The third phase of a 22-acre campus expansion project topped out recently at Power Design, a national electrical contractor headquartered in the growing Gateway area of St. Petersburg. Phases one and two consisted of a 40,000-square-foot addition to an existing 60,000-square-foot space, including a new fitness center and training facility, and the acquisition of an 8-acre lake complete with boardwalk and kayak rentals.

“Our best strategy for employee retention,” said Marlene Velez, Chief People & Culture Office at Power Design, “is to create a climate that promotes collaboration and a healthy work-life balance.”

With that came phase three; a new 3-story building that will add more than 300 office spaces, a café, 3rd-floor patio, technology experience center, courtyard, and more.

The topping out was celebrated by lunch for the construction team and an ice cream “toppings” party for office employees. Since July of 2015, Power Design has hired roughly 270 people at it’s St. Pete campus, and anticipates hiring another 120 in the coming year.

“We are fortunate to be able to grow our campus and create so many new local jobs,” added Velez.

Once construction wraps in mid-2019, the campus will be roughly 200,000-square-feet with a 1.5-acre activity area.