Community Transit of Snohomish County is an innovative transportation leader in the Puget Sound region, and its rapid growth called for a headquarters that could match a forward-thinking culture. In partnership with OTAK Architecture, our interiors team helped transform an under-utilized and neglected industrial property into a light-filled hub of collaboration and amenities, proving sustainability through reuse after exploring many scenarios for new development. With low ceilings, minimal daylight, and little character, the existing tilt-up concrete building might have been seen as a teardown. Instead, the mission was clear: center employees as the heart of the building. Because field staff, bus drivers, and office teams would all collide here, the design emphasizes multi-purpose collaboration zones, a range of lunch and break spaces, a mix of open and private work settings, generous daylight, and a stadium stair that can host all-hands gatherings. Community Transit’s deep commitment to its people shaped the project through four design pillars, each beginning with the words I am, to represent the sensations employees would experience in their new workplace. "I am valued," "I am learning," "I am caring," and "I am well" show up in tangible ways, including a Lifetime Learning Library with scheduled lectures, an indoor wellness and fitness center, and an outdoor terrace that supports rest and recovery. We opened the center of the building by cutting through the first and second floors to create a dramatic atrium. Daylight pours through a skylight into a vast shared space with clear views and built-in planters that bring greenery into daily routines. A large stair anchors the atrium and culminates in stadium seating for gathering, while elevators are accessible but intentionally tucked away to encourage stair use. Civic engagement is also built into the headquarters experience through a dedicated public chamber. Equipped with state-of-the-art technology and security, it includes a custom board dais with individual microphones, a custom podium, and seating for more than 60 people, reinforcing the organization’s role as a public partner and community resource. Throughout, furniture and spatial variety invite connection. Brightly colored couches, privacy booths, and flexible tables and chairs support impromptu meetings, coffee breaks, and shared meals, creating the kind of collaborative community employees did not realize they were missing. In the end, what began as a skeptical leap of faith became a transformation that changed minds and opened hearts, giving Community Transit a headquarters people can feel proud to bring family through, where they feel valued, heard, and empowered to belong.