ITC Midwest, the Cedar Rapids-based regional transmission company that owns and operates the regional high-voltage power grid, will be moving its headquarters to a new Cedar Rapids location, company officials announced Tuesday.
The company recently purchased a facility at 3165 Westdale Parkway SW, in the redeveloping Westdale Town Center area. The facility, built in 2002, most recently housed Purdue University Global’s Cedar Rapids campus before it was closed in 2020.
Completion of renovations is expected by summer 2024, with the goal of moving to the new office in the fall of 2024. ITC Midwest leaders said the new building will provide much-needed additional space for employees of the growing company.
“The Westdale (Town Center) area has become a major economic hub in Cedar Rapids, and it provides the perfect environment for ITC Midwest’s new company headquarters,” ITC Midwest President Dusky Terry said in a release. “Our decision to purchase a newer building with space configured for a modern office environment reinforces our decision to plant roots and maintain permanent headquarters in Cedar Rapids. We value the quality of life the greater Cedar Rapids area provides for our employees to live, work and raise their families. We are also pleased to be actively involved with and committed to the community, and proud to be part of the area’s success.”
“For years, ITC Midwest has played a vital role in powering our homes and industries,” Cedar Rapids Mayor Tiffany O’Donnell said. “This new headquarters facility illustrates the company’s commitment to keeping the lights on in Cedar Rapids and the greater region. We are pleased ITC Midwest chose to make Cedar Rapids its permanent home, adding momentum to a growing list of investments on the southwest side.”
ITC Midwest’s new location will feature a single-floor, open-office layout to facilitate and enhance employee interaction, communication and productivity. The company currently employs 115 professionals across its service territory, including more than 80 at its Cedar Rapids headquarters. The new facility will be configured with space for 120 employees to accommodate future growth.
Since taking over the regional electrical transmission system in December 2007, ITC Midwest has been in leased space in the Palmer Building at 123 Fifth St. SE in Cedar Rapids. The lease for that building expires in 2024. While the historic building and downtown location have served the company well for more than a decade, ITC Midwest leaders said they have been evaluating new locations for the company’s headquarters to meet current and future needs.
Cedar Rapids is home to Alliant Energy and Central Iowa Power Cooperative (CIPCO), the two largest utilities served by ITC Midwest. Many businesses and industrial companies served by the regional transmission provider are located in the greater Cedar Rapids area. In addition, the new location provides easy access to the partner suppliers that allow ITC Midwest to operate and maintain the regional power grid.
The cost-savings ITC Midwest will realize from this move reinforces the company’s commitment to driving value for the utilities it serves.
ITC officials said the move offers many benefits for the company and its employees including:
- The new facility will include more meeting and collaboration spaces than the current building, and provide a better environment for meetings.
- Abundant surface parking for employees and guests is adjacent to the building – an important consideration when ITC Midwest field workers travel to the headquarters in company trucks.
- The location provides easy access to Highway 30 and Interstate 380 for employees and guests, with relatively close proximity to the Eastern Iowa Airport.
- The new facility will include an on-site back-up generator, allowing company personnel to use the office as a crisis management hub during power outage emergencies.
Vantage Architects of Cedar Rapids has designed the major transformation of the facility, and other area contractors will be used to provide materials, remodel and furnish the renovated facility, company officials said.
