Bright Horizons

Bright Horizons Family Solutions is the world's leading provider of employer-sponsored child care, early education, and work/life solutions with locations in the United States, Europe, and Canada , Bright Horizons has created more employer-sponsored child care and early education programs than anyone else and they specialize in customizing programs to meet employers' unique needs.

Challenge
Multiple space acquisitions since 1988 in the Puget Sound all requiring contiguous playground space. Initially many building owners were reluctant to include this sort of use in which they saw limited added value, either to their developments or for their tenants and play area is not the highest and best use of commercial space.

Solution
As the designated Seattle area broker for this highly successful national company (previously known as The Learning Garden), OfficeLease has been responsible for identifying and negotiating most of its leases around the greater Seattle area. BH’s market is primarily corporate, and most locations have been on corporate campuses or in office parks although several have been integrated in to mid- and highrise buildings.. With the increasing influence of women in the workplace and corporations increasingly family-friendly stance, childcare is finally seen by both employers and developers respectively as a necessary amenity which helps attract and retain key tenants or personnel

Results
ultiple on-going space acquisitions.  New campuses include 12,000SF in the newly constructed LINK apartments, West Seattle; 20,000SF at 1260 Mercer Street, serving the fast growing South Lake Union business community and a center in the Denny Regrade's newest high rise office building; W8th.   We are currently teaming with partner tenant rep firms in negotiating leases in and around Chicago Ill and Toronto, Canada for spaces ranging from 7600 SF to 26,000SF. Prior transactions include a 40,000SF child center at lease in the Daytona building near Microsoft and a 50,000SF build-to-suit for Chestnut Hill Academy (BH’s Elementary School Division) which opened 2007 in Factoria.

Blue Origin

Blue Origin is a privately-funded aerospace development company whose vertical take-off, vertical landing vehicles are being designed to take a small number of astronauts on a sub-orbital journey into space. The company is owned by Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos and headquartered in a 26 acre industrial center in the Kent area.

Challenge
Blue Origin was outgrowing their first location, a 53,000 SF facility that OfficeLease helped them purchase in 2000. The new facility had to accommodate headquarters, research and development, and extra high bay to accommodate vehicle assembly. In addition sufficient acreage was needed to allow for an engine test stand. Finding appropriately zoned property in the densely populated Puget Sound with sufficient land was a serious challenge. All the work was performed under a strict NDA. And there was an emphasis on good existing environmental conditions

Solution
After exploring several alternatives over an 18 month period, OfficeLease focused its efforts on a property that was not on the market and whose owner had no interest in selling. The former Robbins Company HQ in Kent in which the tunnel boring machines for the ‘Chunnel’ were assembled, and which was then leased to a variety of industrial users. The property now includes a 300,000+ SF structure and a 26 acre campus to accommodate Blue Origin’s unique needs. There are some impressive images of their facility on their website as well as video footage of test flights.

WA State Bar Association

The WSBA is an administrative arm of the Washington State Supreme Court. It administers the admissions, licensing, and discipline functions for the lawyers in Washington. In addition, the WSBA provides many services to its 29,200 members.

Challenge
The WSBA was outgrowing its space in the Denny Regrade and in 2002 its member survey revealed that their members preferred that the future site be located closer to Seattle’s downtown core. Their existing lease was not set to expire until 2006. It was also determined that the new space should have a Variable Air Volume air conditioning system which allowed flushing with 100% new air when required.

Solution
Washington Mutual had applied for a permit to develop a new 1,000,000 SF Headquarter building to be completed by Q4 2006. OfficeLease understood that when WAMU consolidated its operations, large tracts of well finished office space would become available in several buildings. Our focus was to identify landlords interested in “pre-leasing” their space in anticipation of WAMU’s relocation.

Results
OfficeLease identified optimal space for the WSBA in Puget Sound Plaza before the relevant vacancies were officially on the market and we negotiated for WSBA below market lease rates in a centrally located building with excellent natural light. WSBA occupied the space in Q1 2007 and are delighted with the move

Bentall Kennedy USA

Kennedy Associates Real Estate Counsel has over $9.5 Billion under management nationwide, for 250 institutional investors, public, corporate and Taft-Hartley retirement systems, as well as major university endowment funds. They have in house expertise in finance, investment, construction, architecture, law and real estate administration. When it came time for them to consider their facility alternatives they hired OfficeLease.

Challenge
Kennedy had announced a partnership with a major Canadian real estate investor; was undergoing a generational management shift and was outgrowing its space which was split between non contiguous floors in The Financial Center in downtown Seattle. The overall office space market was tightening given several announcements that large space users were locating to the CBD and South Lake Union.

Solution
As Kennedy is a major property owner/administrator the initial question was whether they should acquire a building as owner/occupant. However none were available at either a justifiable price or in an acceptable location. A large tenant in the Financial Center then announced their intention to relocate to another building from space contiguous to Kennedy’s HQ. Negotiations were focused on capturing this space when vacated with expansion options on a third contiguous floor. The result was attractive, cost effective space.

Romaine Electric Company

Romaine Electric is a national leader in providing alternator and starter units and parts to the automotive, truck, industrial, marine, agricultural, and military markets. With 11 locations across the US from Bellingham, WA to Ft Lauderdale, Florida, Romaine Electric is headquartered in Kent, WA. They are the largest remanufacturer of armatures and rotors in North America.

Challenge
After 50 years in a South Seattle location, Romaine Electric was outgrowing their current facility and wanted to stay close to Seattle while moving South to less expensive warehouse options.

Solution
OfficeLease recommended the hiring of a process engineer to study the efficiency of the current facility. He examined the plant layout, inventory control system, and the overall scope of the facility. Upon continued exploration of company objectives, the owner decided that purchasing a building was in the company’s best interests.

Results
OfficeLease uncovered a vacant building that was in the right location and of the right size and worked with the client’s attorneys and accountants to negotiate a purchase of the property at a below market price. Romaine Electric and their employees have found the space to be much more appropriate to their needs and as a result productivity has increased considerably 

Hornall Anderson Design Works

Hornall Anderson Design Works is one of Seattle’s largest and most successful design studios. Founded in 1982, HADW delivers an integrated offering of strategic brand consulting, brand design, and interactive design and development to client companies across the country. They have been recognized by their peers by winning every major industry award including the London International Advertising Design Award, The Seattle Show, the Communicator Awards, The One Show, The Addys, the Horizon Interactive Awards, and countless others.

Challenge
HADW needed to consolidate their facility from 3 separate floors into one single floor plate while staying near the downtown core. This needed to be accomplished also by avoiding the “boxy” feel and staid environment of standard downtown office buildings. And HADW’s executives needed to be reassured as to how a previously government occupied building could ‘rebrand’ itself into a ‘cool’ and productive location.

Solution
The former Dexter Horton Building with 24,000 sf floors built around light wells had for many years been regarded as a “government” building. The building, the original home of Seattle First National Bank, with its historic marbled lobbies has a floor plate that allows ample natural working light, operable windows, and great air circulation. And once vacated and renovated, it turned out to be the best of several available locations at the most competitive rates.  

Results
During the course of the negotiations HADW was acquired by a global company whose representatives needed to be brought up speed quickly enough to keep up the transaction’s momentum. HADW has found the new space to contribute considerably to collaboration and company morale.

Mithun Architects + Designers + Planners

Mithun is a national, integrated design firm, which focuses on the disciplines of architecture, interior design, planning and landscape architecture to create sustainable urban environments. For the past decade, they have worked with OfficeLease to assess office needs and to assist when they have needed to expand or relocate.

Challenge
Mithun was located on several floors in an historic building and needed to relocate to an environment that facilitated more collaboration. In addition, this search happened in the peak of the dot.com boom and there were few alternatives, especially ones that allowed the large floor collaborative environment sought by Mithun.

Solution
Historic Pier 56 had recently been acquired and was to be renovated. The 34,000 floor plate with high bay clerestory windows and ancient wood beams provided a unique, airy and well lit environment for Mithun.

Results
We negotiated a competitive long term lease for the entire second floor space which includes spectacular views of Puget Sound, and, being on piles over the water has enabled Mithun to ventilate the space without air-conditioning. They have occupied this space since 2000 and it has proved to be a useful recruiting tool and much enjoyed by both staff and clients. OfficeLease recently negotiated for them a long term extension of the lease after Mithun determined the Pier still was the best ‘signature’ location. The planned removal of the viaduct will only enhance this location.

Mantis Technology Group

Challenge
Mantis Technology Group: a company whose vigorous business growth has caused it to outgrow its office space 3 times in the last 4 years.

Solution
Identify and negotiate alternative sites for Mantis Technology Group and simultaneously begin marketing their existing space to secure a sub-tenant.  Subleasing was key to affording the larger space needed to contain expansion.

Results
OfficeLease worked with Mantis Technology Group to successfully negotiate new leases and to sublease their existing spaces minimizing a period of double rent. Coincidentally, each of the expansion spaces we identified came equipped with furniture in place. This resulted in significant time and cost savings which allowed Mantis to take occupancy almost immediately.    

Eastside Preparatory School

This fast growing private middle/high college prep academy led by the former principal of Lakeside School, leased several buildings at Linbrook, a conveniently located Kirkland office park. Shortly after this the whole office park was put onto the market and sold.

Challenge
EPS wanted to secure sufficient space, zoned for school use, to accomodate expansion. The trustees wanted to ensure this would be a long term home in which the school could justify the necessary capital investments. They could not yet afford to purchase a campus.

Solution
a group of parents formed an LLC to purchase 10 buildings which was successfully accomplished at a significant discount to the price at which other identical buildings were being sold for in the park. A fair market long term lease for the school was negotiated in parallel with an option agreement for EPS to purchase this ‘campus’ at a guaranteed price at such time as the school is mature enough for both a capital campaign and bond financing.