Helena Chemical’s Corporate Offices Join Schilling Farms Community

Schilling Farms is well on its way to becoming the major corporate office center for Collierville as Boyle begins development of a new corporate headquarters facility for Helena Chemical company. The 104,000-square-foot “Class A” office building is located on a 6.2-acre site near the center of Schilling Farms, which eventually will offer more than 1 million square feet of office space. Site work began in June, and initial occupancy is anticipated for August 2001. Helena is a nationwide distributor of agricultural inputs and services.

“This new four-story corporate office building has been carefully designed to fit into the architectural guidelines of Schilling Farms that reflect the architectural heritage of west Tennessee,” says Russell E. Bloodworth, executive vice president for Boyle. “Yet the building is also state-of-the art. It will thus provide the highest quality corporate environment for Helena’s employees.”

The building’s floor plan is similar to that of the new Morgan Keegan Building that Boyle is developing in Ridgeway Center in east Memphis. Designed by the nationally recognized architectural firm Hnedak Bobo, the four-story building will be constructed of brick, pre-cast concrete, and high-performance reflective glass. The building will be fully wired to meet all of the advanced requirements for high-speed communication and information technology. Design of Helena’s interior space is being handled by Looney Ricks Kiss.

Almost 40 percent of the site is devoted to open space, and the building’s ambiance will be enhanced by the planting of more than 350 trees. The building is located at the mid-point of Schilling Boulevard, where a winding sidewalk is nestled among two rows of red oaks and a double row of yoshino cherry trees in the median.

The new corporate office building’s location in the center of Schilling Farms makes it convenient for employees to utilize the Schilling Farms YMCA and day-care center right down the street. Out-of-town business clients can take advantage of the new SpringHill Suites by Marriott right around the corner. In addition, employees can shorten their commute to the office by living in one of the many residential neighborhoods at Schilling Farms. Other amenities for office workers at Schilling Farms include physician’s offices, restaurants, banks, and a number of planned retail shops.

“Helena will occupy 80 percent of the building, and the remainder of the building’s space is available for lease,” says Mark Halperin, senior vice president of office properties for Boyle. “Helena has committed to a 15-year lease.”

“Helena is looking forward to relocating its headquarters to Schilling Farms,” according to Mike McCarty, President and CEO of Helena. “With Shelby County businesses an residential areas expanding to the east, we feel this is a proactive move that will serve the long-term interests of Helena and its employees.” The business/residential concept of Schilling Farms in a park-like setting is unique, and we believe it will be a positive environment in which to conduct business.”

By the time Helena occupies the new corporate headquarters building, the company expects to have 208 employees at Schilling Farms and projects to have 250 employees located there by 2004. Helena has over 2,000 employees nationwide at over 200 sales locations and administrative offices.

Construction of the building is being handled by Mid-America Construction. Fisher & Arnold will provide the landscape design.