Construction of GE Global Operations Center at The Banks Complete

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Brasfield  & Gorrie recently completed construction of GE’s Global Operations Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. Part of The Banks development, the 10-story building adds 330,000 square feet of Class A office space to Cincinnati’s Riverfront. Carter is the developer and owner of the GE building.

With an open interior layout, GE’s new space centers on collaboration, offering unique opportunities for teamwork among its employees. The design features group workstations, huddle areas and bold décor, including graphics of Cincinnati and GE’s history.

From the outset of the project, GE envisioned an efficient, team-oriented, creative workspace for global operations, the company’s in-house shared services organization with functions ranging from finance/tax, IT, HR to legal, supply chain and commercial operations. Understanding that vision, Brasfield & Gorrie worked closely with GE’s design and engineering teams to create a workspace that allows teams to collaborate and encourages teamwork.

The cast-in-place concrete office building includes a unitized glass curtainwall system that was premanufactured in sections off site and then installed at a rate of one floor per week. Anticipating an extremely long lead time for glass, evaluating, selecting and releasing glass prefabrication was done months before construction began to accommodate the schedule. This early procurement of the project’s exterior glass helped set the stage for completing the office building ahead of schedule.

Virtual design technology was used throughout preconstruction and construction to coordinate systems within the building, thereby minimizing issues in the field. Additionally, modeling the project allowed for seamless collaboration between the construction team, the design team for the core and shell office building and the design team for the building’s unique interiors. By integrating the building design with the interior design in the virtual model, the project team was able to ensure that each element of the project fit together properly. The design approach also minimized collisions and rework that otherwise would have occurred in the field.

Situated between Paul Brown Stadium and the Great American Ballpark, the GE Global Operations Center is a key portion of Phase II of The Banks. Carter is the master developer for the mixed-use project that will include up to 1 million square feet of office space, 1,800 housing units, 200 hotel rooms, 300,000 square feet of retail space and a 45-acre park when completed.