New Lafayette office building to reflect area’s agrarian past

LAFAYETTE — With its long, sloping roofline, silolike elevator shaft and numerous additions, the office building planned for Forest Park near Lafayette’s Indian Peaks Golf Course looks more like a barn than an office building. But that’s the idea.

“It’s pretty unusual, and not your typical square boxes,´ said President Peter Loris of Loris and Associates. “It’s an agricultural look to get back to the roots of what the area used to be. We started with one building and added onto it like a lot of barns are built.”

Construction of the 23,574-square-foot, two-story structure will begin in January and should be finished by September 2002.

The engineers at Loris and Associates pride themselves on conceiving buildings that are a little different. Loris founded the firm in 1987, and last year the firm’s net revenue was $1.2 million. Loris projects nearly $2 million for this year.

The diversity of Loris’ business seems to be the key to his success despite the economic slowdown. Loris and Associates has been involved in a number of different types of projects, from commercial structures such as the Forest Park building to city street jobs such as the Highway 287 pedestrian underpass in Broomfield.

“We’ve seen a little bit of a slowdown in the commercial building since the dot-com crash,” Loris said. “Our civil building is going well with roads and bridges. We’re catching up with all the growth the area has seen.”

With the level of success his company has enjoyed, it makes sense that Loris wants to move Loris and Associates into a new, more spacious building.

“I was looking for one to buy, but I couldn’t find anything (in Boulder),” he said.

That’s why he has slated 800 square feet of his Forest Park project for his own company. “It’s a great central location for the employees,” he said. “Hardly any of them live in Boulder. It will be a 15-minute commute, except for me. I live in Boulder.”

Loris is not alone in his enthusiasm for the new office building.

“Any kind of new building or business coming to Lafayette we welcome with open arms,´ said Vickie Trumbo, executive director of the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce. “We’ve lacked (office space).”

Trumbo sees the new building at Forest Park as a stimulus to the Lafayette economy. “Having more day workers here means they’ll be eating here, which will bring in more restaurants, and shopping here, which will bring in more stores,” she said. “It’s a win-win situation.”

Loris is not sure how many businesses will be housed in the $3 million building. He intends to lease 5,500 square feet and sell 8,300 square feet.

“When people see this building go up, they’re going to be wowed by it,” he said. “It’s a good project and a good location.”

As for the type of businesses he will bring in, Loris is open-minded.

“I don’t care, really,” he said. “But we don’t have the parking for doctors’ offices, for example.”

The lack of an expansive parking lot is part of Loris’ plan. “There will be no parking around the building, but just a little off to the side,” he said. “We want to have a more environmental kind of setting. It’s on the 13th tee of the golf course. And, this all used to be farm land.”

Employee-friendly features such as a patio and a grassy area suitable for volleyball or croquet will enhance the pastoral setting. Loris also plans to include a locker room in the basement.

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