In April of 2006, Catlin, Inc. a specialty insurance/reinsurance public company based in the U.K., retained Mark Coffey and his team at Bailes & Associates for a confidential project. Catlin was looking for a site for its new U.S. headquarters and asked Bailes & Associates to assess several east coast cities. The assignment went beyond the typical market survey of available space and rental rates. Instead, it included comparisons and analyses of transportation, housing and employment costs and involved direct negotiation on potential financial incentives with state and municipal economic development entities.

In June, after completing an expedited site survey of the Buckhead area of Atlanta, Coffey secured immediate temporary office space at no cost to the client. They also negotiated a lease that included a large cash contribution from the landlord – substantially above the marketplace norm – for the tenant’s construction costs, flexible terms and an aggressive construction schedule that enabled Catlin to move into its completed facility in September.

Catlin subsequently engaged Bailes & Associates to handle all its real estate requirements throughout the U.S. Bailes & Associates has since completed projects in Manhattan, San Francisco, Walnut Creek, CA, Hartford, CT, Lexington, KY and various other locations nationwide.

When First 5 Los Angeles was established in 1998, its management retained Charles McArthur and Bailes & Associates to find headquarters for the new agency, a quasi-governmental, non-profit organization whose mission is to help children from birth to age five.

First 5’s satisfaction with its original location, leased space in downtown LA, and with our service, was evident when we were called upon again, in 2002, to explore the possibilities for new headquarters. In this second assignment, McArthur assembled complete market data (existing space for lease or sale and build-to-suit alternatives), developed relevant financial analyses and presented the findings to First 5’s decision-makers. He also spearheaded all business negotiations and assisted legal counsel in contractual negotiations.

The result: First 5 Los Angeles moved into 750 N Alameda Street at Union Station, a build-to-suit facility, in February 2005. The new 50,000 square-foot headquarters contains a day care center, public meeting rooms, a multi-media boardroom, administration offices and space to expand. First 5 leased the space with an option to buy.

During the project’s tenant improvement phase, First 5 called upon Charles McArthur, a vice president of Bailes & Associates for his expertise in project management.

When Futuredontics, Inc., known as “1-800-DENTIST” was established in 1986 its first office was an 800-square-foot space in Santa Monica. Monique Lacey, a senior vice president of Bailes & Associates, represented Furturedontics in that transaction, and she and her colleagues at Bailes have represented the company since that time.

During the 20-plus year relationship, Bailes & Associates completed many more lease transactions, including Futuredontics’ relocation into its new 40,000 square foot headquarters in West Los Angeles in 2000 and the renewal of that lease in 2006. Bailes & Associates has also helped Futuredontics address real estate issues ranging from operating expenses and tax payments to the negotiation of complex terms with a lender after the landlord went into foreclosure. In the last matter, Bailes & Associates’ strategy resulted in a 40% reduction in rent. Fred Joyal, chairman of Futuredontics, a leading internet and cooperative marketing organization, says it all:

“Ms. Lacey has been a phenomenal asset to our business throughout our 20-year history. Through four different facility changes and six additional expansions and lease renegotiations, Monique has not only saved us hundreds of thousands of dollars but also protected us very effectively by her expert analysis of the minute details of the leases and her concise negotiation of terms. We wouldn’t move without her, and we wouldn’t consider any other broker.”

When Unisys had to set up a new 24/7 check-processing center in Southern California for one of its banking clients, management called on Bailes & Associates early in the process. The facility’s requirements were specific: a flex building with approximately 65,000 square feet, suitable for both offices and high-bay industrial space with loading docks, above-standard live load capacity, redundant power systems and a minimum parking ration of four spaces per 1,000 square feet leased.

After an exhaustive search throughout the entire area – West Valley, Burbank, Downtown Central Business District, South Bay – we found the right location in the South Bay. We were able to negotiate an extremely favorable lease that provided not only the maximum financial benefit but also the necessary tenant improvement package and the option to expand an important requirement for the information technology industry.