Total Transportation Finds New HQ

FRISCO, TX-Company growth and a tenant-friendly market provided the perfect storm for Total Transportation Services as it sought and signed for space that will be its new headquarters. Following a thorough search of the Far North Dallas submarket, the company opted to take 15,884 square feet for seven years at the 162-acre Hall Office Park for seven years.

Move-in to the new location at 2595 Dallas Pkwy. will take place in January 2010. According to Hall Financial’s director of leasing Jean C. Farris, the company is taking the majority of the third floor. “There’s some space left, which they’re excited about,” Farris comments. “They anticipate some growth.” She goes on to say that the space in question has been vacant for about six or seven months.

“They’re paying a market rate,” she goes on to say. “We were somewhat aggressive on the space, but didn’t go too crazy.” The company, which sources transportation, is using some of the existing build-out. Other TIs will include a raised floor for a computer area.

Tenant representative Scott Collier from Jones Lang LaSalle’s Dallas office tells GlobeSt.com that Total Transportation has been subletting space for about the past five years. But given the current market, “we started finding some competitive and compelling propositions all around the current location,” Collier remarks. “The building they’re currently in wasn’t going to be competitive from the standpoint of the other buildings we were able to price.”

Colliers says the search took place around Total Transportation’s current headquarters in Plano, TX, near Park Boulevard and the Dallas North Tollway. He explains that Hall Financial was the most aggressive landlord in terms of allowances and the economics, and also was quick to respond to questions and requests.

Additionally, the amenities in and around the area are terrific. “It’s easy-on, easy-off for one thing, and it’s a well-maintained property,” says Andy Cole, president and CEO of Total Transportation Services. “There are walking trails there, plenty of restaurants within five minutes and a day-care facility inside the complex itself. The space matched our needs very nicely.”

Furthermore, the location fit well with the employee base. Cole says the goal was to stay north of the George Bush Turnpike, as many of the 75 employees lived in the Frisco, Allen and McKinney areas. “When we announced where we were going, everyone was happy,” Cole comments.

The lease brings the 100,000-square-foot building to 93% occupied and Farris says there is 5,000 square feet remaining that Hall Financial is close to leasing. Though a good chunk of 2009 has been slow, Farris says she’s seeing a definite uptick in activity.

“We have three leases pending that I know of, and eight proposals to get out within the next couple of days,” she adds. “We’ve been touring one-to-two tenants almost daily for the past several weeks. Our activity is picking up.”