CYPRESS : City OKs Increase in Firm’s Office Plan

Saying the addition increases the benefits to the city, the City Council has approved Bandai America’s request to build a larger corporate headquarters than originally proposed.

Representatives of the toy-making firm told the council Monday they want to build a 76,616-square-foot office structure, about 19,000 square feet more than originally proposed. Company officials said Bandai needs the bigger building because it plans to move more of its corporate operations to Cypress than it forecast last summer.

In August, the City Council enthusiastically approved Bandai’s request to build a 57,125-square-foot corporate building at 5551 Katella Ave., near the Los Alamitos Race Track. The council members were similarly enthusiastic Monday night about the company’s request to build an even larger headquarters.

“We’re thrilled to have a bigger and better building than we started with,” Councilwoman Mary Ann Jones said.

The city’s community development director, Chris Kelly, recommended approval of Bandai’s application for a larger building. She said the company’s original request was for a corporate headquarters that would house 122 employees. The larger building, she said, would accommodate 302 employees.

“The additional square footage is being added for the purpose of consolidating all of the Bandai subsidiaries into one location,” Kelly said. “The three subsidiaries which will occupy the building will be Bandai America Inc., Bandai Entertainment Inc. and Bandai Digital Entertainment Corp. Employees within the building will be employed in such areas as toy design, multimedia design, sales, marketing, personnel and finance.”

Kelly said construction of the building is scheduled to begin in December, with completion targeted for spring of 1997.