Hy Cite Enterprises
A Tenant-Focused Building From The Inside Out
"Broadwing is great at looking at the big picture and overall strategy for a big project."
Glenn Johnston -
CFO, Hy Cite Enterprises
Building An International Headquarters With A Hearth
The Challenge
Hy Cite wanted to develop a new headquarters in Middleton that captured the familial, collaborative, “hearth-like” atmosphere that had become synonymous with the company’s culture.
The Approach
We leveraged our built to suit process to help Hy Cite build their design and construction team from the inside out, selecting the professionals that could truly meet their operational and business needs.
The Results
Hy Cite designed and built the headquarters of their dreams: one that prioritized the company’s commitment to personal connection and a family atmosphere.
Middleton, WI
Client since
2017
90,000
Square Feet
$38.4M
Project Value
Services Offered
The Full Story
Established in 1959, Hy Cite Enterprises produces and sells premium cookware and kitchenware to over 5,000 independent distributors all over the world. Hy Cite surpasses $400 million in sales volume each year and boasts upwards of 800 employees across ten corporate offices and eight distribution centers. But while their reach is global, they relied on the local experts at Broadwing Advisors when it came time to develop a new headquarters in Middleton, Wisconsin.
A Family-oriented company culture
Since 1980, Hy Cite has grown from a 20-person company to the vast organization it is today. However, despite its size, the second-generation, family-owned company continues to prioritize personal connection and a family atmosphere. Nowhere is this more evident than during the company’s potluck lunches, which have become an almost daily occurrence.
When it came time to develop their new headquarters, the Hy Cite leadership team wanted a space that captured the familial, collaborative, “hearth-like” atmosphere that had become synonymous with Hy Cite culture. Their new space also needed to be functional, with amenities like a test kitchen and a TV studio. Close proximity to their Madison distribution center was an added bonus.
“Built to Suit”: The Ideal Option for Hy Cite
Hy Cite’s specific desires for their new global headquarters made them a perfect fit for our “built to suit,” tenant-first process. Unlike a developer-first process, which may see a real estate team (e.g. architects, contractors, etc.) already in place, our built to suit process gives the tenant much more control.
In essence, our built to suit process gave Hy Cite the opportunity to build the team that produced their global headquarters from the inside out. With our help, Hy Cite was able to select the professionals that could fully meet their operational and business needs.
Our built to suit process involved:
Strategic Consulting
- Provided consultation as the architect designed the new headquarters from the inside out - a “company-first” approach
Process Coordination
- Wrote RFPs for both architects and contractors
- Helped vet various architects and coordinate/conduct interviews
- Helped select the contractor and civil engineer
Real Estate
- Researched and selected potential sites for new global headquarters
- Land acquisition negotiation
- Developer RFP & negotiation
- Lease negotiation
- Managed public incentive negotiations (TIF)