The department issued a request for proposals from developers and property owners in November seeking 70,000 square feet of office and laboratory space in an existing city building that has easy access to the interstate freeway system.
The Department of Administration's Division of State Facilities will select a proposal for the new Crime Lab before the end of January, said Bill Peterson, real estate portfolio manager for the division. The state expects the Crime Lab to be in a new building by July 2008.
"It's an aggressive timetable, but the Justice Department is hiring extra forensic scientists in Milwaukee who need the space," said Peterson.
The Milwaukee Crime Lab request for proposals is one of the largest tenants currently in the market looking for office space in the city of Milwaukee, said Jack Jacobson, a principal and office property broker for NAI MLG Commercial, Brookfield.
"Considering the timeline, there's no opportunity for a build-to-suit deal," he said.
While the Crime Lab could be relocated anywhere in the city, Peterson expects most of the proposals to come from developers, brokers and owners with buildings in the downtown area.
The Milwaukee Crime Lab is currently located in a 45,000-square-foot building owned by the state at South 11th Street and West Lapham Avenue on the city's south side. The 30-year-old building cannot be expanded to accommodate the Crime Lab's future growth. The state has not decided what will happen to the old Crime Lab facility, said Peterson.
The Justice Department received authorization to expand its Milwaukee Crime Lab by adding DNA analysts and other forensic experts in the 2007-2009 state biennium budget, said Kevin St. John, a DOJ spokesman. The department is acting quickly to hire the new employees and upgrade the Milwaukee Crime Lab facilities, he said.
Peterson anticipates receiving between six and 12 proposals from developers, brokers and property owners. Considering the size of the office request, he expects most proposals to include buildings in downtown Milwaukee.
Proposals coming
Jacobson plans to offer the Justice Department space at the Schlitz Park Corporate Center in downtown Milwaukee. The advantage of the Schlitz Park location is there is ample parking and the ability to provide extra security for the lab, Jacobson said.
The criteria for the Crime Lab building in the request for proposal included security because the forensic scientists are dealing with evidence used in criminal trials. Because of the laboratory space needs, the building's heating, air conditioning and ventilation system also has to be state-of-the-art, said Peterson. The lab also needs parking for a minimum of 77 vehicles.
Considering the number of office vacancies in the downtown class B office markets, there is no shortage of available buildings that could accommodate the Milwaukee Crime Lab, said Ned Purtell, a principal and broker with RFP Commercial Inc., Milwaukee.
The Department of Administration has hired Mayer Helminiak Architects, Mequon, and Affiliated Engineers, Madison, to design the new Crime Lab facility. The state did not release a dollar figure of what it will spend on the new lab.
"
Real Estate Designers offers totally innovative solutions for your software
development, Internet programming,
real estate web design and hosting needs. Our service includes domain name
registration and real estate web design. Real Estate Designers provides the
complete solution including design, application development and marketing.
Real Estate Designers offers totally innovative solutions for your software development, Internet programming, real estate web design and hosting needs. Our service includes domain name registration and real estate web design. Real Estate Designers provides the complete solution including design, application development and marketing.
source: bizjournals.com
No comments:
Post a Comment