(Nashville, TN/September 14, 2009) National law firm Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC, has announced that it has finalized a new lease that expands the Commerce Center office space it occupies by approximately 42%.
"We have been working for some time to finalize this deal," said Nashville Office Managing Shareholder Scott Carey. "I'm pleased that we were able to come to terms that allow us to stay downtown and in Commerce Center, which will now be known as Baker Donelson Center. We like this location and our clients especially appreciate the easy access and parking, and the extra space will allow us to further our mission to grow this office and our practice."
The building, which is owned by an affiliate of Ayers Asset Management and an affiliate of The Mathews Company, has over 400 on-site parking spaces. According to Clay Petrey of Ayers Asset Management, this is key to the building's convenience. "Parking in the central business district can be especially challenging, so the ample on-site parking at Commerce Center is a significant amenity for our tenants and their clients."
Currently Baker Donelson occupies the top three floors in the building. When the remodeling of the additional space is complete in 2010, the firm will occupy the top four floors, as well as the street-level space currently occupied by Pinnacle Bank.
Since 1999, when the firm initially occupied approximately 55,000 square feet in Commerce Center, Baker Donelson's Nashville attorney count has more than doubled, from 43 to 90.
"We evaluated a number of options and concluded that expanding in our current location made the most sense in terms of continuing to serve our clients, providing a positive work environment for our employees, and effectively managing our costs," said Carey.
The expansion will accommodate more attorneys and staff, as well as:
- Expanded and improved conference and public meeting space
- Enhanced working space
- Continued convenient parking for clients and staff
- Enhanced employee amenities, including an expanded break area, a mother's room and internal meeting/flex space
"We outgrew the space some time ago; the impending expiration of our lease compelled us to examine a number of options in other locations, but we're really happy that we can stay put," added Carey.
NAI Nashville brokers Chris Grear and Lee Paradise represented the landlord in the transaction. According to Grear, "This transaction represents a significant accomplishment in today's challenging business environment. Through a mutual understanding of both parties' requirements, we were able to structure an agreement that resulted in a favorable outcome for all."
As part of the Firm's BakerGreen initiative, the expansion and renovation will focus on minimizing the environmental impact through the use of recycled construction materials, an energy efficient design, the use of VOC LEED compliant paint and materials, and other practices consistent with LEED sustainable construction guidelines. "Landlords and tenants realize the importance of environmental stewardship and efficiency today. The time and effort put forth in this transaction toward those goals shows the dedication of both Baker Donelson and the building owner," says Bert Mathews.