04-03-2007 City Announces Renovation Project for Keybank Building

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Brad Toothaker, managing director of CB Richard Ellis I South Bend, was integrally involved with facilitating this project. CB Richard Ellis is a tenant in the KeyBank Building in addition to professionally managing and leasing space for The Hinman Company. CB Richard Ellis also will be relocating within the building and expanding its operations in response to increased activity within the market. The lobby of the building will be renovated at the same time KeyBank reconfigures and improve its ground floor retail operation. Changes include enhancing the accessibility to the building by moving the entrance to the middle of the building's west side. The City of South Bend is supporting the project by making parking available to building tenants, supporting a real property tax abatement and assisting with entrance and plaza renovations. "Along with a renovation that will allow us to create an even better experience for KeyBank customers, we are pleased to welcome Baker & Daniels to the building," said Jeff Stone, KeyBank district president. Baker & Daniels signed its 15-year lease for the top four floors with options on additional space to meet future growth needs. The law firm has outgrown its existing space in the First Bank Building, 205 W. Jefferson St., where it has been a tenant since 1990. Baker & Daniels' plans call for completely redesigning the floors it will occupy, including the creation of a multimedia meeting room and the construction of a new internal stairway connecting its floors. To design its new office space, Baker & Daniels has retained the nationally recognized, Chicago-based architectural firm of Gary Lee Partners, which also has offices in New York and San Francisco. Gary Lee Partners has designed numerous award-winning residential and commercial projects in Chicago, New York and Los Angeles. The firm also designed the Indianapolis, Fort Wayne and Washington, DC offices of Baker & Daniels. Richard L. Hill, managing partner of Baker & Daniels' South Bend office, said the firm looked for office space throughout South Bend and Mishawaka. "There were clearly attractive options outside of the downtown area, but we were pulled back here. We realized that downtown South Bend remains the business and financial center of the community. It's the ideal location for growing our business in the region." Brian Burke, chairman and chief executive officer of Baker & Daniels, said that the investment in the South Bend office supports the implementation of the firm's strategic growth plans. "The South Bend office of the firm houses a number of essential practices that serve our clients on a regional and national basis. The new South Bend office will support those practices and our attorneys and professionals who have worked so successfully to expand those practices in this region." Burke said that the new South Bend office will also enable the firm to provide the highest level of services possible to its clients. -more-