MINNEAPOLIS-Olson, an advertising agency, has signed an office lease for 125,000 square feet in the newly renovated Ford Center. Along with another large deal in November, the Olson lease almost completely fills the former vertical Ford plant.

United Properties has spent $40 million over five years to redevelop the 11-story building, located adjacent to Target Field and two commuter train lines. The property was built in 1912 as a vertical assembly plant and car showroom for Ford Motor Co.

United purchased the historic building in 2007 for $12.5 million, and signed an 80,000-square-foot lease to HGA Architects in November 2010. Olson will move about 300 employees in by the end of the year. Chris Rohrer and Sheila Hanson with Jones Lang LaSalle represented Olson in the recent deal, while Jim Montez and Sonja Breyfogle with NorthMarq represented ownership.

Another tenant, Caldera Cleaning, takes up one of the remaining floors, and the bottom level will be converted to indoor parking. John Saunders with United says the building is about 90% leased, and that they are going to look for a restaurant or retail for a bottom floor space.

Saunders tells GlobeSt.com that while it took awhile to get going, he was surprised how fast the project has filled up in the past year. “We did believe this would happen, we thought it would attract large, creative-type companies. It’s a very cool building, with large floor plates,” he says. “This submarket in particular is doing well because of the Twins ball park and the rail lines. It says something about tenants wanting public transit close by.”