DCI Engineers provided structural design services for this multi-building office complex, which totals close to 500,000 square feet in space.

Posted by Heidi Schwartz

RealNetworks Inc. has announced that the company is moving its Seattle headquarters to a brand new office space in Home Plate Center later this year. RealNetworks signed an 11-year lease agreement to occupy over 85,000 square feet (with options for future growth), moving its entire Seattle team of more than 350 employees to the modernized office space.

“We’re very excited to be anchoring our new headquarters at Home Plate Center,” said Rob Glaser, founder, and interim CEO of RealNetworks. “This move reinforces our long-term commitment to the Seattle community and fits our strategic initiatives, our financial objectives, and our global footprint.   Moreover, when we launched RealNetworks in 1995, we were based in Seattle’s Pioneer Square, just up the street from HPC, so in a very real way we’re going back to our roots.”

RealNetworks has a global footprint extending from Seattle to Seoul, Tokyo, and Beijing in Asia to Victoria, BC, in Canada, to New York and Washington, DC, on the East Coast, and to London, Eindhoven and Salzburg in Europe, creating a much more geographically dispersed workforce than in 1999 when Real last moved its HQ. The new headquarters feature the accommodations necessary to support a global company, including advanced technological infrastructure, environmentally efficient design, and interior and exterior spaces that foster collaboration and engagement.

RealNetworks will be the anchor tenant in Home Plate Center, which is located kitty-corner from Safeco Field on First Avenue South in Seattle’s vibrant SODO neighborhood. The company will initially occupy the fourth through sixth floors, with options for future growth.

SkB Architects, well known for designing collaborative and open workspaces for leading local companies, will create a customized build-out that embraces the natural elements of the Pacific Northwest. Once completed, the new office will reinforce energy efficiency, promote communication and collaboration across the company with features such as open meeting areas, a three-level staircase to improve flow throughout the company, and a lunchroom located on the top floor adjacent to the outdoor deck.

“We’re thrilled to welcome RealNetworks as the anchor tenant at Home Plate Center,” said Henry Liebman, CEO of American Life. “They are a major company that matches the innovation and dynamic growth of the SODO neighborhood. We’re sure they’ll appreciate the location, amenities and ease of access to all modes of transportation.”

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The Kings lost 25 more games than they won this season, the third-worst record in the NBA’s Western Conference. They were so far behind the eighth-seed L.A. Lakers, they need the Hubble Telescope to see the injury-plagued Lakers lacing up their sneakers for the playoffs.

But in the upside down world of big-money sports–where a losing franchise is viewed by ultra-rich moguls as a bargain bauble with a potentially huge return on investment–the Kings are the hottest property in the NBA.

Two high-tech zillionaires–the CEOs of Microsoft and Qualcomm–are locked in a bidding war to buy a majority share of the Kings from the Maloof family, which took control of the franchise in 1999.

The Maloofs also own the Kings’ current home, Sleep Train Arena (which in previous incarnations also was known as Power Balance Pavilion and ARCO Arena). As part of the deal that secured the Kings, the Maloofs acquired the WNBA’s Sacramento franchise, the Monarchs, but the women’s team folded in 2009 when a new owner could not be found.

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and Christopher Hansen, a hedge fund manager, are heading a group that wants to move the Kings to basketball-hungry Seattle, which has been pining for an NBA franchise since the SuperSonics moved to Oklahoma City in 2008 and subsequently became the Thunder. The Washington-based group reportedly reached a tentative agreement in January to purchase a 65-percent stake in the Kings, and it has an approval from the city government to build a new arena in Seattle for the franchise, which would revive the Sonics name.

The rival bidders–led by Qualcomm CEO Paul Jacobs and Mark Mastrov, founder of the 24-Hour Fitness chain–made a similar offer and secured approval to build a new arena in Sacramento. Kevin Johnson, a former NBA star with the Phoenix Suns, currently is the mayor of Sacramento and a strong backer of the effort to keep the Kings in the city.

NBA team owners will begin a two-day meeting in New York tomorrow which will include a review of the bids for the Kings. NBA Commissioner David Stern said this week he does not expect a final decision to be reached at the owners’ meeting, an announcement that was greeted by disappointment in Seattle, which thought it had the edge in the bid for the Kings.

The Jacobs-Mastrov team may have a trump card in the form of Vivek Ranadive, a software entrepreneur from India.

Ranadive has attached himself to the Qualcomm CEO’s bid even though he currently is vice chairman of the Golden State Warriors, the NBA franchise in San Francisco. According to a report in The New York Times, Ranadive will give up his stake in the Warriors and become the “face” of the new Sacramento ownership if their bid succeeds. He has pledged to spearhead an aggressive effort to market the NBA in India.

Opening up a potential new market of more than 1.2 billion people could prove irresistible to the NBA owners. For more than a decade, the NBA has been steadfastly pursuing its dream of making basketball a global sport on a par with soccer. Several of the league’s biggest stars are now foreign-born players; interest in basketball has been growing throughout Europe, in China and even in Russia, where people in Moscow are familiar with the Brooklyn Nets’ new owner, Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov.

Ranadive has pioneered special “Bollywood night” promotions during his stint with the Warriors. He is credited with helping the franchise sell a record number of season-ticket plans this year, in part due to a growing fan base of Indian émigrés. Ranadive told the Times that even if the bid to take over the Kings and keep them in Sacramento fails, he will continue to pursue his goal of making basketball “the No. 2 sport in India,” behind cricket.

Stern’s announcement that the NBA owners will take their time evaluating the two bids for the Kings appears to have erased any complacency the Seattle team may have had regarding their chances to win the franchise. According to press reports, the Ballmer-Hansen team has sweetened their offer by another $25 million to try to seal the deal.

Unlike college hoops, there’s no “possession arrow” in the NBA to determine who gets the ball when opposing players grab it at the same time. In this case, whoever jumps higher and faster will get the prize.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post’s poll.

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The grand opening ceremony was attended by Boeing employees, customers and state dignitaries.

Boeing has opened its new expanded Everett Delivery Center (EDC), a world-class facility which will be the home of deliveries for the 747-8, 767, 777 and 787. The 180,000 sq. ft. facility triples the amount of office, conference and delivery operations space as the old EDC and is designed to increase operational efficiencies.

“Boeing is producing market-leading commercial airplanes at its highest rates ever,” said Pat Shanahan, senior vice president and general manager, Airplane Programs, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “The new facility enables us to meet growing demands and continue doing what our team does best – exceed customer expectations.”

“I want to congratulate The Boeing Company and its hard working employees on the new Everett Delivery Center. This facility shows the strength of the aerospace industry in Washington and is a sign that the state’s long history with the company will continue to grow,” said Gov. Jay Inslee. “As production rates increase and the company looks to roll out new airplane derivatives in Washington, it is clear this facility is going to see a lot of use.”

“Last year we delivered a record 183 airplanes and this new facility will help us continue to increase deliveries,” said Tom Maxwell, Everett Delivery Center vice president. “The expanded space will also allow us to keep pace with customer demands.”

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The Miami campus building, the largest campus in the Boeing Flight Services global training network. After the consolidation, Miami will be established as the pro forma training campus for Boeing in the Americas.

Boeing officials have announced that the company is consolidating flight training capabilities in North America—including 787 flight and maintenance training—at the Boeing Flight Services training campus in Miami. The consolidation is part of a larger Commercial Airplanes focus on customer commitments, stepping up efforts to meet market demand for Boeing products, services and support as airplane delivery rates increase.

Boeing will relocate all full-flight simulators and other devices from Seattle to Miami, starting with two 787 training suites. Miami is Boeing’s largest commercial aviation training campus and is a preferred training location for customers based in Latin America as well as the United States, Middle East, Europe and elsewhere. With this consolidation, Miami will be established as the pro forma flight training location for Boeing in the Americas. Implementation will begin immediately.

“This is about getting close to our customers, doing what is right for them and bringing them the best product support and services in the industry,” said Sherry Carbary, vice president, Flight Services, Commercial Aviation Services. “If we are going to better serve our customers and meet training commitments and airplane deliveries as we ramp up on rate, the time to do this is now.”

With 20 simulator bays, the Miami facility is one of the largest commercial flight training campuses in the world, but currently that space is underutilized, with 11 training devices and the capacity to accommodate nine additional full-flight simulators.

The majority of the Seattle Flight Services team will not be affected, but some employees will be impacted by the planned consolidation, Carbary said. “Our training team is the best in the industry. We value the contributions they bring to Boeing every day, and the competitive advantage they bring to our customers around the world.”

The plan to locate 787 training in Miami was announced in 2008 as part of Boeing’s strategy to serve the training requirements of airlines better by locating training closer to where they do business.

Over the past several years Boeing has consolidated and relocated a number of flight training campuses, including four in the United States, based on customer requirements. Strategic positioning of the Boeing global training network is of vital importance to airlines around the world as they seek world-class training resources to meet the demand for aviation personnel. The 2012 Boeing Pilot & Technician Outlook, an industry forecast of required commercial aviation personnel, cites a need for 460,000 new pilots and 601,000 new maintenance technicians over the next 20 years.

Contact:
Jim Condelles
Flight Services Communications
Commercial Aviation Services
+1 206-766-2924
+1 206-769-6310
jim.condelles@boeing.com

More information: www.boeing.com/boeingedge/flightservices
http://www.boeing.com/commercial/cmo/pilot_technician_outlook.html

Photo and caption are available here: http://boeing.mediaroom.com

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Amazon’s headquarters in Seattle, WA (Photo: Amazon)

Amazon has announced plans to open a 1 million-square-foot fulfillment center in DuPont, WA. Amazon will create hundreds of full-time jobs with benefits at the new site. The expected investment in the project will exceed $100 million.

“We are proud that Amazon calls Washington home and has decided to expand further in our state. Amazon exemplifies our culture of innovation and global perspective,” said Gov. Chris Gregoire. “I congratulate Amazon on its ongoing success, and we look forward to working together to support the company’s continued prosperity and growth. I’m pleased that joining with our local partners and Amazon, we were able to bring this significant investment and hundreds of good jobs to Pierce County.”

“We are excited to welcome Amazon as the newest member of our community,” said Mayor Michael Grayum of DuPont. “We are focused on attracting new businesses, creating quality jobs and strengthening economic growth. Amazon will be a great addition to the other prominent businesses that call DuPont home.”

“We are excited to increase our presence in the state of Washington with this new fulfillment center,” said Dave Clark, vice president of Amazon global customer fulfillment. “We appreciate the state and local leaders who have helped us make this site in DuPont a reality.”

Duke Realty, a commercial real estate developer based out of Indiana, is building the project with Amazon planning to take occupancy in the fall of 2013.

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During the Governor’s Aerospace Summit in Spokane, Gov. Chris Gregoire announced that Washington will again be the venue for the Aerospace & Defense Suppliers Summit at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center, March 10-12, 2014. The event is the largest of its kind in North America.

“There is no better location than Washington state for the aerospace industry’s top manufacturers and suppliers to connect and explore business opportunities,” Gregoire said. “With some 740 aerospace manufacturers and supplier companies in Washington, we supply every major final assembly manufacturer in the world.”

The inaugural ADSS in the United States was held this past March in Seattle, and organized by French-based BCI Aerospace with the support of Boeing and the Washington State Department of Commerce. The event was a major success that exceeded expectations of organizers and participants. With more than 800 companies from 25 countries, ADSS is one of the world’s largest networking events connecting buyers and sellers in the global aerospace industry.

Since the summit last March, Washington companies that attended have reported $1.3 million in sales, and several million more dollars in contracts are in the works.

Gregoire also announced that through an executive order, she is disbanding the Washington Council on Aerospace and reassigning its duties to the Office of Aerospace, the Aerospace Workforce Pipeline Committee, the Joint Center for Aerospace Innovation, and the Washington Aerospace Partnership.

Gregoire created the council in 2009 to keep up with changing aerospace needs and demands—and credited the group with a healthy and growing aerospace industry. Since it’s inception, the Council has issued two annual reports to the Legislature and many of its activities and recommendations have been enacted. Additionally, several new and focused entities have been created to further the goals originally established for the Council.

Gov. Chris Gregoire

“In short, the Washington Council on Aerospace has done such a good job of setting all this up that it has worked itself out of a job,” Gregoire said. “And to me, that’s the highest compliment you can pay. Three years after the Council convened, everybody involved agrees that the Council has served its purpose in helping to create new, more focused efforts, and now it is time to disband.”

Prior to speaking at the Governor’s Aerospace Summit, Gregoire toured Kaiser Aluminum’s Spokane Valley facility, where she also met with Kaiser executives and representatives of the Steelworkers Union to discuss the investments, workforce and products that reflect the new aerospace focus of the company.

Export Assistance For Small Businesses
Washington small and mid-sized businesses are taking advantage of a new export assistance program funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration’s State Trade and Export Promotion (STEP) grant and administered by the Washington State Department of Commerce.

Export Washington is a program developed by the State of Washington Department of Commerce to increase the number of small business concerns (SBC) which export, as well as to increase the value of goods and services currently being exported by SBCs. The program is funded in part through the U.S. Small Business Administration’s State Trade and Export Promotion (STEP) grant program.

The Export Voucher program is a key element of Export Washington. This program will reimburse eligible SBCs up to $5,000 for pre-approved expenses, such as training, marketing campaigns, trade show and mission expenses, business travel expenses, etc. to increase export sales. SBCs are required to provide a minimum 25% cash match, or up to $1,250 for a full $5,000 Voucher.

The program, launched in 2011, gives companies access to financial support and counseling and international trade and business development expertise. Enprecis, a data services provider, and B&G Machine, an industrial diesel remanufacturer, are among the more than 175 Washington companies assisted by the program. Trade-related activities supported by the STEP grant have generated nearly $19 million in new export sales for participating Washington businesses in just the first six months of the program.

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By Jenny Vickers

Washington, anchor of the Pacific Northwest, is the global leader of the aerospace industry. Its legacy began in 1903 when William Boeing, then an engineering student at Yale, moved to Washington to pursue the lumber business. In 1909, Boeing’s fascination with aircraft began at the world fair in Seattle when he saw a manned flying machine for the first time. By 1916, Boeing started building seaplanes and his company later put Seattle on the global aviation map.

Today, the Seattle area (which includes Everett, Bellevue and Renton) has the highest concentration of aerospace jobs in the world. As of 2011, all commercial aircraft over 100 seats built in the U.S. are assembled and delivered in Washington State.

In 2010, Boeing, which is among the largest global aircraft manufacturers by revenue, delivered 462 airplanes to customers throughout the world, all of which were assembled in the company’s plants in Renton and Everett, Washington. With 787 deliveries and production rate increases for 737s and 777s this number is expected to grow in 2012 and beyond.

Boeing’s production is supported by approximately 650 aerospace-related companies located in 28 counties in the state. Employment at Boeing and the other firms in the industry stood at 84,000 employees in early 2011. Each job in the industry generates nearly three additional jobs throughout the economy, so that aerospace is responsible for about 250,000 jobs in the state.

The future of Washington’s aerospace industry was determined in December 2011 when Boeing announced it would locate its new 737 MAX jetliner facility in Renton located in King County, Washington, after signing an agreement with its machinists union. According to Washington Governor Chris Gregoire, this announcement is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the state and “likely the largest manufacturing contract in the world for at least a decade.” The facility is expected to create up to 20,000 direct and indirect jobs.

The state was able to secure the project thanks to a major aerospace industry initiative launched by Gregoire last year. To help spearhead the effort, the governor created the Washington Aerospace Partnership, a coalition of civic and business organizations that support and sustain the growth of the local aerospace industry.

Gregoire and members of the Washington Aerospace Partnership were well aware that Boeing could consider establishing its facility at another location, so they set out on a mission to ensure that Boeing would choose Washington. They commissioned a study by Accenture, a management consulting firm with offices worldwide, to compare different contender states’ aerospace manufacturing strength.

The analysis determined what actions or policy initiatives could be taken to improve the state’s attractiveness to Boeing for the final assembly of the 737 MAX and to make long term investments for strengthening Washington’s aerospace cluster. Accenture examined Washington’s competitiveness across a range of qualitative factors, and conducted a thorough quantitative analysis of Boeing’s potential return on investment from selecting a 737 MAX assembly site in eight states with existing or emerging aerospace industries.

The recommendations helped form Gregoire’s action plan which included $9.8 million in state spending including aerospace-related education and training incentives, the creation of a new Governor’s Aerospace Office to oversee the development of the state’s aerospace center, and a 10-year extension of an existing aerospace tax incentive.

The action plan not only helped the state win the 737 MAX, it will also boost education and workforce training to strengthen its aerospace industry for the long-term. The aerospace initiatives included:

• $450,000 to expand the governor’s “Launch Year” program and provide 12 high schools with aerospace curriculum support (approved by the Legislature December 2011)
• $250,000 for “Project Lead the Way” to add courses at 10 high schools for problem-solving using science and technology skills (approved by the Legislature December 2011)
• $7.6 million toward expanding capacity at the University of Washington (UW) and Washington State University (WSU) to enroll 775 more engineering students and $1.5 million, with additional support from companies, foundations and donors, toward aerospace research at the UW and WSU (being considered by the Legislature this month).

Revving Up Clark County’s Aerospace Supply Chain

In addition to building its new 737 MAX facility in Renton located in King County, Boeing also announced it plans to close its Wichita defense plant in 2012 and move some of that work to the Puget Sound area. As a result, Clark County economic development officials have announced a new plan to help prepare for the anticipated growth.

In January, lead economic development officials announced they are working to expand Boeing’s footprint in the region by strengthening Boeing’s regional supply chain. Lisa Nisenfeld, president and CEO of the Vancouver, Washington based Columbia River Economic Development Council has formed a taskforce to spearhead the effort.

Nisenfeld said its plans include recruiting Boeing suppliers and former workers from Wichita and working with existing suppliers to explore growth opportunities.

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