Amerimar Enterprises announces it has acquired 1102 Grand Avenue, a fiber-rich building located in Downtown Kansas City. With many of the building’s occupants specializing in telecommunications, Amerimar Enterprises is partnering with telecom industry veteran Hunter Newby to own and operate the Property. Notably, Kansas City has recently flourished with fiber builds and network development; this is due, in a large part, to the willingness and encouragement of the city and its IT-savvy community to foster and promote this activity with the intent to further increase the area’s business and economic opportunities.

“1102 Grand fits squarely within Amerimar’s strategy to acquire properties with stable cash flow and the opportunity to add value over time through infrastructure improvements,” states Jerry Marshall, President and Chief Executive Officer of Amerimar. “1102 is a natural fit for the Amerimar platform, and we’re thrilled to be working with Hunter Newby on yet another telecom property.”

The 26-story, 194,000-square-foot property was originally developed in 1931 as an office building. The property has since been redeveloped into the most fiber-dense, network-neutral facility in the Kansas City Metro area and is one of the fastest growing telecommunication hubs in the Midwest. The building serves as a major hub for data and Internet traffic in the region by providing the necessary data center infrastructure for carriers, service providers, and enterprise customers to interconnect with one another reliably and cost effectively. The building’s location is of particular interest to telecom businesses, with immediate access to the Axon ring (the fiber optic loop that connects the Johnson County area of the Kansas City Metro with Downtown Kansas City). The building also provides highly reliable data center operations with its robust power and HVAC infrastructure.

About Amerimar Enterprises, Inc.:
Amerimar Enterprises, Inc. is a real estate development, investment and management firm with offices in Philadelphia and New York. Amerimar is a recognized leader in the renovation and repositioning of office, hotel, retail, multi-family and mixed-use properties throughout the US and UK. Since 1993, Amerimar has acquired over 50 properties totaling approximately 10.5 million square feet of office, 870,000 square feet of retail, 3,200 hotel rooms and 2,600 residential units. 22 of those projects were either new development or substantial renovations. For more information on Amerimar, please visit www.amerimar.com

About Hunter Newby:
Hunter Newby is a communications network business and real estate investor and developer with a highly successful track record of creating value. He is recognized globally as a thought-leader in the industry. Mr. Newby has held a senior role in over $600 Million of transactions, served on several Advisory Boards, is a published author, public speaker and the recipient of numerous awards including being named to the Global Telecoms Business Top 40 Under 40 in 2010. For more information please visit www.hunternewby.com.

Press Contact:
Jaymie Scotto Cutaia
Jaymie Scotto & Associates
866.695.3629 x2

1102 GRAND, Kansas City’s Data Center & Internet Hub, Features Local Mobile Phone Recycling Company, Cells for Cells

By: Greg Elliott, Director of Business Development at 1102 GRAND

I was fortunate to recently catch up and visit with Jason Clements about his organization, Cells for Cells.

Tell me about Cells for Cells and what the organization is all about:

Cells for Cells recycles cell phones to raise money for cancer charities.  Our primary beneficiary is The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  We love working with the LLS because we’ve requested that our donations go to its Patient Aid Fund and Co-Pay Assistance Programs.  Families battling cancer, right now, can get some fairly immediate financial help.  We understand that research dollars are needed, but we enjoy making an impact today with the money we raise.

What was your inspiration for starting Cells for Cells?

Cells for Cells recommends that you remove your sim and sd card and then follow your manufacturer’s guide for data clearing and wiping.  It is just something to be smart about; not worry or be stressed about.  My opinion is that the media creates some unnecessary worry for companies and individuals with these one-off stories of people getting their phones stolen.  If you look at the Privacy Right Clearinghouse website, there is only 1 (yes, just one) instance of records/data lost since 2005, because of a lost/stolen cell phone/smart phone.  (You’ll have to look at the Nov. 23, 2011 incident report from the University of Kentucky Healthcare:  “An employee’s phone was lost or stolen on September 25, 2011.  Patient health conditions, medical record numbers, and possibly even names could be accessed from the phone.”)

How much money can someone raise by recycling a cell phone?
We are approaching a solid milestone: $40,000 raised for families that are battling cancer, just by recycling old and busted cell phones.  I can remember that cool and excited feeling of taking our first check to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society office – it was just $15.75!  Some boxes of phones create a few dollars and some boxes can create $1000.  The principle is that it all adds up over time.

I can’t thank Jason enough for sharing his unique and inspirational story with the 1102 GRAND blog readership.  It gives me additional ideas how I can help out within our community. So, if you have an old cell laying around in a drawer, I think I have five, talk with Jason and make arrangements to donate.  That donation may help you or someone you love at some point.

Kansas City Data Center & Internet Hub Reviews Best Upcoming Technology & Networking Events

By: Greg Elliott, Director of Business Development at 1102 GRAND

Exciting times to be involved with the tech community in the KC area! It seems like every other day I am asked what good tech networking/educational opportunities are coming up in the area so I thought I would highlight the events that I am looking forward to. I am sure I missed a few, so feel free to join and add events that you are excited about to 1102 GRAND Networking Group on LinkedIn or on our Facebook page.

1102 GRAND is excited to once again have the opportunity to be the Host Sponsor for the upcoming KCnext fall IT networking event! Save the date - Thursday November 15th , 5-8 at the College Basketball Experience. These IT networking events provide the unique opportunity to connect with
technology industry professionals, exchange innovative ideas and establish beneficial relationships and strategic partnerships to grow your business. The events also promote KC’s assets for the technology sectors and innovators within the industry. Make sure you register at www.kcnext.com to be notified when you can sign up.

Here are a few other opportunities to network that have recently been brought to my attention.

Tech ESP-Technology Entrepreneurs Speakers Program

The Technology Entrepreneurs Speakers Program features innovative technology business leaders discussing ideas and opportunities for future generations of entrepreneurs. The next in the series is scheduled Oct. 16 from 5:30 – 7 p.m. at Polsinelli Shughart.

The featured speaker will be Asim Pasha, co-CEO of Sporting Innovations. Pasha recently led the technical design and implementation at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park, which is considered by many to be the most technically advanced stadium in the world. He also launched Fan360, a software platform to drive fan experience to new levels. Register HERE! 

Tech Cocktail- Wednesday October 17th, 5:30-8:30 at Boulevard Brewery

Tech Cocktail mixes Kansas City’s tech startups with hundreds of tech enthusiasts. The result is a blend of mind-sharing, connections, access to talent and capital. This inaugural event will showcase some of KC’s tech startups in an expo-style format giving attendees direct access to these companies. Click HERE for more information!

Compute Midwest- conference + hackathon- November 8-11!

Compute Midwest (CMW) is a conference + hackathon in Kansas City that delves into new ideas, emerging technologies, and especially their impact on the Midwest region looking forward.

You’ll hear from tech leaders, startup founders, and innovators as they share their vision of the future. Find out where technology is going and discover how Kansas City can capitalize on Google Fiber.

Register HERE!

Kansas City VMUG User Conference with an interactive chat with Steve Wozniak- Tuesday, December 11th, 2012- to register and for additional information, click HERE!

I will look forward to learning from you what other tech events are coming up on our LinkedIn Group!

1102 GRAND, Kansas City’s Internet Hub & Colocation Facility, Celebrates Customer Lounge Event

By: Greg Elliott, Director of Business Development at 1102 GRAND

1102 GRAND, Kansas City’s data center and Internet hub, is pleased to celebrate its customer lounge grand opening. The event took place on Tuesday, September 25, 2012 from 5-8 p.m. Customers were able to network and have the chance to win great technology gadgets in the new customer lounge.

The lounge provides a place for customers to relax and a place for customer interaction to take place. Not only is 1102 GRAND a hub for the Internet in the region, but we are a center for facilitating business relationships. We look forward to using the new customer lounge to further those endeavors through additional networking and educational events.

From Left to Right: Jon Kot, Tech-Pointer; Kirk Tracy, TeliaSonera; DJ Good, LightBridge

The new customer lounge is equipped with TVs, a foosball table, a pool table, Wi-Fi, dartboard and a kitchenette. The lounge will provide a place for customers to meet with vendors, have a spot to relax outside of the data center or to connect with other 1102 GRAND customers.

Tours of the customer lounge can be scheduled daily, as well as other data center spaces throughout 1102 GRAND. For more information go to www.1102Grand.com.

Tim Wainscott, CenturyLink and Audrey Hobbs-Parker, TW Telecom

1102 GRAND is a Midwestern carrier hotel and network neutral colocation facility specifically enhanced with the infrastructure to host and provide services to an array of global network operators including carriers, service providers and enterprise customers who demand highly secure and connected, customized solutions for their core networking equipment. 1102 GRAND offers a wide array of colocation options including cabinets, cage space, suites and space for private data centers, all of which are connected to a carrier neutral Meet Me Room, housing nearly 30 carriers and service providers. “Like” us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter at @1102grand.