Staples closed a 225-person office center in Northglenn March 26, 20 months after the office-supply giant acquired the center as part of its takeover of Corporate Express.
“We had some extra space in the Broomfield location, and in an attempt to be more cost effective, it made sense to consolidate,” said Owen Davis, Staples spokesman.
Staples rented the Northglenn office space and owns its Broomfield campus, which now houses 700 workers.
The Northglenn office center housed finance and purchasing employees with duties such as product purchasing for retail stores, payroll and accounts payable. When Staples acquired Corporate Express in July 2008, the Northglenn office employed about 350 people, Davis said, and all 225 employees still at the site made the move to Staples’ Broomfield location.
The Staples office center was Northglenn’s largest primary employer, said James Hayes, director of planning and development for the city of Northglenn.
“It’s never good to lose a primary employer,” Hayes said. “They generate a lot of spinoff economic development,” such as restaurants and daytime retail sales.
The loss likely won’t negatively affect neighborhoods or home sales, but the city could feel a slight impact on sales taxes, Hayes said.
“We’re trying to get this thing rerented,” Hayes said of the now-empty office space.
Northglenn officials worked with Staples as early as 2008 in an effort to retain the business, Hayes said, but made little progress.
“They really weren’t that responsive when we reached out to help,” he said.
Heather McWilliams: 303-954-1698 or hmcwilliams@denverpost.com
