Alpine Optic, Business Report expanding operations

BOULDER — A two-story building with some triangular facets and a large second-floor deck will serve as new corporate offices for Alpine Optic Research and Boulder Business Information Inc., publisher of The Boulder County Business Report.

The building at 3180 Sterling Circle in the Valmont Industrial Park complex will be part of the industrial subdivision started about 10 years ago, said architect Jerry Moore, of Jerry Moore Associates. Golden Triangle Construction Inc. of Longmont is the project’s general

contractor.

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Although the 19,000-square-foot building could have accommodated up to six tenants, three companies will occupy the space. Its exterior is pre-cast concrete with a steel frame interior. “It was designed with complementary finishes and exterior character for the area,” he said.

Construction began in September, and the Business Report, the first tenant to occupy its space, will move in February. “The tenant finish work is now under way,” Moore said.

“It was designed as a research and development building with office space,” Moore said.

The first floor features a high bay, or higher ceiling, for industrial processes.

Because it has an odd-shaped lot, the design of the building incorporated some triangular

facets, he said. A large deck was constructed off the south end of the building on the second floor.

Two tenants already have leased space in the building leaving about 4,000 square feet

remaining to be leased, said Andrew Cookler of Avalon Investment Co., the project’s developer.

Alpine Research Optics has signed a lease to occupy the entire first floor covering 10,000

square feet. The space will serve as the Boulder company’s corporate headquarters and lab.

Alpine polishes and makes lenses with high-tech coatings for the laser industry. The lenses are used for eye surgery and cutting integrated circuits, he said.

“They’ll have a clean, high-tech manufacturing look with drop ceilings,” Cookler said.

Alpine Research probably will move into its new space March 1.

The Boulder County Business Report will occupy a second-floor site. Its space will cover 4,000 square feet and includes areas for editorial, advertising, production and special projects. It also has exclusive access to the 300-square-foot deck on the second floor.

“We wanted to have some additional exterior space for the upstairs to give it some

architectural interest,” Cooker said.

“The additional space now gives us room to grow both the Business Report, special projects and contract publishing,´ said Jerry W. Lewis, editor and co-publisher with Jeff Schott. The company also publishes the Boulder County R&D/Manufacturers Directory, the Front Range Vacation Guide and other contract assignments. The publishing firm also owns The Northern Colorado Business Report, a Fort Collins-based monthly business newspaper covering Weld and Larimer counties and southern Wyoming. .

Andrew Freeman with The Colorado Group represented the Business Report in its search for a larger facility; Audrey Berne, also with The Colorado Group, is the listing agent and is still seeking a third tenant.

Cookler said the triangular lot was a challenge to the building’s design. “It was like a

puzzle,” he said. Several factors including the shape of the lot, city regulations for the number of

parking spaces and the turning radius for trucks dictated the blueprint for building, he said.

He said the weather presented a challenge to crew members during construction. “We lost

a couple weeks in the fall because of the heavy snow storm,” he said.

Other subcontractors included Nicol Associates Inc, structural engineer; Drexell Berrell Co., engineer and surveyors; Design Mechanical Inc., mechanical engineer; BF Hammond Electrical Design, of Longmont, electrical engineer; Southwest Mechanical, HVAC; EMF Electric, electrical; Boulder Steel, structural steel; and Rock Creek Landscaping, landscaping.