The first multi-tenant office building to be constructed in the 84-acre Vintage Business Park at Prairie Trail in Ankeny is nearing completion, and the first tenant is expected to move in within the next few weeks.

Vintage Business Park is one component of a comprehensive 1,000-acre live-work-play development taking shape on land formerly used as a dairy research farm by Iowa State University.

The one-level, 15,000-square-foot office building is divided into six suites ranging from 1,278 square feet to 4,906 square feet.

The offices will lease for $13.50 per square foot on a triple-net lease (lease in which tenant pays for all operating expenses of the building).

Prairie Trail’s developer, DRA Properties LC, acted as the general contractor for the building, which will be known simply as the 1250 S.W. State St. Building. It was designed by Imprint Architects of Ankeny.

The building’s simplified colonial revival style is “designed to fit within the spirit of the Prairie Trail pattern book’s design guidelines,” said Karl Chambers, president of Imprint Architects, formerly The Architectural Edge. “It’s located across the street from the assisted living facility, so we wanted a residential pattern as a starting point,” he said.

Imprint Architects has also designed a 10,000-square-foot office building to be located just north of 1250 S.W. State St., as well as the 35,000-square-foot Vintage Office Building that will be constructd a block to the south on State Street.

The latter building was designed to be eligible for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. No start dates have been set yet for either building, Chambers said, but the smaller structure will likely be constructed first.

QA Graphics, a computer graphic development company that has outgrown its facility at 1605 N. Ankeny Blvd., will lease two suites totaling 6,200 square feet in the 1250 State St. building.

As part of a development agreement with the city of Ankeny approved in October, QA Graphics received a loan of $20,000, which will be fully forgiven by the city provided the company maintains at least 15 permanent full-time employees at its new office space for five years. The company will also receive a partial property tax abatement for five years.

In addition to the business park with office space, Prairie Trail will be divided into distinct districts housing residential neighborhoods with schools, retail and entertainment venues.