The Corporate Center
Encyclopedia
The Corporate Center, formerly known as the Union Carbide Corporate Center, is an architecturally unique building in Danbury
, Connecticut
. Constructed in 1982 as the headquarters of the Union Carbide
chemical company, it is known for its unusual style and floorplan layout.
to a location in Connecticut. After beginning construction in 1980, Union Carbide moved its approximately 3,000 staff members to the facility in 1983.
Following several corporate realignments, space was rented out to several different companies after a 1986 leaseback
arrangement transferred ownership to a Florida concern. This resulted in the facility being renamed the Corporate Center in 1992. Following the purchase of Union Carbide by The Dow Chemical Company
in 2001, the Union Carbide staff was further reduced and more space sublet to other companies. In 2007 the building was sold to Grubb & Ellis for $80 million dollars, less than half its original construction cost of $190 million. In 2009, the building was resold to Matrix Reality Group for approximately 80 Million dollars. The new owner of the building is doing many renovations, such as new granite in the Main Reception area and in other parts of the building.
In the center of the complex are several conference rooms, libraries, a cafeteria, and other support services. Each room in the 2.1 million-square-foot (195,000 m²) complex, 1.3 million (117,000 m²) of which is office space, has separate temperature controls and natural light through a series of translucent windows. The building sits on a 646 acres (261.4 ha) campus which has been subdivided over the years and now also hosts jogging trails and condominium
s.
Danbury, Connecticut
Danbury is a city in northern Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. It had population at the 2010 census of 80,893. Danbury is the fourth largest city in Fairfield County and is the seventh largest city in Connecticut....
, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
. Constructed in 1982 as the headquarters of the Union Carbide
Union Carbide
Union Carbide Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company. It currently employs more than 2,400 people. Union Carbide primarily produces chemicals and polymers that undergo one or more further conversions by customers before reaching consumers. Some are high-volume...
chemical company, it is known for its unusual style and floorplan layout.
History
In 1976, Union Carbide announced that it intended to relocate from New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to a location in Connecticut. After beginning construction in 1980, Union Carbide moved its approximately 3,000 staff members to the facility in 1983.
Following several corporate realignments, space was rented out to several different companies after a 1986 leaseback
Leaseback
Leaseback, short for sale-and-leaseback, is a financial transaction, where one sells an asset and leases it back for the long-term; therefore, one continues to be able to use the asset but no longer owns it...
arrangement transferred ownership to a Florida concern. This resulted in the facility being renamed the Corporate Center in 1992. Following the purchase of Union Carbide by The Dow Chemical Company
Dow Chemical Company
The Dow Chemical Company is a multinational corporation headquartered in Midland, Michigan, United States. As of 2007, it is the second largest chemical manufacturer in the world by revenue and as of February 2009, the third-largest chemical company in the world by market capitalization .Dow...
in 2001, the Union Carbide staff was further reduced and more space sublet to other companies. In 2007 the building was sold to Grubb & Ellis for $80 million dollars, less than half its original construction cost of $190 million. In 2009, the building was resold to Matrix Reality Group for approximately 80 Million dollars. The new owner of the building is doing many renovations, such as new granite in the Main Reception area and in other parts of the building.
Architecture
The layout of the building is unique in that the entire building rests on 5,000 pillars driven into the ground at heights of 5 to 40 ft (1.5 to 12.2 m), to avoid having to clear the land of obstacles. Additionally, the outer walls of the building face into the forest while the interior walls face a completely enclosed 2,500-space parking garage. The building was designed with several pods for the then divisions of Union Carbide that would occupy the facility. Further, it was set up so that each office was very close, sometimes only 10 feet (3 m), from its related parking spot and that employees would not need to exit the building to perform any functions.In the center of the complex are several conference rooms, libraries, a cafeteria, and other support services. Each room in the 2.1 million-square-foot (195,000 m²) complex, 1.3 million (117,000 m²) of which is office space, has separate temperature controls and natural light through a series of translucent windows. The building sits on a 646 acres (261.4 ha) campus which has been subdivided over the years and now also hosts jogging trails and condominium
Condominium
A condominium, or condo, is the form of housing tenure and other real property where a specified part of a piece of real estate is individually owned while use of and access to common facilities in the piece such as hallways, heating system, elevators, exterior areas is executed under legal rights...
s.