Atlee Development Inc., based in San Antonio, is eyeing a ground-breaking in three to four months on the first of the four buildings, a two-story, 45,000-sf structure. At full build-out, the project will contain 170,000 sf of physicians' offices and possibly some medical specialty services.

Sonterra Medical Park is situated in the Stone Oak area, where there is high residential and commercial growth. Zachry Lee, Atlee co-founder and CFO, tells GlobeSt.com that 30% of the first structure already has verbal commitments and he's optimistic ink will soon be drying on final contracts. Ninety percent of the project is dedicated to physicians' offices, all of which will be networked via a high-tech link among the buildings for patient and doctor convenience.

The three-year-old developer is finding a niche in the medical community. Just two weeks ago, Atlee had broken ground on a 50,000-sf, three-story ambulatory surgical care center, 400 Concorde, also in the north central submarket. That structure is 100% pre-leased, Bill Atwell, Atlee's president, tells GlobeSt.com. And, the firm's just capped a 100,000-sf project on the Downtown campus of the Metropolitan Methodist Hospital.

But Sonterra Medical Park is Atlee's largest undertaking thus far and could set the stage for more such ventures if all goes well. "We're very committed," Lee says. The first phase delivers in first quarter 2002.

Atlee's architect is Chesney Morales & Associates, with Metropolitan Construction Co. acting as general contractor. The San Antonio firms are handling both medical complexes for the developer.

According to Lee, Sonterra's physicians' offices are designed with patient and doctor in mind, featuring bay depths, a 5:1,000 per sf parking lot and covered areas for dropping off or picking up patients. Lee says the office space will come to market for $14 per sf to $14.50 per sf triple net.