Theres a lot on the horizon for the Tampa Bay restaurant scene in 2020, from a handful of new wine bars to restaurants from top local chefs. Plus, more food halls and a continued emphasis on fast-casual spots. Here are 20 restaurants and bars were looking forward to this year.

Another collaboration from Top Chef alum Fabio Viviani and Nocturnal Hospitality Group, this time in St. Petersburg. La Pergola, a high-end Italian restaurant, is set to debut in the spring, taking over the ground floor of the building at 200 Central Ave., joining the Mill and Craft Kafe. Diners can expect a high-energy lounge and bar with specialty cocktails, according to a news release. Viviani first joined forces with founding Nocturnal partners Lanfranco Pescante and David Anderson to develop modern Italian bar and kitchen Osteria, which arrived in downtown Tampa in 2018.

200 Central Ave., St. Petersburg

The particulars are still being worked out for this forthcoming wine bar set to open soon in the EDGE District of St. Petersburg, but it will bring something new to the area when it does: 2,190 square feet of wine, both in a retail capacity and in a bar setting featuring by-the-glass pours. In addition to small-production wines ranging from traditional to natural, owner and wine industry veteran Ryan Rugg, who has teamed up with sommelier and partner Kory Lynn, will feature appetizers, small plates and outdoor seating.

1005 First Ave. N, St. Petersburg

Set to debut in the spring, Semolina is the new restaurant from David and Erica Benstock, who own modern Italian favorite Il Ritorno in downtown St. Petersburg. Their first venture in Tampa, the fast-casual pasta restaurant will open at Sparkman Wharf, the outdoor food hall in the Channelside area. Semolina will face the waterfront along the perimeter of Sparkman Wharf, located at 615 Channelside Drive. Unlike the existing food options, which are mainly housed in shipping containers, Semolina is set to occupy a 1,600-square-foot space with 42 seats inside and 20 outside. Guests will be able to eat inside the restaurant or take the orders they place at its walkup counter to go, choosing from made-to-order pasta dishes, salads and breads.

615 Channelside Drive, Tampa

Chef Jeannie Pierolas newest restaurant has just opened, but were still including it on this list because it will likely be one of 2020s most notable newcomers. The chef, a five-time James Beard Award semifinalist, currently presides over Edison: Food+Drink Lab and Swigamajig at Sparkman Wharf in Tampa. Her long-awaited new spot is being billed as a modern homage to classic counter dining and its barstool kinship between diners and the kitchen. Its currently serving dinner daily, in a 3,700-square-foot restaurant in South Tampa.

2909 W Bay to Bay Blvd., Tampa

This half book store, half wine bar from owner Terra Dunham is in the buildout phase and expected to debut in the spring. Opening in downtown St. Petersburg, the new concept is calling itself a wine bar with books. On the wine side, youll find a curated wine program, plus beer, coffee and snacks.

17 Sixth St. N, St. Petersburg

The beloved Filipino fast-food chain has chosen Pinellas Park as the area for its first Tampa Bay location. Jollibee, whose closest location currently is in Jacksonville, started in the Philippines in the 1970s and has since expanded to the United States. Signature items include the Chickenjoy fried chicken and the Jolly Spaghetti. The under-construction location at 4045 Park Blvd. N is currently hiring, and is expected to open in January.

4045 Park Blvd. N, St. Petersburg

The popular downtown Tampa hangout that opened in 2006 and closed in 2018 is reopening, and not very far from the previous location. Co-owner Leslie Shirah Culbreath and business partner and husband Mark Culbreath are set to open in the Mise en Place building at 442 W Kennedy Blvd. in Tampa in early 2020. Look for a menu of eclectic American dishes, a mix of old favorites and new creations, plus a craft cocktail program.

442 W Kennedy Blvd., Tampa

This Nordic- and Asian-inspired restaurant from chef Jeffrey Jew, who has most recently cooked at Stillwaters Tavern and BellaBrava, is coming to St. Petersburg in the spring. Lingr on 6th St., which references the Old Norse word meaning belonging to and coming or descending from, will reflect Jews heritage his mother is Norwegian and his father is Chinese. Described as a 150-seat upscale-casual restaurant and bar, it will include both indoor seating and an outdoor garden space in St. Petersburgs Downtown South University Park area.

400 Sixth St. S, St. Petersburg

Imported and domestic cheese, charcuterie and a wide-reaching international wine list will be the highlights at this new bar and tasting room, opening in early 2020 in downtown St. Petersburg. The European-inspired wine and cheese shop takes over a former laundromat located across the street from the Historic Old Northeast neighborhood. According to its website, the project is a team effort from chef and cheesemonger Raymond Cotteret, Alex Paunic and sommelier Jessica Arkwright. Guests can expect to find Appellation-driven wines, vermouth cocktails, sherry, local beers and a long list of cheeses, cured meats, sandwiches and tapas.

442 Second St. N, St. Petersburg

These two spots drive the dining and drinking options at the new Karol Hotel, slated to debut in Feather Sound in January. Inspired by Florida flavors and hotel owners Fred and Karol Bullards travels, K Club Bar & Bistro will serve contemporary cuisine in a chic, comfy environment. At the Vantage Rooftop Bar, the climate-controlled hangout 12 stories high will unite light bites and elevated cocktails. Karol Hotel executive chef Jon Atanacio, previously a chef at the Epicurean Hotel in Tampa, will direct the culinary operations of both new spaces.

2675 Ulmerton Road, Clearwater

Opening any day now in Tampas historic north Hyde Park area, the handsome restaurant will feature contemporary world cuisine served in a stylish, yet casual atmosphere. Expect Napa Valley-meets-Florida design vibes and open-air seating on the patio overlooking one of Tampas buzziest areas.

301 N Rome Ave., Tampa

This new lunch spot with a strong focus on veggies and seasonal ingredients is coming to St. Petersburg in February.

200 Central Ave., St. Petersburg

The tequila and taco spot in Tampa will feature a fast-casual concept with fresh, made-to-order tacos and regionally inspired Mexican dishes. Chef Tisbeth Mejia, who was born in Guadalajara, Mexico, and owner Karol Ortiz ran a similar concept on MacDill Avenue from 2012 to 2017 and also opened a second restaurant in Sarasota before deciding to focus full time on the Howard Avenue spot. Ortiz says the renovated space will likely soft-open in January with beer and wine, and eventually the place will serve liquor and a full menu as well. The space will also feature a private speakeasy vault room."

1611 N Howard Ave., Tampa

This cult favorite in St. Petersburgs EDGE District is just moving up the street, but the experience is bound to be quite different. Bodega owners George and Debbie Sayegh told the Times theyve outgrown their original outpost, and will relocate to the building occupied by antique shop Mis en Chic. They aim to complete construction on the restaurants new space in May 2020. Bodega is known for its tiny outdoor kitchen, long lines and lack of indoor eating space all things that tend not to matter once youve taken a bite of the delicious Cuban fare. But we cant wait to check them out in a new space.

1180 Central Ave., St. Petersburg

Taking over the shuttered Taco Bus lot in St. Petersburg is this large craft brewery, slated for a summer 2020 opening. The planned two-story 10,270-square-foot brewery also includes an adjacent restaurant. In between the two buildings on the lot will be an open-air beer garden, able to accommodate 375 people. The taproom will have 250 seats inside and out on its second-level terrace. Expect 16 brews in total, including IPAs, pale ales, porters, stouts and funky, sour options at this Grand Central District newcomer.

2324 Central Ave., St. Petersburg

The team behind Tampas Armature Works Heights Public Market is heading across the bay to open a new food hall in part of downtown St. Petersburgs Sundial. That means 25,000 square feet of the downtown retail space, including the areas currently occupied by tenants Locale Market and FarmTable Cucina, will be revamped to make way for the new hall. Construction is set to begin soon, and the project is expected to be finished by the end of 2020. Stay tuned for the food and drink vendors that will occupy the space.

153 Second Ave. N, St. Petersburg

A new restaurant focusing on chicken and craft cocktails is coming to downtown St. Petersburg. No opening date has been announced yet, but the owners have described the new spot as a full-service restaurant and bar with a menu featuring American and globally inspired chicken dishes and craft cocktails.

150 First Ave. N, St. Petersburg

One of several new wine bar concepts set to open in the new year, this wine locker and American trattoria takes over the upstairs balcony space on St. Petersburgs Central Avenue formerly home to A Taste For Wine. No word yet on an exact opening date.

241 Central Ave., St. Petersburg

Back in August, we spent time touring the space that would become this ambitious food hall, coming to downtown Lakeland as part of a food revolution for the small city. Things have come a long way for the Joinery since we visited, with multiple vendors now on board Ato for burritos and bowls, Ava for pizza, Gallito Taqueria, King State Coffee and more a gorgeous buildout along Lake Mirror and a craft brewery on site. Look for it sometime in early 2020.

Opening down in Manatee County, in the growing Lakewood Ranch area, this bakery has slowly been introducing itself to the community via local markets and bread drops patrons can sign up for online. It specializes in seriously good bread, the kind of naturally risen dough we do not have nearly enough of in the Tampa Bay area, ranging from regular sourdough to special holiday flavors. At its forthcoming cafe expected to open in January, Atria will serve its bread along with coffee and other snacks.

4120 Lakewood Ranch Blvd., Lakewood Ranch

Times staff writers Helen Freund and Meaghan Habuda contributed to this report.

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20 restaurants and bars opening in Tampa Bay in 2020 - Tampa Bay Times

J. Scott Park | MLive.com

JACKSON, MI --Whenever a business closes in Jackson, there's an inevitable social media post from somebody saying, "Last one out of Jackson, hit the lights."

Judging by the new developments in 2019, it might be awhile.

This year, more than 50 Jackson-area businesses and developments either opened, started a construction project or announced plans for development.

From pinball to sushi, here's a look at what's new to the scene.

More: Restaurant, business openings in the Jackson area in 2018

More: These Jackson-area businesses shut down in 2019

Mary Lewandowski | MLive

Courtyard by Marriott

2010 Bondsteel Drive, Jackson

The Courtyard by Marriott opened near I-94 and U.S. 127 in October with 103 rooms.

Room types include double queen rooms, king rooms with sofa beds, king suites and double queen suites. They all have approximately 50-inch TVs with 45 to 60 channels, Netflix and an ability to connect to laptops, tablets and mobile devices.

More: New Courtyard by Marriott boosts hotel options in Jackson area

J. Scott Park | MLive.com

Ramshackle Brewing Company

209 E. Chicago St., Jonesville

A 16-foot-wide alley is now a brewery in downtown Jonesville.

Ramshackle opened in July and offers beers on tap and lets customers bring in food from elsewhere.

It's known for its "Beer it Forward" wall, where customers can buy a beer for someone in particular or set the criteria for someone to receive a free beer -- like the first person to come in wearing chaps.

More: Ramshackle Brewing Company opens in former Jonesville alley

J. Scott Park | MLive.com

Pac-Man Zone

1216 Jackson Crossing, Jackson

A pair of new arcades opened in Jackson in 2019. The one without alcohol is at Jackson Crossing near Kohl's, called Pac-Man Zone.

The arcade opened in November with games that cost 25 cents to $1.50. Game options include rail-gun shooters, racing games, a Pac-Man air hockey table and retro machines, such as Galaga.

More: Pac-Man-themed arcade debuts at Jackson Crossing mall

J. Scott Park | MLive.com

Lead Bunker

3791 Ann Arbor Road, Jackson

The old Hostess Bakery store is now an indoor gun range, as Lead Bunker opened at the Leoni Township location in March.

The 13 lanes have electronic target movers, so no cease fires are necessary. Lanes go out to 22.5 yards.

Once (people) do come in and shoot a gun, its exciting, its fun, its a sport, its a challenge, Co-Owner Tammy Brindle said. Even elderly people. Little old ladies have come in. They love it.

More: Indoor gun range opens at old Hostess Bakery store

J. Scott Park | MLive.com

Healthies 101

101 E. Michigan Ave., Jackson

A new shop in downtown Jackson offers meal-replacement smoothies, aloe shots and a variety of teas.

Healthies 101 boasts more than 50 smoothie flavors, including peanut butter chocolate explosion, Fruity Pebbles, French toast, Elvis, Lucky Charms, pineapple upside-down cake, lemon cookie and Almond Joy.

More: 'Instagram-worthy' smoothies hit downtown Jackson at new business

Mary Lewandowski | MLive

Dunham's

1038 Jackson Crossing, Jackson

Dunham's isn't new to Jackson, but it is new to the Jackson Crossing mall. It moved up the road on West Avenue from its previous location in October.

The new space is larger, with 32,000 square feet. With the extra space, Dunham's has added more exercise equipment, firearms, shoes and clothing to its selection.

More: Jackson Dunham's relocates, adding space for exercise equipment, firearms

J. Scott Park | MLive.com

Klavon's

318 Kipp Road, Mason

This one's not really in the Jackson area, but claims a spot on the list because of the "Klavon's" namesake.

Klavon's opened its third location in March. At 10,000 square feet, the Mason spot is the largest of the Klavon's restaurants.

The wood-fired oven serving Neapolitan-style pizza sits in the main area of the restaurant and has a bar space where patrons can sit and watch pizzas being made.

More: Klavon's opens new location in Mason

J. Scott Park | MLive.com

Axe Play

133 W. Michigan Ave., Suite D, Jackson

An ax-throwing bar with a "lumberjack-chic" feel opened in September in downtown Jackson.

With help from a Kickstarter campaign, the business offers five lanes of ax throwing and a bar with craft cocktails and beer.

We wanted to prove everybody else wrong whos saying theres nothing fun to do here (in Jackson), said Shane Stephens, one of the partners in the business.

Shots wont be sold and the partners say anyone whos had too much alcohol wont be touching axes, Axe Play officials said.

More: New ax-throwing bar already sold out for opening weekend

Mary Lewandowski | MLive

Qwench

1083 N. Wisner St., Jackson

Michigan has its first Qwench Juice Bar franchise, and it's in Jackson.

The franchise opened a location in December offering blends -- which are like smoothies -- and bowls. Qwench uses fresh fruits and vegetables and no additives.

"(People in Jackson) are excited to not have to go and have greasy burgers," Manager Octavia Myer said. They can have a nice healthy lunch grilled chicken, tofu, that kind of thing."

More: California-based Qwench Juice Bar opens first Michigan location

J. Scott Park | MLive.com

Veritas

151 W. Michigan Ave., Jackson

High-end dining made a comeback in downtown Jackson in 2019, with the opening of Veritas.

The new restaurant offers dry-aged steaks, seafood, pasta and more. The salmon is flown in from the Faroe Islands near Scotland, while the rainbow trout comes from nearby Parma Township.

A restaurant called One Five One occupied the space before closing in 2014. Before that, it was Daryls Downtown Restaurant and Otellos.

More: Veritas ready to bring high-end dining to downtown Jackson

J. Scott Park | MLive.com

PS Food Mart at Citgo

815 Lansing Ave., Jackson

The Citgo gas station on Lansing Avenue closed this summer, as the convenience store was torn down and rebuilt.

The new store is 25 percent larger, has a beer cave and sells pizza.

More: Pizza, walk-in beer cave among additions as Jackson convenience store rebuilds

Mary Lewandowki | MLive.com

Michigan International Speedway Infield Care Center

12626 U.S. 12, Brooklyn

MIS cut the ribbon on a new building in August that most fans and drivers hope they dont find themselves in the infield care center.

The 4,000-square-foot space in the MIS infield will be used for races and the Faster Horses Festival in July.

More: MIS cuts ribbon on new care center for race weekends, Faster Horses Festival

J. Scott Park | MLive.com

Tilted Arcade Bar

146 W. Michigan Ave., Jackson

It was Dr. Dons Famous Door. Then the strip club changed names, to become The Ruby Slipper.

But the downtown Jackson spot changed directions in June, reopening as an arcade bar.

The throwback arcade games and retro pinball offerings include Pac-Man, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Walking Dead, Star Trek, NBA Jam, Ghost Busters, Star Wars, Deadpool and Donkey Kong.

More: Tilted Arcade Bar pairs pinball with pints in downtown Jackson

J. Scott Park | MLive.com

Ballzy Balls

1850 W. Michigan Ave. (Westwood Mall), Jackson

A new business that opened in April at Westwood Mall allows friends and strangers to knock each other over for fun.

It's like bumper cars, but with humans.

Everyone comes in with this idea of how theyre going to knock somebody around," Co-Owner Deon Chisolm said. "It always goes opposite.

More: Knock your friends on their rear at Jackson's newest entertainment venue

Read more:
Here are the businesses, developments that came to Jackson in 2019 - MLive.com

The 2010s have now come to a close and we are welcoming the 20s.

Utah County has seen significant change over the past decade, including population growth and the changing landscape of the county, but has also seen some elements that seem to stay the same, like the seemingly never-ending construction on I-15.

Here are 15 stories that marked the decade in Utah County:

Finished and under construction apartments are pictured near North Mill Road on Thursday, Nov. 1, 2018, in Vineyard.

Over the past decade, Utah County has seen a boom in population. The county started the decade with 516,639 residents, according to the 2010 U.S. Census. The most recent population estimates from July 1, 2018 show the county saw a 20.4% increase to 622,213 residents.

Vineyard saw tremendous growth, and was named the fastest-growing city in the U.S. in 2018, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates. The city saw 62.79% growth between 2017 and 2018, placing the city atop the list of fastest-growing cities with populations over 1,000. The city grew from 139 residents in the 2010 Census to approximately 10,052 by July 1, 2018.

The Cedar Valley area also saw high levels of growth. Saratoga Springs saw a 76.2% population increase from 2010 to 2018 and Eagle Mountain saw 62.4% growth. Lehi recorded a 38.2% growth in population.

In southern Utah County, Santaquin saw 34.1% growth, Salem had 31.8% and Mapleton saw a 26.6% increase in population.

These population increases are also leading to housing concerns, with cities across the valley looking for answers to help increase availability of affordable housing and possibilities of additional high-density developments, which will likely be a big issue as we move into the 20s.

The new office building at University Place in Orem on Thursday, May 5, 2016. SPENSER HEAPS, Daily Herald

Along with the increases in population, Utah County saw an increase in development.

One of the largest commercial developments was announced in late 2013, which would transform University Mall in Orem to University Place. The project aimed to add 400,000 square feet of new retail space, 700,000 square feet of new office space, 1.25 million square feet of new multi-family residential space and 70,000 square feet of new hotel space to area around the mall. The project, which was anticipated to take eight to 10 years, is still underway, but is ahead of schedule.

The development in Utah County even reached the Provo Airport, which began accepting commercial flights in 2011 with Frontier Airlines. Frontier ended flights to and from Provo in early 2012, but one month later, Allegiant Air announced that it would begin commercial flights in and out of Provo. Just this year, an airport terminal expansion was announced, which will bring up to 10 new gates and more than 22 flights a day to and from Provo. Initially there will be four new gates. Completion should be by the end of 2020.

The county also welcomed large companies to the area this decade, including Adobe who announced an expansion into Lehi in 2010. Tyson Foods is also building a plant and Facebook is building a data center in Eagle Mountain.

An aerial view of Interstate 15 passing through Lehi Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2010.

If youve driven on I-15 anytime in the past decade, its likely youve driven through road construction.

In 2009, the Utah Legislature approved funding for the I-15 Core project a 24-mile construction project that stretched from Spanish Fork to Lehi. The project started in 2010 and included the reconstruction and reconfiguration of 10 interchanges and 63 aging bridges.

In 2013, leftover bond money from the I-15 Core project was also used to add lanes to I-15 between Spanish Fork and Payson.

The I-15 Core project was completed at the end of 2012, but the construction on I-15 didnt halt for long. The I-15 Point Project started in 2014. The project lasted two years, and widened I-15 to six lanes in each direction between S.R. 92 in Lehi to 12300 South in Draper. It was completed in October 2016.

The I-15 Technology Corridor project started construction on January 2018. The project is widening and making improvements to I-15 from Lehi Main Street to State Route 92 in Lehi. The project is anticipated to be completed in October 2020.

Other big road projects this decade included construction on Pioneer Crossing, Timpanogos Highway, Redwood Road, North County Boulevard and State Street.

Students exit a Utah Valley Express bus at Utah Valley University on Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2018, in Orem.

Utah County took steps toward improving options for public transportation this decade.

For the first time, FrontRunner train service opened for passenger service in Utah County in December 2012, bringing the first high-speed public transportation option to the county. The rail opened after four years of construction, which brought the southern leg of the commuter rail service down to Provo.

And after years of planning and development (and backlash from some), the Utah Valley Express bus route otherwise known as UVX, Bus Rapid Transit or BRT began service in August 2018. Center pick-up and drop-off stations opened in December of that year, completing the two years of construction on University Parkway and University Avenue. The route provides buses every 6-7 minutes during peak times.

Sgt. Cory Wride's widow Nannette Wride follows his casket with her children and other family and friends after a funeral service was held at the UCCU Center in Orem Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2014. Wride was shot and killed in the line of duty on Jan. 30. MARK JOHNSTON/Daily Herald

Utah County mourned the loss of two police officers killed in the line of duty this decade.

On Jan. 30, 2014, Sgt. Cory Wride of the Utah County Sheriffs Office was shot and killed after he stopped to assist a motorist alongside a Utah County highway.

Wride stopped a vehicle on State Route 73 in Eagle Mountain and was shot while in his patrol car behind the vehicle. The shooter and driver of the vehicle then led police on a high-speed chase through Utah County, where Deputy Greg Sherwood pursued them. During the pursuit, Sherwood was shot in the head. Sherwood later made a full recovery.

Then, 29-year-old Master Officer Joseph Shinners was shot and killed in Orem in January 2019 while trying to apprehend a wanted fugitive near a shopping center.

Shinners was a three-year veteran on the force and left behind a wife and a 1-year-old son.

The deaths were the first officer deaths in Utah County since 2001.

An inspection crew makes their way around the Provo Tabernacle on Saturday, Dec. 18, 2010 to assess damage done by a fire that destroyed the building.

Early in the decade, Utah County residents experienced a tragic loss.

At 2:43 a.m. on Dec. 17, 2010, the historic Provo Tabernacle was engulfed in an overnight blaze. When crews arrived on scene, black smoke billowed from a hole in the roof, and orange flames lapped against the outer walls of the centuries-old treasured icon of Provo.

That day, the building that once stood at the center of the city was left in ruins.

For months, crews worked to clean up the scene and many local residents wondered what the future of the historic building would be. In October 2011, however, those questions were answered as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced that the remaining structure would be built into a temple.

The groundbreaking for the temple was held on May 12, 2012, and after extensive construction, an open house was held in early 2016.

The sun sets on the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' Payson Temple on Thursday, March 19, 2015. SAMMY JO HESTER, Daily Herald

The Provo City Center Temple was not the only temple constructed in Utah County this decade. In 2010, the county was home to just two Latter-day Saint temples the Provo Temple and the Mount Timpanogos Temple.

The Payson Utah Temple was dedicated on June 7, 2015. The Provo City Center Temple then became the fourth temple in the county when it was dedicated on March 20, 2016.

Two additional temples were also announced for Utah County this decade. One in Saratoga Springs was announced on April 2, 2017, and one in Orem was announced on Oct. 5, 2019. The Saratoga Springs temple is currently under construction and the Orem temples location has been announced.

Brandon Morgan, center, 17, loads items into a truck as his friend, Carter Wilkey, 16, of Payson, helps Morgan evacuate from his Elk Ridge home during a mandatory evacuation as the Pole Creek and Bald Mountain Fires move toward homes Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018.Residents from rural homes and the neighboring city of Woodland Hills were also mandated to evacuate, causing roughly 5,305 people to be displaced from their homes. Nine days after residents of Elk Ridge and Woodland Hills were mandated to evacuate their homes, the mandatory evacuation order was lifted and people began to return to their homes. However, both cities were still on pre-evacuation status as hot spots were put out. No homes were reported as destroyed.Isaac Hale, Daily Herald

There were several devastating wildfires throughout the past 10 years, but two summers saw wildfires that damaged significant portions of Utah County.

In 2012, the county saw several large fires that burned close to 15,000 acres, including the Dump, Wiley, Pinyon, Quail, West Lake and Tank fires. The Wood Hollow Fire also burned close to 47,000 acres, mostly in Sanpete County, but its smoke covered the south end of the valley.

In 2018, the combined Bald Mountain and Pole Creek fires threatened thousands of homes in southern Utah County when they began rapidly spreading in mid-September, eventually growing to more than 100,000 acres. Mandatory evacuations were issued for Woodland Hills and Elk Ridge, and residents were kept out of their homes for a total of nine days.

BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall, left, watches a play during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Utah, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2011, at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah. Utah defeated BYU 54-10. (AP Photo/Colin E Braley)

After more than a decade in the Mountain West Conference, Brigham Young University athletics officials announced football independence in August 2010.

After speculation that the Cougars would join a new conference, they instead took the route of independence in football and joined the West Coast Conference for other sports. The change also came with a new ESPN TV contract, which made viewing games more accessible than in the Mountain West Conference.

The change in conference was not the only change BYU football saw this decade, though. In 2015, head coach Bronco Mendenhall announced he was leaving the university after 10 seasons with the Cougars. Mendenhall, who left for a head coaching position at Virginia, was replaced for the 2016 season by former Cougar football player Kalani Sitake.

BYU football also lost legendary coach LaVell Edwards at the end of 2016. Edwards, who coached the Cougars for 29 seasons, died at the age of 86 on Dec. 29, 2016.

Megan Huntsman arrives in court Monday, April 20, 2015, in Provo, Utah. Huntsman who pleaded guilty to killing six of her newborn babies and hiding their bodies in her garage was sentenced to up to life in prison Monday in a case that drew national attention and sent shockwaves through her quiet community. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, Pool)

Utah County saw several high-profile crimes and trials in the past decade, including several murder cases that garnered national attention.

In 2013, former Utah County doctor Martin MacNeill was convicted for drugging his wife, Michele, and leaving her to drown in a bathtub on April 11, 2007. MacNeill was found unresponsive by a corrections officer in April 2017 at the Utah State Prison complex in Draper. Officials confirmed his death was a suicide.

A gruesome local crime story came to its conclusion in April 2015 when Megan Huntsman, of Pleasant Grove, was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison for killing six of her newborn babies. One year earlier, in April 2014, police found six infant bodies in shoe boxes in Huntsmans garage. Police found the bodies wrapped in cloth, put in plastic bags and packed into boxes, left behind after Huntsman moved out.

Elizabeth Elena Laguna-Salgado, 26, vanished from downtown Provo on April 16, 2015, never to be seen again. After being missing for more than three years, police confirmed the Provo students remains were located in Hobble Creek Canyon on May 18, 2018. Officials are considering the case a homicide, and to this point, no suspects have been arrested.

In December 2017, Riley Powell and Brelynne Breezy Otteson disappeared. The bodies of the two teenagers were found three months later in an abandoned mine near Eureka. Autopsy reports showed the teenagers had been stabbed and died by homicide. Jerrod Baum, 42, is facing two counts of aggravated murder in the teens deaths. He reportedly killed the teenagers out of jealousy that his ex-girlfriend, Morgan Henderson, had a male visitor in their house. She testified against him and shared many details about the deaths during a preliminary hearing in March.

In 2012, Heidy Truman died of a gunshot wound at her Orem home. Her husband Conrad Truman was arrested and originally convicted of her death in late 2014, but was awarded a new trial in August 2016. In February 2017, Conrad Truman, previously convicted of murder in the death of his wife, was found not guilty after a second jury trial.

BYU students chant during a protest asking for changes in the universitys honor code at Brigham Young University on Friday, April 12, 2019, in Provo.

Over the past several years, BYU received national attention after students began protesting elements of the schools honor code, particularly how the code related to victims of sexual assault.

In 2016, sexual assault survivors came forward to say they had been investigated by the schools Honor Code Office for possible violations surrounding their sexual assaults.

That same year, the university announced changes to how it handles how sexual assaults are reported and planned to accept recommendations given by the internal Advisory Council on Campus Response to Sexual Assault. One of those announcements was that BYU would adopt an honor code amnesty clause for students when they report their assaults and said the Title IX and Honor Code offices would not share information with each other.

The protests by students didnt end with the changes adopted by the university, though, and in 2019, students began protesting the way the honor code is enforced after an Instagram account began publishing anonymous accounts of students interactions with the Honor Code Office. The protests spurred changes to the Honor Code Office itself and the way that students are informed of accusations against them.

The investigations also put BYU Police under scrutiny for their interactions with the Honor Code and Title IX offices. Officials at the Utah Department of Public Safety decided to revoke the certification after the university department reportedly failed to conduct an internal investigation into alleged misconduct of one of their officers.

The department is still currently appealing the decision and functioning at normal capacity through the appeals process.

Mountain View students are seen going home after school Nov. 16, 2016, at Mountain View High School in Orem.

School safety was a big issue this decade not only in Utah County, but nationwide as school shootings were seen across the country.

In November 2016, Utah County families saw a tragic day when a student stabbed five random classmates in the locker room at Mountain View High School in Orem. After his arrest, the 16-year-old told investigators he didnt target any particular students but simply wanted to experience what it felt like to kill as many people as possible before he died.

There were several bomb threats at schools throughout the valley, including one in 2016 when a man was arrested after driving up to Eagle Valley Elementary School in Eagle Mountain and claimed he had a vehicle full of bombs outside. After a few hours, the man was arrested, nearby roads were reopened and no explosives were found in the car.

A float for Mormons Building Bridges, an organization that supports the LGBTQ community, is seen in the July 4th Grand Parade in Provo on Thursday, July 4, 2019. The float featured photos of LGBTQ veterans.

Utah County dealt with a slew of issues relating to LGBTQ rights this decade, starting in June 2015 when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled same-sex marriage to be legal in all 50 states.

The local LGBT community ended up in the spotlight in 2017 when the Freedom Festival in Provo denied LGBTQ groups from the parade, while allowing other non-patriotic entities to participate. In 2018, the Freedom Festival came to an agreement with the city on a non-discrimination clause in order to continue a partnership, however, they again rejected LGBTQ applicants. Eventually, the Freedom Festival agreed to allow several LGBTQ organizations to march in the grand parade after county commissioner Nathan Ivie threatened to withdraw county funds from the festival.

In 2017, Imagine Dragons lead singer Dan Reynolds created the LOVELOUD festival, which was meant to help ignite the relevant and vital conversation of what it means to unconditionally love, understand, accept and support LGBTQ+ youth in an effort to keep families together. The festival was held Aug. 26, 2017, at Utah Valley University to a near-capacity crowd. In 2018, the festival moved to Salt Lake City.

The county also saw its first Pride Festival in Provo in 2013.

FILE PHOTO -- A warning sign for harmful algae is pictured near the Swede Sportsman Access on Provo Bay on Tuesday, June 12, 2018. The warning signs were hung yesterday.

Each year, the news of algal blooms on Utah Lake have become more and more commonplace, but the first warnings of the toxic green algae came in 2014 after a dog died from exposure in the lake.

The algal bloom in 2016 grew to larger levels than seen before and in 2017, it appeared even earlier than previous years and lasted longer into the fall.

In 2018, the Utah County Health Department installed permanent signage along the lake detailing what to look for in danger, showing that the algal bloom is almost becoming commonplace.

However, research is ongoing looking for ways to improve the quality of the lake. Its likely that research into the quality of the lake will continue into the next decade.

Also worth mentioning:

What would a decade in review be without mentioning Jimmer-mania? One of BYUs favorite now-former basketball players lit up the court in 2011, gaining national attention and even sparking viral social media memes. (How could you forget the classic Teach Me How to Jimmer?)

The Church of Jesus Christ saw significant changes over the course of the past 10 years. From the death of president Thomas S. Monson to the rapid pace of change under President Russell M. Nelson, the changes impacted many Utah County residents. Some of the most impactful changes included: the change to two-hour church, the withdrawal from the Boy Scouts program and start of Children and Youth programs, the end of home and visiting teaching and missionary age changes.

Utah County also saw changes to national leadership over the past decade. After 18 years in the U.S. Senate, Bob Bennett was replaced by Sen. Mike Lee in 2011 after failing to make the primary election ballot in 2010. Iconic Senator Orrin Hatch was also left office this decade after serving in the senate fo 42 years. He was replaced by Sen. Mitt Romney.

Utah County saw new representation in the U.S. House of Representatives with the creation of the Fourth Congressional District in 2013. Democrat Jim Matheson held the seat for two years, followed by Republican Mia Love who held the seat for four years. The seat is currently held by Ben McAdams. The Third Congressional District seat, which was held since 2009 by Republican Jason Chaffetz was taken by former Provo Mayor John Curtis in 2017 when Chaffetz suddenly resigned after re-election.

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10 years of change: Looking back at the top stories of the decade in Utah County - Daily Herald

Virginia Springs Phase II is under construction in Brentwood and will add another office building to the development. (Wendy Sturges/Community Impact Newspaper)

Virginia Springs Phase II

Construction has begun on Virginia Springs Phase II, located on Virginia Way and Granny White Pike in Brentwood. The Class A office building will be about 111,000 square feet and is expected to be complete in the fourth quarter of 2020, according to Cory Lombardo, marketing coordinator for Highwoods Properties, the building manager for the project.

Hyatt House and Staybridge Suites

Construction is wrapping up on two hotels along Mallory Lane near Spring Creek Drive in Franklin. Hyatt Housea 125-room hotel offering traditional hotel rooms as well as suites with kitchens for extended staysis accepting reservations beginning Jan. 4. Staybridge Suites is also under construction directly next door; however, a opening date has not yet been announced.

Brentwood police headquarters

The city of Brentwood is building a new police headquarters on Heritage Way near the Williamson County Indoor Sports Complex. The $29 million, 56,000-square-foot building is expected to be complete in early 2021, according to the city. The new headquarters will include an indoor firearms range, an ambulance bay, a community room, an evidence lab, a courtroom and a processing center.

Carothers Crossing West

Groundwork has begun on Carothers Crossing West, a mixed-use center located at the northeast corner of Liberty Pike near Carothers Parkway in Franklin. The 20-acre center, developed by SouthStar, is slated to feature 328 units of multifamily housing, office and retail space and nearly 500 parking spaces. The office and retail spaces are expected to open in late 2020 or early 2021, according to SouthStar. Tenants for Carothers Crossing West have not yet been announced.

Brentwood High School

Williamson County Schools announced in mid-November it has paused work on renovations to Brentwood High School, located along Murray Lane in Brentwood. The district is working to redesign plans after construction bids for the project came in over budget. The school, which added a science, technology, engineering and math building earlier this year, is expected to renovate the campus entrance, along with other updates.

Read this article:
5 construction projects to watch in Franklin, Brentwood - Community Impact Newspaper

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

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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.

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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