Citing an offering being circulated to brokers, the source saysHancock is peddling 275,000 sf throughout the 60-story tower. Alongwith low-rise opportunities on the third and fourth floors, Hancockis also marketing space on the 52nd and 60th floors. There is alsoa sizeable block of contiguous space, running from floors 26through 30. Floorplates in the tower average just under 27,000sf.

Hancock officials didn't return calls to discuss the matter, butthe broker notes it is just the latest example of the insurerleasing out excess space at the tower and its adjacent officebuilding on Berkeley Street. Beginning with Investors Bank &Trust in the mid-1990s, Hancock has leased space to several firmsin the wake of the company's ongoing consolidation. Havingconverted to a public company earlier this year, the former mutualfund insurer is going through additional downsizing. Some observerssay the activity may also be a precursor to Hancock selling thetower, although company officials have previously denied they areconsidering such a strategy.

Trammell Crow has been retained to market the space, which willbecome available between now and March 2001. Trammell broker JohnBarry did not return phone calls, but the source says the efforthas already yielded one 10,000-sf tenant for the 60th floor. Thatdeal is said to be in the low $60 per sf range, but the source saysrates will fluctuate depending on how much space is taken and whereit is located.