CloudWyze, a growing technology services and communications company based in Leland, is moving to downtown Wilmington, the firm announced Tuesday.

CloudWyze has signed a lease for the first two floors of the historic 11-story Murchison Building, 201 N. Front St., planning to occupy the space, after some renovations and modernizations, by the second quarter of 2015, a news release said.

“CloudWyze is creating a flagship office in the heart of downtown that will represent the cutting edge and entrepreneurial spirit that embodies our company,” said Shaun Olsen, founder and CEO of CloudWyze, in the announcement. “The Murchison Building has, for over a century, been Wilmington’s business landmark. We, too, are building a landmark company where Wilmington will play a central role. Being in this great old building with a very modern build-out symbolizes our commitment to the region and exemplifies the future of business we will help grow.”

In all, CloudWyze has committed to nearly 10,000 square feet in the building, using first floor space for support and sales functions and “establishing a strong street-front presence and gathering place for its customers," the firm's release said. It will also occupy all of the mezzanine level.
 
The second level, the company's announcement said, will be developed as full-service offices for tech-oriented companies that "demand ultrafast Internet access and the ability to alleviate any technical roadblocks in growing their businesses.” Sixteen offices are planned, each of which can be used by one to three employees. Cloudwyze’s announcement also said three companies have already been chosen from a waiting list of businesses. Offices are fully furnished with high-design furniture, network administration and high speed dedicated Internet, and include parking, the release said.

“This space is being designed to accelerate company growth in a very 21st Century design,” said Rich Schofield, chief technology officer for CloudWyze, said in the release. “Tenants and CloudWyze employees will enjoy a game room, a kitchen with bar, and some other very cool amenities such as HD video conferencing. We want employees, guests and tenants to experience technology and immerse themselves in the culture.”

The company did not disclose the financial details of the lease Tuesday.

In December, CloudWyze announced that it would begin offering an expanded wireless coverage area that will provide high-quality, rapid Internet services to businesses. CloudWyze is currently located at 503 Olde Waterford Way, Leland, and has 20 employees.

A development partnership bought The Murchison Building last year for nearly $1.5 million. One of the partners, Thomas Simpson, had said previously that a $3.5 million project to bring The Murchison Building up to date was expected to begin in the spring. He said when he and his partners bought the building in June, the occupancy rate was at about 35 percent, but through the company’s efforts, he had expected to increase that rate to 70 percent in the months that followed.

The Murchison Building, completed in 1914, according to New Hanover County Public Library local history files, was given its neoclassical revival design by Wilmington native and architect Kenneth M. Murchison, later of New York. Originally, Murchison National Bank was on the first floor, the library files say.

Last year's sale of the building meant the landmark could be taken off a watch list of threatened historic places in the Port City.