CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Healthcare firm Centene Corp. has announced plans for its $1 billion East Coast headquarters in Charlotte. At full build-out, scheduled for 2032, the six-building campus will comprise 1 million square feet of office space, a fitness center, auditorium, multiple dining options, childcare center and Centene Tech University, a standalone building that will be used for corporate learning and development.
The St. Louis-based company plans to break ground on the project in August. The campus will be built in phases, with Phase I scheduled for completion in the second half of 2022.
Phase I will house 3,000 employees who will fill roles in information technology, finance, compliance, health economics, business analytics, human resources and clinical positions, with salaries averaging $100,089 annually.
“Charlotte has great talent, excellent infrastructure and a real commitment to sustainable development,” says Michael Neidorff, chairman, president and CEO of Centene, a Medicaid-managed care organization.
In 2024, Centene plans to begin construction of Phase II, which will accommodate another 3,000 employees.
Charleston, South Carolina-based LS3P Architects designed the campus. The general contractor is St. Louis-based Clayco. LandDesign is the site planner and Uzun+Case is the structural engineer. Syska Hennessy Group will be providing the mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection engineering.
Mecklenburg County and state officials offered Centene a Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG), which will give the company nearly $390 million in tax incentives if it meets its 12-year hiring goal. If projections are met, the job creation total will be the largest in the incentive program’s 18-year history.
“[This] announcement is a historic occasion for Charlotte and comes at a most opportune time,” says Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles. “We are excited to welcome Centene to the Queen City. Our entire region will benefit from the company’s community-driven mission and commitment to diversity and inclusion in the workplace.”
According to Centene’s website, people of color account for more than 50 percent of the company’s workforce, and 70 percent of its supervisory positions are held by women.
Centene already employs 600 workers in the Tar Heel State, including in Charlotte, Durham and Wilmington.
— Alex Tostado