Ground Breaking Ceremony

WINTER CHILL couldn't crimp Friday's excitement surrounding ground-breaking for BA-based Air Assurance's new headquarters at 1301 Southwest Expressway Drive. Above, owners Mike, Narissa and David Rampey prepare to symbolically shovel bits of frozen earth during the 11:30 a.m. event attended by politicians, city leaders and members of the chamber of commerce.

The 18,000- square-foot structure will feature the energy-saving Mitsubishi City Multi comfort system, the first to be installed in Oklahoma, according to company spokesperson Mandy Vavrinak. Mike Rampey said the new building will triple Air Assurance's available space and allow the company to expand its workforce and will be finished this summer. Architect is RW Bright Architects, Inc., of Tulsa and general contractor will be CBCI, LLC., also of Tulsa. "It's a building Broken Arrow can be proud of," Rampey said. The owners started Air Assurance in 1985. It has grown to be one of the largest service companies in the Tulsa area.