The AtWork! Main Office is being remodeled, and the Bellevue staff has relocated to temporary quarters in downtown Bellevue. Read on to review our progress.

Remodel Nears Completion — Move In Scheduled for January — Dedication Set for February 13th

The remodel of the Bellevue facility is nearing completion. Offices await furniture and final electrical work remains to be completed. The clients and staff of AtWork! are anticipating the big move and settling into the newly refurbished space. Details are being finalized for the February 13th dedication. Come back often to this website as the date draws near.

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October 1, 2008

In preparation for the redesign of the front entrance and reconfigured parking, the old canopy that covered the doorway has been removed. Existing siding will be refurbished, and new handicapped parking spaces designated close to the front entrance will be created. The side ramp that provided exit from the second floor shop area is being demolished. New exit stairs and ramps are being created to make exit easier and safer. Interior walls are starting to go in, along with doors for administrative offices and space for professional staff work areas.

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July 25, 2008

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July 16, 2008

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Interior Demolition of Old Custom Industries Building Underway

AtWork!’s corporate headquarters is getting a new inside.  Demolition of the interior of the old sheltered workshop building on Bel-Red Road in Bellevue got underway Tuesday morning, July 15th. Built in 1979 with funds secured by Washington State Referendum #37, Handicapped Facilities Bonds, “to promote economic progress and full employment,” the facility was used for 28 years as a sheltered workshop for persons with disabilities.

In 2007 AtWork! closed the workshop and redirected its services to helping individuals secure jobs in the community. Manufacturing and assembly operations are now concentrated in its Issaquah facility and the Bel-Red Road facility is being renovated to house the agency’s corporate headquarters and to provide additional leasable space, providing income to AtWork! to support employment services for individuals with disabilities.

AtWork! was created in 1998 from a merger of Custom Industries and Community Enterprises of Issaquah. The building on Bel-Red Road was used as Corporate Headquarters by Custom Industries with the majority of the building devoted to the sheltered workshop. With the move to a new strategy where individuals are placed on a pathway to employment in the community, AtWork! saw an opportunity to redevelop the building as training facility, space for administrative staff and have leasable space available for a tenant.

AtWork! provides employment services to individuals with disabilities. The agency, established in 1962, provides assessments, skill exploration and training, job development, and ongoing job coaching and support. The building renovation is expected to be completed in six months and a grand opening is planned for January 2009. Construction is being provided Seacon Construction.