By Drake Lucas, Eagle-Tribune
April 7, 2008

Laser tag, manufacturing infrared lenses for the military and technology consulting might not seem to go together, but they are just a few of the businesses that mingle at Osgood Landing.

Originally built as a manufacturing hub for Western Electric in 1956, the 1.5 million-square-foot complex is home to a variety of offices that moved to the building for its commuter convenience, affordable rent and building set-up.
“The key benefit is the utility infrastructure — power, water, sewer and gas,” said Ellen Keller, vice president of commercial real estate for Osgood Landing. “We have terrific amenities.”

Keller said the building on Route 125 is about 60 percent full, with around 750,000 square feet left to rent.

Ophir Optics Operations Manager Tim Petter said Osgood Landing has been good for his business, which manufactures infrared lenses. He said the company moved out of Wilmington to 32,000 square feet at Osgood Landing in February because business was growing and is expected to keep growing.

He said the building is also already set up for manufacturing with power, heating and ventilation to meet the requirements for the type of work Ophir Optics does. The other nice feature was having space to play with, almost like having a new building that could be tailored to fit for what was needed.

That was also a benefit for Lazer Craze, which opened Feb. 1. Owner Greg Hughes said laser tag needs high ceilings, and Osgood Landing had them — 27 feet high. Hughes said having the entertainment center, which also features video games and food, in an office park means different traffic all day, from office workers coming in for a slice of pizza at lunch to families coming to play after school.

He said he is looking forward to a plan by the town for the 169 surrounding acres that includes 530 apartments and attracting more retail businesses and restaurants.

“I think this whole end of North Andover could really be turned into quite an active area,” Hughes said. “We would welcome that.”

For KDSA Consulting, relatively cheap rates were the attraction, but once it moved in last September the company’s owners realized the versatility of the space.

The company helps businesses find information technology solutions. Principal John LoConte said access to a conference center and auditorium, in addition to office space, has allowed the company to become an IBM Blade Solutions Service Center, meaning the company has space for demonstrations and seminars.

David W. Paul, vice president of Business Development for Network Allies LLC, said the price was also a big draw for his company — two-thirds of the price he’d pay for similar space elsewhere. The company, which builds custom computers for equipment manufacturers, was also able to get some equipment with its lease that belonged to Lucent Technologies, including cubicles.

Paul said the business takes up 10,000 square feet now but has plans to grow over the next couple of years. He said he hadn’t heard much about the space before, but it has worked well for his company since it moved in last April.

“It’s a well-kept secret compared to anything else we looked at,” he said.