(Crystal Proenza is associate editor of Real Estate Florida.)

HOMESTEAD, FL-A 30,000-square-foot class A office building has been delivered to the local market to serve as the new regional enforcement and observation location for the US Drug Enforcement Administration. The high-security office building will replace an older facility approximately half that size in Key Largo, says Greg Barton, vice president with Genesis Financial Group Inc., which owns the DEA's new location.

The two-story building, located at 3611 Alex Muxo Blvd., was designed and constructed by San Diego-based KMA Architecture & Engineering. The structure has been built out with high-security measures for anti-terror force protection, including an indoor parking garage. The tenant is already occupying the space, which contains 6,000 square feet on the first floor left unfinished for future expansion, says Barton.

"KMA's experience in government projects proved valuable in helping us understand the nature of the DEA's work and the organization's building requirements," says Don Blair, president of KMA. "We were able to deliver a building that was both high quality and high security."