THE ATLANTA-BASED ARCHITECTURAL FIRM JOHN PORTMAN AND ASSOCIATES (JP&A) WAS CHOSEN IN SEPTEMBER OF LAST YEAR TO DESIGN A NEW $204 MILLION TERMINAL AND RETAIL COMPLEX IN KAGOSHIMA, JAPAN ON WHICH THE FIRM’S VICE PRESIDENT ROGER J. ZAMPELL HAS BEEN SPENDING HIS TIME WHILE TRAVELING TO THE PACIFIC RIM. BUT AS MR. ZAMPELL TOLD GLOBALFAX ON HIS MOST RECENT RETURN TO ATLANTA, YOUR LAST BUILDING DOESN’T ALWAYS MATTER, YOU HAVE TO STAY FOCUSED ON THE RELATIONSHIPS AS MUCH AS ON A PROJECT.
THE TERMINAL WILL BE THE SOUTHERN HUB FOR ALL RAIL, BUS, TAXI AND PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC ON KYUSHU, THE SOUTHERNMOST OF JAPAN’S FOUR MAJOR ISLANDS, AND IT IS SIMILAR TO THE MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION FACILITY ONCE PROPOSED FOR DOWNTOWN ATLANTA, WHICH IS BEING RECONSIDERED BY THE STATE LEGISLATURE.
OVERSEEING THIS PROJECT HAS MADE MR. ZAMPELL A REGULAR COMMUTER BETWEEN THE U.S. AND JAPAN, AND DURING LAST MONTH’S VISIT TO A TRADE SHOW IN FUKUOKA, ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY AROSE QUITE UNEXPECTEDLY.
AS PART OF THE COMMERCIALIZATION OF THE U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT’S OVERSEAS OFFICES, THE U.S. CONSULATE WAS SPONSORING THE FOURTH U.S.-JAPAN DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION SHOW IN FUKUOKA WHICH MR. ZAMPELL AND SENIOR ARCHITECT ALLEN STEWART ATTENDED. THE SENIOR STATE DEPT. OFFICIAL IN FUKUOKA, DONALD YAMAMOTO, EXTENDED HIS SERVICES TO JP&A AND OTHER DESIGN FIRMS BY PROVIDING A WEALTH OF INFORMATION ON THE MANY PROJECTS AVAILABLE TO U.S. FIRMS IN THE JAPAN MARKET.
IN ADDITION TO MEETING MR. YAMAMOTO, MR. ZAMPELL AND MR. STEWART PAID A VISIT TO THE MAYOR OF FUKUOKA, KAIICHI KUWAHARA, AND LEARNED OF MORE PROJECTS BEING PLANNED, AND OF THE MAYOR’S PARTICULAR INTEREST IN PROMOTING BUILDINGS WITH WESTERN DESIGNS. MAYOR KUWAHARA CONFIDED THAT JP&A WAS THE VERY FIRST ATLANTA FIRM TO CALL ON HIM SINCE ENTERING INTO THE ATLANTA-FUKUOKA COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT WHICH HE HAD SIGNED WITH ATLANTA MAYOR MAYNARD JACKSON IN MID-1993 DESIGNED TO STRENGTHEN BOTH RELATIONS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BETWEEN ATLANTA AND FUKUOKA.
BUILDING ON SUCH HIGH LEVEL RELATIONSHIPS IS IMPORTANT, SAID MR. ZAMPELL, AS A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF JP&A’S REVENUES COME FROM ABROAD, PRIMARILY THEIR ASIAN PROJECTS. HE WAS PLEASED TO FIND THAT THEY CAN NOW COUNT ON THE STATE DEPT. AND FUKUOKA MAYOR KUWAHARA TO ASSIST ATLANTA FIRMS IN MEETING NEW INTERNATIONAL CONTACTS.
THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA’S TERRY COLLEGE OF BUSINESS ANNOUNCES THE 11TH ANNUAL GEORGIA ECONOMIC OUTLOOK PROGRAM FOR BUSINESSES AND THEIR CLIENTS WITH GOV. ZELL MILLER, DEC. 10, 11:15 – 2:00 P.M. CALL (706) 542-1964.