BUFFALO, N.Y. — Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield has finalized its move into the top of the Seneca One Tower, their offices will make up the top five floors of Buffalo’s tallest building.
Pam Vetrano told me about her workspace with an incredible view, more than 35 stories above downtown.
“I’m on the 38th floor, the very top, there’s no bad view though, any floor, any side, there’s no bad view,” Vetrano said. “I don’t think the views will get old, we will see if there comes a day, but I don’t think they will get old.”
The company had previously operated within a large office space at 257 W. Genesee Street.
President of Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Michael Edbauer said a move had been in the works for years because their previous home was just too big for what the 1,400 workers needed.
“We always knew we wanted to stay in downtown Buffalo,” Edbauer said. “[But], even before the pandemic, we were not fully occupying that building, we had subleased out portions of it, and we did not completely utilize all the space we had. We already were looking for opportunities pre-COVID to not have as much of a footprint moving forward.”
Now post-pandemic, with many hybrid workers, Edbauer felt his staff needed a smaller office with more collaboration spaces, a perfect fit for Seneca One.
“We recognize the hybrid component is here to stay. So, we had to be able to have that flexibility in the office to make them feel comfortable when they’re here as well as when they’re away.”
Jessica Cox will become the Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield President on Monday, as Edbauer will be stepping into a new position to oversee more than just New York.
The new office space is certainly a high note to start her presidency.
“I think the excitement of the first day of school is there,” Cox said. “I think it's really exciting to see all the different spaces of the organization and to have the social aspect of the building.”
