Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia (BCBSGa) broke ground on its new office in Columbus Wednesday, a 235,000-square-foot, three-story building that will house approximately 1,500 employees. The facility will be BCBSGa’s main hub for servicing its nearly 3 million members.

“We are a Georgia-born and bred company, and I am thrilled that this new complex will employ nearly 2,000 Georgians and enable them to serve their neighbors around the state,” said Morgan Kendrick, president of BCBSGa. “We have been serving the people of Georgia for over 75 years, and this is a great opportunity to reinvest in a community that has placed their trust in us for a long time.”

U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, U.S. Representative Sanford Bishop, state and local officials participated in the groundbreaking ceremony on Wednesday, which included a time capsule to commemorate the site. The facility will bring together the largest collection of BCBSGa employees of any single location in Georgia. BCBSGa serves more individuals than any other insurance provider in the state, including hundreds of thousands of members of the State Health Benefit Plan that covers state employees and retirees.

“It’s my pleasure to be here at the start of an important new development that will not only create jobs for this community, but also serve the health needs of many others,” said Evelyn Turner Pugh, mayor pro tem of Columbus. “Through the work at this location, Columbus residents will help other Georgians find the right doctors, pay their bills and get access to the healthcare they need.”

Once completed, the building will feature two wings connected by an atrium. It will have an outdoor patio, a fitness center and a 1.15-mile walking path. About 150 construction workers will be employed at the peak of construction, and 1,339 tons of steel will be used – enough to build 10 Statues of Liberty.

The time capsule at the event featured a variety of items relevant to the time period, including a cap from the BCBSGa softball team, a book about the company history, an employee headset, a Blackberry and a copy of the company values.