WRH, Inc., a South Amana-based heavy civil contractor, has acquired the three-story Geonetric Building at 415 12th Ave SE in Cedar Rapids’ NewBo District in an off-market deal, the company announced.
The building was purchased for $6.8 million, according to Cedar Rapids Assessor’s Office records.
The purchase establishes WRH’s new headquarters as it plays a leading role in constructing permanent flood protections for the city of Cedar Rapids.
The transaction was brokered by John Beardsworth and Steve White of Skogman Commercial. WRH plans to renovate an entire floor of the building to house its 35-person executive, project management, estimating and administrative staff. The firm’s operations, maintenance and fabrication divisions will remain in South Amana.
Existing tenants – including software firm Geonetric, nonprofit incubator NewBoCo, Vault Coworking and DeltaV Code School – will continue operations in the building.
The move coincides with WRH’s work on the $30 million Reach 2, Phase 1 segment of the Cedar Rapids Flood Risk Management Project for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The contract includes the construction of a new pump station at A Avenue, floodwalls near the Tree of Five Seasons and roadway gates to protect the downtown and NewBo areas.
WRH is also constructing the $14 million second phase of Horizontal Collector Well No. 7 near the future site of the Alliant Energy LightLine Bridge. The well will support industrial cooling needs and facilitate future floodwall construction.
“WRH is proud to call Cedar Rapids our new home and headquarters,” said WRH president Jamie Rich, chief operating officer Kurt Reihmann and chief financial officer Matt Grause in a joint statement. “This move reduces travel for our growing office staff by nearly 20 percent and creates operational efficiencies that keep us competitive while giving us room to expand. Coming to the community as both an owner and a tenant gives us greater control over our operating costs into the future. We’re deeply rooted here through our infrastructure work, membership in the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance, and support of organizations like Kids First and the Cedar Rapids Parks Foundation.”
The company also noted that the deal included up to $47,000 in donations to NewBoCo.
According to a WRH release, the move will have a significant impact on the community. Relocating 35 high-wage professionals is expected to add hundreds of weekday visits each month to NewBo restaurants, retailers, and the adjacent NewBo City Market. The new location will support the expansion of apprenticeship programs and strengthen partnerships with area educational institutions. And with its front door just yards from the new floodwall, the headquarters will showcase best-practice flood-mitigation and water-quality design.
Geonetric co-founder Eric Engelmann said the firm, along with NewBoCo and Vault, will move to the first floor.
“We’re excited for this next chapter, keeping jobs and momentum in the NewBo District,” he said.
Founded in 1973 as Wendler Engineering & Construction and re-branded as WRH, Inc. in 2007, WRH specializes in infrastructure including flood mitigation systems, water treatment facilities and high-voltage EPC projects across the Upper Midwest.
