Insurance Firm Wraps Up Land Purchase for New $150M Headquarters in Iowa

Aviva USA has just closed on the purchase of a 71-acre parcel in West Des Moines, Iowa, for the development of its new $150 million headquarters. The insurance company will build a 360,000-square-foot corporate campus where it will consolidate its three existing offices in downtown Des Moines.  Relying on the assistance of real estate services firm The Staubach Co. and commercial real estate advisory firm Knapp Properties Inc. and Commercial Midwest, Aviva scoured over 25 potential locales in Metropolitan Des Moines and in other states for a prime development sit for its new headquarters. The property it settled on, located at Jordan Creek Parkway and Mills Civic Parkway, met all of the company’s requirements. Aviva sought the a location that could accommodate anticipated growth–the company increased its staff by 200 last year and expects to add at least 400 more employees over the next three years–as well as provide a cost-effective solution to expansion and increased operational efficiencies.  With the acquisition of the property completed, Aviva plans to begin construction of the new facility immediately. SVPA Architects Inc. and HKS Inc. are on board as the architects for the environmentally-friendly building, which will be designed to meet LEED qualifications. The Weitz Co. has been tapped as general contractor, and is on schedule to wrap up construction of the project in early 2010.