Luxottica Group Expands in Mason

Eyewear leader breaks ground June 1 on 124,000-square-foot addition to North American headquarters

Mason, Ohio - Representatives from Al. Neyer, Inc. and the city of Mason helped break ground June 1 on an addition to Luxottica Group's North American headquarters for its Retail Division.  Luxottica Group is the world leader in the design, manufacture, marketing and distribution of prescription frames and sunglasses in the mid- and premium-priced categories.

Al. Neyer, Inc., a national developer and design-build firm based in Cincinnati, is providing all design-build services on the four-story, 124,000-square-foot addition that will also add 70 parking spaces.  Al. Neyer completed the original 286,000-square-foot structure in November 2002, in what was one of the nation's largest design-build projects. Robert Thrun, Al. Neyer's Vice President of Architecture/Engineering, lead the design effort on the original building and the addition.

Luxottica turned the groundbreaking event into an employee celebration, which is in keeping with the company's corporate culture.   Those who took a turn at the speaker's podium to mark the event included Luxottica Group Chairman Leonardo Del Vecchio.

Al. Neyer will complete the addition in June 2006.  It represents a $12 million investment.