LPL Financial says it has opened a new building in South Carolina, about 20 miles from Charlotte, North Carolina, which is home to one of the independent broker-dealer's three national offices. Gov. Nikki Haley of South Carolina — tapped by President-elect Donald Trump to serve as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations — attended the inaugural event on Thursday.
"Our new offices reflect LPL's commitment to employee well-being, our communities and our environment," said LPL Chairman and CEO Mark Casady in a statement. "We believe this campus creates tremendous pride for our employees and will further enable them to deliver superior service to our clients."
Based in Fort Mill, the 27-acre campus includes two buildings with 450,000 square feet of office space and is based on a sustainable net-zero water design.
"LPL has been a fantastic partner to South Carolina since the plans to build this facility were announced over two years ago," Haley said in a press release. "It really is special to see the final result of the hard work that went into making today's ceremony a reality for the people of York County and the 3,000 people who will work at LPL" over time in the area.
Nationwide, independent broker-dealer LPL has some 3,200 employees, with more than 1,400 based in the Carolinas. Some 1,300 employees work at its San Diego-area location (in La Jolla), and others are based in Boston.
"LPL is committed to its growth in the Carolinas," Casady said. "The region offers a skilled workforce, provides a great quality of life and enables us to grow our business in a fiscally responsible way."
The design of the new campus emphasizes natural light, outdoor views, the recycling and redirecting of water, an innovative approach to brick and glass in order to minimize heat and maximize light and an HVAC system that aims to bring in 30% more outside air than is standard.
Employees will have access to sit-to-stand adjustable workstations, a fitness center, health clinic, cafeteria, community garden, game room, waterfront plaza, bike-share program, bicycle storage, two miles of walking trails and outdoor sports courts.
The facility also includes 12 electric vehicle charging stations and 100 preferred parking spaces for fuel-efficient vehicles. The building is on track to earn a LEED Gold certification.
LPL's San Diego location, which was built in 2014 with a sustainability focus, is LEED Platinum certified. The broker-dealer says it is one of the largest net-zero energy commercial office buildings in the United States.
As part of its Fort Mill campus development, LPL says it donated $50,000 to the Anne Close Springs Greenway, its second donation since 2014.
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