Monthly Archives: November 2006

Gardner Vote May Lead to Jobs

The Topeka Capital-Journal

Gardner Vote May Lead to Jobs

6, November 2006

Voters in the Johnson County community of Gardner favor allowing their city to pursue land for a railroad logistics center that would employ more than 7,500 people.

On Tuesday, 72.3 percent of the ballots cast favored allowing Gardner to consider annexation of the property, while 27.6 percent were against the city’s consideration of annexation. The city will begin studying the annexation question on Monday at a city council work session, said Melissa Mundt, assistant city administrator of Gardner, a community of 17,000 people in southwest Johnson County.

She said voters were asked whether they wanted to defer consideration of annexation for 10 years. There were 2,903 no votes and 1,108 yes votes, meaning the majority of voters didn’t want to defer annexation.

Steve Forsberg, BNSF spokesman, said the election shows voters want the city to have the option of annexing the BNSF property.

“It sent a strong signal to the city council that voters recognized one way for them to influence development and benefit from tax revenues is to leave it open for consideration for annexation by the city council,” Forsberg said. “The margin of vote seems to be a pretty strong signal.”

Forsberg said BNSF has acquired about 800 of the 1,000 acres needed for the BNSF Intermodal and Logistics Park.

BNSF will invest $200 million for an intermodel facility on 350 acres.

He said BNSF recently selected the Allen Group, of San Diego, to develop the logistics park.

Forsberg said an economic study shows the distribution center would represent a $650 million investment when fully built over a 20-year period.

The entire facility will create 13,000 jobs in the state over a 20-year period. About 12,000 jobs will be in the Johnson County area with 7,500 jobs in Gardner.

Construction could start in 2007 after land acquisition and permitting.

“It’s one of the most significant economic developments in the state of Kansas in decades,” Forsberg said Tuesday.

Mundt, who said the development would be near her house, said she looked at a similar development in Illinois to see benefits and problems.

By annexing the land, the city could play a role in addressing infrastructure needs, traffic flow, aesthetic needs, visual effect, environmental concerns, noise and lighting.

Mundt said the city would be able to look at how it could “work toward making this a beneficial thing to the taxpayers of the community.”

The Allen Group Contracts Firm to Design Wintergreen Overpass

Dallas, Texas (November 6, 2006)— The Allen Group, a major developer of office and industrial properties across the United States, has awarded Kimley-Horn & Associates the contract for the design and engineering of the Wintergreen Road Overpass in South Dallas County. The Wintergreen Road Overpass is a grade separation bridge that will span the Union Pacific Railroad’s main-line track at the north end of the UP’s new Southern Dallas Intermodal Terminal and re-establish ingress and egress to a major portion of the City of Hutchins.

The Wintergreen Road Overpass, originally funded through the efforts of Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, will improve public safety, ease strain on the area’s transportation system and facilitate economic development in and around the City of Hutchins. The Minority and Women Business Enterprises (MWBE) participation rate under this contract is 51% of the total design fees for the Wintergreen Overpass project. Additionally, The Allen Group is donating $1.7 million in right of way and services towards completion of this project.

“We are proud to be able to participate in the funding and construction of this project. It further demonstrates our commitment to be a responsible corporate citizen and neighbor in South Dallas County,” said Dan McAuliffe, Vice President of The Allen Group. “Most of all, we are pleased to demonstrate our MWBE program commitment by executing a contract with very substantial minority business participation.

This Project is a result of broad community, private and public sector participation and support, led by Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, and other stakeholders in Dallas County, including the North Central Texas Council of Governments, Union Pacific Railroad, the cities of Hutchins and Wilmer, and The Allen Group.

“I am delighted to see work begin on this Project,” said Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson. “It is something I have worked on for a very long time and I am pleased to see the project finally under development. This new bridge will help restore critical circulation patterns within our community and is part of the initial infrastructure needed for the planned industrial development which will create much needed jobs in the city of Hutchins and the surrounding communities.”

Engineering and design, the first phase of the project, is expected to be completed within eight months and construction is slated to begin immediately thereafter. The construction of the overpass will be managed by Dallas County.

Dallas Inland Port May Recruit

The Dallas Morning News

Dallas Inland Port May Recruit BNSF Railroad Could Build Intermodal Terminal in Southern Zone

4 November 2006

Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp. is taking a first step toward building an intermodal terminal in southern Dallas County, which would help spur development of the economically depressed area.

The railroad said Friday that it is negotiating with the Allen Group for an option to purchase several hundred acres of land in the Dallas Logistics Hub, a 6,000-acre logistics and industrial park marketed by the California real estate developer.

The option would give the Fort Worth-based railroad 18 months to conduct due diligence and market analysis before deciding whether to purchase the property.

Burlington Northern currently operates an intermodal terminal at AllianceTexas, a mixed-used development north of Fort Worth. It employs 400 contract workers there.

“Here is an opportunity to at least explore something that might be needed as demand continues to grow,” Burlington Northern spokesman Richard Russack said.

The company stressed that it’s not abandoning its hometown.

“We are a Fort Worth-based company and we will continue to be a Fort Worth-based company,” Mr. Russack said. “Alliance is terribly important to us.” But the growth in trade has made it difficult to ignore the potential of southern Dallas County.

The area is situated along key highway and rail routes that have become more important, thanks to the flood of Asian imports.

Dallas and other city officials have been working to create an inland port in southern Dallas County, which would include the Dallas Logistics Hub, other developments and a Union Pacific intermodal terminal that opened last year.

A Burlington Northern terminal would provide a major boost to those efforts.

Allen spokesman Jon Cross said the companies are negotiating on a parcel ranging from 387 acres to 530 acres, west of a Burlington Northern rail line.

It’s not uncommon for Burlington Northern to have more than one intermodal terminal in an area, Mr. Russack said. The railroad has four in Chicago and two in Southern California, with a third one on the way.

The Allen Group and BNSF Railway Company are Negotiating for a Site Option at the Dallas Logistics Hub

San Diego, California (November 03, 2006) — The Allen Group, a major developer of logistics parks, industrial and office properties throughout the United States, announced today that it is working with BNSF Railway Company (BNSF) to secure an option for the purchase of several hundred acres within the Dallas Logistics Hub for the potential construction and operation of an intermodal facility.

The Site under consideration fronts on 8,000 lineal feet of BNSF track in the City of Dallas and represents a portion of the 2.5 miles of BNSF track frontage located within the Dallas Logistics Hub. The option term would be for a period of 18 months, during which time BNSF would conduct due diligence and market analysis for the feasibility of the potential intermodal facility.

“We are very pleased to be working with BNSF to offer this site within the Dallas Logistics Hub for the potential expansion of their intermodal network,” said Richard Allen, Chief Executive Officer of The Allen Group.

A subsidiary of Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation (NYSE:BNI), BNSF Railway operates one of the largest North American rail networks with about 32,000 route miles in 28 states and two Canadian provinces. The BNSF Railway is among the world’s top transporters of intermodal traffic.

The Dallas Logistics Hub, developed by The Allen Group, is a 6,000 acre master-planned logistics park located in Southern Dallas County. With 60 million square feet of development potential and comprehensive rail-ground-air access, the Dallas Logistics Hub will serve as a major inland port for the distribution of goods to the major population centers of the Central and Eastern United States.

The Allen Group Completes Construction of Kelly Corporate Center IV Office Building in Carlsbad, California

SAN DIEGO, CA (November 1, 2006) — The Allen Group, a major developer of industrial and office properties throughout the United States, announced the completion of the 75,165 square foot Kelly Corporate Center IV office building in Carlsbad, Calif. Approximately 41% percent of the office building has been pre-leased; tenants include Grubb & Ellis, Comerica Bank, Merrill Lynch and Old Republic Title.

The $25-million building is strategically located east of Interstate 5 at the intersection of Palomar Airport Road and Aviara Parkway/College Blvd. (A building photo is available to media on request.)

The three-story, Class A office building, with exterior stone finishes and extensive landscaping, features a flexible design plan that can accommodate tenants from 5,052 to 45,000 square feet. Additionally, the office complex has an abundance of parking; an elegant lobby that opens into a spacious two-story atrium, two elevators and lobby stair access to the second floor; an energy efficient water-loop heat-pump system; shower and locker facilities; and secure key-card access.

Kelly Corporate Center is conveniently located less than a mile from Interstate 5 near the Four Seasons resort at Aviara, a variety of restaurants and banking services, and directly across the street from the City of Carlsbad’s new municipal golf course, which is scheduled to open at the end of 2007.

This joint-venture development with the Kelly family is part of a 21-acre master-planned corporate office park. Plans for the next building will be announced soon. Once all phases are complete, the project will total approximately 250,000 square feet.