Twin Cities-based Repowered, formerly Tech Dump, is an industry leader in electronics recycling, and one of the largest collectors of e-waste in the state of Minnesota. They provide electronics recycling services for organizations of all sizes, as well as jobs and training for people facing barriers to employment.

This office space buildout project was more than a year in the making, and was a collaboration with the building owner, the new tenant, and the GC. Repowered had moved into a 60,000 square foot warehouse/office space a year or two before, and after their major buildout they still had space to rent out. I had bid on the initial buildout and made it down to the final 3 potential contractors, but I did not get chosen. I had since met the executive director of Repowered in a different arena, so when this new buildout came up they gave me another opportunity. The project was a go — and then it wasn’t — three or four different times, due to lots of moving parts and the realities of running a nonprofit. Then COVID hit, and it was on and off again. But eventually everything came together, and before we knew it we were framing metal studs and rolling on the project. I guess perseverance was key here! I will give my project manager, Kelly, kudos on this one—she was way more patient than I was...possibly more so than any of us!