BHC Securities, Inc.
BHC Securities commissioned JWA to provide full project management and design services for its relocation to three floors in Commerce Square. The charge to JWA was clear: program, design, construct and furnish by the specified date for the fit-out allowance provided by the building owner; plan for its technology to grow; think and design in terms of high tech and low budget.
| Square Footage: | 70,000 SF | |
| Construction Budget: | $4,300,000 | |
| Furniture Budget: | $1,400,000 | |
| Location: | Philadelphia, PA |
BHC Securities, Inc.
Construction Budget: $4,300,000
Furniture Budget: $1,400,000
Location: Philadelphia, PA
BHC Securities provides wholesale securities trading and clearing services for major financial and investment clients such as Citigroup and First Interstate Bank. Its technology center is the hub for a nationwide network of over 8,000 linked terminals providing simultaneous data on financial transactions conducted by BHC's clients. It is a low cost, volume producer, concerned about keeping its cost structure and image down, but proud of its technology – one of its main selling points.
The relocation was completed in seven months from the start of programming. In all, 350 staff members were relocated. The 5,000 SF computer facility was designed and constructed on an independent schedule and was operational two months before staff occupied the facility.
The computer and telecommunications facility is at the heart of the operation. Two of the largest Tandem supercomputers made, the K-20,000, provide data and processing power; the system is designed as a fault tolerant system with 100% redundancy for all processors and controllers. Voice and data are fed into the facility through six T-1lines; the phone switch is a Northern Telecom Meridian Option 61. Over 200 modems, both general use and dedicated dial-up modems, are in use. The systems are protected by a 150kv UPS system backed up by a 250kv diesel generator. A pre-action sprinkler system provides fire protection.
Distribution of the cable plant is to intermediate distribution frames (IDF) and along carefully designed and placed cable trays to custom designed power poles. The distribution design allows free and easy access to cable runs from the IDF's to the workstation worksurface.
Furniture system was Herman Miller AO2.



