Holland Construction has begun construction on the new Missouri American North Service Center in North St. Louis.

The new operations facility, located at 9030 Frost Avenue in Berkeley, will consist of a 12,640 square-foot pre-engineered metal building which will include approximately 7,660 square feet of office space and nearly 5,000 square feet of vehicle storage. The project will also include an additional large storage area and covered canopy.

Holland Project Manager Eric Paulek said his team specializes in design and build projects such as this one.

“Right now, we are in the groundwork phase of building the new service center,” said Paulek. “We’re preparing to use a 150-foot-tall crane in an urban area due to the size of this building. That means we’ve had quite a bit of extra communication with the FAA about our plans to ensure it doesn’t cause any aeronautical disturbance. It will be an exciting project for the community to watch move forward.”

Missouri American Water president Debbie Dewey said the new service center will increase efficiency by bringing 50 employees within a 15-minute drive of most customers in the area. This will allow the utility company to respond more quickly to emergency main breaks and reduce travel times for customer service appointments.

"This investment will enhance our ability to provide outstanding service and reliability to our customers, who are at the center of everything we do," said Dewey. "We are proud to partner with Holland Construction on this project and look forward to its completion."

The new service center is expected to be complete by the end of the year.