$100M Overstock 'Peace Coliseum' Breaks Ground

SALT LAKE CITY—Locally based, discount online shopping retailer Overstock, will break ground today on its new corporate campus, referred to as the "Peace Coliseum." The campus, which is estimated to cost nearly $100 million, is anticipated to open during the summer of 2016.

Overstock officials have said that from the ground level, the building will look like a corporate glass-and-concrete version of the Roman Coliseum, but from the air, the three-story building will appear as a peace sign.  The groundbreaking coincides with Overstock's 15th anniversary. 

In discussing why Overstock is embarking on the building project, Overstock CEO Patrick Byrne says, “We're in it for the long term.”

Byrne adds, "The building will include contemporary design and will be constructed to the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED Silver certification with the possibility of Gold. The building's state-of-the-art heating/cooling system will utilize heat from the data center to heat the building in the winter and is one of the most energy-efficient systems for providing cooling in the summer.  Because the building is adjacent to a Utah Transit Authority TRAX light rail and bus station, it will be exceedingly convenient for employees to take public transportation."

The 231,000-square-foot office building will be located in the View 72 Corporate Center on 19 acres of land at 7295 S. Bingham Jct. Blvd. (approximately 930 W.) in Midvale, UT. In addition to the central office building, the campus will include an amenities building, park-like open green space and a parking structure.

The developer is Gardner Co., the contractor is Okland Construction and the architect is EDA Architects Inc. The campus will host several on-site amenities such as a cafe, fitness center, health clinic and daycare. The company warehouses will remain in their present locations in Utah, Kentucky and Pennsylvania.

Overstock is also considering an on-campus greenhouse to provide fresh, organic produce to be served at the cafe. "It's exciting to be at a point where we can build the Peace Coliseum to unite our employees," adds Overstock president Stormy Simon. 

Overstock.com will be merging two locations into the new “Peace Coliseum” explains Gardner Co. “This new campus promotes the recruitment and retention,” the developer says. 

In talking about internet retail companies like Overstock, Greg Lyon, principal and design director for Nadel, said in a recent exclusive GlobeSt.com Q&A that what was going to be a war between bricks-and-mortar stores and the Internet has evolved into a “sophisticated relationship between social media and the physical environment. Developers and retail destinations understand it's a continuum and that a vertical brand has to have a social-media program that's connected with their shoppers and guests in a much more ubiquitous way than ever before. There isn't a battle, but a relationship now. It's all about market share.”