Office space will sell at around the market value--$22-$25 per square foot, Niles said. Rents in the older buildings were $12-$15 per square foot, but this was for "third class" space in the old structure compared to "first class" space in the new one, he added.
So far, 55 percent of the building has been leased, according to Niles.
Building Blocks
The construction, which on average involved 40-50 workers per day, saw no major surprises, said Sid L. Levin, senior project manager for Wexler Construction Company.
Working in "a tight spot," said Levin, did pose some problems. Without storage place, for example, materials could only be delivered as they were needed. Workers also had to make sure to use appropriate equipment, such as cranes without wide swings.
As for weather, "temperature-wise it was cold, but snow-wise it was okay," said Levin. A yellow polyethylene canvas covering the building protected workers from the cold and allowed them to work through the winter.
Last year's Commencement also slowed construction down for a few days, Levin said, because workers had to "limit their operations to things that did not make a lot of noise."