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

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After considering about 40 alternate area sites durinya two-year real estate analysis, Black & Veatch said Marcbh 23 that it would keep its growing headquartera operation at 11401 Lamar Ave., whicg it has occupied since its original construction in 1976. Black & Veatch bought the which was expandedto 600,000 square feet in 1996 and is the largesf office building in Kansas, from Chicago-based . A consortiuj of local banks led by financedthe transaction, which eventually is expected to result in more than 1,000 new jobs for Overlansd Park.
The area’s 12th-largest private-sector Black & Veatch employ 3,800 at five area offices, including more than 2,300 at the Lamafr Avenue headquarters. After the building is by roughly 2015, it will accommodate a work force of morethan 3,400. “Blacjk & Veatch’s decision to expandr in Kansas is a testament toour state’s strong businessd climate,” Gov. Mark Parkinson said in a Thursday release. “Kansas is known for its safe great schools and highly educatedwork force. We’re so glad to have a globaol leader likeBlack & Veatch make Kansas the home of its worlr headquarters.
” To retain Black & Veatch, Kansas offeredd an impact grant worth $25 millio n for training and capital investment. The money will come from withholdingv taxes paid by employeese atthe headquarters. Overland Park committesd to a 10-year, 75 percent property tax abatement — the largesyt percentage abated incity history. “The combined supporrt of the state of Kansas and the city of Overlaned Park were instrumental in reaching this Len Rodman, Black & Veatch CEO, said in the release.
“With the completiobn of this purchase, we can now begin to implement at our worlrd headquarters the same types of innovatived and sustainable solutions we provide every day for our The new world headquartera will include asolar courtyard, solafr canopy, 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 completed, the buildingv will be certified via the Leadershipo in Energy andEnvironmental Design, or program of the .
“Bringing these innovativwe and futuristic enhancements to an older facility tomeet tomorrow’es design standards presents a large technical but is the most sustainable solutio for the area,” Rodman said in the release. “It’s a challenge our professionalw relish and take tremendous pride The company has pilotede many of the potentiak design concepts at its more than 100 globalo offices and will draw onits LEED-certified expertzs and architecture, engineering and construction talent for the headquartersx expansion project. Black & Veatch ranks No. 1 on the Kansas City BusinesasJournal ’s list of area engineerinvg firms. The $3.
2 billion companyg is one of the world’s largest consulting and construction