ALTON, Ill., March 20, 2007 – When the 153-acre former Owens-Illinois Glass Bottle Plant site was abandoned in 1993, city officials and residents knew that decision represented a big change for their city. What they didn’t realize then is that American Water, the largest water services provider in North America, would someday occupy the site and grow to become a major employer in their city.
American Water just inked a deal with Clark Properties, developer of Alton Center Business Park, to take on a nearly 16,000 square feet of additional space for its national customer service center. This deal represents the company’s second major expansion at the site, with American Water now employing approximately 500 at the center and occupying a total of slightly more than 65,000 square feet.
“Our goal all along was to restore the site as a major center of Illinois commerce,” said Michael Clark, president of Clark Properties. “American Water has really been tremendous for the project and the community, rapidly increasing their employment to more than 40 percent above their original plans in Alton. With this expansion and one or two additional new deals, we will all begin to realize the full potential of this development project for the city of Alton.”
“We are very pleased to expand our customer service space here in Alton Center Business Park and have just extended our commitment in the park to 2017,” said vice president of customer service, Glenn Milton. “The enhancements are very much needed. The training rooms will make for a more conducive training and learning environment that we believe will lead to an even better service experience for our customers. Plus, the additional meeting rooms will allow our staff more scheduling flexibility for meetings.”
After considering more than 1,300 cities across the country, American Water became the business park’s first tenant in March 2001. The company selected the site for its national customer service center because of the area's bountiful, high-quality labor, the city's can-do attitude and Clark Properties' ability to provide turn-key space in time to meet an aggressive schedule.
Alton Center Business Park is a 150-acre, mixed-use development located at the foot of the Lewis and Clark Bridge at the intersection of Illinois Route 143 and Broadway. It was a 2001 Phoenix Award winner for Community Impact at the National Brownfield Conference. The business park also won SWIDA’s Outstanding Development of the Year Award in 2000.
The project is being developed in two phases. Phase I included the renovation of the two existing buildings. With all new roofs, siding and building systems, they offer economical, like-new space. The buildings offer dual fiber optic feeds and ample parking. Their wide-open floors and 23 and 25-foot clear-height ceilings make them easily adaptable to a variety of uses, from high-end office space to manufacturing and warehouse space.
According to Clark, the remainder of the property has been cleared and readied for Phase II, which will provide 75 acres of land for new development.
With headquarters in Voorhees, N.J., American Water employs approximately 7,000 dedicated professionals who provide high quality water, wastewater and other related services to more than 17 million people in 29 states and Canada. More information can be found by visiting www.amwater.com.
Clark Properties is a full-service real estate development and property management company headquartered in St. Louis. Clark Properties has acquired, renovated and sold or leased more than 5 million square feet of office, warehouse/distribution and light manufacturing space. For more information on Clark Properties and/or the Alton Center Business Park, visit www.clark-properties.com.
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Editor’s Notes:Clark Properties is located at:
Union Seventy Center, 5391 Brown Ave., St. Louis, Mo. (63120).
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