A DECADE OF TEAMWORK, AND READY FOR ANOTHER

For Immediate Release

12/14/2000

Bastien and Associates, Inc. Architecture and Planning and developer Western Realco work closely together to help grow the Inland Empire’s economy.

Newport Beach, Calif. – For all the talk of “partnering” and “teamwork” in business, those lofty goals can be pretty elusive for all but the most dedicated alliances. For an architect and a developer to come together for a common goal over the course of 10 years is truly a rarity.

It can be done, however, according to architect Gary L. Bastien, AIA, of Bastien and Associates, Inc., and his clients of many years, Southern California developers Vance Mape and Gary Edwards of Western Realco.

Their history of working together goes back to the tough economic times of the late 80s and has traversed several up-and-down cycles of the California and Nevada real estate market.

According to Mape and Edwards, the relationship has been built on responsiveness to each team members’ varying, and sometimes demanding, needs and schedules. But it’s clear that there is a lot of respect between all of these team players.

“Real estate development is a tough business” Bastien says. “What I find amazing about Western Realco is that they have an unbelievable track record for producing successful projects. They know exactly what the market needs and they hone in on that need with razor-like precision.”

In fact, to say they have a good track record is an understatement. Western Realco, with a total of only 6 employees, has developed 10 projects over the last 10 years worth more than $152 million. Largely warehouse and distribution facilities, the projects have been tremendously successful in bringing businesses to the region.

One of their most impressive projects was just completed this year, and set the record for the largest speculative project in the region. A massive 818,000 s.f., the Fontana project was leased by The Home Shopping Network before construction was even complete.

Bastien notes that the building is the size of 14 football fields under one roof, and says that, even as the architect, it’s hard to grasp the size unless you are standing at one end looking down the 1/4-mile long building.

Other projects Western Realco has asked Bastien and Associates to design include the 695,000 s.f. Jurupa Industrial Center in Fontana, the 404,000 s.f. Airport Drive Ontario Building in Ontario, and the 365,000 s.f. Promenade Business Park in Corona.

Mape says he’s proud of the teamwork that has led to Western Realco’s long string of successes. “We’re definitely looking forward to many more projects in the coming decade. The market evolves, but our team prides itself on staying on top of the market as it changes.”

COMPANY PROFILE

Bastien and Associates, Inc., Architecture and Planning excels in designing quality commercial office, retail, and warehouse-distribution projects economically.

Gary L. Bastien, AIA founded the firm in 1982. After establishing a service-oriented reputation with commercial/industrial clients, he went on to further his reach to the entertainment industry. The two types of clients were found to have similar requirements, each routinely placing a high premium on quality and economy.

The firm’s record growth in recent years continues to be built upon relationships formed early with these two very different types of clients; Hollywood studios and commercial/industrial developers. The firm helped pioneer the use of tilt-up concrete technology in sound stages, allowing them to be built for half the cost of traditional construction techniques.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Bastien’s work has been recognized by the real estate and business media, including Western Real Estate News, Daily Variety, The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times, The Los Angeles Business Journal, and many others.

Bastien designed the first new studio campus in Southern California in 60 years using concrete tilt-up technology. Manhattan Beach Studios was completed in 1998 and is home to the hit Fox Television productions “Ally McBeal” and “The Practice”.

In addition, the firm designed the first major studio in the downtown Los Angeles area, also using tilt-up technology. Los Angeles Center Studios opened in August of 1999, and has been highly acclaimed for its contribution to downtown redevelopment efforts.

Bastien recently completed the design of the Home Shopping Network’s 818,000 s.f. warehouse/distribution facility in Fontana, Calif. and a 625,000 s.f. industrial park in Burbank for Zelman Development.

Other notable projects include a 1 million s.f. distribution facility in Whittier, a 690,000 s.f. distribution center in Fontana, a 300,000 s.f. distribution facility for Ocean Spray in Las Vegas, Nev., and a $60 million studio development in Glendale, Ariz.

Bastien’s experience with the needs of each industry lends important insight to every project. The result is a design firm that provides extremely effective leadership to address the complicated design, budget, schedule, and city requirements that are established during the course of a project.

Bastien’s staff of top design professionals employs state-of-the-art CAD and graphics technology from start to finish in order to accomplish the one thing most critical to the architect’s role—the successful definition, communication, and implementation of the project design.