Dunn was joined by locally-based Swope Community Builders andMinneapolis-based Sherman Associates in redevelopment plans for the12-block area northeast of City Hall. Dunn's new worldheadquarters, which the company will use to consolidate offices ithas throughout the city, will be five stories and 204,000 sf.Future phases are to include 1,183 new housing units and 87,200 sfof retail.

The project will revitalize an area of the city that's beenblighted for too long, says Tom Moriarty, managing director ofStern Bros. "It's had run-down hotels, and vacant gas stations andsporting goods stores," he tells GlobeSt.com. "But this projectshould really add to how the Downtown is being turned around. It'sreally exciting now, what they're doing with areas such as thePower and Light District, which is just seven or eight blocks fromEast Village."

The Power and Light area includes the new H&R Blockheadquarters tower, as well as plans for four residential towers.The city is also trying to court the GSA to locate a proposed600,000-sf building in the East Village area. The project has hadsome questions; Dunn has been lauded for its decision to remainDowntown, but city manager Wayne Cauthen has reportedly said thathe's looking for Swope and Sherman to give more assurances thatthey will uphold their end of the project. The two firms have notcome forward with final plans yet, he said.