"It is done," Cushman & Wakefield broker Mark Rothacknowledges to GlobeSt.com, with the C&W team of Roth, TyJanney and Ben Finnegan negotiating for the landlord, the GutierrezCos. of Burlington. Michael Ippolito of Newmark Knight Frank'sManhattan office was broker for the tenant.

Roth referred questions regarding Aspen's motivations for movingto the company itself. Efforts to contact officials there by pressdeadline were unsuccessful, but in a financial disclosure recentlyissued regarding the deal, officials estimated that Aspen will saveapproximately $1 million a year once the firm's lease at 10 CanalPark in Cambridge runs its course. One observer says there is closeto four years remaining on that agreement, while Aspen reportedlystruck a seven-year deal for 200 Wheeler Rd. The savings will bebreak even until the Cambridge lease expires, Aspen CFO Brad Millerindicates in a review of the lease.

"The move not only makes sense from a financial perspective, butwe believe it represents a significant upgrade in the quality ofour office space and will contribute to improving the profile andoperations of Aspen," Miller states. The effort will, however,require a charge of $10 million in the first fiscal quarter of 2008on a GAAP basis, according to Miller.