HAMMONTON, N.J. — Gale Construction Co. is set to begin construction on New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Company’s (NJM) new office campus in Hammonton. The first phase of the facility will feature a 146,000-square-foot, three-story office building with administrative offices, a call center, multi-purpose spaces, a large cafeteria, a central utility plant and a retail bank with a drive-up ATM. Completion is slated for fourth quarter 2010. The second phase, if needed, will be a 100,000-square-foot building that would interface with a three-story atrium from the first phase of construction. The project will be set on 56 acres.
DALLAS — Bank of New York Mellon has signed a long-term lease extension for the approximately 78,500 square feet of office space it occupies at Bryan Tower, a 40-story, Class A office tower located at 2001 Bryan St. in Dallas. The tenant’s lease covers three floors of the building. The renewal marks the largest lease transaction in Dallas’ central business district so far this year. Jones Lang LaSalle represented Bank of New York Mellon, as well as the tenant, Spire Realty Group, in lease negotiations. Spire acquired the 1.1 million-square-foot Bryan Tower in 1998 and has since completed $30 million in upgrades to it.
GAINESVILLE, FLA. — Fit For Life Physical Therapy has purchased a 4,672-square-foot office suite in Orlando from the parent company of Florida Citizens Bank for an undisclosed amount. The property is at 3919 Newberry Rd. in Gainesville and also houses a branch of Florida Citizens Bank. Gainesville-based AMJ represented the owner, and Howard Freeman of Gainesville-based Freeman Realty represented the tenant.
TEWKSBURY, MASS. — BPG Properties has completed six leases at Highwood Office Park, a three-building office campus totaling 74,384 square feet that is located in Tewksbury. Tactical Communications Group signed a lease for 19,904 square feet; Edwards Vacuum signed a lease for 14,582 square feet; Cast Navigation signed a lease for 7,874 square feet; International Rectifier signed a lease for 5,068 square feet; Fairchild Semiconductor signed a lease for 3,285 square feet; and AARP Financial renewed and expanded its existing lease to 23,671 square feet. These most recent leases bring occupancy in the park to approximately 80 percent. The three buildings that comprise Highwood Office Park ranged from 82,193 to 104,445 square feet. The office park also features a full-service hotel. BPG acquired the property in 2005 and completed a major capital improvements program to it last year.
BILLERICA, MASS. — R.W. Holmes Realty Co. has brokered a 75,000-square-foot lease renewal at Forest Ridge Park, a three-building, 150,000-square-foot office park located at 85 Rangeway Rd. in Billerica. American Power Conversion will continue to occupy all of Building Two and half of Building Three at the property. Bill Sullivan of R.W. Holmes represented the landlord, K&L Realty. The tenant was represented by Jason Levendusky and David Connolly of CB Richard Ellis. Terms of the lease were not disclosed.
DEER PARK, TEXAS — Construction is advancing for the first component of Deerwood Glen, a 150-acre business park located at 4400 Highway 225 in Deer Park. The first structure, a two-story, 88,000-square-foot office building, is under construction and scheduled for completion in August. The Class A building is already half pre-leased to an undisclosed anchor tenant. Phased construction of the park will continue over the next couple of years and will ultimately total more than 1 million square feet of Class A office and warehouse space. The project is being developed by Houston-based Clay Development & Construction. Leasing of the project’s four office buildings is being handled by John Pruitt, Jessica Ochoa and John Simons of CB Richard Ellis.
CARLSBAD, CALIF. — Pacific Ridge School has acquired a 4-acre land parcel, which is located on the corner of El Fuerte Street and Poinsettia Lane in Carlsbad. The Corporation of the Presiding Bishop of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sold the property for $4.05 million. The buyer plans to develop the site for its own use. Bill Hensley and Colleen Knowlton of Hensley Properties represented the buyer; David Knowlton of NAI Capital’s Newport Beach, Calif., office represented the seller in the transaction.
LA JOLLA, CALIF. — Construction is complete on a 2,878-square-foot professional office building in La Jolla. Located at 7841 Fay Ave., the two-story property offers a 780-square-foot interior courtyard. Mike Slattery and Erika Kruse of Grubb & Ellis|BRE Commercial are listing the property on behalf of the undisclosed owners.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Washington, D.C.-based ICG Properties and Castleton Holdings are slated to redevelop the 50,000-square-foot office building at 1050 31st St. in Washington. The five-story building was previously occupied by the American Trial Lawyers Association. The companies are considering turning the property into a hotel or leasing the space to office users or high-end retail tenants.
HARTLAND, WIS. — Milwaukee-based Colliers Barry has negotiated the leasing of 35,125 square feet of office and warehouse space at 340 Maple Ave. in Hartland. The space will be occupied by Sunburst Apparel, which was represented in lease negotiations by James Young of Colliers. The landlord was Roadster Hartland LLC. Terms of the lease were not disclosed. The new space marks an expansion from the tenant’s previous facilities.