in april 2002, specht properties was selected as the developer of the project after scoring higher with the council appointed committee formed to rate each of three developer's proposals, with gerding/edlen development and trammell crow company losing out to specht. construction on the complex began in june 2003 when an old grain store at the site was demolished to make room for the center. a total of eight buildings were torn down to make room the complex as part of a redevelopment of a brownfield site.