DIGITAL EQUIPMENT CORPORATION
Long Range Space Planning
Maynard, Massachusetts
14,000,000 square feet
$200,000,000

Services:

Portfolio Plans
Real Estate Action Plans
Capital Budgets
Consolidation Strategies


Mission:

During Digital's most aggressive growth period, its headquarters-area expansion occurred without a consistent site location strategy. The resulting portfolio became operationally inefficient and burdened with occupancy cost premiums.

Actions:

Assigned to evaluate the 14.0 million square foot headquarters area portfolio, a long-range planning program was initiated. The goal of the program was to improve utilization efficiencies and reduce occupancy costs by controlling future development patterns.

Operation managers from representative business units were organized and a needs analysis was conducted. Prototype programs were developed and new campus guidelines were created. All properties in the existing portfolio were evaluated and benchmarked against the new development guidelines.

Consolidation and disposition scenarios were formulated to target inefficient or costly properties. New building options were evaluated including extensive lease/buy analysis, and a long-range building program was defined.

The new development strategy was authorized and a $200 million funding program was approved.

Achievements:

Three phases of the program were completed including a corporate consolidation of 5 leased buildings into a new owned property justified solely upon cost saving benefits and operating efficiencies.