The Atlanta-based Assurant Group has provided the premier space and Ascent Assurance Co., now with offices at 110 W. 7th St. in Fort Worth, is providing the backfill. Assurant's side of the bargaining was handled by Newmark & Co. Real Estate Inc.'s Southern Region team of Jason M. Lichty, associate director, and Rebecca Griffin, executive managing director, while Jack Huff and Kyle Poulson, both of NAI Stoneleigh Huff Brous McDowell in Fort Worth, negotiated on Ascent's behalf.

Assurant exited the Prentiss Property holding at 801 Cherry St. about a year ago after buying out Voyager Group Inc. and shifting the operation to its Miami office. Lichty tells GlobeSt.com that Ascent was shopping Fort Worth for about six months before the Newmark team cornered a final signature on a seven-year lease that included the fixtures. Assurant Group's master lease expires February 2011.

Ascent will move in May 1 to all of the 29th floor and part of the 31st in the 40-story office building in the heart of the downtown. RJ Miller Design Co. of Fort Worth is handling finish-out of an office configuration crafted by architect Robert Freeman of RDF Inc., also of Fort Worth.

Lichty says the clock started running to win Ascent before AmeriCredit Corp. puts two floors in the building on the market. Lichty confides that Newmark has proposals out, which could be signed in a month, to fill the 36,000-sf balance of the Assurant Group's building commitment.

Crossing the finish line in Fort Worth has become almost as difficult as Dallas because direct space rates are being lowered to compete with sublease rates, Lichty says. But, he points out, there is far more leasing activity now than a few months ago.