Its no secret that the Brewers have lost more star power than theyve gained so far this offseason. Yasmani Grandal, Mike Moustakas, Eric Thames, and Drew Pomeranz are all gone and in to replace them are Omar Narvaez, Ryon Healy, Justin Smoak, Avisail Garcia, and Brett Anderson, among others.

Thats not quite an inspiring group of names, although they could provide similar production.

But the Milwaukee Brewers should not be happy to settle for finding players to provide similar or slightly worse production at a cheaper cost.

The end goal for this Brewers team is to win the World Series, and they fell short of it last year because their roster wasnt good enough. They shouldnt be looking just to replicate last years production. They need to improve upon it.

The best way to make that kind of improvement is to make a big move that brings in a player or players that move the needle of this roster further towards the World Series. The Ryon Healy and Eric Sogard additions are nice depth pieces, but dont really push a team from just a playoff contender to a World Series caliber team.

They should. Whether they will or not is unknown at this point. But the Brewers should be well aware of how long their contention window is open with Christian Yelich under team control for three more seasons. These next three years are the best chances they are going to have at a World Series for the foreseeable future. They have to take advantage of that.

Brewers GM David Stearns has been shedding payroll so far this offseason and they currently sit about $30 million under their 2019 payroll for next season. They have room to spend some money.

No, we shouldnt panic about the Brewers not making a big splash yet. Keep in mind, the past two offseasons, Stearns has made his biggest moves in the month of January. He got Yelich and Lorenzo Cain on January 25th, 2018 and then he signed Yasmani Grandal in early January of 2019.

The starting pitching market has been mostly picked over, and there arent any options out there that could remotely be considered a No. 1 or No. 2 starter. That leaves the trade market. Matthew Boyd and Robbie Ray seem to be the most available trade candidates and both could make sense for the Brewers to grab.

At third base, Josh Donaldson is the lone big fish remaining on that market. Reports say that Donaldson is going to get a four year deal and that might be a year too long for the Brewers, but perhaps Stearns could surprise us. On the trade market, Nolan Arenado and Kris Bryant appear to be available, but the contract for Arenado will be a sticking point and the Cubs, well, they just arent going to trade Kris Bryant to the Brewers for obvious reasons.

Of course there still is the possibility of a Josh Hader trade, which could bring back multiple good pieces to the roster, or possibly one great piece. Moving Hader would definitely count as a splash move, although not one typically a World Series contending team makes.

Theres still plenty of time to make moves, but as far as getting a big addition to the club that could actually make them more of a World Series threat, there arent that many options left.

Want your voice heard? Join the Reviewing The Brew team!

January is when Stearns has done his best work, so lets see what he can whip up this time.

Read more here:
Brewers: Will They Make A Big Splash This Offseason? - Reviewing the Brew

The Gunners sit in the bottom half of the Premier League table and have a new manager, so there could be plenty of comings and goings in north London

Mikel Arteta has only been in the job for a fortnight but he is already about to enter his first transfer window as Arsenals head coach.

Publicly, the Spaniard has stated that he hasnt made any firm plans with the club over potential January deals but he certainly discussed the club's recruitment strategy with head of football Raul Sanllehi, technicaldirector Edu and the rest of Arsenals management group during the process which led to his appointment.

Unai Emery was unable to make any permanent signings last January due to financial restrictions, meaning the only addition to the squad was Denis Suarez, who joined on loan from Barcelona.

Money will be tight once again this year, although some possible departures could allow Arsenal dip into the market if a decent opportunity presents itself.

Below, Goal takes a look at what business could be done by the north London club in January...

The big news is, of course, the imminent exit of Granit Xhaka, who looks set to return to Germany to join Hertha Berlin.

The former Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder's departure was inevitable from the moment he clashed with the Arsenal fans following his substitution against Crystal Palace in October. It was merely of question of whether he would leave in January or at the end of the season.

Xhaka is pushing for a deal with Hertha to be done immediately and although Mikel Arteta has expressed his admiration for the player, its highly likely he will leave as long as Arsenal are happy with size of the fee.

Xhaka has a contract until 2023 and Arsenal want to recoup as much of the 35 million ($46m) feethey paid for the Switzerland international in 2016.

There is also a chance that Shkodran Mustafi could move on if the right offer comes in but, as was the case in the summer, the German centre-back will not be pushed out of the club, even though it has been made clear he is free to leave.

Arsenal are unlikely to sanction any other permanent sales during January, but some youngsters, including Emile Smith Rowe, could go out on loan, as could Konstantinos Mavropanos, providing a centre-back is brought in.

Xhakas departure would make a new central midfielder a necessity. Arsenals big dilemma is, therefore, whether to try to plug the gap temporarily with a loan signing or bring in a replacement on a permanent basis.

The Gunners hold a long-standing interest in Adrien Rabiot that dates back to Arsene Wengers time in north London.

Unai Emery was also a fan of the midfielder and Arsenal tried to sign on a free transfer from Paris Saint Germain last summer only for the Frenchman to instead join Juventus.

However, things havent gone well for the 24-year-old in Turin to date and Arsenal may try to tempt Juventus into a loan deal for the remainder of the season should Xhaka complete his switch to Berlin.

Defensively, a lot depends on whether Mustafi leaves and the results on the scans which will be carried out on Calum Chambers knee following the injury he sustained against Chelsea.

Arsenal want to bring in a new centre-back but are aware they have William Saliba arriving in the summer once he finishes the season with Saint-Etienne. There is no agreement in place with the French club that could see Saliba join in January.

There was interest in Dayot Upamecano in the summer but, from an economic perspective, a deal for the RB Leipzig star would be all but impossiblethis winter.

It leaves Arsenal in a difficult situation, one that again could see them turn to a short-term loan option to see them through to the summer window, when they will have more financial clout and more of their targets are accessible.

There was some interest in Daniele Rugani during the summer and given his lack of game time this season for Juventus, he could be an option once again.

Arsenal have been decimated by injuries in recent weeks, especially in defence. where they have been without full-backs Kieran Tierney, Sead Kolasinac and Hector Bellerin.

Bukayo Saka and Ainsley Maitland-Niles have been filling in, but Artetas side will undoubtedly be stronger when the regulars return.

Arteta has set his side up in a 4-2-3-1 formation during his first two games at the club and that system looks to be the one the Spaniard will stick with during the second half of the campaign.

Article continues below

When fit, Bellerin and Tierney will certainly fill the full-back positions and Gabriel Martinelli could well come in on the left side of attack, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang moving into his preferred central striking role at the expense of Alexandre Lacazette.

The big question will be who fills Xhakas role should he leave for Germany.

Will it be Rabiot? Or will Arteta opt to wait until the summer and pair Matteo Guendouzi and Lucas Torreira together for the remainder of the season?

The rest is here:
What Arsenal need in the January transfer window - Goal.com

Every year dozens, if not hundreds, of new technological products reach the market. Some, like iPhones, Netflix, and Facebook, become overwhelming success stories, while others are ultimately deemed complete failures, sometimes even scams.

You might recall how in 2014, social networking apps promising users the ability to post anonymously began to sprout, prompting users to publish secrets, gossip, and exclusive scoops about their own friends. Perhaps the most famous was mobile app Secret, which enabled users to communicate incognito with their existing social circles on other social networks. Other apps, including Yik Yak, Whisper, and Ask.fm, soon caught on. At its prime, Yik Yak Inc. managed to raise $75 million from investors such as Sequoia Capital, while Secret Inc. raised over $35 million.

9. Magic Leaps AR glasses

Founded by Israeli entrepreneur Rony Abovitz, Plantation, Florida-headquartered Magic Leap Inc. was supposed to be the next big thing. The company claimed it could bring augmented reality technologies to the masses with capabilities that have yet to be seen outside of science fiction movies. But when its long-awaited headset was finally launched last year, tech enthusiasts were disappointed to find a less than revolutionary device, compared to existing products on the market. Earlier this month, The Information reported that Magic Leap was only able to sell about 6,000 pieces of its $2,300 device in the first six months following its launch, quite a disappointing figure for a company that managed to raise several billion dollars from investors including Google and JP Morgan.

About 18 months ago, rumors began to surface that Samsung was reviving its plans to produce a mobile device with a flexible screen. Such screens have been around for several years and were exhibited at leading tech conventions but have yet to be implemented in an actual product until Samsung took on the challenge and work on the first foldable smartphone began. The Galaxy Fold was launched in February this year but was soon christened a catastrophe.

The funny thing about Google is that while it is among the internets undisputed rulers, it has yet to gain a substantial hold on the webs three main innovative fields: social media, instant messaging, and enterprise cloud computing services. Most prominent of all is its failure in the realm of social networks, driving it to decommission all of its attempts, four so far, in the past 10 years.

6. Uber and Lyft

Ride-sharing companies Uber and Lyft gained much public attention since their launch, but their failure revealed itself fully once they decided to go public. Uber had a valuation of $120 billion before its Nasdaq initial public offering (IPO) in May, which brought its market capitalization down to just $75 billion. Since then, Ubers stock has further devalued, from $45 per share at the time of the IPO to $30.67 at market close Friday, losing nearly 40% of its worth. Ubers massive losses amounted to over $5 billion in the second quarter of 2019. Its rival Lyft is in slightly better shape with $644 million in losses for the quarter but has also seen a devaluation of over 30% since its March IPO. Both companies are unlikely to become profitable before 2021.

Early in the decade, Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg believed his social network should become the internets main source of information. To achieve this goal, it was not enough to have its app at the top of every mobile phone application store, and in 2013, Facebook tried to make its own Android-based smartphone to further control users content consumption. Three models were eventually manufactured by HTC, all of them shelved after failing to meet sales expectations.

Alongside his relatively successful companies, Tesla and Space X, Elon Musk also tried his hand at mass transport, with Hyperloopa sealed system of air-free tubes through which a passenger pod would travel at high speeds without resistance or friction, saving on fuel. Experiments began in 2014 but not a single kilometer of active hyperloop tunnel has yet to be built. Even Musk has seemingly moved on to standard, boring, car tunnels, founding The Boring Company in 2016.

More of a hoax than a business failure, Juicero Inc. is one of the best examples of how investors can get temporarily side blinded and waste money on fake tech. Juicero sold a $400 kitchen counter device that supposedly produced fresh, cold-pressed juice from vacuum-sealed bags sold separately. In 2017, Bloomberg called Juiceros bluff, showing readers the bags can be squeezed manually to receive the same result as the presser. A day after the story was published, The Verge reported Juicero was offering all of its customers a full refund. The company went out of business five months later.

1. Samsung Galaxy Note 7

First place had a lot of worthy contenderssome more infuriating such as Apples butterfly keyboard, malicious joy invoking such as Amazons smartphone, or hopeful as to the fate of humanity, such as the death of Googles smart glassesbut none more impressive a failure than Samsungs Galaxy Note 7. Launched in 2016, Samsungs flagship smartphone received high praise for its advanced technological capabilities and large screen but less than a year later, the company had to recall it. The reason: its batterys tendency to spontaneously combust, at one time on a plane mid-flight. Credit Suisse analysts estimated the damages suffered by Samsung as a result at $17 billion.

Link:
10 Biggest Tech Fails of the Decade - CTech

By Lindsey M. Roberts Washington Post

If only we could use one cleaning product to get our homes spick and span. Alas, its just not possible, says Carolyn Forte, home appliances and cleaning products director at Good Housekeeping.

Different areas have different soils that need different cleaners, she explains. Multisurface cleaners are the most versatile, cleaning counters, walls, appliances and more, but for bathrooms, carpets, windows and wood floors, you really need cleaners that are safe yet effective on those surfaces.

We asked five expert cleaners, including a professional organizer and a housekeeper, what they keep in their house-cleaning kits.

Organized people tend to be clean people, and Amber Kostelny, a professional organizer in Chicago, knows why: The more organized someone is, the easier it is to clean. The less clutter is out, the easier it is to clean and sanitize surfaces. One of her favorite tough cleaners is Lysol Power Toilet Bowl Cleaner ($1.99 for 24 ounces, target.com). She finds it works especially well on hard-water stains.

As owners of Handmaiden Cleaning in Walla Walla, and founders of the American House Cleaners Association, Grace and Kevin Reynolds are picky about the products they recommend for their own cleaners and others in the industry. A favorite is Bar Keepers Friend Cleanser Powder ($1.93 for 21 ounces, walmart.com). Its excellent at cleaning stainless steel, removing hard-water buildup and stains on glass and tile, Grace says. They will sometimes create a paste on a rag with the cleanser, an essential oil and a few drops of Dawn soap, and they make sure to wipe in the direction of the stainless steels grain.

For windows, Gay Browne, author of Living With a Green Heart: How to Keep Your Body, Your Home and the Planet Healthy in a Toxic World, uses Aspen Cleans Natural Glass Cleaner ($7.99 for 22 ounces, cleaningproducts.aspenclean.com). Leaving no window streaks (only a lime scent), the product is made of biodegradable, plant-derived ingredients. For more house-cleaning products, Browne recommends taking a look at the Environmental Working Groups top-rated products list (ewg.org).

One of the most versatile cleaners we have ever tested at Good Housekeeping is Simple Green, Forte says ($4.97 for 32 ounces, homedepot.com). It can be diluted for lots of different household uses and it works very well on a wide variety of stains and soils. Although dilution and instructions vary for different surfaces, Forte says the payoff is fewer bottles in the cleaning closet.

Clients with allergies ask Maxine Mills of MaxAll Cleaning Services in Florida to use products sensitive to their needs. Mills has allergies, too, and has started using citrus-based Lemi Shine Shower and Tile Cleaner for fighting mold and mildew in bathrooms ($4.09 for 28 ounces, walmart.com). It leaves a great smell without being overpowering, she says.

More:
Five experts come clean about products they keep in their kits - The Spokesman-Review

Photo: Kim Brent / Kim Brent/The Enterprise

The top 10 development stories of Whats New

Southeast Texas saw a bevy of change in the retail scene this year with new businesses moving in and old staples growing or disappearing.

The Beaumont Enterprise launched a new ongoing feature called Whats New to help readers catch up with some of the latest business updates online in brief web stories and took broader looks at the highlights of the week in a Wednesday print column.

There is sure to be more coming in 2020, but here are a few of our favorites from the past year.

10) Chick-fil-A announced at the beginning of December that it is working to bring a location to Orange directly off the I-10 corridor on 16th Street. The location has been teased for more than a year after Orange Mayor Larry Spears Jr. announced the company was interested in developing the 16th Street area. The city has invested economic development dollars into the land around the commercial property for road upgrades and utility connections.

9) The developer bringing Walk-Ons Bistreaux & Bar to Mid-County teased that construction would start in November or December of this year. The story of the Louisiana-based franchise co-owned by Super Bowl XLIV MVP Drew Brees coming to Southeast Texas has been a microcosm of what growth and speculation has been like in the area. C.O. Vallet, a Lake Charles club owner, is bringing the franchise to Port Arthur after originally planning for a Beaumont location after seeing a boom in industrial investments.

8) After more than a year in development, Beaumont now has a Topgolf connection with the opening of 5 Under Golf Center. The centers double-deck driving range is still under construction, as is its outside bar, but the business opened to the public with its Topgolf Swing Suites. It is also an example of an older family business, Games People Play, changing in the hopes of creating a new business model in the city.

7) The Walmart Supercenter in West Orange finished a complete remodel and fully integrated new pick-up technologies in September. It is part of an ongoing plan to introduce the new grocery and online pick-up model to new markets throughout the state. Walmart plans to invest $265 million in renovations to Texas by the end of the year. It also plans to integrate 82 new pickup towers across the state.

6) Parkdale Mall and its parent company CBL Properties are creating a new business on the malls property set to open next year that embodies the changing landscape of modern retail investments. The large steel structure being built near the malls food court entrance will be a drive-thru, multi-level, climatized storage facility for long-term and short-term storage, according to the mall management. Kathryn Reinsmidt, executive vice president and chief information officer with CBL, briefly discussed the project in an August investors call, comparing it to other storage designs where the company has used its land as equity in the investment. The work led by EMJ Construction is expected to be completed sometime in the spring of 2020.

5) Southeast Texas saw an increase in online pick-up options as retailers shifted to attract customers inside their stores. Arts and crafts chain Michaels and UPS partnered to create drop-off points for packages called UPS Access Points at the Beaumont location and more than 1,100 other stores nationwide in October. The Michaels partnership followed the local Stein Mart on North Dowlen Road which was equipped with an Amazon Locker Hub in May. Big box stores like Target entered the delivery business with the acquisition of Shipt, while Kroger and Walmart increased their in-store pickup options regionally.

4) A new event space and retail center on North Major Drive in Beaumont, named the Major Event Center, became the latest addition to a quickly growing corridor for residential and retail investments. The center will be a space for conferences and parties that can fit as many as 500 people, according to the managing company. The overall retail space will also host a new pho restaurant, automotive business and possibly two other tenants. The event center will likely be open by February.

3) The new headquarters for Neches Federal Credit Union had big progress in 2019 and is on track to open in the spring. The 48,000-square-foot building at Magnolia Avenue and Merriman Street is expected to be finished in April. The project will complete the first step of the land swap with Port Neches-Groves ISD approved in fall 2017. The banks old office will become the districts new central administration building, putting all of the districts administrative staff in the same space for the first time.

2) Broussards BBQ made a November return in Beaumont with a new building and plenty of barbecue after it was destroyed in a May lightning storm. The restaurants interior was burned away. The structure was torn down to build anew. In its place is a new barbecue joint complete with the iconic green and yellow easily seen from 11th Street. Pitmaster Leonard Broussard, known to most as Mr. B, said losing the old building was a challenge thats kept him busy for the past six months, but its also created new opportunities. Gods got it, Broussard said He has plans, so maybe he didnt like that old building I was in. I kind of believe that.

1) After Tropical Depression Imelda swept through Southeast Texas and damaged businesses through central Beaumont and the I-10 corridor, residents waited for weeks to hear when some of their favorite spots would reopen. Twin Peaks reopened in late October after what company representatives called significant water damage to the building. Chilis followed at the end of November. Outback Steakhouse on I-10 South in Beaumont reopened in early December.

jacob.dick@beaumontenterprise.com

twitter.com/jdickjournalism

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The top 10 development stories of Whats New - Beaumont Enterprise

Development is booming in Birmingham. Every month, more construction sites pop up across the region.

Here are 10 developments to pay attention to in 2020.

1. Protective Stadium

By now, youve seen the huge bowl cut out of the earth in Uptown, but 2020 will bring actual construction happening at the stadium site.

Bids for construction were submitted on Dec. 17. Soon, the multi-million construction deal will be awarded. Construction should start in early 2020.

The $174 million stadium is expected to be complete by Fall 2021, in time for the 2021 UAB Blazers football season.

See the latest construction photos here.

Design renderings for the $123 million Legacy Arena renovation. Work is set to begin in Spring 2020. (images courtesy of Populous).

2. Legacy Arena renovations

Legacy Arena at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex is getting a major face lift. The arena, built in the 1970s, will be completely renovated inside and out.

Renovation work will begin after the Bassmaster Classic ends in March 2020. The renovation is expected to take about 18 months.

3. Southtown Court redevelopment

Speaking of face lifts, work to redevelop the Southtown Court housing community is set to begin in 2020. Residents are expected to move out of the 445-unit complex this summer.

Southside Development Corporation is leading the $26 million project that will turn the complex into a mixed-use, mixed-income development with senior and affordable housing, as well as commercial enterprises.

The entire redevelopment project, including housing units, stores and a grocery store, is expected to be complete by 2024.

Site plans for the Northside Park development, which will be on the former site of Carraway Hospital. (Corporate Realty)

4. Carraway Hospital site redevelopment

The former hospital site thats been the subject of YouTube videos about abandoned places will be demolished and the site redeveloped in 2020. Work is expected to begin in Spring 2020. The new development will be called Northside Park.

Carraway Hospital closed in October 2008 after encountering a series of financial issues that led to the hospital filing bankruptcy twice. About 1,000 people lost their jobs when the hospital closed. The closure put Carraway among one of more than 20 hospitals that have closed since 2000.

Real estate company Corporate Realty wants to turn the former hospital site into a multi-use development complete with office, retail, entertainment, hotel and residential space.

View from the Boutwell Parking deck looking east. I-59/20 bridge construction project. Photos taken 12-11-19. (Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com)

5. I-59/20 bridge project

The work to complete the new Interstate 59/20 bridges through downtown Birmingham is nearly complete. The project included completely demolishing and replacing the interstate interchange, ramps and bridges.

The interchange has been closed since Jan. 21, 2019. It could open as early as Jan. 21, 2020, earning contractor Johnson Brothers a hefty bonus. The work needed to be complete by March 21.

See the latest construction photos here.

Renovations at Wald Park are set to be complete in spring 2020. (Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com)

6. Wald Park

Wald Park in Vestavia Hills is getting $15 million worth of upgrades. The plans for Wald Park include two new pools, along with a dog park, new baseball fields, tennis courts, and more

The park project is part of a larger city initiative, called the Community Spaces and Infrastructure Program. That campaign is expected to cost approximately $58 million and will include a new community center, improvements for storm water drainage, and updates to fields at Cahaba Heights Elementary School. There are also plans for widening certain roads and paving others.

Work on the park is expected to be complete by Spring 2020.

(Contributed | UAB)

7. University of Alabama at Birmingham construction projects

While students were away on summer break, UAB was hard at work on various construction projects across campus.

Creature is the the designer and contractor for the New Ideal Lofts, which are adjacent to the Pizitz Food Hall on 18th Street North.

8. New Ideal Lofts

The former New Ideal department store building is being transformed into condominiums and retail space. Architecture and construction firm Creature is redeveloping the space.

The former department store sits at Second Avenue North and 18th Street North. The building has been vacant since around 1990, said Creature CEO and Co-founder Mike Gibson. The New Ideal was originally built as a department store in 1908.

Micro, one- and two-bedroom units are available. The units range in size from 390 to 1,900 square feet. Price ranges for the units are from $144,900 to $524,900.

William Thornton

Gov. Kay Ivey is joined by several officials at the groundbreaking for the Grand River Technology Park Thursday, Oct. 24, 2019.

9. Grand River Technology Park

The Grand River Technology Park, between Barber Motorsports Park and the future site of the relocated Southern Museum of Flight, is expected to be complete by spring 2020. A groundbreaking on the 64-acre site was held in October.

The project was announced in February as a regional hub for research and development, tourism and light manufacturing. Officials said it could add more than 1,200 jobs and have an economic impact of about $85 million.

The technology park is another large scale development at the I-20 exit near Leeds, which has seen several projects over the last two decades - Barber Motorsports Park, Bass Pro Shops, the Shops at Grand River, and the announcement this year of a 50,000-square-foot Buc-ees convenience store, gas station and travel center.

Birmingham's Zyp BikeShare program will soon be replaced with new electric scooters and pedal-assist bikes. The Zyp bikes will be decommissioned by the end of 2019. The new e-bikes and scooters should be rolling on Birmingham streets by March 2020. (Anna Beahm | abeahm@al.com).

10. New scooters and e-bikes coming to Birmingham

This last one isnt a construction project, but it represents another new means of transportation in Birmingham. The city recently launched its pilot with Via, an on-demand transit service that uses vans instead of large buses on fixed routes.

More scooters and electric bikes will add another layer of the evolving transportation in Birmingham. The scooters and bikes will replace the Zyp bikes.

The Birmingham Department of Transportation hasnt announced which brand of scooters and bikes will be coming to the city, but city officials said to expect that announcement in early 2020.

What other projects do you want to know about? Let us know through the form below or through this link.

Originally posted here:
Keep an eye on these Birmingham developments in 2020 - AL.com

Minnesota is wrapping up a busy year of construction and more of the same is sure to come in 2020. In this year-end roundup, Finance & Commerce takes a look at 10 big projects to keep an eye on in the coming year.

Some of the projects, such as the $1.536 billion Bottineau Light Rail Transit line, are still in the planning stage. Others, such as the $240 million Silver Ramp at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, are in the home stretch of construction.

Projects on the list range in cost from an estimated $102.5 million to just north of $2 billion.

The list, which offers a sampling of building and transportation projects from across the state, includes:

Size: 14.5-mile route

Location: A corridor between downtown Minneapolis and Eden Prairie

Cost: $2.003 billion

Owner: Metropolitan Council

Description:The Southwest LRT line is the biggest public works project in Minnesota history. It encompasses 16 stations, 29 new bridges, seven bridge modifications, eight tunnels, 15 at-grade crossings, 182,000 feet of track and more than 100 retaining walls. Major construction started in 2019. The line is scheduled to open for service in 2023.

Milestones to watch in 2020: The Metropolitan Council expects to get word of a full funding grant agreement in the first quarter of 2020. That puts the federal government on the hook for 48% of the project cost. In November 2018, theMet Council received a letter of no prejudicefrom the Federal Transit Administration, a milestone that cleared the way for construction.

Size: 13-mile route

Cost: $1.536 billion

Location: A route between downtown Minneapolis and Brooklyn Park

Owner: Metropolitan Council

Description:The project includes 11 new stations and construction along a corridor passing through Minneapolis, Golden Valley, Robbinsdale, Crystal and Brooklyn Park. The Met Council estimates it will take 6,500 construction workers to build the line. The estimated construction payroll is $300 million.

Milestones to watch in 2020: Once targeted for a 2020 construction start, the Bottineau project is in limbo because of a delay in executing a corridor-sharing agreement with the BNSF Railway. The project is at the 90% design stage. Hennepin County, a partner in the project, continues to work with communities on planning development around the corridor and other initiatives, county spokesman Kyle Mianulli said. The county remains absolutely committed to making the project happen, he said.

Ryan Cos. and its partner developers intend to build 3,800 housing units and hundreds of thousands of square feet of retail and employment space on the site once occupied by Ford Motor Co.s St. Paul manufacturing plant. (Submitted image: Ryan Cos. US Inc.)

Size: 122 acres

Location: Along Ford Parkway in St. Pauls Highland Park neighborhood

Cost: $1 billion-plus

Owner: Master developer Ryan Cos. US Inc. and various partners

Description:Roughly 3,800 mixed-income housing units, 150,000 square feet of retail space and 265,000 square feet of offices will anchor the site once occupied by a Ford Motor Co. manufacturing plant. The project will include 50 acres of parks and open space.

Milestones to watch in 2020: Ryan completed the $61 million acquisition of the development site in December. Also in December, Ryan announced a partnership with Weidner Apartment Homes for market-rate apartments on the site. Ryan previously tapped Project for Pride in Living and CommonBond Communities to deliver 760 affordable units. Ryan plans to break ground in spring 2020.

AECOMs Riversedge development will bring four towers offering a mix of residential, office, retail and hospitality to the former West Publishing site at 50 W. Kellogg Blvd. in St. Paul. (Submitted rendering: AECOM)

Size: A mix of Class A offices, apartments, retail, entertainment and hospitality uses in four towers.

Location: A 5-acre site overlooking the Mississippi River at 50 W. Kellogg Blvd.

Cost: $788 million

Owner: AECOM, with Ramsey County and the city of St. Paul

Description:The $278 million first phase will deliver 132,000 square feet of public realm space and trail connections, two towers with a 168-key hotel, 56 condo units, 350 rental apartments, 11,500 square feet of retail and 500 parking spaces. Phases two and three will bring two office-retail towers with additional parking. In all, the redevelopment will create 1,546 parking stalls, according to AECOM.

Milestones to watch in 2020: Last summer, after a six-month due diligence process and years of on-again, off-again proposals for the county-owned site, the Ramsey County Board agreed to a redevelopment deal with AECOM. Construction is expected to start in 2020.

The Minnesota Department of Transportations Twin Ports Interchange project is designed to improve safety and traffic flow in a busy freight corridor. Scopes of work include replacement of 35 bridges and reconstruction of a tangled interchange known to locals as the Can of Worms. (Submitted photo: MnDOT)

Size: Bridge and interchange replacements

Cost: $440 million

Location: At the intersection of Interstate 35, Interstate 535 and Highway 53 in Duluth

Owner: Minnesota Department of Transportation

Description:The Twin Ports Interchange project is designed to improve safety and traffic flow in a busy freight corridor. Scopes of work include replacement of 35 bridges and reconstruction of a tangled interchange known to locals as the Can of Worms.

Milestones to watch in 2020: MnDOT said in November that the projects estimated cost has grown to $440 million up from $343 million. Geotechnical challenges and the presence of contaminated soil and water are among the reasons for the higher cost. Despite the cost pressures, MnDOT plans to begin construction this spring on components that include the I-35 mainline, the main I-35/I-535/Highway 53 interchange, utilities, and culvert construction. Other components, such as the Garfield Avenue Interchange and replacement of the Highway 53 Bridge, are being delayed until more money is available. Initial construction is set to begin in May.

Canterbury Commons will bring hundreds of new housing units, entertainment, restaurants, and lodging to underused areas around Canterbury Park. Doran Cos. is building the first major project the Triple Crown Residences at Canterbury, a $100 million, 321-unit luxury apartment building. (Submitted image: Canterbury Park)

Size: 140 acres

Location: Canterbury Park property at 1100 Canterbury Road in Shakopee

Cost: $400 million

Owner: Canterbury Park

Description:Canterbury Commons will bring hundreds of new housing units, entertainment, restaurants, and lodging to underused areas around Canterbury Park. Doran Cos. is building the first major project the Triple Crown Residences at Canterbury, a $100 million, 321-unit luxury apartment building.

Milestones to watch in 2020: Canterbury officials have been working on infrastructure improvements to set the table for additional development. Planned new developments in 2020 include additional housing, offices, and other uses, said Jason Haugen, Canterburys director of development. Look for more announcements in the first quarter of 2020.

As part of its $326 million building program, the White Bear Lake School District intends to convert the vintage brick building at 4855 Bloom Ave. in White Bear Lake to a middle school. (Submitted photo: White Bear Lake School District)

Size: 485,000 square feet of new space

Location: Various locations in the White Bear Lake school district

Cost: $326 million

Owner: White Bear Lake Area Schools

Description:Voters in the White Bear Lake school district made history last fall when they approved a $326 million bond referendum, the largest in state history. The five-year construction program will touch all 16 buildings maintained by the district. Highlights include a 375,000-square-foot addition to White Bear Lake Area High Schools North Campus and a new elementary school in Hugo.

Milestones to watch in 2020: The school district is still in the planning phase. A planning group known as the Future of Learning Committee has met two times and two more meetings are scheduled for January. Construction will happen in phases through the 2024-25 school year.

A massing study submitted as part of the preliminary development plan for a massive, new water park at the Mall of America shows a hotel built between the water park and the water parks parking structure to the east. (Submitted illustration: DLR Group)

Size: 250,000-square feet

Cost: $250 million

Location: A surface parking site across from the Mall of Americas front entrance

Owner: Provident Resource Group is the nonprofit owner and operator

Description:Project backers say the new water park would bring more visitors and energy to the megamall, thus stimulating an indoor shopping attraction that accounts for 10 percent of the citys property tax base.

Milestones to watch in 2020: The Bloomington City Council granted zoning and entitlements for the water park in mid-December. In the first quarter of 2020, the council and Port Authority will consider the remaining development documents, according to the city.

PCL Construction Services submitted the $229.25 million low bid to construct an 11-level parking ramp here at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airports Terminal 1, also known as the Lindbergh Terminal. (Submitted image: Metropolitan Airports Commission)

Size: 11-level parking ramp

Cost: $240 million

Location: MSP Airport Terminal 1-Lindbergh Terminal

Owner: Metropolitan Airports Commission

Description:In the fall of 2017, PCL Construction Services set a new standard for projects at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport when it submitted the $229.25 million low bid to build the new Silver Ramp. Its the largest single construction contract ever awarded by the MAC. The 5,000-space ramp is under construction on a tight site between the existing Blue and Red ramps, the airport post office, and roadways leading to and from the terminal.

Milestones to watch in 2020: After more than two years of construction, the project is in the home stretch. John Welbes, a Metropolitan Airports Commission spokesman, said the parking structure is on schedule to open in April.

Construction bids came in 11 percent over the $102.5 million estimate for this planned Metro Transit bus garage at 560 Sixth Ave. N. in Minneapolis. (Submitted rendering)

Size: 400,000 square feet

Cost: $102.5 million to $114 million

Location: Western edge of Metro Transits Heywood campus at 560 Sixth Ave. N. in Minneapolis

Owner: Metropolitan Council

Description:The new garage will offer additional space for bus storage, maintenance, operations and support functions. The Met Council is rebidding the project. Initial bids came in well above the $102.5 million estimate. The Met Council was prepared to award the contract to Knutson, the second-lowest bidder, after concluding that low bidder Adolfson & Peterson didnt make a good faith effort to meet the councils 15% goal for participation of disadvantaged business enterprises. In September, A&P filed a lawsuit to challenge the councils decision. A&P dropped the lawsuit after learning that the council planned to rebid the project.

Milestones to watch in 2020: The Met Council is evaluating the bids and expects a contract to be awarded in early March, pending approvals from the transportation committee and the full council, Met Council spokeswoman Bonnie Kollodge said. Construction is expected to start in April and wrap up in September 2022.

See the article here:
Projects to watch in 2020 - Finance and Commerce

TRAVERSE CITY Churn is a theme that ran like a long unbroken thread through the tapestry of local business news in 2019.

Other major business stories of 2019 included the continuing shortage of workers in general and in the building trades in particular; a construction boom in and an around downtown Traverse City; the addition of more summer-season flights (several non-stop) into and out of Cherry Capital Airport; and efforts at Discovery Pier to attract more cruise ship traffic.

A cherry industry effort to tax unfairly priced imports of dried cherries from Turkey led by northwest Lower Michigan cherry processors marched through the halls of Washington D.C. all year. The effort is supported by Sen. Gary Peters (D-Michigan), who testified before the U.S. International Trade Commission on Dec. 3. The ITC is expected to issue a final determination on the request for import duties on or about Jan. 21.

Financial institutions made their mark on downtown Traverse City in 2019:

Sanctuary Handcrafted Goods owner Christie Minervini in August was named one of the Top 10 Retailers to Watch at the inaugural Retail Renaissance awards, part of NY NOW.

Readers of http://www.Record-Eagle.com were most engaged in 2019 by our September story announcing the closing of the Ruby Tuesday restaurant in East Bay Township. The bigger story, though, is that 2019 was an active year for both openings and closings across a wide swath of the retail and service industries. Churn the regular process of business turnover seemed particularly rapid this year.

The No. 3 most-read business story of the year dealt with the October closing of a Wendys franchise in East Bay Township (the franchisee plans to build a replacement elsewhere in town). Coming in at No. 7 was the closing of the La Senorita restaurant on Garfield Avenue (the La Senorita at 2455 U.S. 31 south of town remains open).

Locally owned restaurants in Traverse City also closed in 2019:

Those closures were balanced by the openings or expansions of new restaurants to serve area diners, including:

Churn also was visible across Traverse Citys retail scene:

West Side Beverage, 912 W. Front St., broke ground in November on a $1.1 million expansion project that will double retail space and add a pair of second-floor two-bedroom condominium units.

The Keith J. Charters Traverse City State Park isnt exactly a business, but it made the list of most-viewed business 2019 stories on http://www.Record-Eagle.com.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources closed the campground in September for an enhancement project that includes electrical service upgrades and a new restroom building. The 348-site campground (plus group camping area and two rental cabins) is set to reopen May 15.

See the original post:
Top business stories of 2019 | Business - Traverse City Record Eagle

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas After some delays, construction is picking up on the building of a new grocery store and restaurants on Padre Island. Those businesses are being built on a strip of land on Park Road 22.

When the project is finished, it'll be a 20,000 sq.-ft. strip center, called the Balli Center. It'll have enough space for retail and restaurants including IGA grocery store, Hardknocks Sports Grill, Domino's Pizza theater, Supercuts and another restaurant.

It's the grocery store many island residents are excited about. When it's built, it will be the island's first one.

Currently, the closest grocery store is the H-E-B Plus! in Flour Bluff, which is about five miles away. Plus, drivers have to drive on the JFK Causeway to get to there, which can be busy at times.

That's why many island residents are excited for construction to be completed.

"Once this is open, that (driving over the bridge) comes to an end," said island resident Jonathan Wood. "It's a gamechanger for us, so we're looking forward to it. It's going to be great."

Mohsin Rasheed, the project developer, says construction of the Balli Center is expected to wrap up by March 2020.

Read more:
Construction picking up on North Padre Island grocery store - KRIS Corpus Christi News

The T&D Region saw a year of growth in 2019, with groups and government bodies throughout the area improving old facilities and adding new ones. And more work is underway.

A list of some of the new work is listed below.

Claflin University

Claflin University kicked things off when it celebrated the completion of its Jonas T. Kennedy Health and Wellness Complex in January 2019.

The new construction expanded the former Jonas T. Kennedy gym. The facility now includes a modern weight room, group fitness area, community kitchen, indoor walking track, auxiliary gym and classrooms.

It is a two-level structure, the first floor being occupied by the weight room, classrooms and the community kitchen. It also includes an auxiliary gym with a walking track above.

There is also a space that could be used for a farmers market.

The second floor features treadmills and other workout equipment, as well as meeting rooms and a room for a kinesiology lab.

S.C. State

South Carolina State University also made strides by bringing Camp Harry Daniels in Elloree back to life.

The universitys 1890 Research and Extension Program received a $3.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to construct a new 1890 Research and Extension Center on the Camp Harry Daniels property near Elloree.

S.C. State President Dr. James Clark took university trustees and presidential cabinet members on a tour of the renovated 10,000-square-foot conference center located at the university-owned property.

The 16 cabins, which can serve as lodging for those who use the camp, are also being updated and renovated.

The USDA grant has enabled the university to demolish some of the dilapidated cabins and other facilities on the north side of the lake for construction of the new 1890 Research and Extension Center on the site.

The new, 15,000-square-foot center will include research laboratories, a nutrition lab, training rooms, a community multipurpose meeting space, classrooms and a technology room equipped to deal with the latest technology like multimedia conferencing.

The university, through federal dollars received by its 1890 program, is also building a similar center on campus and one in Charleston.

Orangeburg

County DSS/DHHS

April 2019 marked the ribbon cutting for the new, $5.6 million Orangeburg County Department of Social Services/Department of Health and Human Services building.

The single-story, 30,000-square feet building is located near The Technology Center on Magnolia Street. It houses about 120 employees.

The new building includes several Department of Health and Human Services and economic services interview rooms, job development space, two visiting rooms, an observation room and a board room.

County officials say the new building will provide more security to families and children going through the child welfare and foster care systems.

The new building also has a number of windows, unlike the former DSS building on St. Matthews Road, which was formerly warehouse space.

Bamberg-Barnwell center

The Regional Medical Centers $8.6 million Bamberg-Barnwell Emergency Medical Center opened in April.

The 20,500-square-foot facility is located at 1524 Barnwell Highway (Highway 70 between Denmark and Barnwell).

The emergency department is open 24 hours a day and seven days a week. Outpatient services are offered from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The outpatient side includes lab, ultrasound, radiology and CT. All these services will also be available to the emergency department.

The facility also features nine observation rooms and is equipped to handle ambulance and walk-in traffic. The facility includes consultation rooms, triage rooms and observation rooms.

BlueBird Theatre

Entertainment options expanded with the reopening of Orangeburg's BlueBird Theatre following structural repairs and other improvements made at the historic theater in 2019.

Structural problems were discovered in the theaters roof in the spring, forcing its closure.

The roof was repaired. Other work includes a repainted interior; the building of three terraces to replace the former sloped floor; the replacement of chairs with wider, lumbar-supported seating; and the replacement of interior lighting with energy-efficient LED fixtures.

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In addition, the lobby has been reconfigured to include a concession/retail sales area, as well as a technical control room.

Decorative doors have also been installed to separate the auditorium from the lobby and bathrooms have been remodeled.

With the renovations, the theater will be able to host a variety of events, along with the ability to offer dinner-theater style performances for a limited number of guests.

The Orangeburg Part-Time Players BlueBird Theatre is frequently the location for shows performed by both children and adults of the Orangeburg community, as well as students from Claflin and South Carolina State universities.

Gnotec

In the area of economic development, a Swedish automotive supplier cut the ribbon on its Orangeburg County plant in September.

Gnotec Group is investing $5.9 million and creating 78 new jobs over the next five years at the plant.

The 30,000-square-foot production facility is located in Carolina Regional Park off of U.S. 601 near Interstate 26.

The building formerly housed flooring company Mohawk Industries Inc. It is expandable to 50,000 square feet.

Denmark-Olar

In the area of recreation, it was in August that Denmark-Olar High School cut the ribbon on a new stadium, which has the capacity to seat 1,500 and the power to switch lights on and off with a smartphone app.

Todd McElveen, senior project manager of Thompson Turner Construction, has said the completion of the football stadium, concession stand and restroom facilities is part of a multi-phase project.

As part of the first phase, Thompson Turner renovated classrooms at the high school and built the new stadium.

McElveen said the second phase will include constructing a gymnasium.

Orangeburg

park complex

The Orangeburg community got its first look at the City of Orangeburg's new North Road recreational park complex during its own ribbon-cutting ceremony in December.

The complex is located behind Orangeburg Preparatory Schools North Road campus.

It has two clusters of baseball and softball fields, restrooms, walking and biking trails, picnic tables, playground equipment and open green space.

The complex also has two press boxes, concession stands and more than 500 parking spaces.

The facility has been touted as an ideal site for collegiate tournaments as well as youth softball and baseball tournaments.

The park's 1.9 miles of walking trails and open spaces will be free and open to the public from dawn to dusk. Individuals wanting to use the fields and pavilion will need to contact the Orangeburg Department of Parks and Recreation prior to use.

Projects underway

Farmers market/pavilion: The Downtown Orangeburg Revitalization Associations farmers market/pavilion on the square is scheduled for a mid-January opening.

The 6,000-square-foot, open-air pavilion will serve as the permanent home of the downtown farmers market. It will also host other community events.

The pavilion is located at the site of the former Sifly furniture building at the corner of Church and Russell streets.

The pavilion will have 12-foot high ceilings with room for storage, office space and two climate-controlled, handicapped accessible, multi-stalled restrooms. Fans and lighting will be installed.

The pavilion will also have natural and mechanical ventilation. Operators will be able to close it to the elements during inclement weather.

The facility will be able to house 32 10-foot by 10-foot vendor spaces. Power and water will be available for vendors.

OCtech's Nursing and Health Sciences building: Classes are set to begin in January for Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical Colleges new $12.5 million, 30,000-square-foot Nursing and Health Science building.

The structure features a large tiered classroom, computer lab, study rooms, skills practice lab and simulation labs with the latest technology to prepare students for careers as health care professionals.

Orangeburg-Calhoun Detention Center: Orangeburg County will be opening a new jail in 2020.

Enhanced safety is a priority with the construction of the new, $26 million jail.

With the new jail, everything is on one stretch. When you have somebody working in the control room, they'll actually be able to see the entire area with all the cells. All the areas let out into one hallway so that it's easier to do surveillance and maintain our security, our protocol, because you have the ability to see from the hallway in both directions, County Administrator Harold Young said.

The facilitys precast cells also have more security.

The jail's nurses facility will also be placed near the front of the jail rather than having to take the inmate throughout the facility.

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T&D TOP 10 OF 2019: New construction celebrated in region; more buildings on the horizon - The Tand D.com