Accounting agency pulls out of downtown for new digs

BerryDunn signed an arrangement to lease area at 2211 Congress St. Right after months of renovation, the firm is predicted to go into the new place as early as subsequent month. Courtesy / Joe Genender

PORTLAND — Following decades downtown, which include the final 30 several years on Middle Road, BerryDunn is transferring to outer Congress Street and releasing up close to 40,000 sq. toes of major-tier commercial house on the peninsula.

The moment renovations on the accounting firm’s new 87,000-square-f00t headquarters at 2211 Congress St. wrap up in February, 250 employees, however doing work remotely due to the pandemic, will get started the transition to the internet site. The organization will share the setting up with the insurance policy organization Unum.

BerryDunn, a substantial accounting organization, has been based mostly at 100 Center Road for additional than 30 a long time, but will before long go to outer Congress Street. Michael Kelley / The Forecaster

The transfer will depart vacant shut to 38,000 square toes on the fourth and fifth floors and 50 {f13b67734a7459ff15bce07f17c500e58f5449212eae0f7769c5b6fbcf4cc0c4} of the 2nd flooring in 100 Middle Street’s east tower alongside with a little room in the west tower.

The Boulos Corporation is functioning to uncover a tenant or tenants for that area via December 2023.

In 2019, the leading tier of business authentic estate – Class A  – had the least expensive vacancy fee in about 20 a long time, according to a Current market Outlook from Boulos printed a year back. About 4{f13b67734a7459ff15bce07f17c500e58f5449212eae0f7769c5b6fbcf4cc0c4} of all round office environment house in Portland was vacant.

Boulos is now in the course of action of finalizing its most up-to-date Sector Outlook, which will analyze how the pandemic impacted commercial and industrial true estate in and about Portland, in accordance to Jessica Estes, Boulos lover and designated broker.

The vacancy level, Estes said, will increase as a consequence of the pandemic.

“This calendar year, we will be reporting a bigger direct vacancy rate, nevertheless, it will be significantly less than 7{f13b67734a7459ff15bce07f17c500e58f5449212eae0f7769c5b6fbcf4cc0c4}, which is remarkable taking into consideration the turmoil the market place knowledgeable in 2020,” she explained.

“The most significant needle mover” in downtown Class A professional real estate, she claimed, is 300 Fore St., a just about 60,000-sq.-foot-constructing that CIEE vacated early in the pandemic.

The 100 Center Avenue setting up is property to Morgan Stanley, the Bernstein Shur and Eaton Peabody law firms, the local Score company mentoring workplace and the professional banking offices of Androscoggin Bank and Citizens Bank, as nicely as federal government companies this sort of as The Office of the United States Lawyer for the District of Maine.

The new BerryDunn space will contain training and collecting areas, a conditioning middle, a mini-industry and loads of off-road parking. Courtesy / Lavallee Brensinger Architects

Berry Dunn has been positioned at 100 Middle Road since its 1987 shift from the Time and Temperature creating at 477 Congress St. Its final decision to transfer coincides with a corporation rebranding.

“BerryDunn has had a fantastic run at 100 Center Street in the Outdated Port,” reported Berry Dunn CEO and Taking care of Husband or wife John Chandler. “In reality, our Wealth Management crew will keep on to function from that spot, and we will keep a handful of guest offices and assembly spaces for workers and clientele who want to fulfill downtown.”

The “campus atmosphere” of the new spot and the opportunity to increase there created it stand out from between the 12 internet sites BerryDunn deemed, Chandler explained.

“Unum has presently confirmed to be a excellent neighbor to us, producing a wonderful sense of group on that campus. Becoming able to set the BerryDunn sign atop 2211 Congress is an honor,” Chandler said.

Whilst the new area was developed by Lavallee Brensinger Architects, the business attained out to staff about what they preferred in a  new get the job done atmosphere.

“To make our determination, we turned to data and personnel suggestions,” explained Robert Moore, Berry Dunn’s director of functions. “We performed intensive surveys to hear how our teams like to function, collaborate and even commute. We invited employee-driven target teams to assist information conclusions, these types of as the ‘green committee’ for sustainable procedures. Importantly, the headquarters’ footprint lets us to accommodate a variety of operate designs, which will serve us perfectly as we anticipate potential desires.”

Sarah Olson, director of recruiting, explained the new setting up will enable with employee recruiting and retention.

“The social and out of doors spaces are going to let us have pleasurable and be creative,” Olson said.

 

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