This 824-square-foot tenant improvement project for the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) was completed inside historic Cass Plaza, a building more than 120 years old. Remodeling a historic building into a workspace that would meet the modern needs of the law enforcement agency required precision and careful coordination from day one.

Historic structures bring both expected and uniquely complex challenges. During construction, the Great States team encountered improperly sloped concrete and an inadequately sealed rain leader system. These conditions had the potential to materially impact schedule and cost. Working collaboratively with the building owner, Great States developed practical solutions that resolved the issues efficiently, resulting in no construction delays and only minimal budget adjustments.

Notably, the project was originally planned to be completed in two distinct phases. Midway through planning, the agency experienced a significant and unexpected increase in service demand, requiring the full scope of work to be completed at once.

Great States Construction responded quickly by integrating both phases into a single, coordinated project. This approach reduced the overall timeline by nearly half and allowed the agency to become fully operational ahead of tight internal deadlines.