"It is done," Cushman & Wakefield broker Mark Roth acknowledges to GlobeSt.com, with the C&W team of Roth, Ty Janney and Ben Finnegan negotiating for the landlord, the Gutierrez Cos. of Burlington. Michael Ippolito of Newmark Knight Frank's Manhattan office was broker for the tenant.

Roth referred questions regarding Aspen's motivations for moving to the company itself. Efforts to contact officials there by press deadline were unsuccessful, but in a financial disclosure recently issued regarding the deal, officials estimated that Aspen will save approximately $1 million a year once the firm's lease at 10 Canal Park in Cambridge runs its course. One observer says there is close to four years remaining on that agreement, while Aspen reportedly struck a seven-year deal for 200 Wheeler Rd. The savings will be break even until the Cambridge lease expires, Aspen CFO Brad Miller indicates in a review of the lease.

"The move not only makes sense from a financial perspective, but we believe it represents a significant upgrade in the quality of our office space and will contribute to improving the profile and operations of Aspen," Miller states. The effort will, however, require a charge of $10 million in the first fiscal quarter of 2008 on a GAAP basis, according to Miller.