USG Building Southpointe II Horizon Properties and the Washington County Authority jointly announced today that the Washington County Authority has approved the sale of Parcel 10 to Horizon Properties for the development of a 60,000 Class A office building at Southpointe II. This is the initial development phase of this significant mixed use development project that will include office, retail shops, restaurants, education, cultural district and residential housing in a traditional neighborhood setting. This lifestyle project will compliment the highly acclaimed and successful Southpointe project that has created over 6,000 jobs and over $250 million dollars of private investment in Washington County. This initial building is part of a three building 175,000 square foot complex that is next to the proposed retail shopping district. Horizon will be announcing the tenants for the two additional buildings at a later date. Horizon announced that the anchor tenant for the building will be USG Insurance who will be relocating from Manor Oak in Greentree. USG Insurance has enjoyed strong growth since the company was founded by Gerald and Susan Horton in 2000. Since that time USG, which specializes in the excess and surplus insurance sector, has grown from 27 employees to 163 employees and 10 offices throughout the U.S. Tim Horton, the executive Vice President and General Manager of the flagship Pittsburgh office said the Southpointe office will grow from 45 employees to 100 employees by 2008 and a projection of 100 to 150 by 2010. USG is slated to occupy the new facility in the fall of 2006 and will likely have an ownership position in the building. Horizon Properties has listed 30,000 square feet as available for lease in this building by other potential tenants. Rod Piatt, Principal of Horizon Properties, stated that the building will be a dramatic addition to the Southpointe community and will set the standard for the type of buildings that will be developed at Southpointe II. “Our goal was to set the bar high and offer cutting edge architecture in a spectacular setting next to the proposed retail shopping district. We are pleased with the design that Astorino has conceived and are confident that we will create a very desirable business address at Southpointe II. We have worked very hard over the past several years on the planning for Southpointe II and are pleased to initiate the development of the first building in conjunction with the tremendous efforts of the Washington County Authority” Piatt added. Horizon Properties is a full service real estate development company with extensive experience in the development of office buildings and corporate headquarter facilities. The company is headed by Rod L. Piatt who is one of the key individuals responsible for the successful development of Southpointe. He was instrumental in overseeing the development of Southpointe from conception in 1984, through the excavation of the first shovel of earth in 1991 and ultimately the successful development of several key components of Southpointe including the Southpointe Golf Club. The Horizon Properties team includes Michael Swisher who was responsible for the master planning of Southpointe while serving as Vice President of the international planning firm of Team Plan Inc. of West Palm Beach, Florida. Collectively, they initially developed all residential areas of Southpointe, conceptually planned the Pittsburgh Penguin’s Iceoplex, and have developed over 500,000 square feet of commercial space since 1993. For information on this project or leasing information please contact Rod Piatt or Mike Swisher at (724) 743-7722.   Southpointe II Southpointe II is the expansion of the highly successful Southpointe onto the 230-acre former Western Center State Hospital site to the south. The property is scheduled for physical redevelopment in 2005 and is planned as a mixed use development with uses that support Southpointe including a “Lifestyle Center” with retail shops, restaurants and entertainment. In addition, Southpointe II will include 13 parcels developed as multi-tenant or single tenant office buildings, a cultural center and educational component, a hotel, recreational uses, and a traditional residential neighborhood with single-family and multi-family residential units. The benefits of a Southpointe address include location, amenities and progressive business environment. The Southpointe location offers direct “signal free” access to downtown Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh International Airport in less than twenty-five minutes, and Interstate 70 is just five minutes to the south, providing highway access to the east and west. The amenities offered at Southpointe include Southpointe Golf Club and the beautiful 18-hole championship Southpointe Golf Course designed by Arthur Hills, one of today’s top golf course architects. Southpointe Golf Club specializes in meeting the business and social needs of its members though a variety of membership packages and services. In addition, the Iceoplex and Jay’s Sports Bar offer recreation and casual dining/bar; the Hilton Garden Inn & Conference Center provides lodging, dining and meeting facilities; and The Health Club at Southpointe provides a 30,000 square foot state of the art exercise facility. This location and amenity package provides one of the most successful business communities in Pennsylvania. The Washington County business environment is conducive to growth, and offers companies a friendly and cooperative government including a stable tax base and low tax rates. Horizon Properties has been working on the vision plan for Southpointe II for over four years and we are now committed to the implementation of this mixed use project that will improve Southpointe and will be an attraction for present and future generations to live, work, play and stay in Washington County.   Evergreene Technology Park EverGreene Technology Park has what it takes! Just ask the United States Air Force who has awarded RJ Lee Group, Inc. $4.25 million in funding to analyze jet engine wear at a new facility to be located at EverGreene. Other Corporations will look to EverGreene to provide a secure environment outside the vulnerability of major city targets and power grids to house their most critical data and information. Primary and secondary sonet fiber networks link the Pittsburgh Super Computing Center and regional universities including the University of Pittsburgh and West Virginia University to the World and EverGreene in a nanosecond. Evergreene Technology Park consists of 248 acres in the beautiful Greene County countryside approximately 45 minutes south of Pittsburgh off of Interstate 79 at Waynesburg and adjacent the Greene County Regional Airport. Fourteen (15) development parcels from 5.6 acres to 13.4 acres will be prepared by the Greene County Industrial Authority for development by Horizon Properties, one of the regions most respected developers. The Horizon Properties development team will offer design build services to quickly and economically develop buildings for lease or ownership by interested companies. And it only gets better……EverGreene is a Keystone Opportunity Zone (KOZ) that provides a tax free operation until 2010. That’s right, NO TAXES until 2010 including for both property and business taxes. The Greene County IDA has also developed additional incentives, low interest loan packages and grants to promote job creation at EverGreene. In addition to the RJ Lee Building, Horizon Properties will develop two other buildings for lease as part of EverGreene’s Phase One.