2 | Emulating the positive growth in overall U.S. import data, the Port of Los Angeles (CA) released year-over-year statistics for December 2011 displaying a 6.37% increase in loaded inbound TEUs (Twenty-foot equivalent units).  Total annual TEUs including imports and exports increased 1.39% from 2010 (7.83 million) to 2011 (7.94 million). The Port of Los Angeles reached a peak of 8.47 million total annual TEUs in 2006. (more)

3 | The Port of Long Beach (CA) released year-over-year statistics for December 2011 showing a 3.22% decrease in loaded inbound TEUs.  The flat volume levels were in part due to California United Terminals exiting the Port in late 2010.  The six remaining containerized terminals in the Port realized an increase of 10.1% for the calendar year.  Total annual TEUs decreased 3.23% from 2010 (6.26 million) to 2011 (6.06 million).  The Port of Long Beach reached a peak of 7.31 million total annual TEUs in 2007. (more)

4 | A tentative $4.6 billion, 40-year lease agreement has been structured and agreed to in principle between the Port of Long Beach (CA) and Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL).  If finalized, the contract for the Middle Harbor property would be the largest seaport deal of its type in U.S. history.  The Middle Harbor terminal is projected to create more than 14,000 new jobs in Southern California within the next eight years. (more)

To “our” veterans, and all who have served, we are honored by your commitment and sacrifice.

The Kansas City Office market displayed lower rental rates in the third quarter as landlords balanced lease term profitability with space inactivity.

Rental rates, based on a quoted full-service basis, dropped an average of 4.25 percent in all seven submarkets from Q3 2010 to Q3 2011.  As landlords continued to prioritize filling vacant spaces at the expense of short-term profitability, the third quarter realized several sizeable transactions and announcements.

Continuing its significant commitment to the Kansas City metro, Burns & McDonnell announced an eight-year renewal for 156,000 square feet at 9201 State Line in Kansas City, MO.  In addition, Burns & McDonnell will add an estimated 500 jobs to the metro by 2013 and invest $25 million in renovations to its headquarters campus located at 9300-9400 Ward Parkway, Kansas City, MO.  AMC Entertainment, Inc. announced in mid-September its intent to relocate its headquarters and 400 employees from 10 Main Center located in the CBD to Park Place in Leawood, KS.  The State of Kansas offered an incentive package reportedly worth more than $47 million to AMC, which has been located in downtown Kansas City, MO since 1920.

Other tenants benefitting from the current incentives environment in the third quarter include North American Savings Bank, Marks Nelson Vohland Campbell Radetic, LLC, and Star Financial.

As the local environment continues to be a tenant’s market, those companies who can demonstrate current fiscal impact and future job growth, whether in Missouri or Kansas, will be able to take advantage of today’s weak market conditions and leverage maximum financial incentives at both the state and municipality levels.

Susan Smith is Vice President of Sales & Leasing at Zimmer. Contact Debora at 816.512.1030 or dfield@zimmercos.com. Click here to download Zimmer’s complete Kansas City Office Market Report.

Lower vacancy statistics alone aren’t impressive, so certain headlines and announcements are needed to generated a more positive outlook for the Kansas City office market. One major announcement doesn’t affect the numbers yet, but does spark a positive outlook.

Artist’s rendering of the new Polsinelli Shughart headquarters located at the former Plaza West Edge site.

The law firm, Polisinelli Shugart PC, announced last quarter they were taking over the much-maligned West Edge project, which translates into more vacancy for two Class A towers — one downtown and one on the Plaza. At the same time, its move-out replaces the anticipated vacancy that was to be created by the original West Edge developer, Bernstein Rein.

Polsinelli’s announcement creates an almost statistical wash in vacancy but the highly visible project now has a key tenant which is not only a positive for the Plaza submarket, but also settles a project conundrum. Developers Caymus and Van Tuyl will make West Edge ready for a 2013 occupancy, giving owners of the current Polsinelli space time to backfill its vacancies.

Other major Plaza submarket projects on the drawing boards can  now entertain growing class A tenants with confidence. Outside of the Plaza, lower vacancy rates were realized in the aggregate Kansas City office market within four out of seven submarkets.  Rental rates continued to drop in the majority of submarkets, but experienced lower declines than in previous quarters. Promising signs for the future recovery of the local market continue to appear as fewer sublease offerings remain, increased tenant activity goes on and longer lease terms and expansions continue.

The market is looking for signs of confidence building along with statistical proof of an improving market. Slight statistical changes show the  recovery is fragile, but steady. And everyone continues to wait for major announcements to serve as signs of steady recovery.

Debora Field is Vice President of Sales & Leasing at Zimmer. Contact Debora at 816.512.1030 or dfield@zimmercos.com. Click here to download Zimmer’s complete Kansas City Office Market Report.

• 63 employees
• 4 months
• 1 NCI designated center in Kansas (hopefully coming soon!)
• 2 delicious lunches hosted by Zimmer employees (1 cookout, 1 taco bar)
• 8 ice cream socials
• 250 red Zimmer Cares wristbands
• Who knows how many homemade cookies and brownies
• 25 March Madness bracket losers, 1 very happy winner
• 5 nominated name finalists before “Kicking Cancer in Kansas City” was chosen the winner
• Countless books, CDs and DVDs
• 503 raffle tickets
• 2 Apple iPads
• Hundreds of glasses of Boulevard beer
• $11,300 raised
• 1 community fighting cancer

It was humbling to look at the crowd at our final event, a happy hour and raffle at Boulevard Brewery, and realize that all of these people came together for one reason. To fight cancer. And not just to fight it, but to find a way to cure it. To give those in our community battling the disease greater access to research, treatments and patient care.

We learned a lot during the four months of “Kicking Cancer in Kansas City.” We learned that ice cream on an afternoon in July tastes the best. We learned that our employees are amazing behind a grill. We learned that wearing red wristbands has a way of unifying a company. We learned that people will come out in droves for a beer at Boulevard Brewery. And, we learned that Kansas City has a very big heart. Thank you to our employees for their time and dedication, and thank you to everyone who donated, sponsored and supported all of our various fundraisers. We could not have done it without you.

To learn more about our fundraising efforts, click here.

To see pictures of “Kicking Cancer in Kansas City” events, click here.