St. Johns city council has approved in principle the expansion of downtowns Scotia Centre. Earlier this month, council gave the go-head for East Port Properties to add a three-storey building to the 235 Water St. property.

The extension will be constructed on the podium deck, or open space, that faces Water Street, said Coun. Tom Hann at city councils Jan. 6 meeting. The development will consist of three storeys, and will create over 2,600 square metres of floor area, which includes Class A office space and retail space at the street level.

The amount of open space left after the construction will remain open to the public, said Hann. The plan is to revitalize the podium space at the rear of the building facing Harbour Drive, what is known as Ayers Lane. Its also proposed for redevelopment.

Under downtown parking guidelines, the development would require 36 parking spaces to be created, but the developer is considering payment in lieu, said Hann.

The proposal was in front of the citys standing committee on planning and development in December, which recommended approval, attaching the conditions that the developer submit landscape design and art work for the remaining podium space, discuss parking options, and that council schedule a public meeting on the application.

Mayor Dennis OKeefe said more parking spaces are being created downtown, but the city is also starting to see more applications from developers who plan payments in lieu of parking spaces in their proposals.

Weve got to have a serious look at that before we end up defeating what weve created, lets put it that way, he said.

Hann noted that the city hasnt actually accepted any proposals with payments in lieu yet, but there are three or four on the books.

Staff is always looking at it from the point of, what can we do as an alternative to payment in lieu? he said. Can we find parking elsewhere? Can we find parking in some of the new parking garages? Can they find parking in Atlantic Place and so on? Staff is always aware of the situation of trying not to erode any advancement that weve done in terms of identifying parking spaces in the downtown.

Council voted to accept the planning and development committee reports recommendations.

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Developer plans Scotia Centre expansion

Ashburn-based Meladon Development Group submitted a rezoning application for its Cascades Overlook development on Jan. 8.

Their proposal is to change the land, which was formerly the Faith Bible Church campus, into a development with 253 multi-family dwelling units, 135,000 square feet of retail space, 8,000 square feet of office space and a minimum of 8,600 feet for civic use in Sterling.

New zoning would change the land from single-family residential and planned-development office park to planned-development town center.

The Board of Supervisors will decide whether or not to approve the request in February.

Don Wooden, the president of Meladon Group, understands that the process won't be easy, and that there are opponents to the development, but he believes he has made a strong case to make the new zoning possible. Wooden hopes that a promise to build 100 percent of the commercial space before they begin residential construction will put approval of the development over the edge.

Apartments within the complex are currently slated to be named Eagles Crest; the Meladon Group's Cascades Overlook is not related to the apartment complex of the same name already in Sterling.

"We have two key components," said Wooden.

"One: we have a signed lease with Harris Teeter. And then we have a restaurant destination where we intend to bring in five restaurants called the crescent area.

It will encompass a very lively public space. The neatest part of that space is we are having a Loudoun County wine tasting area."

Wooden said one of the restaurants that would occupy the space has already signed an agreement with Chuy's Mexican Cantina, a Texas-based company, which will take 7,000 square feet of space.

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New development seeks Board approval in February

What was once an Ethan Allen store in Wheaton

As a shopping center landlord or retail developer, you might find yourself with a big empty retail space you need fill especially if you had Borders or Circuit City as a tenant. Finding a single tenant to occupy all that space in todays economy can be challenging, so the smarter and more feasible move is to hire a retail construction contractor that can provide you with the various pre-bid commercial construction budgets needed for subdividing that big box into a multi-tenant space.

We frequently get asked the question, How many tenants do we need before a general contractor can give us commercial construction budgets for a shopping center construction job? The answer is none. Because Englewood Construction has been in the retail construction and shopping center construction field for so long, we have pricing models based on square footage, level of finish and geographic area for virtually every retail and restaurant construction concept.

became a multi-tenant commercial construction job

As long as you know what type of tenants you might want, the best commercial construction firms should be able to give you a pre-construction services construction budget. Case in point cellular phone places always look for 1,500 square feet, sandwich shops are typically 2,000, fast-casual restaurants want 3,500 and outlet stores are 6,000 to 8,000 square feet.

What typically happens is the first tenant dictates how the rest of the space is divided. Say a big tenant signs a lease that leaves you with 7,500 square feet. You should then ask for construction pricing models for the different ways the remaining space can be used, whether its a fine dining restaurant, a mix of middle and high-end retail or even simple office space.

As long as you are working with a general contractor who has shopping center construction experience, your GC will know its construction pricing models should include vanilla box budgeting as well as tenant budgeting, based on the type of tenants you are pursuing. Of course the best Chicago commercial contractors will also factor due diligence with municipalities into their budgets. And if its a Chicago commercial construction project, the Mayor Daley black iron fence rule should also be noted by your GC. If your GC doesnt know that rule, dont work with them.

that leased attractive tenants such as Koenig & Strey Real Living

Another benefit to working with a GC early on for construction budgeting is that most architectural fees are based off of square footage or the cost of construction. So not only can the right construction firm help determine your square footage rental rates with its construction pricing models, but it can also help figure out your soft costs, too.

When it comes to the physical construction of subdividing your retail space, its always smart to dance with the one you brought. Use a GC that provided you with pricing models because the firm is already familiar with your project so there isnt the additional cost and time of getting another commercial construction firm up to speed.

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Commercial Construction Tips | Multi-Tenant Space ...

CARBONDALE A proposal was made for a new residential/retail building in downtown Carbondale on Tuesday night at the Carbondale City Council meeting.

Tartan Reality Group and OKW Architects proposed a new building to be located at 710 S. Illinois Ave. in Carbondale, which would be filled with retail opportunities and student housing.

Michael Fitzgerald of OKW Architects said the ground floor of the building would be available for retail shops and the rest of the building mainly for residential.

Fitzgerald said there would be four upper floors of apartments with a proposed 358 beds that would include one, two and four bedroom apartments.

The proposal included 86 parking spots for residents.

The retail portion of the proposal included 4,000 square feet of retail space, said Fitzgerald. There were 38 retail parking spots included.

Fitzgerald said parking would be hidden with access off of Illinois Avenue and Freeman Street.

Council members brought up concerns about having enough parking for residents and shoppers along the downtown business district.

Tartan President Douglas Reichl said this is always a concern with these projects, but their plan should be able to cover any concerns with the on-site parking as well as remote parking lots close to the proposed building.

I am confident we will have more than adequate parking for the project, Reichl said.

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New building proposed at city council meeting

The developers who bought the land that The Globe and Mails Toronto headquarters sits on will soon be filing plans with the city for the creation of a new neighbourhood that they are calling The Well.

If the $1.4-billion project is approved, the site, which stretches across nearly eight acres west of Spadina Avenue, between Front Street and Wellington Street, would be home to seven buildings. More than half of the development would be retail and office space, including restaurants and entertainment venues, and a little less than half would be residential. The latter would likely include both condos and rental apartments, as well as some townhouse units. One of the buildings would be a 34-storey office tower.

The propertys owners are RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust, which specializes in shopping centres and retail projects; Allied Properties Real Estate Investment Trust, an office developer; and Diamond Corp., which focuses on residential development. Some of the buildings on the site would incorporate all three uses.

I dont think there has been a new community built in the city with that kind of mix in many, many years, says Steve Diamond, the CEO of Diamond Corp.

The team flew to England about a year ago to study projects such as Butlers Wharf in London for inspiration.

In England theyve done a good job of creating complex mixed-use projects that are pedestrian-friendly, Mr. Diamond said.

All of the parking on the Toronto site would be underground, and the proposal features wide sidewalks as well as a park dubbed Wellington Plaza. The plans changed over time as the developers met with local residents, who were worried about the implications for the area.

The developers are just beginning to market the location, and are looking to attract a range of retailers including lifestyle stores, grocery stores, restaurants and smaller department stores. Mr. Diamond said the Concord Adex project (CityPlace) to the south of The Well has brought an abundance of residential space to the area without any significant office or retail component.

He said he hopes that Toronto residents will see the site as a unique neighbourhood, and say lets go for a drink in The Well.

The developers will need permission from Metrolinx, the regional transit authority, to put in a walkway that it envisions on the south side of Front Street. As they seek to win over the city, the projects backers are emphasizing that the new office space could provide a location for about 4,000 jobs and the retail space, more than 1,000. If approved, construction would begin in 2016 and take five to seven years to complete.

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Developers envision mixed-use neighbourhood on site of Globe HQ

by HEATHER KOVAR / KVUE News and Photojournalist DENNIS THOMAS

kvue.com

Posted on January 27, 2014 at 6:30 PM

AUSTIN -- When the Frost Bank building opened 10 years ago, it was the tallest building in downtown Austin with 33 floors. Now, the Frost Bank is surrounded by buildings, as well as cranes, signifying buildings under construction.

"[Construction is] everywhere. If its not one day, its the next. A new road. You have to cross the road. [There are] detours," said downtown resident Michael Guerra.

Seven months ago, a lot was excavated that will soon become the Colorado Towers.

The 29-story office and retail space is set to open in November.

"Its exciting to me to see the city in change, said downtown worker Alan Hendrickson.

KVUE got a tour of the new JW Marriott Austin on Monday. It will have 34 floors and is set to open March 1, 2015 and will be the citys largest hotel. Its already booked for that month's South by Southwest festival.

Jay Spurr is the director of sales and marketing for the new hotel.

Original post:
JW Marriott to open in 2015

A work site near S.W. 37th and S.W. Wanamaker will become a retail building, its owner said.

Scott Nellis, of Topeka, confirmed a company owned by him is behind a construction project next to CoreFirst Bank, 3701 S.W. Wanamaker. Topekans who drive by the site had called The Topeka Capital-Journal asking for information about what would be built there.

Nellis said he has plans for an 8,000-square-foot retail building, which likely would accommodate multiple tenants. He said he hopes the building will be finished by June.

Many people who live in Topekas southwest outskirts pass by the intersection every day as they go to and from work, Nellis said, so he sees an opportunity to be the first and last retail development as they travel along Wanamaker.

Im excited to be able to provide sort of a south gate to the city, he said. Theres quite a lot of cars that pass by there every day.

Nellis said he hasnt signed any leases with tenants yet, and people who are interested in renting space can email him at scott@nellis.me.

Business classes

offered in February

Go Topeka is holding three classes and a networking meeting for current and aspiring small business owners in February.

Business owners who want more information about taxes can attend a free workshop at 8:30 a.m. Feb. 13 at the Ramada Hotel and Convention Center, 420 S.E. 6th. Gary Knoll and Brad Koehn, of Berberich Trahan & Co., will share basic information about filing business taxes and how recent changes to tax laws will impact business owners.

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Business Watch: Construction site will become retail building

FLORENCE, S.C. The developer for Florence Crossing Center, a new shopping center off David H. McLeod Boulevard with more than 87,000 square feet of retail space, said Panera Bread, Bonefish Grill and Chick-fil-A will open with Academy Sports and Outdoors by the end of the year.

Justin Morris, owner representative of the Seitz Group Inc., said Thursday other businesses also setting up shop at Florence Crossing are Party City, Discount Tire and a few other smaller retailers.

After being contacted, Panera Bread did not want to confirm the location, saying through a spokesman, Panera is continually evaluating real estate opportunities in Florence. However we cannot confirm interest in a specific location at this time.

The Chick-fil-A corporate office did not return any phone calls.

Florence Chick-fil-A owners said they had not been informed of a new restaurant opening. The proposed new location is barely a stones throw away from two Chick-fil-A locations inside and outside Magnolia Mall.

Its news to me. Im not aware of it, David Pate, owner of Magnolia Mall Chick-fil-A, said.

Months ago there was talk of a Cheddars restaurant opening on the corner of Florence Crossing. But Morris said negotiations broke down, and Chick-fil-A showed strong interest.

Morris said the former Pepsi Bottling site, across from Virginia College, should be fully developed in four to five months.

Weve sold or leased all the parcels. Its ready to go for them to come build, he said. Its going to be an awesome site and great for Florence. Everyone weve worked with has made it easy to get things done. The buildings will go up extremely quick.

Morris said his company is in final negotiations with Salsaritas, Sport Clips and Radio Shack to fill out the remaining space.

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Bonefish Grill, Panera Bread, others expected to open first Florence locations at new Florence Crossing Center

BINTULU: Naim Land Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Naim Holdings Bhd, one of Malaysias leading developers and contractors, signed a contract with Sinohydro Corporation (M) Sdn Bhd, for the Chinese company to do sub-structure works for Bintulu Paragons Phase 1A here yesterday.

Sinohydro Corporation is a Chinese state-owned hydropower, engineering and construction company.

Bintulu Paragon, the largest integrated development to impact Bintulu, will integrate residential, business, retail and hospitality components.

Upon completion, it will provide 1.4 million square feet of retail space, Small Office Versatile Office (SOVO) and office suites, condominium towers, corporate office towers and two hotels.

In a press statement, Naims deputy managing director Christina Wong explained that the sub-structure works were those in relation to Bintulu Paragons Street Mall, Small Office Versatile Office (SOVO) and hotel development components, which were within the Phase 1A section of the development.

Since the launch of Street Mall and SOVO units, we have received encouraging response from the Bintulu community, recording average take-up of more than 50 per cent. Initial piling works for these components are progressing on track, she said.

Wong further elaborated that under the contract with Sinohydro, the scope of works involved construction of the lower ground RC podium structure comprising pilecaps, upper ground slab, pipe sleeves, openings, pits and earthing works.

All works are expected to take around seven months to complete, she said.

She also added that Naims collaboration with Sinohydro demonstrated Naims commitment in maintaining its standing as a developer and contractor of quality.

We have previously collaborated with Sinohydro for three projects, namely the Bengoh Dam in Padawan, the 275KV Overhead Transmission Line from Bakun Hydroelectric Dam to Samalaju Industrial Zone in Bintulu and the construction of Sibu-Julau road.

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Naim, Sinohydro Corp sign contract for Bintulu Paragon

Investment in the greater downtown area over the past 17 years has reached $1 billion, bringing hundreds of hotel rooms, dozens of restaurants, wine tasting rooms and retail shops and thousands of square feet of new commercial space to the city center.

This total, reflecting business activity from 1996 to 2013, was announced in a downtown business update report released at the City Council meeting Tuesday.

The $1 billion figure includes disclosed real estate transactions valued at $515 million and private investment of $419 million, including new construction of $342 million.

Its a testament to people having confidence about where Napa is going, said Robin Klingbeil, project coordinator with the citys Economic Development Division.

Major projects built during the past 17 years include flood control improvements, Napa Mill, the Oxbow Public Market, Riverfront and the hotel and restaurants on the west end of First Street.

Mayor Jill Techel cited the $1 billion total as evidence of the worth of Napas flood control projects. Its really effective when I can bring that data to Washington to show the effects of flood protection, she said.

Councilmember Alfredo Pedroza also applauded the figure. I know sometimes theres a fear of change, but well look back one day say, We were right to encourage such investment, he said.

Councilmember Peter Mott commented on the profusion of wine bars. Do we get to the point where we have too many wine bars? he asked. With anything, you can have too much of a good thing.

Weve looked at that, but weve not discussed any type of restrictions. Were looking to fill empty spaces, said Klingbeil.

Studying the years after 1996 is a good baseline because it predates flood control on the Napa River, said Councilmember Juliana Inman. Such analysis also encourages more restoration to overcome past urban renewal botches, she noted.

Originally posted here:
Downtown investment tops $1 billion since 1996