Iskalo Development completes 80,000 s/f class A office building: A $15 million project

Iskalo Development Corp. has completed 2410 North Forest, the company's newly constructed Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) registered, class A office building located on North Forest Rd. According to Iskalo Development, the anchor tenant, HoganWillig Attorneys at Law, has taken occupancy of the entire third floor. Located at the entrance to the University at Buffalo North Campus, the three-story, 80,000 s/f building is one of the first multi-tenant LEED registered buildings in WNY, providing an ideal opportunity for companies that lease space to participate in the LEED program. Some of the "green" amenities the building features include floor-to ceiling glass to maximize daylighting, automated light sensors to reduce energy usage, and an underfloor air distribution system to provide the highest quality indoor air available. The project cost was $15 million. Iskalo Development used its own in-house architecture and construction departments for the project. "We're excited to see the completion of 2410 North Forest and to welcome our first tenant to the building," said Paul Iskalo, president and CEO, Iskalo Development. "2410 represents a significant planning effort on our part and reinforces our belief that office space should be viewed as a 'tool' for business and not just a place to house one. 2410 North Forest will be of interest to those progressive businesses that understand that the quality of their corporate facilities play a critical role in maximizing the productivity of their employees." A recent landmark study completed by the University of San Diego and commercial real estate broker, CBRE, revealed that "green" buildings like 2410 North Forest increase employee productivity while decreasing turnover and absenteeism. Additional case studies have shown examples of companies in "green" buildings achieving increases in productivity as high as 16%, with each 1% gain in productivity equating to about $3 per s/f savings in occupancy costs over traditional buildings. The financial benefits from reduced absenteeism and turnover, as well as increased productivity, substantially outweigh all other fiscal considerations. HoganWillig chose 2410 North Forest as a location to consolidate its operations from multiple locations and bring more than 100 employees together under one roof. The new office space will also provide room for their growing practice and demonstrate the law firm's commitment to being environmentally responsible. "Though one doesn't necessarily associate a law firm with environmental leadership, it is a principle we embrace at HoganWillig whole-heartedly and was an important factor in our choosing of 2410 North Forest for our new home," Corey Hogan, founder of HoganWillig said.