Bay Cities owns the majority of its branches beyond its leased headquarters in Tampa's Westshore business district, according to Bryant. He says the bank, whose current lease expires in late 2009, considered other possible locations before deciding on Corporate Center Four in August, and will likely seek a subtenant for its existing space at Corporate Center One when it moves over to the new building sometime next year.

Corporate Center Four, one of three new class A office buildings under construction within a mile of each other in Westshore, promotes itself as the first in the district to pursue LEED certification, which it expects to receive soon after getting its certificate of occupancy in November, says Sharon Bragg, the building's leasing associate with Crescent Resources. She says there is plenty of interest by prospective tenants for remaining space in the 247,000-sf building, though no other leases have yet been executed beyond the one with Bay Cities. Crescent Resources will also move its Tampa office to the new building, she adds.

Charlotte, NC-based Crescent Resources is a joint venture between Duke Energy Corp. and Morgan Stanley Real Estate Fund. The company is a dominant commercial development and land management firm in many major markets throughout the Southeast and Southwest.