Industry News

Benefit Planners Inc., headquartered in Boerne, Texas, broke ground in March 2001 on the first phase of a new office complex, called Tech Park, in Northwest San Antonio. The $7.5 million, 70,000-sf structure will house customer service and claims processing and from 250 to 350 employees when completed in September 2001. When the first building is totally occupied, an additional $6-million, 60,000-sf facility is planned, for a total of approximately 120,000 sf at build-out. Darren Casey Interests is the developer of the project.

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, based in Newark, N.J., plans to consolidate its Philadelphia and Evesham offices in a new 87,460-sf secondary headquarters in Mt. Laurel. The $11 million facility, built by Boston-based Leggat McCall Properties, will accommodate more than 400 employees beginning in late June 2001.

Deere & Co., based in Moline, Ill., moved into a 12,500-sf training facility in August at the Commonwealth Park II development in Morrisville, a short distance from Cary, N.C., where the company is building a new division headquarters. Three classrooms, three labs, a conference room plus some unfinished space will provide product training space for the company's employees. At build-out, the company's nearby Cary campus will house up to 2,000 employees.

 Answerthink Inc., a computer consulting company based in Miami, has plans for a new headquarters at O'Neill Properties Group's Millenium project. The facility, dubbed 'Technoplex', will accommodate a computer operations center, an advanced R&D facility, and space for training and educational activities. Approximately 180 employees will be employed at the new building.