International Plaza (Pennsylvania)

International Plaza, formerly known as Scott Plaza, is an office complex in Tinicum Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, in Greater Philadelphia.[1] It is the former corporate headquarters of the Scott Paper Company. The facility is adjacent to the Philadelphia International Airport and south of Pennsylvania Route 291.[2]

History

Plaza I was completed in 1961. Plaza II was completed after 1961. Plaza III was completed in 1969.[2] At one time there were 1,200 Scott Paper employees working at the complex.

Albert J. Dunlap took control of Scott Paper in 1994. Shortly afterwards, he began to move the headquarters, and its employees, off of the premises. Shortly after the takeover, several hundred employees worked at the facility.[1] Scott Paper's headquarters moved to Boca Raton, Florida before the company was finally acquired by Kimberly Clark.[3]

After the headquarters relocation, a man named Koll Bren bought the complex for $39 million.[1] On December 30, 1997 the headquarters of Franklin Acceptance Corp. and ProCredit Inc. opened at International Plaza. The immediate parent company of both companies was Copelco Financial Services Group, with the ultimate parent company being Itochu.[4] In 1998 Colburn Insurance Service moved into about 36,000 square feet (3,300 m2) of space in One International Plaza.[5]

By 1999 K/B Fund II was the owner of the complex. In July 1999 the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDot) and several U.S. federal government agencies selected a proposed route for the connecting ramps from the northbound and southbound portions of Interstate 95 to the Terminal One complex, under development, at Philadelphia International Airport; the agency attempted to avoid the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum. However K/B Fund II objected to the proposed routing, stating that it would interfere with the International Plaza development. It entered a filing in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit to challenge the proposed routing.[6] In 2000 the airport attempted to acquire the complex for $90 million but Tinicum Township commissioners stopped the deal from going forward, citing concerns of a loss of tax revenue for the township and the Interboro School District which serves Tinicum, as well as noise pollution concerns.[7]

As of 2002 it consisted 654,000-square-foot (60,800 m2) of office space on 55-acre (22 ha) of land. The three buildings that it consisted of were Plaza I, Plaza II, and Plaza III. Plaza I had 188,000 square feet (17,500 m2) of space. Plaza II had 300,000-square-foot (28,000 m2) of space. Plaza III had 166,000 square feet (15,400 m2) of space; it served as Scott's research and development facility;[1] Plaza III no longer exists.[2] The complex was constructed for the purpose of serving as Scott's headquarters.[1]

As of 2002 several acres of land were leased to be used as parking for airport patrons.[1] In 2002 the owner, Koll Bren Schreiber Realty Advisors, listed the complex for sale, making it the second time it had been placed on the market in a three-year period by Koll Bren Schreiber.[3] Plaza III was demolished in 2003.[2]

In 2005 Amerimar acquired the complex.[8]

In 2008 Angelo, Gordon & Co. and affiliates of Amerimar Enterprises Inc. owned the facility as part of a joint venture.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Kostelni, Natalie. "Old Scott Paper HQ for sale." Philadelphia Business Journal. September 16, 2002. 1. Retrieved on September 6, 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY REGION III STATEMENT OF BASIS FORMER SCOTT PAPER RESEARCH FACILITY TINICUM TOWNSHIP, PA EPA ID NO. PAD001287879 Prepared by Office of Pennsylvania Remediation Land and Chemicals Division." (Archive) Environmental Protection Agency. Section 2: Facility Background p.2. August 2012. Retrieved on September 6, 2012.
  3. 1 2 "Land back on the block" in "Insurance company to unload Baltimore art deco skyscraper." Phoenix Business Journal. September 29, 2002. Retrieved on August 22, 2013. "The property is in a unique but controversial position. It sits adjacent to the Philadelphia International Airport, which is always looking for land to expand. However, the property sits in Tinicum, Delaware County, which has battled encroachment from the airport for years."
  4. ↑ Janco, Mary Anne. "Two Firms Move Into Ex-scott Site." Philadelphia Inquirer. December 31, 1997. Retrieved on August 22, 2013.
  5. ↑ Blakinger, Mary. "ON THE MOVE" in "Volunteers Sought For Drug Trial." Philadelphia Inquirer. November 9, 1998. Retrieved on August 22, 2013.
  6. ↑ Klimkiewicz, Joann. "New Airport Terminal Runs Into Legal Fight A Court Challenge By A Property Owner Could Delay The Opening Of Us Airways' $325 Million Terminal One." Philadelphia Inquirer. April 28, 2000. Retrieved on August 22, 2013.
  7. ↑ Klimkiewicz, Joann. "Airport Is Denied Purchase Of Land Phila. International Wants To Expand. Tinicum Fears Noise Pollution And The Loss Of Tax Revenues." Philadelphia Inquirer. February 23, 2000. Retrieved on August 22, 2013.
  8. ↑ "Business News in Brief." Philadelphia Inquirer. October 7, 2005. p. C03. Retrieved on August 22, 2013. "Henry J. Holcomb International Plaza, the former headquarters of Scott Paper Co. next to Philadelphia International Airport, has been acquired by Amerimar[...]"

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