Stirling and Kent Design Build Announce Groundbreaking of New Corporate Headquarters at River Chase
Stirling and Kent Design Build today joined St. Tammany Corporation to announce the commencement of construction for River Chase Office II, a cutting-edge Class A office building spanning over 50,000 square feet, which will serve as the new corporate headquarters for both Stirling and Kent Design Build. This strategic move to the River Chase development reflects the companies’ commitment to growth, innovation, and investment in St. Tammany Parish.
“Relocating our corporate headquarters is a significant milestone for Stirling. St. Tammany Parish is an ideal location for our corporate headquarters, allowing us excellent connectivity to the entire Gulf South Region,” said Townsend Underhill, President & CEO of Stirling. “We are enthusiastic about the opportunities this move presents for our company and our employees. The new building not only signifies our commitment to growth but also positions us for greater achievements in the years to come.”
Stirling and Kent Design Build’s new corporate headquarters, near the intersection of Interstate 12 and LA Highway 21, was designed by Southeastern Louisiana-based architecture firm Eskew Dumez Ripple (EDR). The state-of-the-art design represents an investment of more than $20 million and will include a rooftop terrace, a reservable boardroom for the tenants of the building, and a geothermal HVAC system. The array of advantages provided by this modern workplace facility will bolster the company’s commitment to serving clients and employees.
“St. Tammany Parish is our home, and as a lifelong resident of the Northshore, witnessing the ongoing development of the market area has been truly incredible,” said Kyle Kent, President & CEO of Kent Design Build. “As our company continues to expand, we are proud to continue to invest in our community and work more closely with our partners to deliver world-class projects to the Northshore, South Louisiana, and beyond.”
Both companies have a long history of investing and doing business in St. Tammany Parish. Stirling has had an office in the community for over 40 years, and Kent Design Build has been based in St. Tammany since its founding in 1996. Together, they employ over 200 people in St. Tammany.
“Stirling and Kent Design Build have been tremendous partners for St. Tammany Parish, and they have renewed their commitment to our community with this investment,” said St. Tammany Parish President Mike Cooper. “When great companies, like Stirling and Kent Design Build, invest in St. Tammany, it not only provides quality jobs for our citizens but also boosts our nation-leading economy.”
“St. Tammany Parish has long been the destination of choice for corporate headquarters and the highly skilled talent that powers their operations,” said Chris Masingill, CEO of St. Tammany Corporation. “These two premier St. Tammany-based companies represent a cross-section of two industry sectors, real estate and construction, that are critical to our local and regional economy, and their reinvestment into our community exemplify our message that businesses can start up, scale, and stay right here on the Northshore and become incredibly successful.”
Renderings of the new facility are below. For leasing information, contact Ryan Murphy at (985) 246-3771 or rmurphy@stirlingprop.com.
Stirling Unveils New Websites for Hammond Square and Pan American Life Center
Stirling Properties is excited to unveil new websites for Hammond Square in Hammond, Louisiana and Pan American Life Center in New Orleans.
New Orleans’ Growing Medical Corridor
The growing medical corridor in New Orleans is officially known as BioDistrict New Orleans, a state-enabled economic development district that was created by the State of Louisiana in 2005 for the purpose of developing a biosciences industry in New Orleans that will provide research and development, healthcare delivery, and stable, high-paying jobs. The 1,500-acre district spans the Downtown and Mid-City neighborhoods of New Orleans. The economic impact is estimated to be 22,000 new jobs in the city of New Orleans over the next eight to ten years, not only in biosciences, but also in banking, law, construction and other service industries that stand to benefit. The area’s major developments include:
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center (Project Legacy)
- Status: Under Construction
- Groundbreaking/Completion: June 2011/Late 2014, full activation 2015
- Site: 30 acres bounded by Tulane Avenue and Canal, S. Galvez & S. Rocheblave Streets
- Size: 1.6 million square feet with 2 additional 1,000-car garages; 200-bed complex will serve over 70,000 enrolled Veterans
- Cost: $995 million construction budget (fully funded)
- Jobs: 1,100 new employees
- University Medical Center
- Status: Site preparation work, construction to begin by year end
- Groundbreaking/Completion: April 2011/2015
- Site: 34 acres bounded by Canal & S. Galvez Streets and Tuland & South Claiborne Avenues
- Size: 2.2 million square feet, 424-bed public hospital to replace Charity Hospital
- Cost: $1.09 billion; state lawmakers approved funding September 2011
- Jobs: 5,280 new and saved jobs over first five years
- Part of collaborative complex with the new VA Medical Center (see above)
- Both will be key academic anchors for LSU, Tulane, Dillard, Xavier, SUNO, Delgado, and others throughout South Louisiana
- Louisiana Cancer Research Center
- Status: Under Construction
- Groundbreaking/Completion: April 2009/January 2012
- Site: Tulane & South Claiborne Avenues
- Size: Shared 175,000 square-foot, 10-story facility
- Cost: $90 million
- Developed by the Louisiana Cancer Research Consortium, a partnership among LSU Health Sciences Center, Tulane Univerity, Xavier University of Louisiana, and Ochsner Health System
- New Orleans BioInnovation Center
- Status: Open & Operating
- Completed: June 2011
- Site: 1441 Canal Street
- Size: 66,000 square feet of state-of-the-art wet-lab, office and conference space
- Cost: $47 million
- To house biotech and life sciences entrepreneurs and startups, as well as support research at four area universities; housing about 200 employees from 80 companies at full capacity
- Critical link that turns university research into privately commercializable enterprises
- Five biotech start-ups and two venture captial firms have already moved into the building, and twelve more are on the way
- Ochsner Health System
- Relocating 500 to 750 employees to the CBD during the 1st Quarter 2012
- Moving executive, corporate and business functions (no medical care)
- 80,000 square feet on top 4 floors of the Benson Tower (enough room to grow to 1,000 employees)
- Signifies Ochsner’s growing presence in the local economy and New Orleans’ medical hub
For exciting leasing opportunities in the heart of this growing medical corridor, office spaces are available at the 1615 Poydras Street office building located directly across from the Superdome. Available spaces range from approximately 1,500 to 45,130 contiguous square feet. For more information contact Gaines Seaman at (504) 620-8187 or gseaman@stirlingprop.com.
New Office Park Coming to River Chase
In addition to the announcement of Sam’s Club and other exciting new retail tenants coming to River Chase Shopping Center in Covington, Louisiana, Stirling Properties is actively pre-leasing the first phase of the Offices at River Chase, a 42 acre office park that will feature a parking garage and is within walking distance to hotels, restaurants, banks, a theater, luxury apartments and over 945,000 square feet of retail.
Rendering
The 6-story, 157,400 square-foot premier, Class A office building will be the first of the five-building Offices at River Chase. Available spaces range from approximately 1,800 to 26,000 square feet per floor. The building will be built with state-of-the-art construction using the highest quality materials and will have LEED Silver Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. The architectural firm is Wakefield, Beasley & Associates, a highly respected firm committed to designing environmentally responsible buildings all over the world. We are looking for 50% minimum preleasing prior to beginning construction. Stirling Properties will be developing, managing and leasing the buildings. For information about the Offices at River Chase contact Lee de la Houssaye, Leasing and Sales Associate for Stirling Properties, at ldelahoussaye@stirlingprop.com or call (985) 246-3774.
