By Patrick Yeagle
Accounting firm Kerber, Eck & Braeckel LLP is moving its Springfield location to the former Blue Cross and Blue Shield building on Robbins Road in July.
The firm will leave its current office in the Myers Building downtown.
Phil Capps, partner-in-charge with Kerber, Eck & Braeckel, says the move is part of an industry trend toward more modern offices that attract young workers.
"Kids these days are going to schools, colleges and universities with updated facilities," Capps said. "Older buildings are not what they’re used to, and we recruit so many people that it's important to us to meet their expectations."
The firm hopes to complete its move to 3210 Robbins Road by July 1, occupying about half of the second floor of that building, which is being remodeled from an open floor plan into individual offices. Capps says another company may occupy the first floor.
The move also allows Kerber, Eck & Braeckel to consolidate employees of the former Hurst Wright & Hafel LLP accounting firm, which was acquired by Kerber, Eck & Braeckel earlier this year, into the same work space. Employees of the acquired firm are currently working out of their existing office at 3001 Spring Mill Drive.
Evans Construction Co. of Springfield is the general contractor on the project. Randy Nichols, project manager with Evans Construction, says the building is being prepared with new offices and cubicles, a break room and other gathering space. Subcontractor F.J. Murphy & Son, Inc. recently pulled a permit to work on the building's fire sprinkler system. David Leonatti of Springfield architecture firm Melotte Morse Leonatti Parker Ltd. serves as architect on the project.
Lisa Clemmons Stott, executive director of Downtown Springfield Inc., said she's sorry to see Kerber, Eck & Braeckel leave downtown, saying the firm has been "an important stakeholder in the neighborhood and in our organization for a long time." She notes that another firm, Molina Healthcare, is adding 37 employees to its downtown office in the Myers Building starting May 1.
"In the last three years, several other accounting firms have done major, modern renovations to retain their downtown locations, so we don't view this as a start to a trend or anything," she said. "Downtown has always been a great place to rub elbows with other business leaders."
Contact Patrick Yeagle at patrick@springfieldbusinessjournal.com.
