State Farm may leave Towne Center

The 66,000-square foot building on Towne Center Boulevard that has housed the State Farm Operations Center since it was constructed in 2006 is available for lease beginning in June. It is unclear whether the insurance giant will relocate all of its local operations and what a move might mean for the center’s some 200 employees. “As we approach the end of the current lease, we are exercising our option to survey the Baton Rouge area to ensure that we are in a facility that best fits our size and business needs,” says State Farm spokesman Gary Stephenson. The property is owned by Kansas City, Mo.-based developer Steve Brettell, according to local realtor and listing agent Ty Gose. State Farm has been leasing the property from Brettell, though it has never occupied the entire building. Gose says State Farm may renegotiate its lease and retain a portion of the Class A space or relocate altogether. In a written statement, Stephenson declines to elaborate, saying, “This is a normal business procedure with lease arrangements, and a process we feel important in our efforts to ensure we are managing our operations efficiently.” Between 8,000 and 66,000 square feet are available for $25 per square foot per year. Gose says several potential tenants are interested, including local businesses and out-of-state companies looking to relocate. –Stephanie Riegel