WestPark Associates NY LLP, has issued a request for proposals seeking services for retrofitting its properties at 1111 and 1129 Westchester Ave. in White Plains into a “smart office campus.”
There are two buildings built in 1984 that contain about 373,000 square feet on the 25-acre site. The objective is to make sure the property meets what WestPark describes as “the accelerating technological demands of 21st century businesses.”
The RFP calls for two phases of development. First would be retrofitting both office buildings with new technology designed for sustainability, energy conservation, health and wellness, security, connectivity and to be attractive to 21st century workforces. The second phase would involve promoting the use of autonomous vehicles, at first along the I-287 corridor and then with connections to local communities and rail transportation.
WestPark Associates NY is an affiliated company of New Jersey real estate firm Onyx Equities LLC. DJ Venn, senior vice president of asset management for Onyx said, “Our vision is for WestPark to serve as a hub of connectivity for global workforce and be the place where innovation and creativity will thrive.” He said the goal is to “rival some of the most technically advanced campuses in the world.”
A major tenant at the site is PepsiCo. Other major corporations there have included Starwood and NYNEX.
A team from the commercial real estate services firm CBRE had been given responsibility for leasing the properties some months ago. William V. Cuddy Jr., executive vice president, heads the team.
“Both buildings are in extraordinarily good condition now,” Cuddy told the Business Journal. “There have been advances in terms of technologies and building operations that could be brought to the campus to further enhance it at really an extraordinary level.”
He described some of those technologies as including touchless entries, touchless elevators, intelligent parking, drone delivery and upgraded HVAC including pathogen prevention.
Cuddy noted that the buildings already are loaded with amenities, “have high-speed fiber connectivity, an environmentally-sensitive design, natural light on every level, excellent air filtration systems, and plenty of green space. Even so, the owners are not resting on their laurels; they are reimagining the campus for the 21st century.”
The RFP calls for parties who are interested in bidding on the project to submit a letter of intent to bid by July 27. Submissions would be due by 5 p.m. on Sept. 9.
“The RFP process is exactly that, a process. Some of the upgrades that will be selected may be done more immediately while others could be presented as options for our new tenants,” Cuddy said.
“When you look at office inventory and how companies operate and plan for their futures, they”™re looking at a longer horizon. They want to be in a location that”™s cutting edge; a location that supports their business operations within a facility that employees really can feel comfortable and effective working in.”
The second phase of the RFP regarding autonomous vehicles has an open time frame.
“We”™re all pushing into new boundaries,” Cuddy said. “We want to make sure that this location has the best opportunity to be in the forefront of that in Westchester County. We”™re located between two train stations, on a major bus line. Both in terms of our vehicle, bus and rail, this presents an opportunity to really create a new environment along the I-287 corridor.”
