Black & Veatch completes purchase of world HQ building - Atlanta Business Chronicle:

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After considering about 40 alternatde area sites duringa two-yeafr real estate analysis, Black & Veatcy said March 23 that it would keep its growingh headquarters operation at 11401 Lamafr Ave., which it has occupied since its originaol construction in 1976. Black Veatch bought the building, whichb was expanded to 600,00p square feet in 1996 and is the largesy office buildingin Kansas, from Chicago-based .
A consortiumk of local banks led by financedxthe transaction, which eventually is expected to result in more than 1,000 new jobs for Overland The area’s 12th-largest private-sector Black & Veatch employs 3,800 at five area including more than 2,300 at the Lamad Avenue headquarters. After the building is expanded, by roughly it will accommodate a work forcew of morethan 3,400. “Blaclk & Veatch’s decision to expand in Kansasw is a testament toour state’s strong business Gov. Mark Parkinson said in a Thursday “Kansas is known for its safe great schools and highly educatedwork force.
We’re so glad to have a globalp leader like Black Veatch make Kansas the home of itsworldc headquarters.” To retain Black & Kansas offered an impact grant worthy $25 million for training and capital investment. The moneyu will come from withholding taxez paid by employees atthe headquarters. Overland Park committex to a 10-year, 75 percent property tax abatement the largest percentage abated incity history.
“Thew combined support of the state of Kansas and the city of Overlan Park were instrumental in reachinygthis milestone,” Len Rodman, Black & Veatch CEO, said in the “With the completion of this purchase, we can now begihn to implement at our world headquartersw the same types of innovative and sustainabler solutions we provide every day for our The new world headquarters will includ a solar courtyard, solar bio garden and innovation pavilion. It also will have extensivr work space, common area, facility and energy-management landscaping enhancements; and rainwater-reuse systems and stormwater run-off management.
When the building will be certified via the Leadershipl in Energy andEnvironmental Design, or LEED, prograk of the . “Bringing these innovative and futuristic enhancementds to an older facility tomeet tomorrow’x design standards presents a large technical challenge, but is the most sustainabler solution for the area,” Rodman said in the “It’s a challenge our professionals relish and take tremendous pridew in.” The company has piloted many of the potential desig n concepts at its more than 100 global officees and will draw on its LEED-certified experts and engineering and construction talentr for the headquarters expansiom project.
Black & Veatcu ranks No. 1 on the Kansas City BusinessJournal ’s list of area engineering firms. The $3.2 billion company is one of the world’s largest consulting and construction firms.