Law Firm Moves To A New Space

The Business Journal, by Heidi J. Stout, February 22, 2001

Jody Stahancyk, known for her work on complex, large-asset divorces, plans to move her law firm Stahancyk, Gearing, Rackner & Kent P.C. from Jackson Tower to Athena Plaza, which was recently purchased and renamed.

The $2.4 million purchase was made by an equal partnership of American Industries Inc. and Repton House LLC, the latter owned by Stahancyk and her husband, John Crawford.

"When Howard (Hedinger, president of American Industries) suggested buying our own building, it was not even a thought on my radar screen," Stahancyk said. "But moving a little ways out of downtown is good – our clients like to feel as though everyone isn't looking at them. We provide a really comfortable space during a time (divorce) that is so difficult for them."

Athena Plaza, located at 808 SW 15th Ave. at the corner of Yamhill Street, was known as the McCall Building and was the corporate office building of Great Western Chemical.

When Great Western Chemical filed for bankruptcy, building owner McCall Development LLC put the building on the market. It was listed in July 2001, under contract in October and the sale closed Jan. 22.

The owner partnership will spend about $400,000 renovating the 20,653-square-foot building, making the second and third floors ready for the law firm and creating about 5,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space that is available for lease. Renovation will be handled by R&H Construction and MCM Architects; SGR&K is expected to move in March 23.

The move gives the family practice law firm much more room. It leaves an eight-year, 8,500-square-foot lease in the Jackson Tower that expires in April, for more than 12,000 square feet on the top two floors of Athena Plaza, plus 3,400 square in the basement for a workout room and craft room.

Stahancyk and Bob Savage, vice president of American Industries, said they put a high premium on a building with its own parking lot.

Athena Plaza comes with 23 parking spaces, which were so hard to come by at the Jackson Tower that SGR&K offered clients parking instructions on its web site.

SGR&K signed a 10-year lease with the American Industries/Repton House owner partnership for its space in Athena Plaza.

"The Building will be able to handle our growth plans for now and into the near future," Stahancyk said. She expects to hire four lawyers in the next two years to expand the firm's estate planning services.

John Kohnstamm and Mark Fraser of Colliers International represented both parties in the transaction.

"Many businesses want to own their own home, but there are lots of institutional buildings and not many small buildings," Fraser said. "It's difficult to find a building like this in the central business district that a small business like the law firm can occupy and own." The building owners chose a name suggested by Hedinger's daughter – the goddess of wisdom, war and crafts seemed especially appropriate for the building.

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