The first FireWorx tenant is somewhat unexpected, but it’s a familiar one, too

As Jaco General Contractor finishes up the last few months of construction on the FireWorx building downtown, the company is somewhat unexpectedly going to transition to being the building’s first tenant.

“As we kind of kept walking in and out of that building, we just kind of thought it would be a pretty cool . . . place to office from,” says Jaco CEO Joshua Kippenberger.

“We’re taking that entire second floor for our office.”

That’s 7,500 square feet that FireWorx developer Bruce Rowley originally envisioned dividing for 1,000-to-3,000-square-foot offices for several companies.

Two years ago, Rowley first began thinking about transforming the former Fire Engine Station No. 2, which was built in 1930 at 500 S. Topeka.

He plans co-working spaces on the first floor along with what he hopes will be a small restaurant.

Jaco, which started in 2014, has been at 420 S. Emporia, just around the corner, since late 2017.

Kippenberger says the firm wasn’t looking to move, but FireWorx has a lot to draw it.

“It’s a cool space,” he says. “I’m just a big fan of having natural light, and it’s got a ton of it.”

There are windows on all four sides of the building, meaning the space has great views of downtown.

“It’s actually pretty stunning,” Rowley says.

There are 17-foot-tall ceilings as well.

Kippenberger says he loves the “old historical vibe” to the space.

There’s also more room for Jaco’s 38 employees, and the firm will now have three conference rooms instead of two.

Rowley hasn’t started leasing the first floor co-working spaces yet.

“It’s kind of like selling hotel rooms before the hotel is finished,” he says.

There will be 16 semiprivate suites and five private offices, which are available on a month-to-month basis.

Within a week or so, there will be more information about renting spaces at www.fireworxwichita.com.

Jaco will move to its new space in March.

Rowley says he doesn’t mind trading his original vision of several offices on the second floor for one company only.

“Anything that gives gravity to the space and . . . gives it life like this is fantastic.”

This story was originally published January 15, 2020 at 5:01 AM.