CASE STUDIES: Tenant Representation

Allstate Insurance

Lease acquisition

Challenge:

• After 5 years in an existing lease, Allstate faced a renegotiation of 50,000 sq. ft.  Allstate's direct negotiations with the Landlord were not successful
  

Solution:

• Allstate retained Larsen and his team to locate a superior lease and location
• Larsen analyzed 65 properties, narrowed it to 15 for competitive analysis
• Negotiated new lease with flexibility of options, renewals, cancellations, expansions, etc.
• $6 million contract savings

130,000 sq. ft.

Alstom SA

Represented Alstom SA in the $30 Million Sale of its facility in Rochester, NY

275,000 sq. ft.

America Online

Nationwide site search for data center, included 48 state demographic analysis, financial incentive negotiation, telecom mapping, interpretation, land acquisition.

Challenge:

• National Site Search for $520M Redundant Data Center
• Mission Critical Facility
• Multiple Vendors
• Fast Tracked Project

Solution:

• Simultaneously studied multiple markets
• Engaged multiple brokerage teams
• Core team evaluated telecom, power, water, financial
  incentives, etc.
• 25 acre site for 220,000 sf tech center in Manassas, VA

See AOL incentives article

220,000 sq. ft.

American Insurance Assoc.

Renegotiation of headquarters lease - Washington, DC

Challenge:

• AIA was restructuring and needed to reduce long-term occupancy costs
• 3 1/2 years remaining on lease

Solution:

• Outlined options available
• Retained architect and construction firm
• Analyzed current rents us current market
• Toured properties, solicited proposals, negotiated competitive options
• Prepared Board of Directors presentation
• Renegotiated existing lease Save $1 million over the remaining term of AIA's lease and $5 million over the following 10 years

43,000 sq. ft.

AT Systems, Inc.

Build to Suit in Baltimore, MD

Challenge:

• AT Systems was interested in consolidating its Baltimore operations into one well-located site, but had strict guidelines that made most existing alternatives unacceptable

Solution:

• Provided client with demographics, transportation, crime and growth data in determination of optimal location for its Baltimore/Washington Regional Center
• Conducted numerous building and land tours with local and national decision makers
• Researched and engaged potential build-to-suit developers into process
• Performed financial comparisons of all alternatives
• Assisted lease acquisition

$28,400

British Nuclear Fuels

Relocation of Corporate Headquarters

Crystal City, VA

Challenge:

• British Nuclear Fuels contemplated consolidation of corporate HQ’s in Washington DC Metro area versus major corporate relocation to Denver, Colorado

Solution:

• Evaluated economic/physical benefits of multiple buildings in both major markets
• Negotiated early termination of existing Fairfax obligations
• Secured lease in Crystal City, affording ability to be closer to federal clients, in extremely tight market, leveraging tenancy/credit strength
• Guided Tenant through extremely difficult timing of Arlington Entitlement process faced with aggressive critical timing path

36,000 sq. ft.

Center For Innovative Tech. (CIT)
(Commonwealth of VA)

Representation of the CIT in a renegotiation and extension of two large tenants in the CIT Tower in Herndon, VA.

Challenge:

• The CIT Building in Herndon, Virginia had a few non-state government tenants.  One, The Software Productivity Consortium, had a lease expiring at the end of the 2003 low market cycle.  With 60,000 SF of tenancy, The Software Productivity Consortium engaged a prominent brokerage firm to represent its interests to negotiate against the Commonwealth of Virginia.  A specific desire from The Software Productivity Consortium was to move to a newer property with a more visible location.

Solution:

• Larsen was retained to negotiate with The Software Productivity Consortium and its broker to ensure that the Commonwealth of Virginia was able to retain its tenancy at The Center for Innovative Technology.  Larsen successfully negotiated a new ten year lease term.

60,000 sq. ft.

Digex

Lease acquisitions and renegotiations 
Web Hosting Facility Beltsville, MD

Challenge:

• Renegotiate two leases to coincide with the construction schedule of a new build-to-suit

Solution:

• Larsen and his team renegotiated two 50,000 square foot leases for an extension of 2 1/2 years
• Negotiated a new 110,000 square foot build-to-suit for a data center

225,000 sq. ft.

FGM

Expansion and renegotiation of headquarters, Reston, VA

Challenge:

• FGM had retained a competitor brokerage to negotiate a three-party transaction to retain another tenant’s office space
• Space was too large and FGM desired to mitigate the costs

Solution:

• FGM terminated relationship with other brokerage with Larsen’s help, negotiating a legal settlement
• Larsen negotiated directly with both the landlord and other tenant for a successful new lease
• Larsen sublet a large portion of the new space to a tenant to in effect “phase” the expansion for FGM

72,000 sq. ft.

FGM

Sublease of excess headquarter office space

Challenge:

• Reduce underutilized premises

Solution:

• Without being publicly marketed, Larsen joined another tenant client with this space and successfully negotiated a 7 year sublease

14,000 sq. ft.

Global Crossing

Lease acquisitions and renegotiations
Web Hosting Facility - VA

Challenge:

• Web hosting facility
• Mission critical facility
• Multiple vendor
• Fast tracked project

Solution:

• Assisted Global Crossing (Frontier Global Center) with four leases over the past two years.
• Negotiated a 137,000 sf lease for a new state-of-the-art data center in Herndon, VA
• Procured site and executed lease within eight weeks of initial contact by client
• Evaluated telecom, power, water, financial incentives, etc.

200,000 sq. ft.

Intermedia Communications

Lease acquisitions

Challenge:

• Intermedia was growing out of its current office and data center.

Solution:

• Larsen and his team assembled to secure a two building 120,000 sq ft complex

120,000 sq. ft.

ITT Educational Services

Technical school site search and Build-to-Suit - VA

Challenge:

• Locate land and a developer to do a leased build-to-suit for a technical college.  ITT desired a low-cost  site with great accessibility,  8 per 1,000 parking and expansion from 25,000 square feet to a later 33,000 square foot building

Solution:

• Searched representative demographic areas located a site in Springfield, Virginia
• Engaged developer and constructed 33,000 SF with ITT only paying for 27,000 SF until the later expansion

30,000 sq. ft.

McCandlish & Lillard

Challenge: 

• Tenant had three groups operating in the same space: a law firm, a foundation, and the Fairfax County Commissioner of Accounts
• The desire was to substantially reduce costs and to separate the three groups into three separate leases and premise

Solution:

• Larsen performed a market search and uncovered multiple alternatives
• Issued RFPs, analyzed proposals, negotiated with each and ultimately determined that the current location offered the best solution
• Savings exceeded $1.2 million over the new term and the entire space was totally renovated

2,000 sq. ft.

McDonald Bradley

Locate and negotiate for a new headquarters location.

Challenge:

• McDonald Bradley growing rapidly on multiple floors in Tyson’s Corner with aggressive critical path to occupancy

Solution:

• Negotiated sublease and termination of remaining obligations at existing building
• Aggressively competed tenancy with multiple landlords in Tyson’s Corner and along Dulles Toll Road
• Concurrent over-site of A&E and construction management consultants, as well as and preparation of bid packages
• Total Occupancy Cost Comparison (Tenant NPV vs. Landlord income perspective)
• Secured new headquarters facility and negotiated flexible future expansion/sublease provisions

56,000 sq. ft.

The Mitre Corp.

Lease acquisitions and renegotiations, and two large Tyson's Corner renegotiations

Challenge: 

• Over five years, Larsen represented Mitre in approximately 15 real estate transactions.  One transaction involving two noteworthy Tyson's Corner buildings was for the renegotiation of both totaling approximately 110,000 square feet in the heart of Tyson's Corner

Solution:

• Larsen and his team negotiated both leases at the bottom of the 1991 market, to reflect full service lease rate of approximately $11.00 per square foot.

150,000 sq. ft.

National Academy of Sciences - DC

Two lease negotiations in staging

Challenge:

• Renegotiate 2 leases, totaling 95,000 sq ft in adjacent properties to coincide with an occupancy date of a build-to-suit

Solution:

• Confidentially renegotiated 2 leases, each for 3 years.

95,000 sq. ft.

National Academy of Sciences - MD

Lease renegotiation of printing plant

Challenge:

• Renegotiate printing plant lease totaling 50,000 sq ft 

Solution: 

• Surveyed market
• Created competition
• Retained architect and engineer
• Negotiated 10 year extension
• Negotiated new roof and other substantial upgrades

50,000 sq. ft.

Nextel - Columbia, MD

Technical office site Columbia, MD

Challenge: 

• Larsen, in an alliance with The Binswanger Companies, was retained to locate a new technical facility in the I-95 corridor of Maryland.

Solution: 

• Performed a market search and uncovered multiple options
• Issued RFPs, analyzed proposals, negotiated with each
• Successfully completed a lease for 33,000 square feet in Columbia, Maryland

33,000 sq. ft.

Nextel - Reston, VA

Lease negotiation for two office leases.

Challenge:

• Larsen in alliance with The Binswanger Companies was retained to locate and negotiate  for space near Nextel's head-quarters.  Additionally, an existing tenant of a neighboring building, DynCorp (now Computer Sciences Corp), would not entertain subleasing space to Nextel.

Solution:

• Larsen surveyed available locations, used market connections to open doors, including a discussion with DynCorp (Computer Sciences Corp).  Ultimately, a new 40,000 SF lease was signed for 9 years (co terminus with Nextel's HQ) with the building landlord and a new 10,000 SF sublease was signed with DynCorp (Computer Sciences Corp) for identical length terms.

50,000 sq. ft.

Northrop Grumman
Strategy Overview
Nationwide

Approximately 90 assignments plus two build-to-suits

Challenge

• Coordinate and negotiate the entire mission systems portfolio of Countrywide leases for TRW and BDM (predecessors of Northrop Grumman)

Solution

• Larsen negotiated over 90 separate real estate transactions over a five year period, including build to suits

1,100,000 sq. ft.

Northrop Grumman - NM

Negotiate for a new regional headquarters combining office and technical lab usages in Albuquerque, NM

Challenge:

• Company had a 50,000 SF lease expiring in a building requiring many cosmetic upgrades.  Additionally, another location's technical site's lease was expiring and both groups desired to locate together

Solution:

• Larsen, as project lead, worked in alliance with CB Richard Ellis' Albuquerque office and surveyed alternate properties, most of which were single story, to accommodate the production, antennae, and lab requirements of the Company
• One building stood out in particular because of its high quality - even though it was a 5-floor, headquarter building of a now bankrupt firm.  Through intense (9 month) negotiations
•  65,000 SF of this office building was leased by the Company
• Lease included provisions for off-site parking, a valet service, 50 feet of lit signage rights over the busiest highway in Albuquerque, a metals fabrication lab, antenna testing rights, a new loading door with shared forklift usage, dedicated elevators, new construction to "fill in" an atrium and other provisions
• The entire lease cost was less than that in the existing facility although the size increased by 15,000 square feet and the quality went from "C+" to "A+"

65,000 sq. ft.

Northrop Grumman - Atlanta, GA

Locate and negotiate for new contract-contingent office to serve The Center for Disease Control

Challenge:

• Company was pursuing a new contract with The Center for Disease Control.  If successful, they would require approximately 45,000 square feet of office space.  In consideration was a building they currently occupied

Solution:

• Larsen, in an alliance with CB Richard Ellis' Atlanta office, surveyed the markets, located suitable choices, issues RFPs, compared proposals, prepared financial analyses, negotiated for and successfully completed a lease for 47,000 square feet in a nearby building

47,000 sq. ft.

Northrop Grumman - Chester, VA

Locate and negotiate for a new contract-contingent office to serve the Government

Challenge:

• Company was pursuing a new contract with the government.  If successful, they would require approximately 40,000 SF of office space.

Solution:

• Larsen surveyed the markets, located suitable choices, issues RFPs, compared proposals, prepared financial analyses, negotiated for and successfully completed a lease for 47,000 square feet in a nearby building

40,000 sq. ft.

Northrop Grumman -
Columbia, MD

Disposition:  Subleasing and terminations in Columbia, MD

Challenge:

• Company's needs changed with contract adjustments
• Needed 35,000 square feet and had 115,000 square feet in an existing building with 4 years remaining
• Soft market (1994)

Solution:

• Larsen and his team marketed the building for sublease
• Sublet 5 small blocks (5-10,000 sf) each with a termination clause by the Company
• Focused on one large potential user - Arbitron.
• Negotiated with Arbitron, landlord and lender for 11 months
• Negotiated a termination agreement
• Negotiated a new 15 year lease between landlord and Arbitron
• Gave comfort to lender in order for a new loan to be secured between lender and landlord
• Terminated the 5 subtenants and negotiated their vacancy without litigation
• Relocated the Company to a new 36,000 sq ft facility
• Achieved Company saving of $2.5 million

115,000 sq. ft.

Northrop Grumman - Reston, VA

Regional Headquarters Built-to-Suit
Reston, VA

Challenge:

• Company occupied over 310,000 sf in two legacy buildings in Tyson's Corner.
• Reduce rental rate while achieving a more favorable work environment for their employees.

Solution:

• Negotiated a very low cost lease for a premier building, located at a highly visible location in Reston, VA.
• Rental obligations were reduced by approximately $1 million annually.
• Reduced overall occupancy costs by 13%, increasing personnel by 20%, thus reducing occupancy cost per person by $2,100 or 28% per person

310,000 sq. ft.

Northrop Grumman - Wash., DC

Strategize to avert a huge vacant space cost and locate space for a contract-contingent requirement to serve the Government

Challenge:

• Company was pursuing a new FAA contract. Their 65,000 SF building had a cancellation but the timing was wrong.  The FAA contract was potentially being terminated in 12 months, but the options were for 3 or 27 mos. They couldn’t cancel since they needed to serve the existing contract, but if the contract with FAA was terminated in 12 months, they would have to pay in excess of $1 M for unused space.

Solution:

• Larsen negotiated to reposition a termination option to the exact date the FAA contract would terminate. Provided that "if" they won the contract renewal, a new 7-yr lease would already be negotiated and pending.  A new cancellation option was drawn and a new lease was signed - contingent only upon a new FAA contract.  The award was won one year later and the new lease began

65,000 sq. ft.

Northrop Grumman - Renegotiation
Vienna, VA

Lease Renegotiation in Vienna, VA

Challenge:

• After 10 years in an existing lease, TRW faced a renegotiation of 57,000 sq ft.
• After negotiating directly with the landlord, they were not satisfied with the results

Solution:

• TRW retained Larsen and his team to take over negotiations.
• Larsen negotiated a 12 year extension for 57,000 sq ft.
• TRW saved $3 million dollars in excess of their prior negotiation

57,000 sq. ft.

Northrop Grumman - Vienna, VA

Regional business unit headquarter in Vienna, VA

Challenge:

• Company was pursuing a new contract with the Government.  If successful, they would require approximately 100,000 square feet of office space.

Solution:

• Larsen and his team surveyed the markets
• Located suitable choice
• Issues RFPs, compared proposals, prepared financial analyses, Negotiated for and successfully completed a lease for 101,000 square feet at the Dunn Loring Metro in Vienna, V

101,000 sq. ft.

Northrop Grumman - Fairfax, VA

Renegotiation of major business unit

Challenge:

• Company occupied over 310,000 sq ft in two legacy buildings in Tyson's Corner, Virginia
• Reduce rental rate while achieving a more favorable work environment for their employees

Solution:

• Negotiated a very low cost lease for a premier building, located at a highly visible location in Reston, VA
• Rental obligations were reduced by approximately $1 million annually ($10 mil over 10 yrs)
• Reduced overall occupancy costs by 13%, increasing personnel by 20%, thus reducing occupancy cost per person by $2,100 or 28% per person

310,000 sq. ft.

Novell/Trammell Crow

Building sale leaseback

Challenge:

• Novell, working with its advisors, was seeking to do a sale-leaseback of its 100,000 square foot building in  Herndon, Virginia

Solution:

• Larsen gathered information and presented a qualified buyer, Trammell Crow Company, to Novell
• A new 50,000 SF lease was negotiated 
• Trammell Crow purchased the building

99,142 sf. ft.

Network Solutions Headquarters -
Herndon, VA

Headquarters in Dulles, VA

Challenge:

• Network Solutions’ parent sold the firm, leaving them in need of a new headquarters within one year

Solution:

• Larsen team engaged architect and project management firm to rapidly define the requirements, performed a market search and uncovered multiple alternatives.  Negotiated and secured facility.
• Analyzed 21 available and planned available locations
• Orchestrated space planning, project costing and budget
• Negotiated lease agreement
• Created "flexibility" for Network Solutions with cancellation, expansion and renewal provisions

104,000 sq. ft.

Nx Networks -
Herndon, VA

Lease acquisition for regional business unit in Herndon, VA

60,000 sq. ft.

Orbital Sciences Corporation
Strategy Overview -
Nationwide

Lease acquisitions / dispositions, land acquisitions, build-to-suits, consultation, approximately 30 assignments. Five major build-to-suits in 3 locations.

Challenge:

• Single Point of Contact For Over 80 Worldwide Locations

Solution:

• Sole source for all real estate activities
• 190,000 sf BTS Germantown, MD
• 350,000 sf BTS Dulles, VA
• 60,000 sf BTS Columbia, MD
• 50,000 sf lease Herndon, VA
• 48-acre land purchase
• Assignments across the United State

750,000 sq. ft.

Orbital Sciences -Dulles Campus -
Dulles, VA

Strategy land acquisition, Built-to-Suit, sale-leaseback Dulles, VA

Challenge:

• Determine best method to plan, design, construct and finance a new corporate campus for approximately 600,000 square feet

Solution:

• Orbital retained Larsen and his team to advise and negotiate on their behalf
• Larsen brought unique resources including financial advisors and incentive consultants
• Evaluated pros/cons of traditional leases, synthetic leases, and bondable leases
• Analyzed sale vs. lease options
• Negotiated the purchase of 44 acres of land
• Created RFP’s and secured project architect, construction manager and developer for the project
• Ultimate buildout includes 365,000 sq. ft. in leased build-to-suit office buildings (Orbital owned and later sold, 130,000 sq. ft. satellite manufacturing facility and an inventory of land for future growth.

365,000 sq. ft.

Orbcomm Global - Herndon, VA

Headquarters in Herndon, VA

Challenge:

• Locate a building for Orbcomm's headquarters while simultaneously accommodating lab space and gaining the right to mount 50 rooftop antennas

Solution:

• Larsen performed a market search and uncovered multiple options Issued RFPs, analyzed proposals, and negotiated with each building owner

50,000 sq. ft.

Photon Research Associates, Inc. -
Rosslyn, VA

Lease acquisition in Rosslyn, VA

Challenge:

• Substantial growth of government contracts, coupled with functional obsolescence issues of older building, conditioned need for Photon Research Associates to consider other options

Solution:

• Conducted exhaustive market search along Rosslyn/Ballston Corridor in Arlington County
• Negotiated full floor “buyout” of PriceWaterhouse existing in place leasehold
• Negotiated cash sale of “in place” furniture with sublandlord at no cost to Tenant
• Base building risk evaluation of potential asbestos,  fire/life safety & ADA exposure
• Cost vs. Income comparison to determine “break even” rent equivalent
• Secured concurrent execution of all agreements on last day of fiscal year to avoid tax consequence

19,000 sq. ft.

Ryland Homes -
Nationwide

Lease acquisitions, sublet, terminations, renegotiations, 42 leases in 2 years

Challenge:

• Ryland Homes desired to have a single relationship for all of their U.S. acquisition, disposition and expansion  requirements  

Solution:

• Bidding process selected Mark Larsen
• Negotiated 42 lease transactions in 2 year

95,000 sq. ft.

Seagate Technology - Nationwide

Many transactions including acquisition of 60 acres to consolidate 9 buildings on a new 500,000 sf campus facility in Denver and disposition of 100,000 sf of excess office space in San Jose

Software AG Headquarters -
Reston, VA

Headquarters representation in Reston, VA

Challenge:

• Software AG was in need of a strategy to reduce costs, increase space efficiency and increase morale/ productivity

Solution:

• Larsen team engaged architect & project management firm to rapidly define the requirements, performed a market search and uncovered multiple alternatives
• Larsen continuously recommended the consideration of a “high-end class A” facility, knowing a reduction in size and increase in image would satisfy Software AG’s needs.
• The team determined this to be the right direction
• A space reduction due to efficiencies reduced the square footage by 40,000sf

72,000 sq. ft.

Software AG-Many Assignments -
Nationwide

Dispositions/Renegotiations
Georgia, Texas, Colorado, New Jersey, Virginia, California, Minnesota

Challenge:

• Software AG went through an acquisition and sale and needed to realign its real estate portfolio

Solution:

• Marketed various Reston, Virginia buildings for sublease, disposing of approximately 70,000 square feet
• Sublet space in Colorado and California 
• Negotiated lease terminations in Colorado, Georgia and New Jersey
• Acquired new space in California and Texas

120,000 sq. ft.

Southpaws -
Fairfax, VA

Locate and negotiate a purchase of building for an animal hospital, Merrifield, VA

Challenge:

• Southpaws was in an older inefficient, poorly located facility and needed a larger, more visible retail location Southpaws had located a building for lease but wanted to purchase it and the owner was not considering a sale

Solution:

• Larsen team negotiated a win-win long term installment sale with the seller to allow for a delay of the payment of capital gains taxes

43,000 sq. ft.

Stevens Davis Miller & Mosher LLP -
Washington D.C.

Sublease of Existing Space and Lease Negotiation in Washington, DC

Challenge:

• Old Town Alexandria based Stevens Davis Miller & Mosher were in negotiations to merge with a DC law firm and needed to determine alternatives available for Virginia as well as a potential DC move within a short time frame.

Solution:

• Determined size requirements with and without merger
• Performed two-pronged search for optimal spaces in Virginia and DC
• Successfully subleased existing space
• Found and negotiated lease for law firm - ready space in trophy building in Central Business District of DC
• Continued to provide services in subsequent expansions and subleases.

13,204 sq. ft.

Tellabs -
Dulles, VA

Sublease of excess office space

Challenge:

• Tellabs purchased a firm and had excess space
• One of the world's largest brokerages had failed to sublease the space for 2 years

Solution:

• Larsen team was engaged to map a strategy
• Larsen Commercial successfully leased the space to two separate tenants
• One floor was leased in 3 months and the remainder within 2 additional month

40,000 sq. ft.

TV Answer -
Reston, VA

Building purchase and multiple acquisitions

Challenge:

• TV Answer on a rapid growth curve.  Needed expanded office "campus" immediately
• Grew from 5 to 400 people in 2 years
• Needed satellite transmitter facility with 25 ton base

Solution:

• Negotiated for 26,000 square foot existing and "forgotten property"
• Purchased neighboring 50,000 sf building from a defaulted loan situation from a bank and existing landlord.  Required negotiation for landlord to remove the property from bankruptcy and bank to forgive the unpaid loan
• Hired architect and project manager to renovate the building
• Leased 30,000 square feet in a neighboring building and 15,000 square foot warehouse
• Negotiated with county to allow a satellite dish special exception

120,000 sq. ft.

United Press International -
Nationwide

Renegotiated 11 leases while in bankruptcy protection

Challenge:

• During the United Press International bankruptcy, the company needed to make a determination to either reject certain leases, keep them "as is", or use the leverage of bankruptcy to renegotiate its 16 leases nationwide

Solution:

• Larsen was retained to do a market evaluation of each lease and renegotiate them when more favorable terms could be achieved.  Ultimately, 11 new leases were negotiated and 5 were rejected

55,000 sq. ft.

Vision Council of America -
Alexandria, VA

Lease acquisition in Old Town Alexandria

Challenge:

• VCA was experiencing steady growth and needed to find the optimal location for its personnel and growth

Solution:

• Engaged an architect to analyze the space requirement and future needs
• Analyzed various markets in light of staff and metro needs as well as critical mass of associations
• Located a space that matched all criteria and negotiated long term lease
• Provided detailed purchase analyses for three potential buildings under consideration by client

13,000 sq. ft.

Wright Robinson Osthimer & Tatum -
Bethesda, MD

Lease renegotiation in Bethesda, MD

Challenge:

• Wright Robinson contemplated an expansion/relocation of it’s Washington DC operations

Solution:

• Evaluated multiple buildings in Montgomery County
• NPV/IRR analysis weighing “break even” rent from Tenant Cost versus Landlord Income approach
• Negotiated recast/restructure of existing leasehold 24 months prior to expiration at below “market” rent
• Secured Lease for top floor of Bethesda Chevy Chase Pavilion with ample TI consideration

20,000 sq. ft.