Architect and developer Jake Schneider is beginning a $10 million project with a pair of historic buildings on Niagara Street, a few blocks northwest of City Hall, that he plans to renovate and restore into as many as 40 apartments and retail space.

Schneider, who has spent 10 years rehabilitating vacant historic buildings, acquired the 60,000-square-foot structure at 285-295 Niagara St., a half-mile from Niagara Square.

Plans call for converting the former storage facility into apartments and ground-floor retail, with a rooftop deck with views of Lake Erie, downtown Buffalo and the citys West Side.

Construction is expected to start in late summer, with completion expected by the summer of 2015.

This will be Schneiders eighth historic reuse project in downtown Buffalo since 2003. He is finishing the conversion of 149 Swan St. into the 80,000-square-foot Apartments @ The HUB, with 50 units and a ground-floor bicycle retailer, a bike gym and a pub. That project will wrap up this summer.

Historic renovation projects have become commonplace in Buffalo with its plethora of older, architecturally significant buildings and a desire by tenants for a home with character and unique features.

This is the type of downtown historic redevelopment we have been delivering over the past decade, said Schneider, president and CEO of Schneider Development LLC. We continue to see opportunity in the downtown housing market and are bullish on Niagara Street.

The project is adjacent to the West Village Historic Preservation District. Schneider said he plans to use state and federal historic tax credits to help finance the project, and will also approach the Erie County Industrial Development Agency, National Grid USA, National Fuel Gas Co. and the New York State Energy Research and Development Agency.

Schneider is hoping the reuse project will benefit from its location just a stones throw from key markets. The building is a few blocks from the headquarters of New Era Cap Co. and HealthNow New York and near the planned 12-story office and hotel tower that will be headquarters of Delaware North Cos. It is a half-mile from the burgeoning Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, so its a great location.

And it is within the first part of the citys Niagara Street Gateway Streetscape Project between Virginia Street and Niagara Square. Work is expected to start in the summer on creation or installation of new dedicated bicycle lanes, curbed bump-outs with green infrastructure, exposed aggregate and colored sidewalks, street lighting, and landscaping. Ultimately, the street transformation is intended to stretch up to Rich Products Corp.s headquarters.

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Schneider launches eighth downtown Buffalo project since 2003

Chicago, IL (PRWEB) March 12, 2014

Construct-A-Lead, the Construction Industrys most efficient construction lead service, reported today that the following New York construction projects will have the necessary approvals and will go forward. Businesses will have ample opportunities to provide construction bids and other services relative to these projects. Those interested parties are encouraged to visit construct-a-lead.com and reference the Project ID listed below to obtain direct contact information for each construction lead:

Queens, NY Flushing Commons - Plans call for the new construction of a 1.8 million SF redevelopment to include 600 condominiums, retail, commercial space, medical office space, 62,000 square-foot YMCA, and a parking garage for 1,600 vehicles. Construction start: Spring, 2014, estimated. $850,000,000 Project ID: 1324401

New York, NY 610 Lexington Ave - Plans call for the new construction of a 711-foot-tall, 91-unit luxury condominium tower to include commercial and office space. Construction start: Q4, 2014, Q1, 2015, $500,000,000. Project ID: 1323903

Clifton Park, NY - Clifton Park Hotel Plans call for the new construction of a 90 to 100 room hotel. Construction start: Q3, 2014. $10,000,000 Project ID: 1322436

Schenectady, NY Steinmetz High School Plans call for the renovation of high school classrooms, enhancing science laboratories, roof upgrades, as well as plumbing and other infrastructure work. Construction start: Q1, Q2, 2017. $17,500,000 Project ID: 1323016

New York, NY Barneys New York Plans call for the new construction of a 57,000 SF store on the site of a former Barneys flagship store. Preliminary plans also include a Freds restaurant. Construction start: Q3, Q4, 2014, estimated. $15,000,000 Project ID: 1320711

Amsterdam, NY St. Mary's Healthcare - Plans call for the new construction of an outpatient building to house its cancer medicine program, as well as imaging, labs and an urgent care. Construction start: Spring, 2014. $18,000,000 Project ID: 1318991

Syracuse, NY Skyler Commons - Plans call for the new construction of a five-story, 100-unit apartment building, with one-bedroom units. Project will have 55 parking spaces, including 30 in a basement garage. Construction start: July, 2014, $20,000,000. Project ID: 1323008

Albany, NY Broadway Arcade Plans call for the renovation and conversion of the five-story, vacant building into 68 apartments, and 12,600-square-feet of retail space. Construction start: Q2, Q3, 2014, estimated. $10,000,000 Project ID: 1322847

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Construct-a-Lead Reported Today That the Following New York Construction Projects Will Have the Necessary Approvals ...

Dan Gross/The Gazette

After he and his friends cleared snow from the ground on Feb. 27, Wilber Medina, 18, did tricks in the skateboard park that is part of Woodside Park in Silver Spring.

Silver Spring wants more green space, but county officials say challenges traffic, location, cost and design could stand in the way.

We dont have enough green space, said John Marcolin, urban designer at the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission. You cant just throw grass and trees and call it green space.

According to the Green Space Guideline for the Silver Spring Central Business District, 57 open spaces cover 32.61 acres in Silver Spring. The average open area is 0.57 acres.

The guideline says urban parks can bring economic benefits to surrounding neighborhoods and increase property values.

The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission acquired the largest consolidated area of public space Jesup Blair Park, which has 24 acres in 1943, according to the guide. Jesup Blair Park has a playground, a softball field, a baseball field, and two lighted tennis courts. There also is a picnic area, and the Hillandale Recreation Building is available for rent.

The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission has recognized three possible areas for a park. The commission considered how often the community will use the spaces and possible access points.

Among them are Parking Lot 3 between Thayer and Silver Spring avenues; the Giant parking lot on East-West Highway; and land surrounding Progress Place, a facility owned by Montgomery County that houses Shepherds Table.

The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission analyzed each space for potential users, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and challenges.

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Silver Spring eyes more green space -- Gazette.Net

Toronto, Canada (PRWEB) March 12, 2014

Clean-Slate Janitorial Services (http://www.clean-slate.ca), a Greater Toronto Area-based professional cleaning company that specializes in commercial office cleaning, retail maintenance, floor restoration, carpet cleaning, and construction site cleanup, is pleased to announce it has added the NaceCare TTQ3035 floor scrubber to its list of advanced janitorial products to better serve its clients in the GTA.

Because businesses use different types of carpet, flooring, and tiles, its important to be as up-to-date as possible with the most advanced cleaning products and techniques, says Sam Panousis, owner and operator of Clean-Slate Janitorial Services. When it comes to having office floors cleaned, regardless of their size, nothing is as quick and efficient as the NaceCare TTQ3035 scrubber.

With spring just around the corner, Panousis notes that many businesses in the GTA will be looking for convenient, affordable ways to get their offices professionally cleaned. Thats why Clean-Slate has incorporated the NaceCare TTQ3035 scrubber, which is designed to be compact, easy to operate, and exceptionally manoeuvrable. Its deep scrubbing action ensures optimal deep cleaning performance and is ideal for all types of floors, including grouted tile, which is often found on office floors and walkways in stores, shops, and restaurants.

Panousis explains that advanced industrial, commercial, and retail floor cleaning equipment such as the NaceCare TTQ3035 is designed to maximize productivity and minimize total operating costs.

At Clean-Slate Janitorial Services, we know the importance of maintaining a clean office or retail space; its the first thing a customer sees when they enter a place of business, Panousis concludes. Our addition of the NaceCare TTQ3035 was done to better serve the needs of our clients, something weve been doing successfully in Vaughan, the GTA, and the surrounding areas for almost 10 years.

Clean-Slate Janitorial Services has been serving commercial customers in the Greater Toronto Area, including downtown Toronto, Vaughan, Mississauga, Brampton, and Markham, for eight years. Services provided by Clean-Slate Janitorial Services include commercial office cleaning, retail management and janitorial services, floor restoration and buffing, carpet cleaning, window and blind cleaning, and construction site cleanup. To learn more about Clean-Slate Janitorial Services and to get a free quote, visit the companys web site at http://www.clean-slate.ca or call 416-509-7454.

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Clean-Slate Janitorial Services Adds NaceCare TTQ3035 Automatic Floor Scrubber to Its Arsenal of Advanced Equipment

NIAGARA FALLS With shovels already in the ground, construction is continuing on the $10.2 million, 110-room Wingate by Wyndham at Fourth Street and Rainbow Boulevard.

The project being developed by Plati Niagara Inc., a company formed by Antonio, Frank and Anthony Strangio is expected to be completed in the late spring of 2015, Picone Construction Corp. of Clarence recently announced.

The construction company also gave the public the first glimpse renderings for the four-story project.

Picone is building the 100,000-square-foot facility on the site of a former empty lot.

The project includes 4,000 square feet of retail space along Rainbow Boulevard, which Frank Strangio previously said the company hoped would be a chain restaurant. No announcement of a tenant for the retail space has been made to date.

In early February, the project was awarded a $980,000 grant from the state. The grant is to be used to reimburse Plati Niagara for construction costs.

The city approved plans for the project last June.

The project architect is Silvestri Architects of Amherst.

Plati Niagara bought the 1.82-acre parcel in December 2012 for $1.1 million from Frank Deni and JFD Holdings, according to records in the Niagara County Clerks Office.

The Niagara County Industrial Development agency granted a 10-year payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreement, with an estimated savings of about $1.5 million, last May.

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Construction on Falls hotel continuing

LOUISVILLE Louisville will get a new four-diamond hotel along with a much-anticipated downtown grocery, retail shops and 200 apartments under a $261 million downtown development plan announced today by Mayor Greg Fischer and Governor Steve Beshear.

Omni Hotels & Resorts will build a 600-room convention hotel on the old Water Company Block at Third and Liberty streets that will be adjacent to 200 apartments constructed by The Cordish Companies, according to a news release from Omni. The project the fist Omni in Kentucky will also include an upscale grocery and retail space for other shops.

The development will be among the largest projects under construction in the region and will be a catalyst for the continued revitalization of downtown Louisville, Fischer said today. Construction is anticipated to begin in 2015 and the project will open no later than 2017. The project is a joint deal between Omni, Cordish, Metro Government and the State of Kentucky, which is providing support in the form of a rebate of taxes that will be generated by the project.

He and Beshear were joined by Cordish Director of Development Nick Benjamin and Mike Deitemeyer, president of Omni Hotels & Resorts, in making the announcement.

This project is a major infusion in our downtown and to the citys entire economy, Fischer said. It will create jobs, both temporary construction positions and permanent jobs, and it will boost our convention and tourism industry as Omni provides a new level of luxury hotel.

Fischer said that he is particularly pleased that downtown will, at long last, get an upscale grocery.

Citizens and visitors have told us for years that a grocery was the biggest missing component to downtown, Fischer said. Im pleased to say that a new grocery is on the way.

This investment will be a catalyst for more convention activity, while bringing more out of state visitors to Kentucky, said Gov. Beshear. By leveraging the Kentucky International Convention Center and Louisvilles dynamic downtown, the plans for the project will bring added excitement and events to Louisville. Its these types of public/private partnerships that help make Kentucky the ideal place to conduct business and share ideas.

The Omni Louisville Hotel, in conjunction with the planned expansion of the Kentucky International Convention Center, will serve as a critical amenity in the retention and expansion of conventions to the state, Gov. Steve Beshear said.

The project will create 1,350 construction jobs and 350 permanent jobs. The specific components of the project are:

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Luxury hotel coming to downtown Louisville

City Hall anticipates reaching an agreement next week with the team redeveloping the building once known as the Main Street Mall to reduce the impacts of the construction on nearby businesses.

Park City officials, representatives from the contractor and a Main Street leader are scheduled to meet Wednesday afternoon to discuss possibilities at the site. The construction zone, the largest on Main Street, has come to symbolize an increasingly tense situation along the popular shopping, dining and entertainment strip. There have been widening complaints in recent weeks about a drop in sales on Main Street that businesses are pinning on a series of construction sites.

Businesses close to the onetime Main Street Mall site, particularly those uphill from the construction zone, are especially displeased. They say that sales in some cases have tanked as pedestrians have not ventured past the construction zone to the businesses beyond.

Chad Root, the chief building official at City Hall and one of the municipal government's negotiators, outlined three options for the site in an interview on Thursday.

They are:

Root in the interview cautioned the second and third options could slow progress, extending the work by up to a year beyond the expected completion date. The developer recently indicated the project could be completed in December. The second and third options involve shifting loading, unloading and material storage to the upper Park Avenue side of the site, Root said. Doing so could be politically risky, though, given the residential nature of upper Park Avenue. The people who live there would almost certainly object.

"There's no win on it, for sure. It's a no-win situation," Root said.

Root spoke to Mayor Jack Thomas and the Park City Council during a Thursday meeting, describing the ongoing talks between City Hall, the contractor and Main Street. He said the sides remain concerned. Root acknowledged that the contractor did not make significant adjustments over the past week while waiting for further direction from the elected officials. More skis were affixed to the Main Street-facing construction fence, though, he said.

Root told the elected officials the construction crews at the former Main Street Mall site could at some point request to be allowed to temporarily close part of Main Street to traffic to bring a crane to the location under the second and third options.

Thomas and the City Council took comments from a few people about the construction zone. Two speakers worried about activity being shifted to upper Park Avenue. Another speaker, The Eating Establishment owner Rick Anderson, said it is important that sidewalks remain open as he described a decline in sales. He worried that the work is setting a precedent along Main Street.

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As sales suffer, accord sought at Main Street construction zone

A planned $80 million project in Carmel would bring a retirement community, apartments and retail to a stretch of Main Street near U.S. 31.

Representatives of developer Edward Rose & Sons on Monday introduced their designs to the Carmel City Council, whose approval is needed to clear zoning hurdles.

The plans call for 422 luxury apartments; a retirement community with a mix of independent living, assisted and memory care; and townhomes for sale and rent. There also will be retail space, surface and garage parking and an area for a future hotel.

Steve Hardin, an attorney for Edward Rose, told the council that the developer aims to start construction on the infrastructure in the first quarter of 2015, with the buildings to follow later in the year.

The apartments will be built in three phases over three years, he said, while the retirement community is expected to be finished by the end of 2016.

Based in Michigan, Edward Rose has a regional office in Indianapolis. The company specializes in real estate development as well as property management, and would serve as the eventual landlord for the apartments and retirement community.

If plans are approved, the intersection of Main and Old Meridian streets will be decidedly different by 2015. Developer Keystone Realty is seeking approval to build Sophia Pointe, a five-story mixed-use development with as many as 200 apartments across from The District.

On the southwest side of the development, Grand Boulevard will be extended to Main from its existing roundabout with Old Meridian.

The two developments would be situated not far from U.S. 31, a largely commercial corridor thats been designated for high-density office use. But the immediate area has a mix of uses, including apartments, retail and schools.

Its a great fit for the Old Meridian District, said Councilwoman Sue Finkam. This project offers a lot of amenities that residents of that area would like to have.

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Carmel considers $80 million development

It expects the increase in retail space through new stores and renovation will help drive its sales up to Bt8 billion in six years from Bt2.97 billion last year.

About Bt2.7 billion will be spent to renovate Fashion Island, Terminal 21 and The Promenade over three years.

At least three new stores will be launched in Nakhon Ratchasima, Khon Kaen and Nakhon Si Thammarat, while major tourism destinations such as Chiang Mai, Pattaya and Phuket are being evaluated as prospective future locations, Prasert Sriuranpong, executive |director of the retail development arm of Land and Houses, the country's leading housing developer, said yesterday.

The company is investing long term to cash in on the trend towards economic prosperity of the country, especially with the rapid urbanisation in the provinces and the coming to fruition of the Asean Economic Community next year.

''Even though the country has suffered from the prolonged political tensions, the economy still shows strong fundamentals with continuous growth in the future. This is optimistic for our investment,'' he said.

The stores in the two northeastern provinces of Nakhon Ratchasima, known as Korat, and Khon Kaen will require Bt5 billion each. Korat will be operating first in early 2016 on a 52-rai site, followed by Khon Kaen later in the year on 55 rai. Both will have retail space of 70,000 square metres and will be named Terminal 21, after the company's successful retail centre in Bangkok.

The Nakhon Sri Thammarat property will be located on 41 rai. The firm has prepared Bt3 billion for construction, but details on its concept and name are pending deeper study of local lifestyles. The province shows clear potential with a growing rubber industry.

Korat is the gateway to the Northeast and Khon Kaen the capital of upper Isaan.

They boast a combined population of 4.6 million people with greater spending power. Infrastructure will also be improved, especially in Korat, which will be reached by two-rail trains and bullet trains. Korat will grow exponentially in the future, similar to Bangkok.

Recently, Central Group revealed plans for a CentralPlaza as the biggest store in Korat. Construction of the shopping complex occupying 52 rai outside the city centre will cost Bt7 billion with completion scheduled in early 2016. Currently, The Mall is the big player in Korat.

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Siam Retail keeps faith in Thailand with Bt20 bn stake over 6 years

Published: Wednesday, February 26, 2014 at 10:23 p.m. Last Modified: Wednesday, February 26, 2014 at 10:23 p.m.

New construction work on Cypress Gardens Boulevard across the street from Legoland Florida is for a 5,125-square-foot retail building expected to be built by June. The project is being developed by Winter Haven-based Swain Development. Company owner Brian Swain would not say what tenants will take up in the retail space. He is expecting one tenant to use about 2,000 square feet and a second to use about 3,000. The outparcel has been planned as part of Winter Haven Square since it was first built 20 years ago, but the success of Legoland has helped create the demand for its development, Swain said.

New construction work on Cypress Gardens Boulevard across the street from Legoland Florida is for a 5,125-square-foot retail building expected to be built by June. The project is being developed by Winter Haven-based Swain Development. Company owner Brian Swain would not say what tenants will take up in the retail space. He is expecting one tenant to use about 2,000 square feet and a second to use about 3,000. The outparcel has been planned as part of Winter Haven Square since it was first built 20 years ago, but the success of Legoland has helped create the demand for its development, Swain said.

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The Insider: More Retail Space on Cypress Gardens ...