‘Topping out’ celebration marks completion of 2 buildings’ structural frames
When it’s completed, the 22,000-square-foot maintenance facility on OUC’s St. Cloud campus will feature service bays, parts stores, electric vehicle fleet charging and fueling stations, and a vehicle wash area.
ORLANDO, Fla. – Construction on the first phase of OUC’s St. Cloud Operations & Maintenance Center reached a milestone on Jan. 26 with the “topping out” of the site’s 55,000-square-foot warehouse and 22,000-square-foot fleet maintenance facility.
OUC’s Mindy Brenay, Chief Financial Officer, and Vince Preston, Director of Logistics, joined general contractor Ajax Construction at an on-site event celebrating the completion, or “topping out,” of the buildings’ structural frames. More than 100 construction workers were treated to a catered lunch as a show of appreciation for their work on the project.
Dan Kirby (left), a principal with the architectural firm Jacobs, Mindy Brenay, Chief Financial Officer, and Vince Preston, Director of Logistics, attend St. Cloud Operations & Maintenance Center “topping out” ceremony.
Designed by OUC and Jacobs, the St. Cloud Operations & Maintenance Center will be the first net-zero energy campus in Florida to be built for a utility. Located near the southwest corner of Hickory Tree Road in east St. Cloud, the 24-acre site will combine state-of-art technology with sustainability, with its buildings using 50% less energy and 42% less water than conventional facilities of similar size.
Preston, who is overseeing the project’s progress, said construction on the warehouse and maintenance facility is expected to wrap up later this year, with employees moving into them sometime in early 2024.
OUC is expanding its footprint in St. Cloud to ensure it can meet increasing customer demand as the Osceola County city undergoes a growth spurt. OUC has been the city’s electricity provider since 1997 and has an agreement to continue in that role until at least 2042.
About OUC—The Reliable One
Established in 1923 by a special act of the Florida Legislature, OUC—The Reliable One is the second largest municipal utility in Florida. OUC provides electric and water services to about 400,000 accounts in Orlando, St. Cloud and parts of unincorporated Orange and Osceola counties. Visit www.ouc.com to learn more about our commitment to reliability, affordability and sustainability.