A developers plan to construct an 82-unit apartment building at Southeast Division Street and 37th Avenue has drawn the ire of nearby residents who say the project will clog streets and leave less parking.

The four-story building will include a small portion of retail space and three stories of apartments, with studios, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units.

The developer, Urban Development Group, wants to build small, affordable apartments for young people who dont need lots of space and who work in the service industry, said project manager David Mullens.

Unhappy Richmond neighborhood residents confronted Mullens during an open house Monday night at the Waverly Heights United Church of Christ. The neighbors focused on two concerns: parking and the effect on the Division Green Street/Main Street Plan, a project passed by the City Council.

Parking is an issue because construction of the building wont include new spaces. Mullens said the company would lease a lot across the street with 18 spaces that might fit 20 cars.

He also said the project will be marketed to those without cars and that incentives, including bus passes, are possible.

But some neighbors said that isnt enough.

Allowing an 82-unit building without parking is a dangerous precedent, said Jordan Lanz, who lives four blocks from the site.

Lanz said after the meeting that hes worried other developers will construct similar buildings on Division Street with little or no parking for tenants.

The city has encouraged high-density housing along public transportation corridors. Lanz acknowledged that but suggested such developments should be smaller or not clustered in the same neighborhoods.

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An apartment building proposed for Southeast Division and 37th concerns neighbors

A deck collapsed overnight at an apartment complex on Corby Avenue rendering two apartments uninhabitable, Thursday, March 15, 2012.

Two Santa Rosa families were evacuated from their Corby Avenue apartment building Thursday morning after an upstairs deck collapsed in the early morning hours, fire personnel said.

No one was injured, and the families were never at immediate risk.

But the wood-construction deck served as the only entrance and exit for one of the families, and their apartment has been red-tagged as uninhabitable by the Sonoma County building department, Santa Rosa Fire Battalion Chief Jack Piccinini said.

Those living in the apartment below them also were told evacuate because the damaged deck is right above their entry, he said.

Piccinini said he hoped the deck could be shored up quickly and the families permitted to return. The American Red Cross is providing emergency housing for a few days in the meantime, he said.

The roughly 10-by-15-foot deck apparently had been rotting out without anyone noticing until a large portion of it gave way around 4:30 a.m. Thursday, upsetting plants, a barbecue, a bicycle and the like, and creating a racket that awakened those sleeping inside, Piccinini said.

One point of the deck is collapsed, he said. It's still attached to the building, but it's sagging dramatically.

The residents were told to stay inside and stay safe until the morning, when firefighters returned to guide them out safely after they had collected enough belongings to get them through a couple of days.

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No one injured in deck collapse at Santa Rosa apartment building

Arlington, VA (PRWEB) March 15, 2012

Just off Route 50, within blocks of the Courthouse Metro station, Insight Property Group LLC has kicked off construction of Grayson Flats Arlington, a 67-unit luxury apartment building scheduled to deliver in October of 2012. Buvermo Investments of Bethesda, MD is the equity partner in the $25 million development.

The four-story Grayson Flats will be the first completed development project for Insight. Founded in 2009 by longtime multifamily industry veterans Richard Hausler and Michael Blum, the Tysons Corner, VA-based company has acquired over 500 existing apartments and has over 1,000 more multifamily units in its current development pipeline.

In addition to Grayson Flats, current Insight development projects include two buildings scheduled to break ground later this year: one in downtown Silver Spring, MD and one near the Huntington Metro station in Alexandria, VA. Two more projects -- another development in Arlington and one on H Street, NE in Washington, D.C. -- will follow shortly thereafter.

Grayson Flats is being built on a 1.67-acre site at 1200 North Rolfe Street, which Insight acquired in 2010. The company demolished an existing 55-year-old apartment complex and is replacing it with the new high-end Grayson Flats. The site abuts Fort Myer and has a park-like setting, yet is conveniently located just off the Route 50 ramp and a few blocks from Courthouse Metro. It also is near a variety of eclectic shops and restaurants on Wilson Boulevard.

Transportation and transit are key selling points for the project. Grayson Flats residents will enjoy quick and easy access to the entire Rosslyn-Ballston corridor, the Columbia Pike Corridor, Routes 50 and 66, the George Washington Parkway, Key Bridge, Georgetown, the Pentagon, and major employment centers throughout the Washington, D.C. region. Not only is Metro within walking distance, but there is Metrobus service next-door and bike-sharing stations nearby.

Grayson Flats is one of a handful of projects to break ground in the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor over the past year, said Sarah Davidson, Managing Director/Partner of Insight Property Group. As a smaller boutique project, its a contrast to the 150-plus unit developments prevalent in the area. It offers spacious floor plans, green space, courtyards, balconies and terraces, an ideal setting for dog owners, and a fantastic location.

Lessard Design, Inc. and Preston Partnership designed a modern, amenity-rich building that will offer apartments larger than typical Ballston/Rosslyn offerings. The homes will average 1,100 square feet; the largest units, with two bedrooms, two and a half baths, and a den, will offer over 1,450 SF of living space. Selected residences will have their own 400 SF rooftop terraces and all homes will have large transom windows that create light-filled spaces.

Grayson Flats will offer a variety of outdoor amenities including a courtyard with open cabanas, fire pit and bocce lawn, and a rooftop deck for residents with views towards downtown Washington. Other shared amenities will include garage parking under the building with elevator access to all levels, a fitness center, lounge with a kitchen, bar, cyber caf, Wi-Fi, and a billiards area. In addition to being pedestrian-friendly, the building will provide bike storage and an electric car charging station.

Each individual apartment will have a balcony or terrace, hardwood flooring, stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, and full-size washer and dryer, as well as high-end cabinets, fixtures, and lighting.

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Insight Property Group Starts Construction of 67-Unit Luxury Apartment Building in Arlington, VA

NORTH MANKATO The developer of the Marigold project in North Mankato unveiled a new project Tuesday that would bring a $16 million, six-story, 101-unit rental housing complex to lower North Mankato.

With mostly one- and two-bedroom units, the complex would aim for higher-end renters those making $50,000 a year or more with rents estimated at $1,100 to $1,800 per month.

The developer will seek an estimated $1.8 million in tax-increment financing spread over 24 years to help finance the project.

Van Moody built and opened the first phase of the development just over a year ago and had planned two future phases. Architect Bryan Paulsen told the North Mankato Port Authority on Tuesday that the proposal combines phase two and part of phase three with the plan being called Marigold 2.5.

Sometimes bigger is more cost effective. Thats the case here, Paulsen said of the proposal.

The building would include underground parking, along with some covered parking on the first level as well as outdoor parking. The first floor would also contain a lobby, bar/lounge area for tenants, and a fitness room.

The five stories of housing would include amenities such as granite countertops and individual balconies on each room.

City Administrator Wendell Sande said details of the proposal will be firmed up during the next 60 to 90 days after which Moody will have firm budget numbers and a formal financial proposal for the city.

U.S. Bank is providing primary financing and President Todd Loosbrock said the bank is continuing to do its due diligence on the loan package.

If the financing and other details come together in the next three months, construction could begin in July with the building opening in 2013.

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Developer unveils six-story, 101-unit apartment building for North Mankato

There was a significant drop in the number of new homes and apartment buildings under construction in the final quarter of last year.

Bureau of Statistics data show the total number of new homes under construction fell 6.9 per cent in the December quarter of 2011 in seasonally-adjusted terms.

It also found the number of apartments being built plunged 13.9 per cent.

The result came on top of a decline of 5.8 per cent in the September quarter, downwardly revised.

Housing Industry Association senior economist Andrew Harvey says the apartment sector has fared worse than private home construction in the past year.

"You've had the removal of the last bits of the government stimulus flowing through in the public sector, and that's coming off as well," Mr Harvey said.

"The public sector does have a high degree of apartment buildings, so that's flowing through there." Mr Harvey says the figures should send a signal to the Reserve Bank on interest rates, after it kept the official cash rate on hold in February and March.

"They probably should have cut at the last meeting," he said.

"We've seen a pretty weak GDP result for the December quarter, and continuing signs that much of the economy isn't as strong as it should be, and some rate relief really is needed." Although the figures reflect activity from last year, TD Securities head of Asia-Pacific research Annette Beacher says they are a key leading indicator of construction activity, and this latest result does not bode well for the sector in the near term.

"While mining, business investment and exports as a share of GDP continue to surge, dwelling investment as a share of GDP in 2011 was 3 per cent, back to levels usually associated with an outright recession," Ms Beacher said in a note on the data.

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New home construction continues to slide

A photo from the East Norwich Avenue apartment fire.

Columbus fire responded to a fire in the 100 block of East Norwich Avenue at about 5:30 a.m.

Firefighters pulled two victims, 34-year-oldChris Lennonand 31-year-old Jessica Walker, out of the burning apartment. They remain in critical condition at The Ohio State University's Wexner Medical Center.

Battalion Chief Michael Fowler told NBC4 the male victim is not an Ohio State student but the female either is a student now or is an alumnus. The victims have not been identified while family and friends are told about the fire.

Brad Defauw lives next door to the apartment on East Norwich Ave. that burned Tuesday morning. He said it could have happened to him.

"But as far as, you know, a real fire during the night,I guess right now we don't even have any sort of protection at this point, said Defauw.

Thats because the two smoke detectors in his apartment are broken.

"This is right up here. This is where our smoke detector should be (pointing to a smoke detector without a cover)but obviously you can see that it's not really in place right now. We have a battery, but that battery is dead, explained Defauw.

What about the smoke detector upstairs?

"The battery has been beeping for quite some time, Defauw said.

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North Campus Apartment Fire Has Students Thinking About Safety

The Arlington County Board has approved a loan to a non-profit that would fund the construction of an 83-unit affordable-unit apartment building on Columbia Pike.

The Board voted 4-0 to lend up to $6 million to the non-profit developer AHC Inc., which is headquartered in Arlington. The building would be located at 5511 Columbia Pike and replace a Shell gas station, part of a parking lot, and some other undeveloped land.

Funding for the project would come from the county's Affordable Housing Investment Fund, as well as from the AHCMultifamily Revolving Loan Fund, which is made up of federal Community Development Block Grant funds.

It is through public-private partnerships like this that the County is working to preserve affordable housing opportunities on Columbia Pike as the corridor redevelops, County Board Chair Mary Hynes said in a statement. This is an important investment that will help ensure that Columbia Pike, even as it is revitalized with more ground-floor retail, more public spaces and new housing, remains affordable for working people.

The six-story structure would include nineteen apartments affordable to families making 50 percent of the area's median income ($53,750 for a family of four). 64 units would be affordable to families earning 60 percent of the area median income ($64,500 for a family of four).

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Arlington Approves Affordable Housing Loan

MYFOXNY.COM - John Street between Broadway and Nassau Street in Lower Manhattan has five major construction projects all going on simultaneously. The trucks, saws, and cement mixers are loud.

Barbara Minsky's apartment building has a crane next to it. Pace University is building a dormitory on the corner of John Street and Broadway. Across the street the MTA is restoring a landmark building connected to the future Fulton Street transfer station. A hotel is under construction on John. Con Edison is putting in new gas lines beneath the street. And the city is putting in new sidewalks and water lines by John and Nassau.

Who allowed so many projects? Answer: the city's Lower Manhattan Construction Command Center and Department of Buildings. A spokesman said DOB gave permission for construction work from 6 a.m. to midnight at 182 Broadway by John Street. But the spokesman claims DOB has received no complaints.

Catherine Hughes, the vice chair of Community Board 1, said dozens of people angrily complained at Tuesday's board meeting. Hughes said some concessions have been made. Con Ed will finish in two weeks, and deliveries will begin at 7 a.m. -- not 6 a.m.

Local small businesses are hurting. Roxy Diner has been on John Street for 40 years, and now the construction has driven away customers. Thomas Tsolomytis, the owner, said he worries he may have to close the shop. He said business is worse than after 9/11.

Some construction workers say these projects means hundreds jobs for them and when completed would aid in he economic recovery of Lower Manhattan after 9/11.

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Lower Manhattan Construction Noise

A new downtown Akron apartment building is taking shape and soon its roof will take shape, too.

The upscale apartment complex, named 401 Lofts, is being built on 2.2 acres at Main and Cedar streets on property that formerly housed the Parrish McIntyre auto repair store.

The lofts are being built by Middleburgh Heights-based Richland Communities the same development company that built the neighboring 22 Exchange.

But unlike 22 Exchange, which requires residents to be students at an accredited university, 401 Lofts will be geared toward students and young professionals.

These are upscale, high-end apartments located in downtown that we think will attract not only students, but young professionals and others who have that desire to live in downtown Akron, said Michael Weiss, project manager for 401 Lofts and 22 Exchange.

401 Lofts will include amenities such as a full fitness center, computer lab, printing stations, free tanning beds, a resort-style heated pool, on-site parking, conference rooms, a yoga studio and a 15-person movie screening room.

Theres a little bit of everything, Weiss said.

Construction is on pace to open the building for occupancy by August 2013, Weiss said. The J-shaped building has been framed and part of the building will be under roof shortly, he said.

The $12 million complex will be similarly priced to 22 Exchange, which rents by the bedroom, starting at $600 a month. Rents havent been set yet for 401 Lofts, but will mostly likely be around $700 a month, Weiss said.

Units at 401 Lofts also will be rented by the bedroom, each of which includes a bathroom. There are 189 units and 323 beds. The project also will have some studio apartments, which are not available at 22 Exchange.

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New downtown Akron lofts taking shape

ABU DHABI -- In 2008, Jane Strachan and her husband, Andrew, bought an apartment in the Empire Tower, a 230-meter building that was still under construction. Tired of paying Abu Dhabi's notoriously high rents, the South African expatriates wanted to make the apartment their home.

Four years later they are still waiting for their apartment, which was marketed at 3.5 million dirhams, or about $953,000. Construction on the project has stalled and they have been unable to get a refund of the 1 million dirhams they paid to the developer, who is not returning calls.

"We feel robbed," Ms. Strachan said. "We feel exploited and absolutely helpless."

Stories like Ms. Strachan's are common in Dubai, the neighboring emirate. After one of the biggest construction booms in history, there is a glut of luxury apartments in Dubai, prices have fallen more than 50 percent and thousands of people who paid for homes before construction are stuck with investments in half-built developments.

Now Abu Dhabi, the oil-rich capital of the United Arab Emirates, is experiencing many of the same problems.

"You would have thought Abu Dhabi would have paid attention to what happened in Dubai," said Paul Preston, managing director of Elysian Real Estate, a U.A.E. property company. "But that is not the case."

Abu Dhabi's ruling family did not open the market to international buyers until 2005, three years after Dubai. In the wake of the decision, the government announced plans to spend billions of dollars on new developments, generating a surge in buying.

"Frenzy is a good way to put it," said Craig Plumb, head of research in the U.A.E. for Jones Lang LaSalle, the property consulting firm. "People were paying more for projects that weren't built than projects that were built."

Developers were offering attractive deals with low down payments to entice buyers. Some projects sold out in one day, primarily to investors.

"Instead of just buying one apartment and putting 50 percent down, they were buying five apartments and putting 10 percent down on each," Mr. Plumb said.

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Once Sky High, Abu Dhabi's Prices Tumble to Earth