Accounting Firm Zeroes In on Historic Space

FORT WORTH-Sanford, Baumeister & Frazier PLLC, a 58-year-old accounting firm, will relocate in early August to a historic CBD building that some of its partners bought last fall. The relocation, the dealmaker says, wasn’t a given.

The firm has worked out a seven-year lease for 13,000 sf or the top two floors with some spillover onto the 14th floor in the Sinclair Building at 512 Main St., Kenneth P. Jaffe, vice president for Swearingen Realty Group in Dallas, tells GlobeSt.com. He says the key to the decision was the ability to get contiguous space in the 77-year-old art deco building, which was made possible by the relocation from the 14th floor by long-time tenant, the Strickland Group.

“We contemplated expanding where they were,” Jaffe says. “But, they were enamored with being in a historic building.” The five-partner firm, which totals 35 employees, will move from 9,000 sf in City Center at 201 Main St., right in step with a lease expiration.

The office finish-out will get under way this month as will window replacements on the 95,000-sf building’s Fifth and Main street sides. The class B office building’s street-level retail consists of Tobacco Lane and two restaurants. Office space is quoted at $16.50 per sf plus electric.

Jaffe, who’s part owner in the Sinclair Building, worked both sides of the deal. Partners in the property include Rick Baumeister and Allyson Baumeister.