WILTON, CT-Davis Marcus Partners has signed its first tenant at its 40 Danbury Rd. building, which is currently under construction. Louis Dreyfus Corp. will be shifting its commodity trading group operations from facilities at 20 Westport Rd. here to 57,000 sf of space at Wilton Corporate Park.

Davis Marcus is currently building the 162,000-sf three-story office building as well as 80 Danbury Rd., an 80,000-sf three-story building. Louis Dreyfus will be leasing the entire top floor at 40 Danbury Rd. building. The firm is expected to take occupancy upon the completion of construction, which is scheduled for June 2008.

Louis Dreyfus signed a 10-year lease, according to officials with Albert B. Ashforth, exclusive leasing agents for Wilton Corporate Park. Jeffrey H. Gage and Edward Tonnessen of Ashforth represented the ownership in the transaction. Thomas Pajolek of CB Richard Ellis represented Louis Dreyfus in the deal. Construction on 80 Danbury Rd. is expected to be finished by November 2008.

Gage says that the lease is an expansion for Louis Dreyfus. The firm currently leases approximately 115,000 sf at 20 Westport Rd. and is moving its commodities trading group to the new location to accommodate its energy trading group.

“40 Danbury Rd. will make a great office location for our commodity trading group,” says Jim Fleming of Louis Dreyfus Corp. “It is in close proximity of our current location and is of a high quality standard we feel is needed to attract and retain our key people.”

David Fiore, SVP of Davis Marcus Partners notes that “this has been an exciting process since we started construction in June 2007. This lease is indicative of the strong activity we've been experiencing and the endorsement we have received from the corporate community.”

Securing the deal with Louis Dreyfus, “given the fact that the steel is just going up speaks for the strength of the market in the Route 7 corridor,” Gage says, adding, “we are very close to another deal for about 80,000 sf.” The unnamed firm is expected to lease space at 40 Danbury Rd., he says.

While he is not releasing any financial details concerning the Louis Dreyfus lease, the asking rent for space at the properties under construction are $42 per sf. Wilton Corporate Park was the former headquarters of Perkin-Elmer. Davis Marcus Partners and Prudential Real Estate Investors acquired the 33-acre site in May 2000 for $26.2 million. The two-building complex, which totals approximately 265,000 sf, is fully leased.