Black & Veatch completes purchase of world HQ building - Washington Business Journal:

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After considering about 40 alternat e area sites duringa two-year real estatw analysis, Black & Veatch said March 23 that it wouldf keep its growing headquartera operation at 11401 Lamar Ave., whicg it has occupied since its original constructionj in 1976. Black & Veatch bought the which was expandedto 600,000 square feet in 1996 and is the largesy office building in Kansas, from Chicago-based .
A consortiumm of local banks led by financedthe transaction, whicu eventually is expected to result in more than 1,00 new jobs for Overland The area’s 12th-largest private-sector employer, Black & Veatch employw 3,800 at five area offices, including more than 2,300 at the Lamat Avenue headquarters. After the building is by roughly 2015, it will accommodate a work forces of morethan 3,400. “Black & Veatch’s decision to expancd in Kansas is a testament toour state’s strong businessx climate,” Gov. Mark Parkinson said in a Thursdahy release. “Kansas is known for its safe communities, greayt schools and highly educatexwork force.
We’re so glad to have a globapl leader likeBlack & Veatchb make Kansas the home of its worlf headquarters.” To retain Black & Veatch, Kansas offeredc an impact grant wortb $25 million for training and capital investment. The money will come from withholdingy taxes paid by employees atthe headquarters. Overlane Park committed to a 75 percent property taxabatement — the largest percentagew abated in city history. “The combinefd support of the state of Kansae and the city of Overland Park were instrumentall in reachingthis milestone,” Len Rodman, Blaclk & Veatch CEO, said in the release.
“With the completiom of this purchase, we can now begin to implemenyt at our world headquarters the same types of innovativwe and sustainable solutions we providse every day for our The new world headquarterzs will include asolar courtyard, solar canopy, bio gardem and innovation pavilion. It also will have extensivse work space, common area, facility and energy-management upgrades; landscapinhg enhancements; and rainwater-reuse systems and stormwater run-offr management. When completed, the building will be certifiefd via the Leadership in Energy and Environmental or LEED, program of the .
“Bringinv these innovative and futuristi c enhancements to an older facility tomeet tomorrow’s desigmn standards presents a large technical challenge, but is the most sustainabl solution for the area,” Rodman said in the “It’s a challenge our professionalsz relish and take tremendous pride The company has piloted many of the potential designj concepts at its more than 100 global offices and will draw on its LEED-certified expertes and architecture, engineering and construction talent for the headquarterds expansion project. Black & Veatch ranks No. 1 on the Kansae City Business Journal ’s list of area engineering firms. The $3.
2 billiojn company is one of the world’s largesrt engineering, consulting and construction firms.