Skanska Delivers First HQ of Its Kind

Skanska has completed the U.S.’s first mass timber broadcast facility. In fact, Cincinnati Public Radio’s new headquarters, which had a price tag of $32 million, is also the city’s first such building.

Skanska worked together with Emersion Design, Neyer Properties, Schaefer Inc., CMTA and WSDG on the project.

“Mass timber allows us to reimagine how we build, bringing a warmth and human-scale quality that transforms how people experience a space,” Chris Hopper, executive vice president & general manager for Skanska USA Building, told Commercial Property Executive.

READ ALSO: Hines’ Trifecta for Carbon Emissions Reduction

The 37-day project incorporated 498 pieces of cross-laminated timber sourced from 80- to 100-year-old black spruce trees. The result: a 35,000-square-foot first.

One of the project’s main highlights was the CLT stair stringers, each weighing roughly 7,500 pounds. There was also about 40,000 linear feet of radiant floor tubing, ensuring efficient heating, which helps with cutting the building’s overall emissions.

The building’s design prioritizes accessibility and visibility while emphasizing openness. It uses an open office plan and glass from Emersion Design that maximizes natural light.

These headquarters include two on-air studios, dual interview studios, and a large performance studio for ensemble performances. Film scoring, screenings and full production lighting for video are also available. It can host public concerts, lectures and events for up to 120 guests in its gathering area and terraced outdoor plaza. There are free-access podcast studios for local content creators, too, along with dedicated recording spaces for arts programming and musicians.

The volume of projects using mass timber has increased dramatically, including hundreds of developments in the office, industrial and retail sectors, according to a September 2024 report from WoodWorks.

This isn’t the only recent Skanska foray in the area. In August, the company agreed to build a nine-story, 562,000-square-foot office in Cincinnati’s Madisonville neighborhood for clinical research company Medpace for $164 million.

The benefits of mass timber

Mass timber construction offers a sustainable alternative to steel and concrete structures, with increasing adoption as tech and regulatory measures catch up to demand, according to Andrew Volz, research manager, project and development services, JLL.

“This innovative method utilizes engineered wood products, such as cross-laminated timber, glued laminated timber (glulam), and laminated veneer lumber (LVL), to create strong, lightweight and environmentally friendly buildings,” Volz told CPE. “Mass timber components are prefabricated off-site, allowing for faster on-site assembly, reducing construction time and minimizing disruption to surrounding areas.”

READ ALSO: The Latest Sustainability Trends in Construction

“The result is a building system that sequesters carbon and provides excellent thermal insulation, fire resistance, and structural integrity. The benefits of prefabrication are maximized with early coordination and design of building systems, including mechanical, electrical, low voltage, and fire life safety, and further increases on-site construction efficiency across multiple trades.”

Volz said the adoption of mass timber in construction has gained significant momentum in recent years, driven by growing environmental concerns and advancements in wood engineering technology.

“Architects and developers are increasingly turning to mass timber for a wide range of projects, from multi-story residential buildings to commercial offices and educational facilities. The aesthetic appeal of exposed wood elements, combined with the material’s natural warmth and biophilic properties, creates inviting spaces that promote occupant well-being,” he added.

The post Skanska Delivers First HQ of Its Kind appeared first on Commercial Property Executive.