Construction work is set to start on citys long-awaited 260m retail development

5:13pm Friday 3rd January 2014 in News By Julie Tickner, T&A Reporter

Bradford Urban Garden will close on Monday so construction work can start on the citys long-awaited 260 million shopping centre.

Signs were placed at entrances to the temporary landscaped space, on the site of the new Broadway retail development, yesterday.

The 11,000sq ft park, with grassed areas, wild flower meadows and pathways across the city, was created in August 2010 after initial work on the project stopped.

Shorlty before Christmas, Australian developer Westfield announced that construction would start early in January after all legal documents meaning the scheme would definitely go ahead were signed.

Last night, a Westfield spokesman said: The commencement of the construction works marks a major milestone in the delivery of the shopping centre and the future of Bradfords retail landscape.

The shopping centre will provide a significant economic boost to the city creating thousands of jobs in both the construction phase and on completion. From Monday, we will be able to see the development begin to take shape.

The start of major construction works follows a two-month period of essential preparatory works for the centre which is estimated to create 1,500 construction jobs and 2,500 new retail jobs for Bradford.

Bradford Council leader David Green said: This will be the first major sign of the main construction work starting and its what we said would happen.

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Bradford Urban Garden closes as Broadway work begins

Kensington Commons, designed in a Santa Barbara style, will include 34 apartments and 10,000 square feet of retail space when completed in August. - Allard Jansen Architects

Kensington Commons, designed in a Santa Barbara style, will include 34 apartments and 10,000 square feet of retail space when completed in August. / - Allard Jansen Architects

Developers and residents have reached common ground in the historic Kensington neighborhood.

It's a seven-year odyssey of how not to do infill development in the San Diego.

Kensington Commons, a $6.2 million, 47,442-square-foot apartment and retail project, is rising at Marlborough Drive and Adams Avenue with nary a squeak of protest from the neighborhood south of Mission Valley and east of I-15. When finished in August, it will sport 34 apartments, 10,000 square feet of retail space -- with one suite leased to Pacific Dental and negotiations nearing completion on a food service and a postal/stationery outlet.

There will be wider sidewalks, leafier landscaping and a Santa Barbara-style architecture by architect-developer Allard Jansen.

Renters, who will pay up to $2,760 per month, won't have a pool or workout space or other top-drawer amenities to large downtown condo tower complexes. But they will have a movie theater and public library across the street, a collection of popular restaurants up and down Adams, quick access to the freeway two blocks away and a bus stop out front.

Allard Jansen, the architect-developer of Kensington Commons, lives and works in the neighboring Kensington Park Plaza that he built in 1999. Nelvin C. Cepeda

"It's a lifestyle being embraced more and more and the wonderful idea that you potentially will run into a neighbor by coincidence and start a conversation," said Jansen, 60, who lives with his wife at Kensington Park Plaza, which he built in 1999 immediately west. "More connecting neighbors with other neighbors will be great!"

But this idyll of urbanity came after a seven-year battle that pitted neighbor against neighbor, city, developer and the economy. No wonder such mixed-use projects happen so rarely, given the hassles faced by competing parties.

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Common ground reached at Kensington Commons

Dulles Town Center Location: Near the intersection of Route 7 and Route 28 Developer: Lerner Enterprises Fact Sheet: There are plans for a total of 5.4 million square feet of office, commercial and retail space.

Lerner Enterprises looks to expand Dulles Town Center in 2014. The development, which was started in 2014, has two big projects slated to take place in the coming year.

A Regal Theater began construction in May 2013 and should be finished in the summer of 2014.

The Windmill Parc apartment complex, containing 433 apartments, will also begin construction in May with move-in for its first residents starting in 2014.

Nokes Plaza, which Lerner Enterprise's website describes as "a planned 56,000 square foot mixed-use office, medical, retail building at The Corporate Office Park at Dulles Town Center" is slated to finish construction some time in 2015.

On Nokes Boulevard there will also be two pad sites for retail locations.

Loudoun Station Location: Adjacent to the final stop on the planned Silver Line Developer: Comstock Companies Fact Sheet: One million square feet designated for class-A office space, 300,000 square feet planned for restaurants, retail and a hotel.

Groundbreaking on Loudoun Station began in April 2011.

The Loudoun Station website describes the new development as "a signature 'downtown' community with an exciting mix of shops, restaurants, residences and offices, along with a hotel and 11-screen movie theater."

As its name would imply, Loudoun Station is expected to be adjacent to the Silver Line at the terminus State Route 772 station.

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Loudoun County developments to watch in 2014

By THOMAS CASTLES

Staff Writer

A sign advertises available space in the Epicentre shopping plaza on Route 9 in Manalapan. The vacancy rate for retail space in central New Jersey climbed to 9.8 percent in the second quarter of 2013. STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER ERIC SUCAR Storefront vacancies have blemished many of New Jerseys busiest retail corridors in recent years, and experts say there is no shortage of reasons why.

According to a report published by retail broker R.J. Brunelli & Co., Old Bridge, the retail vacancy rate in central New Jersey climbed to 9.8 percent in the second quarter of 2013, up almost a full percentage point from the previous year. That amounts to 2.95 million square feet of vacant space on routes 1, 9, 18 and 35 in Middlesex, Monmouth, Mercer and parts of Ocean counties. If added up, the unoccupied space is equivalent to the size of about 20 vacant Walmart Supercenters.

But Walmart and other big-box stores of at least 20,000 square feet have been doing relatively well. According to Brunellis data, 225,000 square feet of previously unoccupied big-box space was filled by tenants over the past 12 months.

Empty retail buildings sit alongside Route 18 in East Brunswick. However, that positive trend was not enough to offset increasing losses of smaller spaces.

Much of the small-space woes can be attributed to the inability of small chains, mom-and-pops and franchisees to take advantage of vacancies, because financing for new ventures or business expansion remains so difficult to get, Brunellis report states. Until the economy improves and banks genuinely start to loosen the spigots, it will be difficult to make much of a dent in the small-store inventory. The impact of the 2008 financial downturn should not be understated when analyzing data like Brunellis, according to New Jersey Retail Merchants Association President John Holub.

PHOTOS BY KAREN KESTEN/STAFF Clearly, the economic environment has changed since 2008-2009, and I think businesses as a whole are continuing to scratch and claw their way out of the worst downturn in 70 years, Holub said. But it seems that every few years there are fits and starts and ebbs and flows, so I dont think the [recent] decline [in occupancy] is entirely surprising.

Economic uncertainty may just be another punch to roll with for area retailers, but competition from the Internet presents a much more sizable concern, according to Robert Burchell, professor and co-director of the Center for Urban Policy Research at the Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, New Brunswick.

A rising tide lifts all boats and a decreasing tide puts all those boats back on the ground, so the economy is always present and a major influence on American life, Burchell said, adding that Brunelli representatives and analysts are very well-respected in their field. But there will be a long-term future increase in vacancy rates [no matter how the economy fluctuates] because of the competition of the Internet.

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Changing times challenge retailers

Chicago, IL (PRWEB) December 31, 2013

Construct-A-Lead, the Construction Industrys most efficient construction lead service, reported today that the following Hotel construction projects will have the necessary approvals and will go forward. Businesses interested in providing construction bids and other services relative to these projects, should visit construct-a-lead.com and reference the Project ID listed below to obtain direct contact information for each construction lead:

Cincinnati, OH - DoubleTree Suites Plans call for the renovation and conversion of the Garfield Suites hotel into a DoubleTree Suites hotel. Construction start: Q1, Q2, 2014. $15,000,000 Project ID: 1320629

New York, NY - 346 Broadway- Plans call for the renovation and conversion of the former courthouse into a five-star hotel and 100 140 condominiums. The (yet unbranded) hotel component will include 50 to 100 rooms over two floors on the eastern Broadway side of the building. Construction start: Q1, Q2, 2014, $300,000,000. Project ID: 1320583

Honolulu, HI 2139 Kuhio Avenue- Plans call for the new construction of a 39 story condo hotel. Construction start: April, 2014, $159,500,000. Project ID: 1320503

Augusta, GA - Hampton Inn & Suites - Plans call for the new construction of a single 5-story block-and-plank hotel building. 78,776 SF, 126 rooms. Construction start: January, 2014, $8,000,000. Project ID: 1320648

Philadelphia, PA Avenue Place Plans call for the demolition of 2 of the existing structures and the new construction of a mixed-use luxury boutique SLS International hotel with 149 guest rooms, six suites, and 125 condos. Plans also call for 220 covered parking spots. Construction start: Q2, Q3, 2014, estimated. $90,000,000 Project ID: 1320587

Houston, TX - Springhill Suites Plans call for the renovation of the old Humble Oil Building and the conversion of the apartment portion into a new 166 room Springhill Suites Hotel. Construction start: February, 2014. $10,000,000 Project ID: 1320602

Santa Monica, CA The Plaza - Plans call for the new construction of retail space on the ground floor and office space, affordable housing and a 225-room hotel throughout. Construction start: Q1, Q2, 2014, $300,000,000. Project ID: 1320554

Worcester, MA Hotel at CitySquare- Plans call for the new construction of a full-service, 150-room hotel. Project is expected to achieve LEED Silver Certification. Construction start: Spring, 2015. $36,000,000 Project ID: 1320551

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Construct-A-Lead Reported Today That the Following Hotel Construction Projects Will Have the Necessary Approvals and ...

POOLER, GA (WTOC) -

The Villages on Pooler Parkway is almost complete and construction on the new Outlet Mall of Georgia is underway.

Developers have cleared the land for the Outlet Mall of Georgia. Wet weather has stalled some work in recent weeks but the project is right on track.

Developer Ben Carter says right now 70 percent of the retail space has been leased, and they hope to have 90 percent negotiated by the end of January.

Carter says the site is set to open by April of 2015. They expect the outlet mall, which will include four anchor stores, food court, restaurants and a variety of shops to bring in about 1500 new jobs.

Coming later this month, the developer plans on making a major announcement about the businesses that will be coming here. This comes as great news for the Pooler Chamber of Commerce.

"It has been a great year with the announcement of the outlet coming in, Nordic cold storage expanding and traffic improvements," said the Director of the Pooler Chamber of Commerce Karen Robertson. "We are looking forward to hundreds of jobs coming. There are some things in the works for 2014 that have not been announced yet, but more details will be coming about that."

Pooler City Council recently approved a traffic improvement plan that will make traveling in Pooler safer and will also get people around town a bit quicker.

You may notice traffic cones already in place along Pooler Parkway. There are four main points along the parkway that will see some changes.

The turn into the YMCA onto Isaac La Roache Drive/Durham Park Boulevard will be extended, and a new left turn will be constructed at Godley Station Boulevard.

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Construction of new outlets on Pooler Parkway begins

A building is a man-made structure with a roof and walls standing more or less permanently in one place. Buildings come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and functions, and have been adapted throughout history for a wide number of factors, from building materials available, to weather conditions, to land prices, ground conditions, specific uses and aesthetic reasons. To better understand the term building compare the list of nonbuilding structures.

Buildings serve several needs of society primarily as shelter from weather, security, living space, privacy, to store belongings, and to comfortably live and work. A building as a shelter represents a physical division of the human habitat (a place of comfort and safety) and the outside (a place that at times may be harsh and harmful).

Ever since the first cave paintings, buildings have also become objects or canvasess of artistic expression. In recent years, interest in sustainable planning and building practices has also become an intentional part of the design process of many new buildings.

The word building is both a noun and a verb: the structure itself and the act of making it.

As a noun, a building is 'a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place';[1] "there was a three-storey building on the corner"; "it was an imposing edifice" In the broadest interpretation a fence or wall is a building[2] However, the word structure is used more broadly than building including natural and man-made formations[3] and does not necessarily have walls and this term is more likely to be used for a fence. The definition of a low-rise vs. a high-rise building is a matter of debate, but generally three storeys or less is considered low-rise.[4]

As a verb Sturgis' Dictionary included that "the term differs from Architecture [sic] in excluding all idea of artistic treatment; and it differs from Construction [sic] in the idea of excluding scientific or highly skilful [sic] treatment."[5]Structural height in technical usage is the height to the highest architectural detail on building from street-level. Depending on how they are classified, spires and masts may or may not be included in this height. Spires and masts used as antennas are not generally included.

The first shelter on Earth constructed by a relatively close ancestor to humans is believed to be built 500,000 years ago by an early ancestor of humans, Homo erectus.[6]

Residential buildings are called houses or homes, though buildings containing large numbers of separate dwelling units are often called apartment buildings or apartment blocks to differentiate them from 'individual' houses. Houses may also be built in pairs (semi-detached), in terraces where all but two of the houses have others either side; apartments may be built round courtyards or as rectangular blocks surrounded by a piece of ground of varying sizes. Houses which were built as a single dwelling may later be divided into apartments or bedsitters; they may also be converted to another use e.g. an office or a shop.

Building types may range from one-room wood-framed, masonry, or adobe dwellings to multi-million dollar high-rise buildings able to house thousands of people. Increasing settlement density in buildings (and smaller distances between buildings) is usually a response to high ground prices resulting from many people wanting to live close to work or similar attractors. Other common building materials are brick, concrete or combinations of either of these with stone.

A Multi-Storey is a building that has multiple floors above ground in the building.

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Building - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It's taken a little time, but Keystone Custom Homes' Worthington at Township Square neighborhood is quickly taking shape, with its residential and commercial/retail areas complementing each other.

There's a lot going on in the community, including a new model home and work on the apartment phase of the subdivision, said Janette Hawkins, vice president of marketing and information technology at Keystone.

The Manheim Township smart-growth development will feature 259 houses 196 singles, 33 duplexes and 30 townhomes along with rentals above the commercial space.

The model house is a 3,197-square-foot Manchester with traditional elevation, including a wraparound front porch, a stone front and three reverse gables with pent roofs.

"We beefed up the details in the architecture," she said.

The home isn't currently for sale, but the floor plan starts at $287,625 including Keystone's 21 percent anniversary discount and the base square footage is 2,953.

Hawkins said the Manchester is a new design "that's very open and ... flows very well."

The staircase "is tucked away toward the rear of the house," she said, while the kitchen, breakfast area and family room open to each other.

"It's a great space for entertaining."

The two-story family room boasts a bowed wall of windows, and the formal dining room is sizable, Hawkins said. A study is situated off the family room.

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Construction of apartments underway in live/work Worthington neighborhood

Ledge is being excavated and retaining walls added to create a site for a retail building and parking lot on this 1.1-acre lot across the street from the Sports Center of Connecticut.

A stop-work order has been lifted by the Shelton Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) on the construction of the retail project at 781-785 River Road (Route 110), across the street from the Sports Center of Connecticut.

The developer now can move forward with footing and foundation work for the 5,800-square-foot structure being built. However, work on some of the excavation and grading will have to wait until the P&Z can act on the developers request to modify its previously approved site plan.

A view of the ledges vertical drop from the Turner Road house to the Route 110 road level, where a retail building and parking lot will be built.

A public hearing on the developers request has been scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 22.

The developer is Bishop Management of Shelton, which includes principal Howard Soffan, owner of the Sports Center.

Work at the 1.1-acre site has been controversial because of how close the excavation is to at least one neighbor, whose Turner Road property abuts the development parcel to the north.

The excavation work has created a significant ledge drop-off near this neighbors property line.

Richard Schultz, city P&Z administrator, said having the developer put up an eight-foot-high chain-link fence to separate the excavated ledge from the Turner Road property owners land is a high priority.

Thats a safety issue, Schultz said.

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River Road retail project: Some work can continue as developer seeks changes

Friday, December 27, 2013 11:38 PM EST

By SCOTT WHIPPLE STAFF WRITER

NEW BRITAIN Avner Krohn, commercial developer/retailer, said installation of the two retail shops in the citys police station has been a long and arduous journey, almost two years, but most issues were resolved recently when he met with Mayor Erin Stewart and her chief of staff, John Healey.

All three said any loose ends should be tied up before the end of the year.

Dunkin Donuts franchise owner Cary Gagnon has also met with city officials. Dunkin Donuts will share space in the police station building with Krohns ice cream parlor, Caf Chocolat.

Krohns goal is to start construction in January and open in the spring. Dunkin Donuts hopes to open in mid-February.

By springtime next year well have four downtown restaurants with outside dining. (Main Pub, Caf Beauregard, Dunkin Donuts and Caf Chocolat), Krohn said. Cary and I believe our stores will serve hundreds of people daily.

Krohn said his company, Jasko Development, is doing the internal construction for Caf Chocolat. Gagnon is using Kaestle Boos, the local architectural firm.

Healey said the Dunkin Donuts project is moving forward at a rapid pace.

Healey says he doesnt know whose idea it was to build retail space in the police station. I can tell you that regardless of whose idea it was, retail space is coming in the police station, and the mayor has a desire to see other retailers downtown.

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Retail space below police dept. to be filled âat a rapid paceâ