American Water Works Co.
Alton, Illinois Completed in 2001, American Water Works' $6 million office and call center was designed by Forum Studio, Inc. and constructed by Clayco Construction Company. American Water Works completed a multi-city search for a new national customer service center. The city of Alton, Ill., was selected as the best location for a number of reasons, including its abundant pool of skilled labor. The company is now located in 42,552 square feet in Alton Center I at Alton Center Business Park.

Forum's design transformed a plain and cavernous warehouse into a warm and colorful office with a village theme. Twelve-foot-high windows were cut into two sides of the building to flood the interior with light, and the new exterior entry features tilt-up concrete panels and a canopy that define the entrance to the previously box-like structure. The new design features exposed structure, ambient lighting, and a compositional paint scheme that humanizes the otherwise imposing 25-foot-high walls.

The 20,000-square-foot open office area features six unique "huddle rooms" that provide informal meeting areas. A streetscape, featuring a town center clock tower, a variety of colored facades, and even roofs for lower rooms, reinforces the "village feel." A curving, 3,000-square-foot mezzanine overlooks the Community Center, used as a gathering space for staff. The high-tech environment included the installation of nearly 40,000 square feet of raised computer flooring, redundant electrical and telecommunication services, a UPS and extensive cabling. Design and construction of the call center were completed in only three months, meeting the client's schedule despite the necessity of working with a client and consultants from out of town.

Located at the foot of the Lewis and Clark Bridge in the 1600 block of East Broadway in Alton, Ill., Alton Center Business Park is being co-developed by Clark Properties and Clayco Construction Company. Abandoned in 1993, the 153-acre former Owens-Illinois Glass Bottle Plant site has been transformed into a mixed-use development with an estimated completion value between $80 and $100 million.

More than one million square feet of buildings were demolished, leaving two warehouse buildings standing. The two former warehouses totaling 452,000 square feet are being renovated to meet tenant needs, and 75 acres of land are available for development. American Water Works Co. is located in the first renovated warehouses.

In September 2001, Alton Center Business Park won a Community Impact Award from the prestigious Phoenix Award program, which recognizes innovative environmental remediation projects that return blighted commercial and industrial sites to productive use.