Aviva USA broke ground on its $135 million to $150 million West Des Moines headquarters this afternoon. The 360,000-square-foot complex will be located on a 71-acre parcel at the southwest corner of Jordan Creek Parkway and George Mills Civic Parkway. The seven-story office building with a separate one-story common area is expected to be completed by 2010.

“Here’s a company that globally has $20 billion more in revenues than AT&T [Inc.], nearly double the revenues of Microsoft [Corp.]. On the global Fortune 500, we’re ranked 50th. We’re in 30 countries, have 60,000 employees, 45 million customers and this company has chosen Greater Des Moines to place their U.S. headquarters,” said Tom Godlasky, president and CEO of Aviva USA and Aviva North America, in an interview with the Business Record. “… I think it speaks as to what we believe the strong attributes of the community are to make that type of an investment by a global company.”

The building will be able to accommodate up to 1,500 employees, with the idea that the company’s local staff will grow from 900, which currently is spread out among several buildings. Since Aviva acquired AmerUs Group Co. in 2006, it has become one of the fastest-growing life insurers in the nation, with a 40 percent growth rate in 2007.

In addition, the company announced that it is striving for a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design gold rating, the second-highest rating given by the U.S. Green Building Council. If that goal is achieved, the Aviva USA headquarters will become the largest building in Iowa to have that rating, although Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield also has said it is going for a LEED gold rating for its new headquarters.

In compliance with the LEED rating, Aviva will look at reducing water consumption with landscape features that minimize the need for watering, reducing runoff with bioswales that will absorb water in parking lots and employing automation systems that help cut utility usage, especially after normal working hours. To offset the impact of tree clearing during construction, Aviva also announced that it would donate $50,000 to the Arbor Day Foundation for the planting of trees in West Des Moines.

The company’s headquarters will focus on natural lighting and state-of-the-art technology as well. The common area will have windows overlooking a waterscape and the Raccoon River valley and house amenities, such as the cafeteria and meeting rooms. The building will stand out at night with lighting that highlights the stairwells.

“Hopefully both day and evening, it will be something people find very visually appealing,” Godlasky said.

The company has utilized several architecture firms and consultants, including HKS Inc. (design architect), SVPA Architects Inc. (production architect), Brian Clark and Associates (landscape architect), and The Weidt Group (LEED consultant). The Weitz Co. is the general contractor.