BY PERRY BROTHERS
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Two companies plan to develop 334,000 square feet of office and warehouse space at Paul Hemmer Construction Co.'s Airpark International in Boone County.
Hemmer and Ashley Development expect to start construction this summer on four buildings at the park, located off Interstate 275 less than a mile from the Cincinnati - Northern Kentucky International Airport.
Preliminary plans for Airpark Business Center-Phase III call for buildings ranging from 60,000 to 110,000 square feet, with users occupying at least 10,000 square feet each.
Since 1994, Hemmer has developed almost 2 million square feet of office and industrial space at Airpark International.
Hemmer will handle the general contracting and leasing for the project.
The area is a hot development spot. CB Commercial reported an 87 percent occupancy rate in 1997 for office and warehouse buildings in the airport corridor. CB said Northern Kentucky office and warehouse absorption for 1997 hit 400,000 square feet.
Other developers are tapping into the strong market. At a nearby 200-acre site, Al Neyer Inc. in March announced plans for Riverview, a 1.5 million-square-foot office and light industrial development.
Murphy to take helm at West Shell unit
Shenan P. Murphy will replace Lawrence P. Gautier at the helm of West Shell Commercial - ONCOR International's Cincinnati brokerage. Mark Rippe, president of West Shell Commercial, announced Mr. Murphy's promotion Wednesday. Mr. Gautier will head the company's Corporate Services Division, which acts as an outsourced real estate department for companies around the globe.
Mr. Murphy, who joined West Shell Commercial in 1990, will move into the position from senior sales vice president. His commercial real estate portfolio totals more than 3 million square feet leased or sold.
Cincinnati Bell lights sign atop Atrium I
Cincinnati Bell lit its blue neon sign atop Atrium I for the first time Wednesday. The company has been the largest tenant in the downtown building since it moved there in 1981.
Cincinnati Bell offices occupy 71 percent, or 13 floors, of the 20-story, 567,000-square-foot office building at 201 E. Fourth St.
One Eastwood property attracts lots of interest
Bob Ryan, of Ostendorf-Morris Colliers, reports high activity at the One Eastwood property off Interstate 71, but he declined to say whether any companies are ready to sign.
Mr. Ryan and Mike Hartmann are the exclusive listing agents for the suburban complex, once the headquarters of U.S. Shoe Corp. One Eastwood Partners LLC, the partnership that bought the property, plans to invest about $10 million in renovations.
Architectural Foundation to meet at arts center
The next meeting of the Architectural Foundation of Greater Cincinnati will feature a discussion on the design of the proposed Contemporary Arts Center, which is expected to be built at the corner of Sixth and Walnut streets, across from the Aronoff Center.
Charles Desmarais, CAC director, will speak of how the center selected London architect Zaba Hadid from a pool of 97 candidates to design the project
The meeting is scheduled for noon April 29 at the CAC, 115 E. Fifth St. The cost is $15.
Models and renderings of Ms. Hadid's projects are on display at the center's Unbuilt Cincinnati exhibit, which runs through June 14.
For information and reservations: Dee Scott at 291-3222 by noon Monday.
