BASF and The Rockefeller Group Sign Long-Term Lease for 325,000 SF Office Building in Florham Park

FLORHAM PARK, N.J., June 16 /PRNewswire/ -- BASF Corporation and Rockefeller Group Development Corporation (RGDC) today announced that they have signed a long-term lease for BASF to occupy a new 325,000 square foot office building RGDC will develop at The Green at Florham Park, New Jersey. Construction of the new facility will begin in July with completion and occupancy expected by mid 2012.

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The new building will be home to BASF's North American headquarters, which has been based in Florham Park since 2004.

"We look forward to occupying this new building and expanding our presence in Florham Park," said Kurt Bock, Chairman and CEO of BASF Corporation. "The building design fosters the collaborative spirit of BASF and our commitment to sustainable development in all that we do."

"The Rockefeller Group is pleased that BASF will occupy a new office building at The Green at Florham Park," said Kevin R. Hackett, President and Chief Executive Office at The Rockefeller Group. "We are proud that a prestigious company such as BASF has chosen to work with us to develop New Jersey's most sustainable office building."

The new building will feature a two-story lobby and an extensive outdoor plaza space. BASF products will be used in the construction and contribute to the sustainability of the building.

The building will be registered with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) with the goal of obtaining LEED Platinum certification, the highest LEED status a building can achieve. If this certification is achieved, the building will be the largest office building in New Jersey with this certification.

The Green at Florham Park (www.thegreenatflorhampark.com) is a world-class 268-acre master planned sustainable development designed to accommodate more than 800,000 square feet of office space, a full-service hotel, 425-unit active adult residential community, and the 27-acre site that is the home of the Atlantic Health New York Jets Training Center.  Atlantic Health, a New York and New Jersey healthcare provider, already plans to build a 100,000-square-foot, four-story medical facility called the Atlantic Sports Health Institute within the park.  The Rockefeller Group is currently marketing the remaining land which can accommodate up to 400,000 square feet of office space.

"This project continues RGDC's commitment to the State of New Jersey and sustainable development.  The Green at Florham Park will be a world class business park for years to come," said Les Smith Jr., executive vice president, Rockefeller Group Development Corporation.

"The Borough of Florham Park is pleased BASF will become one of the anchor tenants of The Green at Florham Park," said R. Scott Eveland, Florham Park Mayor. "The Rockefeller Group has been a great partner with Florham Park in achieving the goals of this community."

This latest development by The Rockefeller Group continues the company's recent trend of successful build-to-suit projects across the United States including a VA Clinic in Oceanside, California and General Mills' 1.5 million square foot distribution center near Atlanta, the largest LEED Gold certified building in the US. Also, a 1.1 million square foot build-to-suit distribution center for TBC Corporation is currently under construction in Rockefeller Group Foreign Trade Zone, Charleston, SC.

BASF - The Chemical Company

BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has approximately 16,000 employees in North America, and had sales of $13 billion in 2009. For more information about BASF's North American operations, or to sign up to receive news releases by e-mail, visit www.basf.us.

BASF is the world's leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics and performance products to agricultural products, fine chemicals and oil and gas. As a reliable partner, BASF creates chemistry to help its customers in virtually all industries to be more successful. With its high-value products and intelligent solutions, BASF plays an important role in finding answers to global challenges, such as climate protection, energy efficiency, nutrition and mobility. BASF posted sales of more than EUR 50 billion in 2009 and had approximately 105,000 employees as of the end of the year. Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at www.basf.com

The Rockefeller Group

Rockefeller Group Development Corporation is a national owner, developer, and manager of institutional grade urban office, suburban office, medical office, mixed-use urban complexes, corporate headquarters, and industrial real estate.  The company is headquartered in New York, with regional offices in Arizona, California, Florida, Maryland and New Jersey.  The Rockefeller Group began with the development of Rockefeller Center in New York City and has developed tens of millions of square feet across the country, including more than 8 million square feet in New Jersey. For more information about Rockefeller Group Development Corporation, visit www.rockgroupdevelopment.com.

SOURCE BASF