Reno engineering firm invests in culture-centric 20,000-square-foot building

Employees nosh and sip on a variety of beverages and snacks stocked in the office kitchen. Workday breaks include basketball, cornhole or darts. The annual party transforms mundane spaces into an extravaganza — once, an “endless summer” fête included a parking lot filled with sand and flip flops as gifts. A flat company hierarchy gives employees independence and the opportunity to become a partner in the organization.

No, this isn’t a tech startup in the Bay Area or a shoe magnate in Las Vegas. It’s Wood Rodgers — a multidisciplinary engineering, planning, and surveying consulting firm responsible for engineering premier Reno projects like Rancharrah, the redevelopment of Park Lane Mall and the Regional Transportation Commission’s 4th Street / Prater Way Corridor project.

“Our philosophy is that the best people provide the best service and do the best work,” said Steve Strickland, Vice President and Principal-in-Charge of the Wood Rodgers Reno office in a press release. “The best people have choices of where they can work, so we want to be the choice for those people.”

To create the best environment for the best people, Wood Rodgers announces a new, 20,000-square-foot office, slated to open in south Reno on December 8, 2016. The new building is the result of a multi-year lease and build-to-suit by EMR Land Company that will be Wood Rodgers’ home for many years to come. Brad Elgin with Stark and Associates connected the two companies that resulted in tremendous partnership and shared vision for the space.

“It’s one of the biggest, single tenant build-to-suit offices built since the recession,” said Andy Durling, a Principal with the company in a press release.

The new building construction comes after Wood Rodgers staff grew by 30 percent in 2015 — and half those employees returned after being laid off during the recession.

“We’re an example of an established local business that is growing and hiring again,” Durling said.

The new building will reflect Wood Rodgers’ inclusive and fun-loving culture. Employees designed the kitchen, the hub of Wood Rodgers’ company family, including a deluxe coffee machine and easy access to patio dining. An open floor-plan and glass-enclosed offices solidify Wood Rodgers’ commitment to transparency and collaboration.

“For our clients, that definitely improves the product they get,” said Derek Kirkland, a Wood Rodgers employee in a press release. “Collaborating helps everybody grow and gives our clients better results.”