AT&T signs lease for Richardson building

AT&T Corp. has signed one of the largest office leases this year in Richardson’s Telecom Corridor.
 
The Dallas-based communications giant is renting more than 200,000 square feet of space – all of the seven-story building at 2270 Lakeside Blvd. just east of North Central Expressway.
 
“They have already been occupying part of the space on a short-term lease, but they have now executed a 10-year transaction with us,” said Bret Bunnett, president of Capstar Commercial Real Estate Services, which represents the building owner. “It’s one of the larger leases we have completed this year.
 
“In today’s market, to execute a transaction with a quality tenant like AT&T is a tremendous move for our clients.”
 
AT&T plans to use the new office space as it reshuffles its Dallas-area operations.
 
“We will be consolidating some operational functions such as call centers at 2270 Lakeside Blvd. from other locations, including the downtown [headquarters] complex,” AT&T spokeswoman Sarah Andreani said Thursday. “In addition, we will be consolidating more of our senior management staff in our downtown headquarters complex.
 
“The movement from outlying locations to downtown and vice versa is roughly balanced,” she said.
 
Built in 1986, the Richardson office tower is owned by CommonWealth Partners. Part of the building was once occupied by MCI WorldCom.
 
The AT&T lease was brokered by Johnny Johnson and Trey Smith of Capstar Commercial and Matt Heidelbaugh of Cushman & Wakefield of Texas.
 
By STEVE BROWN / The Dallas Morning News
stevebrown@dallasnews.com