MCI Network Information Centers, Nationwide
line
Situation Summary
Our client, MCI, needed to produce a series of network information centers (NIC’s) in selected locations around the country, and needed the facilities operational in an unusually short time frame. They were in the early stages of roll out of the “Generation d” initiative to provide web hosting and co-location services, and wanted to examine alternative facility solutions that could provide a ground-up facility in a time frame that met or exceeded the time frame required to retrofit an existing facility. Their internally budgeted time schedule for such a facility was in excess of eighteen (18) months from initial site evaluation to a revenue-ready facility. ITI Solutions/The Amend Group was engaged to implement the strategy to purchase land sites and construct new facilities in 10 months or less. In all, thirteen (13) locations totaling approximately 1.5 million square feet, representing an $8.6 billion initiative, were created for the project.
ITI Solutions Site Review and Research
ITI Solutions (ITI), The Amend Group’s technical real estate advisory group, worked closely with MCI’s facility and engineering groups in determining the strategy and approach to locate 13 new sites simultaneously in tier 1 markets around the country. There were various criteria provided that caused our efforts to focus on certain locations, some that created severe limitations, and some that broadened the scope significantly. In less than a week, every feasible location in target markets was identified, information summarized and contact made with owners. ITI representatives made site visits, and a short list of site alternatives was developed and presented to our client. Within a matter of weeks, land sites in 12 of the 13 locations were fully negotiated and under contract for purchase. The site for the 13th location evolved into a lease option, which was identified and fully negotiated by ITI and MCI within a 30-day time frame.
Facility Design
Day one our entire project team was mobilized to begin studies for the project. WorkPlace Design Group, a sister company of ITI Solutions, developed numerous prototype designs for our client to review, resulting in a final decision to design a stand-alone 108,000 square foot single story facility, with expansion to be handled with a second similar-sized building. Thus, enough land would need to be purchased to house two 108,000 facilities, support systems and parking. Throughout the entire site selection process, close coordination between ITI, MCI and the other service groups within The Amend Group was absolutely critical. Daily meetings were held for status review, with no real estate decisions made without discussions with land planning, programming, architecture and design, construction, engineering and project management. Thus, when a site was ready for purchase, the prototype had already evolved into a site-specific building design, ready for construction at each location, including the leased site.
Services Provided
- Overall project strategy development
- Site analysis and selection
- Lease negotiations
- Utility rate negotiations
- Land planning and analysis
- Economic incentive discovery and analysis
- Prototype design and engineering
- Shell building architecture and engineering
- Interior architecture and engineering
- Equipment procurement and invoice handling
- Technology consulting
- General contracting and construction management
- Project management and reporting
Summary
A total of 12 sites totaling 1.3 million square feet, plus a leased site of 146,000 square feet were acquired. The NIC facilities provide MCI a state-of-the-art technical center that provides a flexible, user-controlled environment creating strategic value. ITI Solutions / The Amend Group’s ability to provide end-to-end project control through our integrated service delivery system was instrumental in the success of this project. We are able to scale our organization to manage multiple fast-track projects, providing our clients the ability to control costs and achieve a reduction in time to market. The result is a competitive advantage and the ability to realize revenue much quicker.