Strand Associates, Inc. Office Building

Strand Associates, Inc. is a diverse engineering firm specializing in civil engineering. The firm acquired Ames-based FOX Engineer Associates at the beginning of 2022, strengthening its footprint in the Midwest. As it looked to grow its team based in Ames, the company decided to build a new facility located at the Iowa State University Research Park and hired Story Construction to serve as its general contractor on the project.

Construction for this 30,000 SF office building began in the fall of 2024. Earthwork began with 437 Geopier Rammed Aggregate Piers to increase soil load-bearing capacity. These were completed in October 2024, allowing construction to begin in earnest in November. Concrete foundations and walls were completed through the winter months and completed in early spring 2025, while steel and joist erection was finished by May. Building enclosure was achieved in September, allowing drywall and finishes to advance throughout the fall and early winter in preparation for move-in by the Strand team in January 2026.

Story Construction crews self-performed concrete foundations, structural steel erection, placement of precast deck panels, blocking, hollow metal doors and frames, wood accent panels, and specialties. The Story team also self-performed a poured concrete retaining wall that featured a limestone block texture by using a liner panel within the formwork, requiring precise alignment of the liner panels.