Garmin has the go-ahead to renovate its Yarmouth building to accommodate 50 more employees.

The Yarmouth Planning Board last week approved the GPS technology company’s upgrades at 2 DeLorme Drive, near Exit 17 of I-295. Offices, meeting rooms and an exercise room will be added to approximately 26,000 square feet on the second floor of the three-story building, according to lead architect Joe Delaney.

Visitors to Eartha and Garmin employees will soon have a cafe available to them at the Yarmouth site. File photo / Portland Press Herald

In addition, the building’s lobby, which is home to Eartha, the world’s largest rotating globe, will also soon house a cafe for visitors and employees operated by Portland-based Fork Foods Lab. The cafe is awaiting health inspection and is slated to open this spring.

“Garmin is basically reinventing its approach to office space with this renovation,” Delaney said. “It addresses amenities and flexibilities that are important to its staff.”

Garmin has about 100 employees at the Yarmouth location and plans to add 50 more.

The project will have minimal impact on traffic in the area, according to a report from Bangor-based Sewall Infrastructure.

Work to replace the Exit 17 bridge and on the nearby Beth Condon Pathway shouldn’t hinder the Garmin project, said town Director of Planning and Development Erin Zwirko.

“The town engineer is ready and willing to have any conversations with the applicant and Garmin to make sure that doesn’t delay any movement on the building permit,” Zwirko said. “He’s excited and we’re excited.”

Renovations, which also include adding more windows to let in natural light, are expected to run through the end of the year

“The building is very familiar to people; it’s iconic,” Delaney said. “The renovation will really enhance its potential.”

The building was formerly Maine-based mapmaker DeLorme’s headquarters. Switzerland-based Garmin purchased DeLorme in 2016. The building is still owned by Global Village, a firm founded by the DeLorme family.