New Orleans CityBusiness articles from December 2003

New Orleans CityBusiness archives from December 2003

N.O. Homebuyer Education Collaborative considers certification standards for homebuyer workshops.
December 1, 2003... Byline: Deon Roberts New Orleans collaborative that certifies homebuyer training workshops might eventually set standards for similar workshops statewide. The New Orleans Homebuyer Education Collaborative annually certifies metro area...

Sherwin Williams to reintroduce 30-year-old New Orleans color chart for homeowners.
December 1, 2003... Byline: Michael Giusti Homeowners will soon have an arbiter to tell whether their walls are Toulouse Street Green or Bienville Green. In an effort to give names to the historic colors of the French Quarter, Sherwin Williams will...

Commentary: School superintendent needs backing from New Orleans.
December 1, 2003... Byline: Mark Singletary An opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal last week praised the work of a crusading city council member from New York. The gist of the article was this lady had the will and the bravery to take on the unions that...

Kern/Promethean Entertainment signs agreement with China tourism agency to produce tourism festival.
December 1, 2003... Byline: Ellen Boyer They are learning to say "Throw me somethin' mister" in China. Blaine Kern, chairman of Kern Studios, has been working on the phrase for 15 years. Known as "Mr. Mardi Gras," Kern is translating his famous...

Barrister Global Services Network to relocate headquarters from Buffalo, N.Y., to Elmwood, La.
December 1, 2003... Byline: Michael Giusti When Barrister Global Services Network relocates its headquarters from Buffalo, N.Y., to Elmwood next year, it will be a homecoming for the company's top executive. John S. Bowers III, a Jefferson Parish native,...

N.O. World's Fair 20 Years Later: Architect Eskew was too young to fear challenge of World's Fair.
December 1, 2003... Byline: Holly Miller Allen Eskew was just 32 in 1980 when he was appointed lead architect of the 1984 Louisiana World Exposition. "It was a defining four-year slice of my career because it was so intense. We were so young and we were...

N.O. World's Fair 20 Years Later: Director Spurney's favorite memories overshadow cloud of financial suspicion.
December 1, 2003... Byline: Elisabeth Butler Petr Spurney didn't immediately respond when asked about his favorite memory of the Louisiana World Exposition. It had been nearly 20 years since the fair's last fireworks display faded into smoke strings over...

Commentary: Ill-considered steel tariffs should be lifted immediately.
December 1, 2003... Byline: Terry O'Connor President Bush needs to decide whether he wants global trade or a protectionist trade policy. It's no longer simply a matter of pleasing critical constituents in Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania and West Virginia,...

Commentary: Weekend business trip to Philly is not a lot of fun for Saints.
December 1, 2003... Byline: Terry O'Connor Taking a weekend business trip is usually not a lot of fun. Especially going to Philadelphia. But it is interesting if you're traveling with the New Orleans Saints on their way to a critical game against the...

Marrero-based Last Chance Thrift store assists job seekers by critiquing resumes.
December 1, 2003... Byline: Ellen Boyer The Last Chance Thrift store in Marrero wants to give job seekers a first crack at some professional guidance. The Marrero store is one of several thrift outlets, including some Family Thrift Centers, operated by...

Look Who's Talking... Chris Lowney, author of "Heroic Leadership" and former Jesuit priest.
December 1, 2003... Byline: Deon Roberts Chris Lowney is an author and former Jesuit priest who spoke at Loyola University New Orleans Nov. 12 about his new book, "Heroic Leadership," which offers the Jesuit Order as a good model for dynamic business leaders....

Louisiana Restaurant Assn.'s self insurer's fund for worker's compensation to pay dividend.
December 1, 2003... Byline: Staff The Louisiana Restaurant Association's self insurer's fund for worker's compensation will return $6.3 million to its members in the spring. Nearly 3,000 association members pay into the fund, which represents a $48-million...

New Orleans City Council approves Harrah's plan for high-rise hotel in Warehouse District.
December 1, 2003... Byline: Staff Plans by Harrah's Entertainment to build a $100 million, 450-room high-rise hotel in the Warehouse District were approved by the New Orleans City Council, paving the way for the company to demolish buildings at 508 and 512 S....

Louisiana's high school dropout rate reported to be second-highest in nation.
December 1, 2003... Byline: Staff A report from the National Center for Education Statistics shows Louisiana's 8.3% public high school dropout rate is the second-highest in the nation. Louisiana had 16,361 dropouts from a total of 196,040 students. The report...

N.O. City Council prohibits anyone other than visual artists from selling work around Jackson Square.
December 1, 2003... Byline: Staff The New Orleans City Council passed an ordinance prohibiting anyone other than visual artists from selling, creating and displaying work around the perimeter of Jackson Square. The ordinance was in response to a federal...

AAA ranks The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans as five-diamond hotel.
December 1, 2003... Byline: Staff AAA again ranked The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans as a five-diamond hotel. In its listing for 2004, AAA surveys listed the 452-room hotel as the city's only five-diamond property for the third consecutive year. AAA assigns...

Dallas-based Glazer's Wholesale Distributors to buy Tulsa-based Reliance Wine & Spirits Co.
December 1, 2003... Byline: Staff Glazer's Wholesale Distributors has signed a letter-of-intent to buy Reliance Wine & Spirits Co., a Tulsa, Okla.-based brokerage company. The purchase gives Glazer's a presence in Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri,...

New Orleans-based Whitney Holding Corp. announces fourth-quarter dividend.
December 1, 2003... Byline: Staff New Orleans-based Whitney Holding Corp., parent company of Whitney National Bank announced a 2003 fourth-quarter cash dividend of 33 cents per share, up 10% from the quarterly dividend rate during the first three quarters of...

Audubon Nature Institute of New Orleans announces birth of two African wildcat clones.
December 1, 2003... Byline: Staff Audubon Nature Institute of New Orleans announced the birth of two more African wildcat clones. The kittens, Miles and Otis, are clones of Jazz, who was the world's first African wildcat to be birthed by a domestic housecat....

Entergy Solutions Ltd. Acquires CenterPoint Energy Management Services LLC.
December 1, 2003... Byline: Staff Entergy Solutions Ltd., a retail subsidy of Entergy Corp., acquired CenterPoint Energy Management Services LLC from CenterPoint Energy, Inc. The new enterprise will be called EntergySolutions District Cooling LP. Entergy...

Baton Rouge-based The Shaw Group to buy Energy Delivery Services Inc.
December 1, 2003... Byline: Staff The Shaw Group Inc. has agreed to buy Energy Delivery Services Inc., a unit of the Charlotte, N.C.-based Duke Energy, for $22.5 million. EDS provides design, engineering and construction for electrical transmission and...

New Orleans mayor institutes plan to create more opportunities for minority-owned businesses.
December 1, 2003... Byline: Staff New Orleans Mayor C. Ray Nagin said a comprehensive plan will create more business opportunities for minority owned businesses. The plan involves enhancing access to capital for minority-owned firms, streamlining the city's...

Louisiana Department of Labor reports drop in unemployment rate.
December 1, 2003... Byline: Staff The Louisiana Department of Labor last week reports a drop in the unemployment rate to 5.5% in October from 6.1% the month before. The rate dropped in all 64 parishes for the second month in a row, according to the report. In...

Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals reports seven new cases of West Nile Virus.
December 1, 2003... Byline: Staff The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals reported seven new cases of West Nile Virus in Ascension, Assumption, Jefferson Davis, Catahoula, Bossier, Livingston and St. Tammany parishes. The department also reported...

The Port of New Orleans handles one of its largest shipments of project cargo.
December 1, 2003... Byline: Staff The Port of New Orleans saw one of its largest shipments of project cargo this week. More than 6,000 tons and 2,000 pieces of coal mining equipment was loaded onto the MV Enchanter at the Jourdan Road Wharf. The project,...

New Orleans' MetroVision chosen for forum on industry/community college alignment.
December 1, 2003... Byline: Staff The U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Center for Workforce Preparation has selected MetroVision, the economic development arm of the New Orleans Regional Chamber of Commerce, to hold a forum on industry/community college...

Security delays minor at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport.
December 1, 2003... Byline: Staff New security requirements mandated by the Transportation Security Administration held some passengers up at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport opening day but things have settled down, said spokeswoman Michelle...

Hibernia adds e-banking service for health-case businesses in New Orleans area.
December 1, 2003... Byline: Staff Hibernia National Bank recently launched e-Healthcare Solutions, a new accounting service for health-care businesses in the New Orleans area. The program coordinates payments between patients, health providers, insurers...

Study by Jupiter Research shows rise in online bill paying.
December 1, 2003... Byline: Staff More banking customers are sticking their stamps in a drawer and paying bills online instead. According to a study by Jupiter Research, an international business and technology research advisory organization owned by...

'84 World's Fair leaves legacy of development for New Orleans' Warehouse District.
December 1, 2003... Byline: Deon Roberts Twenty years ago, the rundown Warehouse District was riddled with vacancies and some of the most undesirable property in New Orleans. Then along came the 1984 World's Fair, which came to the Crescent City after a...

On the record with Patrick Taylor, named to Forbes list of the 400 richest people in America.
December 1, 2003... Byline: Amber Bethel There is no such thing as a self-made man. This mantra comes from a person who was kicked out of his home at age 16 with only a suitcase and 35 cents to his name. Patrick F. Taylor has since worked his way to being...

Taylor Plan gives good students college access.
December 1, 2003... Byline: Amber Bethel Spencer Davis is just as stubborn as Patrick Taylor. Together, however, they've made Davis what he is today. Crediting his success to the Taylor Plan, Davis, 30, saw Taylor speak the summer before he started high...

Phyllis Taylor serves as self-appointed president of Patrick F. Taylor Foundation.
December 1, 2003... Byline: Amber Bethel The 39-year marriage of Patrick and Phyllis Taylor is based on a little white lie. Mischievous Patrick won the heart of his bride with a bit of trickery. When they met, Patrick was a busy petroleum engineer and a...

French Quarter's Vintage 429/Celebrated Autographs offers all kinds of rare memorabilia.
December 1, 2003... Byline: Staff If you're looking for a pair of Madonna's undies signed by the Material Girl herself, you can find them in the French Quarter at Vintage 429/Celebrated Autographs, a memorabilia and collectibles shop at 429 Royal St. But...

Neal Auction House of New Orleans to auction rare Thomas Day table.
December 1, 2003... Byline: Staff Neal Auction House of New Orleans will hold one of its top three auctions of 2003 this Saturday, said Rachel Weathers, consignments administrator. Items for bid include those from the old Georgia governor's mansion and the...

N.O. transplant musician's song climbs to No. 25 on Billboard's country singles chart.
December 1, 2003... Byline: Staff A song by New Orleans-based musician Anders Osborne is storming the country music charts. Osborne's "Watch the Wind Blow By," the latest single from country music superstar Tim McGraw, ranked at No. 25 last week on...

Louisiana State University memorabilia adds up to more than $1M.
December 8, 2003... Byline: Holly Miller As LSU posts its best football record since the perfect 11-0 season of 1958, Tiger fans are pouncing on purple and gold merchandise. LSU should bank more than $1 million for the first time this year from royalty sales....

New Orleans-based Energy Partners researches its global opportunities.
December 8, 2003... Byline: Amber Bethel Independent Louisiana energy companies are swimming toward international waters. Richard Bachmann, founder, president and chief executive officer of the New Orleans-based exploration and production company Energy...

Louisiana hires Va.-based The Spectrum Group to help stave off military cuts.
December 8, 2003... Byline: Deon Roberts A Virginia company will play a major role in how New Orleans and Louisiana prepare for any possible closure of military operations. The state paid $49,000 to Alexandria, Va.-based The Spectrum Group to begin...

Stewart Enterprises Inc., a funeral services company in Metairie, continues downsizing.
December 8, 2003... Byline: Ellen Boyer Stewart Enterprises Inc., a funeral services company headquartered in Metairie, eliminated 300 jobs last week through layoffs and restructuring. New Orleans absorbed 10% of the cuts with 30 jobs eliminated. Stewart...

Mississippi State researchers conduct taste test with post-harvest processed oysters.
December 8, 2003... Byline: Staff Think of it as the Pepsi Challenge - with oysters. Researchers at Mississippi State University's Coastal Research and Extension Center gave consumers a taste test to gauge their reactions to post-harvest processed...

Va.-based Mills Corp. partners with The Lego Co. to raise funds for Habitat for Humanity.
December 8, 2003... Byline: Staff The Esplanade in Kenner found a way to take care of antsy children who can hardly wait to tell Santa what they want for Christmas - and benefit an international charity. The Arlington, Va.-based Mills Corp., which owns...

Violent video game retailers under fire by watchdog groups.
December 8, 2003... Byline: Staff Video game retailers have been blasted for selling mature content to a large number of children younger than age 17. The Federal Trade Commission reports 69% of teenagers are able to buy games rated M. The Entertainment...

New Orleans-based Vieux Carre Alliance's early cleaning surprises Bourbon Street revelers.
December 8, 2003... Byline: Staff Bourbon Street revelers were surprised to see a Vieux Carre Alliance Inc. cleaning crew in the wee hours one recent Saturday morning. The alliance started steam-cleaning the sidewalks at about 4:30 a.m. working around...

Industry consultant advises health plan administrators to move toward consumer-driven products.
December 8, 2003... Byline: Elisabeth Butler Health plan administrators say it is time to remind patients how much a trip to the doctor really costs. Industry consultant Stephen O'Dell led regional executives at the November conference of Louisiana...

Commentary: Gov.-elect Blanco's appointments key to defining direction of her office.
December 8, 2003... Byline: Mark Singletary Gov.-elect Kathleen Babineaux Blanco is sending messages with the appointments she plans to make and the legislative leadership she plans to endorse. In today's supercharged partisan environment, politics and...

Louisiana's LouLease program fails to attract mortgage companies because of complex lending deals.
December 8, 2003... Byline: Deon Roberts Like most government housing programs, closing a loan under the state's LouLease program requires diligence and completing a stack of additional paperwork. That could be why only a handful of mortgage companies are...

$816M pact between Northrop Grumman and U.S. Navy ensures work for Avondale shipyard.
December 8, 2003... Byline: Ellen Boyer Another multimillion-dollar Northrop Grumman Corp. contract with the U.S Navy will help keep workers employed at Avondale shipyard, said Avondale spokesman Ed Winter. The U.S. Navy awarded the company an $816...

The World's Fair 20 Years Later: New Orleans fair reflected what the city is about.
December 8, 2003... Byline: Elisabeth Butler The 1984 Louisiana World Exposition was like a middle child for Fred Lounsberry. He has three world's fairs on his resume, and he said he loved them all, even though they all turned out differently. Compared...

The World's Fair 20 Years Later: Presidential favor gained by contact made during fair's run.
December 8, 2003... Byline: Holly Miller For John Giffen Weinmann, the World's Fair in New Orleans marked the start of another career. Weinmann, 56 in 1984, was commissioner general of the United States for the 1984 Louisiana World Exposition. He was...

Commentary: NCAA denies its own members a fair shot at football crown.
December 8, 2003... Byline: Terry O'Connor It's all over but the shouting. And there will be plenty of that today, either from jilted USC fans whose team was leapfrogged at the last possible moment by LSU for a Sugar Bowl berth, or from Tiger fans yowling...

Commentary: Short-sighted funding cuts hurt manufacturers at critical time.
December 8, 2003... Byline: Terry O'Connor Last month, congressional appropriators gutted the budget for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, the main federal program serving America's small manufacturers. This is particularly bad news for the...

HUD assistance helps Housing Authority of New Orleans rebound from $300M disgrace.
December 8, 2003... Byline: Deon Roberts The reputation of the Housing Authority of New Orleans took a beating when it was taken over exactly two years ago by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Today, HUD officials are calling it a new day...

U.S. government's Minerals Management Service triples natural gas estimates in Gulf of Mexico.
December 8, 2003... Byline: Amber Bethel The Gulf of Mexico oil patch appears less watered down than previously estimated but it may be some time before the large deep-shelf natural gas reserves pay off. The U.S. Department of the Interior's Minerals...

Louisiana Guardianship Services Inc., the last option for its mentally disabled clients.
December 8, 2003... Byline: Elisabeth Butler Louisiana Guardianship Services Inc. is the last option for most mentally disabled clients who use the organization's services. The nonprofit makes decisions on behalf of seniors and developmentally disabled...

Hibernia's acquisition of Houston-based Coastal Bancorp. will not force a move to Texas.
December 8, 2003... Byline: Holly Miller Hibernia Corp. lassoed a big bank in the Lone Star State last week but remains planted firmly in Louisiana, bank officials say. Hibernia made its largest acquisition in the bank's 133-year history - a deal that...

Louisiana State University and Tulane University break ground on cancer research consortium.
December 8, 2003... Byline: Staff The Louisiana State University and Tulane University medical schools broke ground on the site for the $40 million Louisiana Cancer Research Consortium last week. Gov.-elect Kathleen Babineaux Blanco, Lt. Gov.-elect Mitch...

Louisiana congressman secures funding for transportation projects.
December 8, 2003... Byline: Staff Rep. David Vitter, R-Metairie, has secured funding for several southeastern Louisiana transportation projects in the omnibus spending bill expected to pass in the House and Senate this week. Vitter secured $750,000 for the...

National Baptist Convention USA Inc. expected to bring 35,000 delegates to New Orleans.
December 8, 2003... Byline: Staff The weeklong National Baptist Convention USA Inc. is expected to bring 35,000 or more delegates when it returns to the city Sept. 6, 2004. City officials estimate the economic impact of the conference at about $35 million....

Loyola University New Orleans' Board of Trustees names search committee to select new president.
December 8, 2003... Byline: Staff Loyola University New Orleans' Board of Trustees has named a search committee to find the successor to the Rev. Bernard Knoth, who resigned Oct. 7 following allegations of sexual abuse. The committee, which first met last...

New Orleans City Council approves a $605 million 2004 budget.
December 8, 2003... Byline: Staff The New Orleans City Council approved a $605 million 2004 budget submitted by Mayor C. Ray Nagin. Police officers and most city workers will receive a mid-year raise. Vehicle towing fees will rise from $75 to $100;...

New Orleans native Maxine Williams-Knox named partner of Women Impacting Public Policy.
December 8, 2003... Byline: Staff Women Impacting Public Policy has named New Orleans native Maxine Williams-Knox a national founding partner of WIPP, the largest U.S. bipartisan women's business group. Williams-Knox will represent WIPP nationally on...

State of Louisiana launches a new Web site.
December 8, 2003... Byline: Staff The state of Louisiana has a new Web site at www.louisiana.gov, formerly www.state.la.us.gov and www.infolouisiana.com. The updated site offers access to real-time forecasts from the National Weather Service as well as...

New Orleans mayor and National Park Service enter into partnership to improve neighborhoods.
December 8, 2003... Byline: Staff New Orleans Mayor C. Ray Nagin and officials from the National Park Service have entered into a partnership to improve New Orleans neighborhoods. Groundwork Trust New Orleans, a public-private partnership, is expected to...

Cox Communications and Fox Cable Networks renew regional sports contract.
December 8, 2003... Byline: Staff Cox Communications Inc. and Fox Cable Networks have agreed to renew Cox's carriage of Fox Sports South in New Orleans, Baton Rouge and other markets. Five other Fox Sports regional networks were also included in the deal: Fox...

Pres. Bush lifts tariffs on imported steel to avoid European and Asian sanctions.
December 8, 2003... Byline: Staff President Bush lifted tariffs on imported steel to avoid European Union and Asian sanctions of up to $2.2 billion on U.S. products. The World Trade Organization ruled in November that U.S. tariffs were illegal.

Chicago-based Bank One consolidates two Metairie branches.
December 8, 2003... Byline: Staff Chicago-based Bank One Corp. consolidated two of its Metairie branches last month. Bank One closed its Clearview branch at 4645 Veterans Memorial Blvd. on Nov. 21 and moved operations to the branch at 3783 Veterans...

Minerals Management Service announces drilling record in Gulf of Mexico.
December 8, 2003... Byline: Staff The Minerals Management Service announced the Transocean Inc. and ChevronTexaco set a new world record for water depth after drilling in the Gulf of Mexico to 10,011 feet. The Transocean drillship started the well Nov. 16....

North Shore's Covington Country Club sells to member.
December 8, 2003... Byline: Staff The oldest country club on the North Shore has sold its name and assets. Covington Country Club, 200 Country Club Drive, is now owned by Covington Club LLC, which was formed recently by Covington residents Richard "Dick"...

New Orleans' chef John Besh to be featured on NBC's Today show.
December 8, 2003... Byline: Staff New Orleans will send chef John Besh to be its ambassador on the "Today" show, which airs Monday. The NBC morning show will feature a seven-minute segment with Besh cooking to publicize the New Orleans Tourism and Marketing...

Hamburg, Germany-based Rickmers-Linie christens its new ship in New Orleans.
December 8, 2003... Byline: Staff Rickmers-Linie, a shipping company out of Hamburg, Germany, christened its MV Rickmers New Orleans ship Saturday, complete with a priest and godmother. Bertran Rickmers, Rickmers-Linie president, selected the name...

High price of precious metals good for New Orleans mining company.
December 15, 2003... Byline: Amber Bethel The high price of precious metals could signal a gold rush for a New Orleans mining company, market observers say. With gold topping $400 an ounce for the first time in almost eight years, New Orleans-based...

Trendy thrift stores make holiday profit.
December 15, 2003... Byline: Ellen Boyer While many shoppers crowd the malls trying to squeeze in last-minute holiday purchases, some are ringing up additional seasonal sales at thrift stores. Retailers say more shoppers, whether they wear Rolex watches or...

Cut-rate hotel rooms help N.O. survive slowdown.
December 15, 2003... Byline: Elisabeth Butler Halfway through a predicted two-year slowdown, New Orleans tourism officials said the city came out ahead for 2003. "It was a good year in terms being competitive nationally," said Stephen Perry, president of...

Top ship management biz picks Resurgence Software.
December 15, 2003... Byline: Ellen Boyer A New Orleans-based software company announced last week it has signed a contract with the world's largest ship management company. V.Ships Group, headquartered in London, agreed to test Resurgence Software Inc.'s...

Johnnie Cochran's legal status blocks him from TV.
December 15, 2003... Byline: Staff Johnnie Cochran has joined a New Orleans law firm but his face has been absent from Crescent City TV screens the last couple weeks. Cochran, the attorney best known for successfully defending football star O.J. Simpson on...

Lockheed Martin jobs keep graduates in state.
December 15, 2003... Byline: Staff Lockheed Martin last week announced it hired 125 new engineers and other workers to help redesign and retrofit the external fuel tanks for the space shuttle orbiter. Lockheed builds the tanks at the Michoud Operations...

Tulane med student seeks cancer cure.
December 15, 2003... Byline: Staff A medical student at Tulane University School of Medicine hopes to cure a rare sinus cancer in time to save his own life. Andy Martin, a third-year medical student from Los Angeles, started researching sinonasal...

Wright Brothers 1st flight spurs N.O. air parade.
December 15, 2003... Byline: Staff To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Wright Brothers' flight on Dec. 17, 1903, Louisiana took its parade culture to new heights. Last weekend, the Pan-American Advisory Committee, with representatives from both...

New Orleans car dealer having trouble selling his own home.
December 15, 2003... Byline: Staff Ronnie Lamarque, a major auto dealer who owns three dealerships in the metro area, made an empire selling cars. He can't seem to sell his house, though. Lamarque's $1.3 million New Orleans home has been on the market...

Malls try to 'match the market' when building tenant roster.
December 15, 2003... Byline: Michael Giusti Some of the most persuasive salesmanship at the nation's shopping centers goes on before retailers ever decide where to hang their shingle. In working to fill vacant store fronts, representatives from shopping...

Commentary: Scarcity of books in N.O. classrooms hobbles learning process.
December 15, 2003... Byline: Mark Singletary Both of my grandfathers built stuff. They worked hard every day. One of them built ships for a living and the other built bridges, football stadiums and big buildings. My mom's dad was a ship's carpenter. He...

N.O. health boss seeks funding help nationwide.
December 15, 2003... Byline: Elisabeth Butler Dr. Kevin Stephens isn't picky. He welcomes to his table anyone willing to help heal New Orleans. After taking office as city health director in July 2002, Stephens called for help to improve the city's ailing...

2 relocations absorb prime office spaces.
December 15, 2003... Byline: Deon Roberts Two major downtown businesses are relocating, affecting about 120,000 square feet of Central Business District office space. The Internal Revenue Service will lease more than 84,000 square feet on four floors at...