Xcel serves 1.3-million electricity customers and 1.2-millionnatural gas customers in Colorado. The company's lead broker forthe transaction, Barry Dorfman of Staubach, tells GlobeSt.com thatXcel was drawn to 1800 Larimer in large part because Westfield isvying to have one of the first office buildings in the nation toachieve the US Green Building Council's highest certificationlevel, known as LEED Platinum, for its core and shell.

"Xcel wanted to get most of their people under one roof topromote culture while also being environmental stewards," Dorfmansays. "There were really nine options, eight of them being newconstruction, all of them Downtown," and most of them needing ananchor tenant like Xcel to take to the bank to get theirconstruction financing.

Indeed, Westfield Development president Rich McClintock saysXcel's lease commitment is the reason the estimated $190-milliondevelopment is moving forward despite economic conditions. Thelease for 66% of the building makes the building 75% preleased,giving the lender, Wachovia, confidence that Westfield will be ableto generate the cash flow to obtain permanent financing and takeout its construction loan.