SANTA CLARA — A big new office building in Santa Clara is offering an array of bells and whistles aimed at upping the comfort level of companies scouting for safe workspaces in the COVID era — and is gaining traction with prospective tenants.
Lawrence Station, a five-story building located near the corner of Kifer Road and Lawrence Expressway in Santa Clara, is being marketed as both a creative and modern workplace, as well as an office complex that provides ways for employees to stay healthy in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.
“The COVID-related safety changes have been well-received,” said Ted McMahon, chief investment officer with Bayview Development Group, a veteran real estate firm that developed the Lawrence Station office building.
SC Builders was the general contractor that constructed the building and installed the anti-COVID measures. Among the features added by SC Builders:
— doors that can hold open
— directional lighting to help traffic flow in the stairwells
— bathrooms crafted to provide more privacy
— bathrooms with a single path of travel
— an on-site dog run to help canines adjust to a return to work after months of owners working from home.
— outdoor access features from the offices.
— large balconies thatoffer extensive outdoor amenities.
— best-practice heating and air conditioning systems.
“We are getting good traction with credit-worthy tenants,” McMahon said. “These are large enough companies that they could take the entire building.”
The building totals 173,400 square feet and is located at 3655 Kifer Road.
Cushman & Wakefield commercial real estate brokers Gregory Davies, Erik Hallgrimson, Brandon Bain, and Gregory Bennette have begun to scout for tenants to lease the building.
“We’re thinking about ways for employers to encourage employees to come back to the office when it’s safe to do so,” said Davies, a senior director with Cushman & Wakefield, a commercial real estate firm.
The shell of the building is complete and the interiors must be prepared for tenants.
“We have ample outdoor amenities,” Davies said. “We want to be a step ahead to provide as many amenities as possible with Lawrence Station.”
The office complex is located in a mixed-use neighborhood a short distance from the Caltrain Lawrence Station in Sunnyvale.
In addition, 1,600 residential units are being developed in the immediate vicinity of the Lawrence Station offices, according to McMahon.
“Lawrence Station is located at the center of a 444-acre plan area that is presently being transformed into a vibrant, livable urban community featuring new residential, commercial, and recreational amenities,” according to a post on the office project’s site.
After a dreary year of coronavirus-linked business shutdowns — that are not completely ended — commercial office owners have begun to experience a modest upswing in activity and interest.
“We are pleased to see activity in the market really picking up,” McMahon said. “In our discussions, potential tenants are seeking best practice air quality measures and energy efficiency that come with a brand new building.”
McMahon believes that workers hope that their employers seek offices that are as safe as possible.
“Our design with outdoor verandas, dog run, for the folks who might have to bring their pandemic puppy to work, and high visibility on Lawrence Expressway is resonating well with the companies touring projects at our size,” McMahon said.
