METWEST ONE AT METWEST INTERNATIONAL AWARDED LEED GOLD CERTIFICATION First Office Building in the Westshore Business District to Receive Gold LEED Certification
TAMPA, FL –January 28, 2010 – MetLife and Taylor & Mathis of Florida announced today that MetWest One, a Class A office building located at the MetWest International mixed-use development, received Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certification, the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) leading-edge system for designing and constructing a sustainable, energy-efficient and high-performance building. MetWest One is the first office building in Tampa’s Westshore Business District to be awarded Gold LEED certification and one of only five Gold certified office buildings in Tampa.
Green building strategies offer tangible ways for companies to improve their work environment and minimize their environmental impact as well as strengthen the bottom line. Creating high-performance, environmentally responsible, healthy, and cost-effective workplaces makes good business sense, according to the USGBC.
"The design of MetWest One reflects MetLife’s commitment to corporate social responsibility,” said Chuck Davis, regional director of MetLife’s Tampa real estate investment office. “We are pleased to be the first to achieve the gold standard in the Westshore Business District. This certification represents our goal to operate in a sustainable and energy efficient manner and sets MetWest One apart from the competition. The entire development team is to be commended for their contribution to this outstanding project."
MetWest One, which was completed earlier this year, was also recently awarded Outstanding Office Building, while developer Taylor & Mathis of Florida LLC received Developer of the Year honors from the Tampa Bay Chapter of National Association of Industrial and Office Properties.
MetLife is redeveloping the 32-acre MetWest International into a mixed-use center. Located across from Tampa International Airport and International Plaza, transformation of the site includes the existing One MetroCenter, a 240,320 square-foot Class A office building. MetWest One, the first of three new office buildings, was completed earlier this year. The two later phase office buildings will be started as demand dictates. When complete, the pedestrian, urban-oriented development will include:
- Nearly one million square feet of Class A office space
- 74,200 square foot retail village
- 260 room full-service upscale hotel
- 254 residential units
Taylor & Mathis of Florida, Inc. serves as the development manager for the project and handles management and office leasing responsibilities. Florida Retail Partners handles retail leasing.
About U.S. Green Building Council - The Washington, D.C.-based U.S. Green Building Council is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future for our nation through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings.
With a community comprising 78 local affiliates, more than 20,000 member companies and organizations, and more than 131,000 LEED Accredited Professionals, USGBC is the driving force of an industry that is projected to soar to $60 billion by 2010. The USGBC leads an unlikely diverse constituency of builders and environmentalists, corporations and nonprofit organizations, elected officials and concerned citizens, and teachers and students.
Buildings in the United States are responsible for 39% of CO2 emissions, 40% of energy consumption, 13% water consumption and 15% of GDP per year, making green building a source of significant economic and environmental opportunity. Greater building efficiency can meet 85% of future U.S. demand for energy, and a national commitment to green building has the potential to generate 2.5 million American jobs.
About MetLife - MetLife is a subsidiary of MetLife, Inc. (NYSE: MET), a leading provider of insurance, employee benefits and financial services. Through its Real Estate Investments department, MetLife oversees a well diversified, approximately $45 billion real estate investment portfolio, which is one of the largest in the U.S. and consists primarily of real estate equities, commercial mortgages and agricultural mortgages. MetLife is a global leader in real estate investment and real estate asset management, with a vast network of regional offices that keep in close contact with the major real estate markets. MetLife’s real estate investment focus includes office, multi-family, industrial and retail properties. For more information, visit www.metlife.com/realestate.
About Taylor & Mathis of Florida Taylor & Mathis of Florida, Inc. serves as the development manager for the project and will handle leasing and management responsibilities. The Company oversees a nine million square foot Florida portfolio concentrating on management, leasing, construction and development. Additional information on the company can be obtained at www.taylormathis.com.
For Further Information: www.metwestinternational.com
Angela Odell, Taylor & Mathis
(813) 875-7950
Emily Phillips, MetLife
(212) 578-7217
