dining area, and an outdoor patio. A sizable master bedroom is located on the main floor, with ad-ditional sleeping quarters on the upper level.

The main lodge was designed to harmonize with the 10 cabins and consists of a general store located near the reception area, a gathering room with open-hearth fireplace, a game room, a private meeting room, a breakfast counter, a four-season porch, guest laundry, and eight guest rooms. Each guest room has a lake view and is named for a past resort owner and uniquely decorated with resort memorabilia from each owner’s era.

ConstructionOnce construction was underway, the main challenge

was meeting the tight construction schedule to build 11 structures in less than nine months. Sequencing was sig-nificant. Concrete crews poured concrete at one cabin and then moved on to the next with the framing crews follow-ing close behind. Having multiple crews working simultane-ously was further complicated by tight site conditions. Space for excavation piles, materials, and equipment was limited. When one thing was moved, something else would take its place.

To make the new resort appear as if it had always been there, the Tysons placed extra emphasis on saving all existing trees, many of which were over 100 years old. This often meant hand-digging to prevent damage to the trees’ root systems.

A New EraCurrent planning and zoning ordinances and vacation rental

plans make it difficult for family-run resorts to evolve, much less survive financially. Owners Bob and Cindy Tyson challenged the system and overcame many obstacles to save their resort. Kuep-ers’ work on the project allowed them to preserve a vital piece of Minnesota resort history while blazing a new trail for future resort owners.

8 MIDWEST BUILDING

parTners

P eople often consider standby generators to be an expensive luxury without realizing they can pay for them-selves. In fact, a whole-facility model can cut a compa-

ny’s electrical bills in half when installed in conjunction with an off-peak program.

Consider this example: In one year, a local restaurant experienced four pow-er outages before June. On a typically busy day, its lost revenue and missed opportunities could have been $4,000 to $8,000 per outage. In addition, its annual peak demand charges could have been $4,000. The restaurant also incurred the additional risk of losing coolers full of food. The restaurant eas-ily could have lost $30,000 to $40,000

in a year. However, this business had a standby generator, so it avoided major costs and lost revenue — and it was one of the few places in the area to eat during a power outage.

If your company is contemplating the purchase of a standby generator, be sure to work with an authorized dealer that has a

direct line to the factory and doesn’t buy its equipment through a warehouse.

Standby generators can be more than just an insurance policy for your company, and hiring a reputable dealer will make sure of that.

standby generators Used correctly, these units can pay for themselves during an outage By Jesse Grant, Jim’s Electric

Standby power means power without interruption.

MIDWEST BUILDING 9

10 MIDWEST BUILDING

MIDWEST BUILDING 11

eConomy

I f you are thinking about starting a business or already have a business that is ready to grow, you might be surprised to learn that there are countless resources to help you suc-

ceed. No matter what your needs are, once you start looking, you will discover a team of experts devoted to your business’ long-term success, and Kuepers can be part of that team.

When considering the collective importance of small business in America, it is apparent why there is so much interest in your success. According to The Small Business Economy: A Report to the President for Data 2005 published by the United States Small Business Administration (SBA), the United States has nearly 26 million business establishments. Of these, 97.5 percent have few-er than 20 employees. Collectively, these firms account for half of the nation’s nonfarm real gross domestic product and have gen-erated an estimated 60 to 80 percent of the net new jobs in the past decade. To sum it up, small businesses are the backbone of the American economy.

According to the SBA, certain factors contribute to the rate of closure among small businesses. While new business own-ers and those who were not sufficiently capitalized experi-ence a high closure rate, firms with starting capital of more than $50,000 have low closure rates. From money to market, the right team of experts can help you think critically about all elements of your short-term and long-term success, including the best financing scenario.

All levels of government offer financial resources to encourage and foster growth. Grants may not be the most feasible way to start

a business, but entrepreneurs can find low-interest loans, educational opportunities, consultants, and more to help them make sound business decisions.

Certain web sites can be a great resource to start planning your next business move. For example, www.sba.gov contains a wealth of information and other links to get you on the right track. The Minnesota chapter of the SBA, which can direct you to your regional Small Business Development Center, can be found at www.mnsbdc.com. Visit www.bizpathways.org for additional helpful hints. If you want to know where you can get a business loan in Minnesota, try www.sba.gov/advo/research/lending.html.

Once you have done some initial research, you will need to cre-ate a business plan and obtain financing. It’s best to start locally. You can find examples of business plan outlines at www.bladc.org/busplan.htm. Typically, a county or city administrator can help you find your contact, but the chamber of commerce may also be able to provide direction. You can also find guidance through the

Minnesota Department of Em-ployment and Economic De-velopment, regional resources like an Initiative Foundation or a regional development commis-sion, and local groups like an economic development non-profit agency or city Economic Development Administration.

Whether you are an entre-preneur or a seasoned busi-ness owner, there are tools worth exploring before you make your next business move. Consider working with a team of experts to explore

tax incentives, loan programs, consulting services, and edu-cational opportunities. If you do your homework, you stand a better chance to increase profitability and experience long- term success.

Amy Collins works in commercial project development for Kuepers Inc.

small Businesses are the Backbone of our economy Valuable resources for growth are closer than you think By Amy Collins, Kuepers Inc.

While new business owners and those not sufficiently

capitalized experience a high closure rate, firms with

starting capital of more than $50,000 have

low closure rates.

12 MIDWEST BUILDING

The S.E.H. BuildingRevitalization project a triumph in design, construction, and safety

MIDWEST BUILDING 13

U pon learning of the Brainerd Housing & Redevelopment Authority’s (HRA) intent to purchase and tear down a section of blighted buildings in old downtown Brain-

erd, Minnesota, realtor and developer Clint Nelson seized the opportunity to become involved in this redevelopment project. As a strong advocate for the revitalization efforts in downtown Brain-erd and as an active participant in the development and growth of the Brainerd Lakes area, he recognized the project’s potential and the impact it could have on future revitalization efforts.

The project evolved from the partnership between Clint Nelson, the Brainerd HRA, and the City of Brainerd, along with Doug Kue-pers and the architectural staff at Kuepers Inc. According to the city, it was the first major private redevelopment project to occur in Brainerd’s original downtown area since the city council autho-rized the creation of a tax increment financing (TIF) district to help carry out its redevelopment strategy.

“When the Brainerd HRA created a tax increment district to help finance the redevelopment, we had some basic require-ments of the development/ownership group and the design/build firm,” said Doug Grout, executive director of the Brainerd HRA.

Design PhaseAfter examining the TIF requirements, thoroughly reading the

Brainerd restoration organization’s master plan, and actively re-searching architectural features throughout Brainerd’s downtown civic and business districts, Kuepers’ architect Mark Cross and his staff began designing the project. The proposed anchor ten-ant for the building, the architectural/engi-neering firm Short Elliott Hendrickson (SEH), also had specific ideas for its space.

Since the SEH site was between the civic and business districts, the task was to create a public face that related to both sectors. Kuepers’ architectural team com-bined elements from both older and new-er buildings to honor past architecture while promoting a streamline style for the future.

Classic design elements often associ-ated with historic buildings, such as brick and stucco, convey longevity and endur-ing strength. A common element found on Brainerd’s historic downtown buildings was aged brick with elaborate details like arches, dentils, and cornices. Contemporary design

elements like glass and steel, on the other hand, convey inno-vation and fresh appeal. These modern elements appeared in downtown Brainerd’s civic side, including the nearby high school and newer city government buildings.

The building’s façade combines tumbled distressed brick (repli-cating true aged brick) with engaged columns and stucco cornic-es, capitals, dentils, and keystones. The modern elements of the glass atrium are juxtaposed with the building’s overall traditional theme. This blend of classic and modern components is repeated in the atrium interior, where the simplicity of a glass-backed eleva-tor and metal-and-glass stair railing coexists with the elaborate-ness of a traditional chandelier and intricate tile floor.

Another modern amenity is the entrance to the building’s underground parking garage. The garage occupies the space where the previous buildings had been excavated. It addresses the city’s parking requirements and meets the anchor tenant’s

desire for underground parking. Because the SEH site is located just outside the city’s downtown parking district, it had to meet new landscape rules that require 15 percent of the designated parking lot to be landscaped. Last-minute design changes

incorporated parking lot islands with grass and trees. Additional space on the north side of the building is used as a public court-yard with plantings and walkways.

Construction PhaseDelays resulted when demolition crews discovered that an aban-doned underground fuel tank from a previous gas station had leaked and contaminated the soil. A consultant from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) advised Kuepers’ construction crew on how to dispose of the tank and soil and performed soil tests to verify compliance. As the project progressed, MPCA

The building’s proximity to busy South Sixth Street made a site-specific safety plan necessary.

Revitalization project a triumph in design, construction, and safety

SEH office reception area.

>>

14 MIDWEST BUILDING

Before — These dilapidated buildings were demolished to build the new SEH Building in their place.

After — The new SEH Building replaced the former rundown structures.

MIDWEST BUILDING 15

officials oversaw crews as they installed the sewer and water lines and conducted additional soil testing.

Heavy rains combined with the site’s sandy soil conditions re-sulted in washouts from South Sixth Street, the main road running alongside the project. So crews built a temporary retaining wall to shore up the excavation, and a safety observer monitored Kuep-ers’ employees working between the foundation walls and the temporary pier shoring.

Kuepers’ concrete crews burned daylight hours pouring concrete

footings and building the formwork for the poured concrete foun-dation walls. This was a coordinated effort requiring tight schedul-ing of crews and sequencing of concrete deliveries. Approximately 600 yards of concrete were needed for the project, with 100 yards poured in three days.

As daytime crews built the formwork, evening crews arrived in time for concrete delivery. The project was so large it required every concrete truck in the supplier’s fleet. Trucks arrived con-tinuously, even in the rain, at the rate of one every 10 minutes, adding to traffic congestion.

The building’s proximity to busy South Sixth Street made a site-specific safety plan necessary. Signage and fencing was put up along the site’s perimeter to warn and protect passersby. Several times, lanes were closed. These closures were temporary and were scheduled to avoid rush hour traffic. Concrete crews started pouring the sidewalks along South Sixth Street at 5 a.m. Kuepers crew members took turns directing traffic through the construc-tion zone while heavy equipment was in use.

Precast columns and beams were set at the underground ga-rage, and the steel columns were set for the atrium. Retaining walls were built in the garage, and then first-floor framing could begin. After that, first-floor steel was set and work began on the second-floor framing. Crews built a temporary staircase to the upper level. Next, second-floor steel and trusses were set. The steel framework had to be finished before the atrium glass could be installed, and the atrium had to be fully built before the glass-backed elevator could be put in.

Finally, brickwork commenced. Close proximity to the street created tight working quarters for the masons and exterior in-sulation finish systems (EIFS) crews. During this time, insulation and drywall work also began, and the atrium steel was placed while the building’s interior finishes wrapped up. A late change in the cornice/dentil detail created a heightened sense of urgency, as EIFS crews were already dealing with the season’s fluctuat-ing temperatures and unpredictable weather. But the crews pre-vailed, and in the end, the project was finished on schedule.

In SummaryLocated in the heart of Brainerd’s civic and business districts,

this new building is the result of a partnership between private and public sectors with a common goal — the revitalization of down-town Brainerd. “The city of Brainerd appreciates the investment the SEH ownership group and Kuepers has made,” said Brainerd Mayor James Wallin.

The two-story office building breathes new life into a formerly dilapidated and blighted city block and is a great source of pride

and satisfaction for all involved. “This inno-vative and exciting redevelopment project in downtown Brainerd has added 25 pro-fessional, full-time jobs to our downtown,” said Grout of the Brainerd HRA. Grout also commented that the SEH project

has helped promote other improvement initiatives for downtown Brainerd. Even the SEH Building’s adjacent neighbors followed suit, painting and landscaping to improve the appearance of their businesses.

The coordinated efforts of the Kuepers’ construction crews, material suppliers, and qualified subcontractors were imperative to the safety and success of the project.

The modern elements of the glass atrium are juxta-posed with the building’s overall traditional theme.

16 MIDWEST BUILDING

MIDWEST BUILDING 17

environmenT

G reen design techniques typically involve specific design strategies, materials, and technologies that balance hu-man needs with the natural environment. A variety of

new green technologies includes high-tech building techniques, innovative materials, photovoltaic roofs and walls, wind turbines, rain-catch basins, roof ponds, and green roof technologies. These advances allow for new and exciting design possibilities, but clients may wrongly assume a building has to look high-tech, con-temporary and expensive to be green. On the contrary, a building doesn’t have to ‘look green’ to be environmentally sensitive.

Kuepers creates a design that balances a client’s aesthetic desires with green techniques, technologies, and materials. We create a green aesthetic using common-sense design strategies and green technologies and materials that fit your budget. This makes green design available on many levels of building.

During the design phase, we pay attention to the site’s natural features. We take into account the changing solar angles at different times of the day and year. For example, we can take advantage of lower sun angles in the winter to passively heat a building. In the summer, higher sun angles can be blocked by solar shading devices.

Prevailing summer breezes and winter winds should be considered when placing a building on a site. Opening a building to the summer breeze allows for cross-ventilation, thereby lessen-ing the need for air conditioning. In contrast, in the winter, a build-ing should be screened from predominant northwestern winds to lower the building’s heating requirements.

Preserving the site’s trees helps eliminate the need for exces-sive landscaping. Where landscaping is required, Kuepers can use plants that are acclimated to the northern Minnesota environment, thereby reducing the need for watering and fertilizers.

When designing a building, we consider green design strate-gies that deal with orientation of rooms to sun and wind to reduce the need for heating, cooling, and lighting. One should also con-sider quality over quantity. A well-designed layout can meet a client’s needs while minimizing the building’s environmental foot-print and impact on the local ecology.

Kuepers regularly uses cost-effective green building parts and materials; for example, we use energy-efficient windows that in-corporate low-emittance glazing and argon gas between window layers to help insulate the window assembly. We also use oriented strand board sheathing on walls and roofs. This is an engineered wood product that does not require large trees for its fabrication. We construct high-quality building envelopes with R-19 wall and R-42 roof assemblies to conserve energy and lower heating and cooling bills.

Composite building materials, such as fiber-cement siding and composite deck-ing, are durable and attractive. When choosing finishes, we present many low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paints, finishes, and carpets that improve indoor air quality and come from renewable resources. Reclaimed wood finishes and products are attractive and do not deplete our forests. When renovating existing build- ings, Kuepers considers the reuse of exist- ing structural and mechanical systems, thus reducing both added material needs and expense.

At Kuepers, we also have in-house mechanical engineers who coordinate and select the most efficient and correctly sized HVAC equipment for your building. Architects, engineers, project mangers, and interior designers work together to create a build-ing that is both attractive and environmentally friendly.

The increasing stress that continued growth and development places on our environment requires us to build in an ecologically sensitive way. Linking common-sense green building strategies to aesthetic needs makes for a gentle, and perhaps a more ethically responsible approach to building.

Chris Raimann is a senior designer for Kuepers Inc.

green Aesthetic Common-sense strategies make green design affordable By Chris Raimann, Kuepers Inc.

At Kuepers, we create a green aesthetic using

common-sense design strategies and

green technologies and materials that fit

your budget

18 MIDWEST BUILDING

MIDWEST BUILDING 19

20 MIDWEST BUILDING

A lmost everyone in Brainerd, Minnesota, has a story about the old Northern Pacific rail yard.

Once, long ago, the low brick building known today as the Northern Pacific Busi-ness Center was a bustling machine shop, employing thousands of people to outfit and repair the cars of the Northern Pa-cific railway. In recent years, the old brick

warehouse has served as little more than an aging monument to Brainerd’s former glory days. That is, until recently.

In December 2006, Kuepers Inc. com-pleted a renovation to turn this hallmark of the city’s past into a symbol of its future. Kuepers renovated the old machine shop portion into headquarters for the outdoor products company Nature Vision.

Nature Vision was founded by outdoor enthusiast and Brainerd native Jeff Zer-nov. Here, Zernov designs, develops, and sells high-tech devices for recreational hunting, fishing and ice-fishing. The most well-known of its products is the Aqua-Vu, a digital underwater Vertical Pixel Graph sonar system for ice-fishing with an “anti-spook camera” that actually looks like a fish.

The company expects to generate $12 to $14 million in revenue from its new of-fice this year, with a goal of expanding to a $100 million company within five years.

Zernov said the old railway building is the perfect spot for his 21st-century enterprise. “There’s no other space like it in Brainerd,” Zernov says. “It has 18-inch solid brick walls; high ceilings; old glass; tons of light; huge, hand-hewn wood beams.”

Zernov relied on Kuepers, the design-builder it has worked with on at least six other projects, to handle the renovation. Nature Vision had three primary chal-lenges: to create a space that would ac-commodate a modern, forward-thinking workplace in a way that would respect the 100-year-old space; a design that would accommodate the company’s continued expansion; and to complete all of this renovation work double-quick. In fact, Nature Vision had already sold its existing building and needed a new space in just three months!

Getting the Project Underway“I don’t think there is another building

in the area that holds more history than the old railcar shop,” says Zernov, who would go to his construction job site and ask workers how many of them had fa-thers or grandfathers who’d once worked right here at the rail yard. “In every crew, whether they were masons, electricians, general contractors or even landscapers, someone had a story.”

Kuepers’ architect Mark Cross de-signed the new space to leave as much of the original structure in tact as possible, maintaining the open feeling with exposed bricks and ductwork. This also included

NatureVision

Preserving history and building for the future

MIDWEST BUILDING 21

working with all of the existing window and door openings. “The building told us how we needed to design our offices.” Zernov says. “We didn’t tell the building.”

Over the last few years, Nature Vision’s business has grown so rapidly that the company has had to move into larger fa-cilities five times in 10 years. Expansion options designed into the new plan will allow the company to continue to grow within its new space.

The 35,000-square-foot space (includ-ing large warehouse) can be expanded by taking down a wall to add an additional 4,600 square feet. The old blacksmith’s shop was transformed into Nature Vision offices, with space to add additional of-fices. Adjacent is the warehouse — the old train car shops where engines were rebuilt.

Renovation left intact old trusses, an exposed wood ceiling, and historic fea-tures of the old machine shop, like a rolling crane used to lift and move the engines. The old walls were sandblasted to uncover the original brickwork. The grounds of the old rail yard have now been landscaped to incorporate and highlight foundation work from the original roundhouse, where the rebuilt engines were stored.

The dated building required a number

of modifications to bring it up to code and support the needs of a modern workplace. Kuepers completely gutted and replaced the plumbing, electrical sys-tems and heating and air conditioning sys-tems. Kuepers used large spiral ductwork

that was painted and left out in the open in order to blend with and enhance this period of historic, exposed structural style of construction.

Keeping on ScheduleKuepers began construction in June,

2006, knowing that Nature Vision had to be out of its existing building by mid-Septem-ber. “The schedule could have easily been twice as long as it was,” Zernov says.

One thing that helped get the project completed on such a rigorous timetable was the efficiency of Kuepers’ design-build approach. Kuepers was involved from the start of the design through the last stage of construction. “It is much more efficient having the architect and builder working on the same team,” Cross

says. “You can have people working on design and others working on estimates at the same time. Once the project’s un-derway, the owner can still make changes and get them implemented sooner. And if a problem arises, you don’t have people

arguing and pointing fingers. Everybody works together to address issues in a timely and well-organized manner.”

Kuepers crews worked diligently to stay on schedule. When high summer humidity threatened the timely drying of concrete floors in the warehouse, Kuepers contact-ed the supplier, who supplied fans that would speed the drying. Zernov stayed closely involved in the project. “I was on site three times a day so little issues never turned into big issues. We were able to deal with anything we encountered.”

Project CompletionWhile a turn-of-the-century rail house isn’t necessarily the setting one would expect for a cutting-edge, tech-savvy company, Zernov says the renovated space fits well with the company’s culture and personal-ity. He sought a place that would inspire creativity, enabling product developers to create the visionary products his com-pany is known for. And the location, at the heart of the Brainerd lakes region of central Minnesota, a region rich in natural lakes, rivers, and woods abundant with fish and game, the Nature Vision’s “back-yard” represents the ideal setting for field testing new products.

“Most office buildings, even if you’ve got a nice paint job and furniture, just feel a little sterile,” Zernov says. “This place, you walk in and the place really talks to you. You can be entertained just looking around and taking in the original crafts-manship of the building.”

The Nature Vision conference room.

“I don’t think there is another building in the area that holds more history than the old railcar shop.”

22 MIDWEST BUILDING

AcucrAft fireplAce SyStemS ................................................. See pAge 16

Aitkin glASS Service ............................................................. See pAge 22

BrAinerd glASS inc. .............................................................. See pAge 18

BrAinerd WAterproofing ....................................................... See pAge 18

Bremer ................................................................................ See pAge 18

BrotherS fire protection ....................................................... See pAge 9

detroit dryWAll ................................................................... See pAge 19

electricAl SyStemS inc. ...........................................See inSide BAck cover

ferguSon enterpriSeS, inc. ................................................... See pAge 19

firSt federAl SAvingS BAnk .................................................. See pAge 16

holden electric co., inc. ..................................................... See pAge 18

JBerd mechAnicAl contrActorS, inc. .................................... See pAge 16

Jim’S electric compAny, inc. ................................................... See pAge 8

kueperS inc., ArchitectS & BuilderS .................................See BAck cover

leS JoneS roofing incorporAted ........................................... See pAge 16

mArco ................................................................................... See pAge 9

midWeSt Security & fire, inc. ............................................... See pAge 18

nArdini fire equipment ............................................................ See pAge 4

nelSon torfin reAl eStAte group ........................................... See pAge 9

nolAn teAm, kurillA reAl eStAte ............................................ See pAge 4

north country plumBing & heAting ..................................... See pAge 18

rrc SpeciAltieS ................................................................... See pAge 10

Scenic Sign corp. po Box 881 SAint cloud, mn 56302 (320) 252-9400 (320) 252-4260 fAx WWW.ScenicSign.com

SchWArtz excAvAting & redi-mix .......................................... See pAge 22

S.e.h. ................................................................................. See pAge 15

SimonSon lumBer ................................................................. See pAge 10

StellmAch dryWAll, inc. ......................................................... See pAge 4

the heArth room ................................................................... See pAge 7

tWin city AcouSticS 2655 cheShire ln. n. plymouth, mn 55447 (763) 535-6697 (763) 535-5309 fAx WWW.tcAcouSticS.com

W.W. thompSon concrete productS ..................................... See pAge 10

DireCTory

Kuepers Inc.14643 Edgewood Drive, Suite 115Baxter, MN 56425