In the News

Leawood Office Business Center Breaks The Chain

Plans Will Range From Virtual Offices to Super Sweet SuperSuites

Leawood, KS (September 15, 2003) – Transients welcome. And bring your laptops and pocket companions with you.

Not only are transient workers welcome at the Leawood Office Business Center (LOBC), they're encouraged to make themselves at home away from home. Keep in mind – transient is a virtual term in the ever-changing landscape of office space for those who need it functional and prefer it on demand ... the mobile worker.

Functional is a key word when describing the Leawood Office Business Center. The 15,500-square-foot facility is located at the southwest corner of 135th and Roe in Leawood's Plaza Pointe Nine business park. Best described as a shared-office or serviced-office facility, LOBC has squashed the reality of executive suites and chain centers and carved out its own standalone category as an Alternative Office Super Store.

"Alternate officing, as we call it, is really coming of age because of technology, generation changes and differing work habits," says LOBC President Kevin Downey. "People are looking for need-specific alternatives to conventional office space for various reasons. Mostly because space is expensive and restrictive. Mobile workers want flexibility versus traditional desks and file cabinets."

Call it the new economy. Or the laptop generation. Fortunately for LOBC, it has the business model and design elements to execute its very aggressive game plan and meet the needs of this mobile workforce. Being the first of its kind in the Kansas City area, the Center is equipped with super store capabilities because of two insightful elements: the "bilities" and a five-tiered service plan.

The "bilities" — accessibility, availability, findability and visibility — can be directly attributed to Leawood and its booming economic-growth package. According to Downey, 135th and Roe is one of the hottest growth spots in Kansas City. It's a nucleus where people are coming together – where families and businesses are strategically relocating.

"People are drawn to this address," Downey says. "The first thing they'll notice about our operation is that we're a professional service organization delivering a high-end product. These same people who are going to sign on with us know how to make money and are used to being taken care of."

Downey expects the clientele, about 80-85 percent of it, to come from within a 2.5- to five-mile radius of the Business Center. The other 15 percent will be the aforementioned transient workers who crave the mobility supported by this type of working environment.

LOBC's physical location at a wide-open intersection makes it very findable and visible. Access in and out of the complex in all directions is a breeze. Parking is free. There's one main floor, no stairs or elevators.

Within Plaza Pointe Nine itself, there's an availability of close-by amenities. Such as a bank, financial services, real estate agency, gas station and convenience store, ice cream shop, dry cleaners, pre-school/daycare, doctors office and a restaurant. "All this plus the surrounding residential area is key to attracting our target demographic," Downey points out.

That select group — virtual workers, consultants, entrepreneurs, start-ups and start-overs — will enjoy a checklist of first-class office amenities and service support systems. Most, but not all, will sign a Service Agreement with LOBC. All of it will be branded under the high-end deliverables of an Alternative Office Super Store.

The Business Center's décor will be upscale and stylish, creating a highly professional image. Workers will have access to a call center, mail center, reservation center, conference center, lounge and outdoor patio. Other executive perks include a user-friendly security system, client services individuals and concierge services for all of their professional needs.

Who will be utilizing these services? We can break down those segments based on the five-prong service plan:

Segment One is the Virtual Market — these are people working out of their homes, start-ups, consultants, mobile workers or anyone who does NOT office permanently within LOBC. All their phone calls are taken and forwarded seamlessly per their request. Mail is handled. They can come in, for 16 hours per month, and do their work. If they have copying or faxing to do, it can be done for them.

"The real opportunity is in the virtual markets, the start-ups or start-overs, young people with ideas," Downey says. "That's why we've dedicated ourselves to the virtual segment of the business. We're actively marketing it as a CORE product."

Segment Two is Residents or Full-Time Office People — the same full-service menu is available to them. The difference here is they would be populating full-time offices for as long as they wish. They will sign a Service Agreement — not a lease — for all LOBC privileges.

Segment Three is the expanding business utilizing the SuperSuites — once tenants graduate from full-time single offices, they can move into the elegant SuperSuites. There they can have their own identity, yet still be serviced by the Center. They'll have a separate entrance and walls offering increased separation from the rest of the Center's offices. They'll also have capacity to add additional space along the way as they build their business and experience incremental employee growth.

Segment Four will utilize the Telephone Call Reception Center — the Center provides an intelligent human voice that is trained in receiving calls and supported by state-of-the-art software and telephone systems. This program is perfect for people on the go because it can find them anywhere. It provides the physical presence of a real receptionist and the image of a real office.

Segment Five seeks flexibility with A la Carte Services — all services and facilities are available to this subscriber on a per-use basis. The program requires no agreement — the subscriber is not held to any term. They call ahead with advance reservations and only pay for what they use.

"You won't find this kind of diverse office package anywhere else in the Kansas City business community," Downey claims. "That's what's exciting about what we're doing. Workers can reserve a workstation or office for a half day, full day, week or more. They can do their business, move on and come back a week or month later with the same needs."

LOBC has local ownership — a private group of individuals. It is an owner-operated facility with an on-site general manager. Local vendors involved with the Center include: Kaster Architects, Inc., Rau Construction Company and John A. Marshall Furniture Company.

"About 60 percent of our offices will have windows," Downey adds. "We'll also have an open-air interior patio that'll be under the total control of Mother Nature. We think some of our virtual residents might just want to come into the office to read a newspaper, enjoy a cup of coffee or some friendly conversation, then return to their home office. That's a perfect scenario for us."