The development will be what Koll calls a high-image project targeting the continuing strong demand for small owner-occupied buildings. The Koll principal says the company identified the parcel at the corner of Irvine Center Drive and Scientific as the best site for the project after determining that it wanted to develop a business village environment for small space users.

Mike Hartel of Colliers Seeley International, who represented both the Koll Company and the seller, the Irvine Co., in Koll's acquisition of the parcel, is also representing Koll in the sale of the one- and two-story buildings of 3,000 sf to 7,000 sf that will be constructed at the center. Hartel notes that three buyers were committed to the project before Koll even finalized its site plan.

Construction is planned for the first quarter of 2004, under the direction of Alan Airth, a managing principal of the Koll Co. Airth became the fourth managing principal of the company when Don Koll, Gerald Yahr and Bryan McGowan departed Koll Development Co. in 2001 and brought in Airth.

Airth says that, in addition to providing buyers with visibility on Irvine Center Drive, the new development will create an entrepreneurial-village environment that is not typical of most small building for-sale projects. The buildings will be of one and two stories, with skylights, custom interior build-outs, 16- to 24-ft interior clear heights, 400 amps of power with expandability, 12- to 14-ft ground level loading doors and parking ratios of three to one. Architect for the project is LPA Inc.