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.

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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.

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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

The young city of Brookhaven continued its march to set itself apart with big moves in 2019 that included the mayor leading regional talks on I-285 transit and opening the first mile of the Peachtree Creek Greenway. The city also broke ground on a new $15 million police department and courthouse; approved Emory Universitys $1 billion redevelopment of Executive Park; and finished the year by adding 2,000 new residents with the annexation of the LaVista Park neighborhood.

Mayor John Ernst.

In a race that pitted an established politician against a community activist, John Ernst coasted to a second term as Brookhavens mayor in the Nov. 5 election, defeating challenger Jen Heath. Ernst campaigned on promises to increase green space, protect the citys tree canopy and build more paths and trails while keeping taxes low. He said he plans to continue focusing on the basics, like public works, police and parks. He also said he would continue his strategy of taking a regional approach on transportation needs by working with other governments to find ways to alleviate traffic congestion in Brookhaven and surrounding cities.

An overview of the new sections of the I-285 toll lanes project. The section of Ga. 400 to the north has a separate but connected toll lanes project. (GDOT)

Homeowners living in the northern part of the city packed an April community meeting hosted by Mayor John Ernst and City Councilmember Linley Jones to voice their concerns about the Georgia Department of Transportations plans to build toll lanes along the top end of I-285. Ernst and Jones told them there was nothing that could be done to stop the project and they also learned the project could impact approximately 300 properties, but not all in the city. Ernst and Jones invited an attorney who specialize in eminent domain to outline what the residents could do if GDOT decides it does need some of their property for the project. In Brookhaven, the elevated toll lanes are expected to be constructed near Ashford-Dunwoody Road and Chamblee-Dunwoody Road. Ernst is leading a regional effort to get rapid bus transit incorporated into the toll lanes project.

Mayor John Ernst and the City Council cut the ribbon at the grand opening of the first phase of the citys portion of the Peachtree Creek Greenway.

Exactly one year after breaking ground on the model mile of the Peachtree Creek Greenway, the city hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open it on Dec. 12. The first mile is located between North Druid Hills Road and Briarwood Road and cost $10 million, according to the city. Funding for the Greenway came from hotel-motel taxes. Plans are in the works for the second mile from North Druid Hills road to the Atlanta border. The Greenway is a linear park and multiuse path that is envisioned to stretch 12 miles and connect the city to Atlanta, Chamblee, unincorporated DeKalb County and Doraville.

The day-long Developers Day on Sept. 12 included stops at various sites in the city, including the Peachtree Creek Greenway. (Dyana Bagby)

The city hosted its first Developers Day in September, where officials unveiled illustrations showing a major mixed-use development where the Salvation Army is currently located. They included an 18-story office tower overlooking I-85. The illustration was part of a visioning exercise to show some 50 developers and business owners attending the invitation-only event the kind of redevelopment the city wants to see along Buford Highway. Dramatic drawings of massive office campuses along Buford Highway that were part of the citys unsuccessful bid for Amazons second headquarters were also released to the public. In actual development, the city spent $1.5 million to buy a 1.5-acre parcel on the corridor for a future flyover bridge to Executive Park.

A site plan for Emory Universitys proposed redevelopment of Executive Park. The darker blue buildings show where new facilities are planned, including a hospital, hotel, multiunit residential buildings, office and retail space. A multiuse trail is planned in the center of the development under Georgia Power lines. (City of Brookhaven)

Emory University broke ground in October on its new Musculoskeletal Institute that is part of its planned $1 billion redevelopment over 15 years of Executive Park. Across the street, Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta is finishing up construction on two office buildings and parking decks as part of the build-out of its 72-acre campus. Once the buildings are completed and employees are moved in, CHOA will tear down its current office complex on Tullie Circle and start building a new $1.5 billion hospital on the site.

An illustration of Brookhavens new public safety and municipal court building scheduled to be completed by summer 2021. (City of Brookhaven)

The city broke ground on its new $15 million public safety headquarters that is being built along the Peachtree Creek Greenway. The 34,000-square-foot headquarters will house the police department and municipal court facilities that are currently located in a leased building on Buford Highway. The facility will include a public restroom accessible from the Greenway.

Brookhaven City Councilmemember Linley Jones, standing at front, at Councilmember-elect Madeleine Simmons listen to people share their thoughts on the city considering an LGBTQ nondiscrimination ordinance. (Dyana Bagby)

The City Council held a public hearing on an ordinance that would ban local businesses from discriminating against people based on their sexual orientation and gender identity, classes of people currently not protected by state or federal law. A vote on the ordinance was scheduled for January. The ordinance would be named for Richard Rhodes, the gay activist and resident who urged the city pass such an ordinance before he died in July at age 81.

The Brookhaven Library is located in a outdated building at 1242 North Druid Hills Road. (Dyana Bagby)

Where to build the citys new library that was funded by a DeKalb County bond referendum in 2005 continues to be a debate. County officials said this year they have a strong interest in building the new building on the front portion of Brookhaven Park, property the county still currently owns. The city set aside $2.2 million of its 2018 parks bond money to buy the front portion of the park, but the county says a final agreement has not been made. City officials say they do not want the library built in Brookhaven Park because it would take away significant open green space. They also said the master plan for the park approved in 2018 with community input did not include the new library.

A map of the LaVista Park community expected to be annexed into the city of Brookhaven. (City of Brookhaven)

About 2,000 new residents became part of the city after the City Council approved Dec. 10 annexing the LaVista Park neighborhood just south of Executive Park. The LaVista Park Civic Association requested annexation into Brookhaven because members said they wanted to ensure their voices were heard as Emory University redevelops Executive Park. The city adopted a policy creating special tax districts for newly annexed areas. Property owners will continue to pay higher DeKalb County taxes into a special tax district fund to pay for infrastructure improvements. That ensures the citys existing tax base does not have to pay for what the county did not fix under its watch, according to the city.

A new branding strategy to boost the city into a regional and national presence was unveiled, inviting people to Explore Brookhaven. The council approved spending more than $800,000 to hire consultants to develop a comprehensive strategy as well as marketing materials, including a new logo. Explore Brookhaven will be the used in the citys marketing and tourism materials and even within city departments to distinguish Brookhaven from its older, larger or more established neighbors, according to the city.

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Brookhaven's 2019 Year in Review - Reporter Newspapers

Construction will start in January to improve the driving range at the city of Kents Riverbend Golf Course.

The City Council on Dec. 10 awarded a $1.4 million contract to Buckley-based Mike McClung Construction Co., to begin phase one of the project. Contracts for phase two and three of the work will be awarded at a later date.

The driving range is being completed in three consecutive phases, beginning in January 2020 and hopefully re-opening by July 2020, said City Parks Director Julie Parascondola in an email.

Phase one will include removal of the outdated artificial turf and installation of natural grass turf. Crews will regrade the range area to improve drainage and install irrigation. Perimeter poles and fencing on the eastern portion of the range will be replaced and relocated to allow for expansion of the building in the next phase. The miniature golf course also will be removed.

One of the major elements to bring in significant revenue to the golf course is the expansion of the driving range, Parascondola said to the council. It is also the catalyst to transition the golf course into the positive black. We are super excited to finally be here advancing the driving range project. The last time the driving range was updated and remodeled was 25 years ago, so its in desperate need of renovation.

The city will pay for the work with proceeds from the $10.5 million sale of the former par 3 golf course to a developer who is building the Marquee on Meeker apartments and retail space across from Riverbends 18-hole golf course.

The city is using $6 million of the land sale for improvements at Riverbend and $4 million to pay off debt at the complex. Riverbend lost $65,572 in 2018 after averaging losses of about $300,000 per year. The closure of the par 3 course in April 2018 helped reduce costs in 2018. Profit or losses for Riverbend in 2019 are not yet available.

The second phase will include building renovations and the addition of 14 new driving stalls to connect to the existing 32 stations, which will be upgraded. The third and final phase is improvements to the parking lot.

Parascondola said natural turf will be installed on the range because artificial turf has a lifespan of only 12 to 15 years. She added that using artificial turf would require the course to have replacement funds in its capital improvement program in the future, which isnt feasible for Riverbend.

Golfers can see the impacts of what an artificial grass field looks like now without capital re-investment capacity, which isnt visually appealing in any way, she said. A natural grass field allows us to manage the driving range as we would any other naturally grown element on the course, with no expiration date. We no longer have to worry about not having enough capital funding to replace expired artificial grass and our customers will now have a more pleasing visual experience when practicing their golf swing.

Portions of the driving range will close during phase one, Parascondola said. Some stalls may remain open until the second phase when the existing stalls will be upgraded. It remains to be determined if the range will be open during the parking lot project. She said parks staff will keep the public informed when specific closure and opening dates are determined.

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Riverbend driving range improvements in Kent to start in January - Kent Reporter

MUMBAI: Realty player Ashwin Sheth Group is planning to invest around Rs 2,000 crore over the next five years to create a portfolio worth Rs 10,000 crore.

The city-based company, which has a significant portfolio in the residential segment, is also looking to set up more retail and commercial projects to cash in on the growing demand for such space.

"There is indeed a slowdown in the realty sector, but I believe this is the best time for serious developers like us to expand our portfolio. We plan to invest around Rs 2,000 crore in the next five years and create a strong portfolio of residential as well as commercial and retail spaces, mainly focused in the Mumbai metropolitan region," its director Chintan Sheth told PTI.

At present, the developer has a portfolio of around Rs 4,000 crore, which includes 150 lakh sq ft of completed and 50 lakh sq ft of under-construction residential projects. Besides, it also has eight lakh sq ft of commercial space -- including three lakh sq ft of ongoing projects and another 16 lakh sq ft of retail space.

"With this kind of investment, we will be able to increase our portfolio to Rs 10,000 crore worth of assets in the next 5 years," Sheth said, adding that the investments would be largely funded through internal accruals and debt.

He further said the company will now focus on increasing its commercial and retail portfolio, given the slowdown in the residential sector.

"At present, almost 90-95 per cent of our portfolio is residential. But now we want to shift our focus to commercial and retail space especially because of the growing demand in these segments with tech driving the growth," he added.

According to property consultant CBRE, leasing activity for the office segment increased by more than 30 per cent annually to cross 470 lakh sq ft during the first three quarters of 2019 as compared to the previous year.

Sheth said that going forward, 70 per cent of the portfolio would be residential, while the rest would be a mix of retail and commercial.

"However, the model that we are looking at is more of a commercial/ retail development in and around the residential developments. We already have a mall with GIC as our partner and we are looking at acquiring stressed retail assets as well as developing greenfield malls," he said.

Similarly, the company will also develop small size office spaces ranging from 25,000 sq ft to a lakh sq ft depending on the demand in a particular market.

"We will cautiously choose locations and the sizes we would offer. I don't want to develop a structure which doesn't yield returns. Also in case of stressed asset acquisition, we will finalise projects which are value accretive and only after complete due diligence," Sheth added.

Original post:
Ashwin Sheth Grp plans to invest Rs 2,000 crore in next five years - Economic Times

New restaurants, new food pairings and a closed chain store were all part of the Springfield food scene in 2019.

Three restaurants have been added to Fountain Avenue, a coffee shop and pizza restaurant are continuing to expand, and a pancake house closed.

Here are six restaurant stories the Springfield News-Sun followed in 2019:

Openings

Stella Bleu Bistro, Bubbys Chicken & Waffles, and J&Js Phat Head Foods have taken their unique food creations to Fountain Avenue.

A casual fine-dining restaurant,Stella Bleu Bistro, opened in June at 20 N. Fountain Ave.

The bistros owners are Shawn Osterholt and Darin Mitchell.

Osterholt is a local physician and investor, while Mitchell served as an executive chef at both the Urbana Country Club and Cocos Bistro, in Dayton, in the years leading up to the two opening Stella Bleu.

The restaurant can seat as many as 85 customers in the main dining room, with a separate private dining space that can seat about 50. Additionally, the restaurant features an outdoor patio that seats an additional 75 to 100 customers.

Mitchell said most of the food in the restaurant is made in-house, including the ketchup and mustard.

I love food, so do the guys that work for me, Mitchell said. So we love to have fun coming up with a menu and different options.

The menus for both lunch and dinner feature a variety of dishes including steak, seafood, pasta and vegetarian options.

RELATED:Stella Bleu Bistro celebrates grand opening, bringing more business to downtown Springfield

Two restaurants began operating near Stella Bleu Bistro out of the shared-kitchen in the Bushnell Building, 16 N. Fountain Ave.

Bubbys Chicken & Waffles, a food truck/restaurant, has been selling a rare combination of chicken and waffles since the end of June.

Kareem Crossley, the owner, said the cold weather prompted him to move his food truck indoors.

Im not selling plates, Im selling experiences, Crossley said. I like it because it is intimate. I get to connect with my customers on a personal level - Im just not taking your money.

The waffles he sells are not regular waffles they contain Fruity Pebbles to create a sense of nostalgia.

RELATED:Bubbys Chicken & Waffles, a Springfield food trick, moves indoors

J&Js Phat Head Foods, an evening restaurant, began offering curbside service and delivery in December from the shared-kitchen.

John Hartman and James Smith, co-owners and Springfield natives, decided to start the restaurant because of their love for food and desire to own a food truck.

Smith explained that their restaurant is, more like a food truck in a building.

Best selling items include wings and potato wedges with made-from-scratch sauces. Other items include chicken Alfredo French bread pizza, pork Philly, chicken Philly, and hamburgers

Were just trying to get a foothold here because we know we sell quality food, Smith said.

In the future, the co-owners are looking to expand to UberEats, buy a food truck, and test the third-shift market.

RELATED:New Springfield restaurant offers curbside service, delivery

Expansions

Cassanos, a regional pizza chain that owns four stores in Springfield, built a new, modern restaurant beside the Cassanos located at 2123 S. Limestone St.

The new building includes a pickup window, a spacious dining room and a better kitchen. The old building was demolished.

Cassanos isnt expanding, but it is taking a close look at its existing locations and making sure its stores are providing what customers want, Chip Cassano, CEO for the chain said.

Once the store on South Limestone Street was completed, the franchise began a similar project at the Cassanos on North Bechtle Avenue.

RELATED:Cassanos redevelops two existing Springfield restaurants

Another food/drink business expanding isWinans Chocolates & Coffees.

The coffee shop will offer a drive-thru window, a patio and wine at its new location, 1406 N. Limestone in NCF Savings Bank retail space.

We are so thankful for this opportunity and cant wait to bring another something new to The Champion City, Owner, Chandi Shah said.

This is the second Winans location Chandi Shah and her business partner Travis Van Voorhis own - their other location is at North Fountain Avenue.

The new Winans was slated to open in late 2019, but construction on the property is currently ongoing.

RELATED:New Winans location in Springfield will offer wine, drive-thru

Closing

The Springfield IHOP, previously located at 2206 N. Bechtle Ave., closed in late January along with other Dayton-area IHOPs.

A sign left on the door said that the store was closed temporarily, but in March the property was listed for sale.

IHOP employees told this news organization that they were not given much notice before the IHOP restaurants were closed.

A spokeswoman for the restaurant chain previously said that the restaurants parent company was exploring options to reopen IHOP restaurants in the Dayton area that were padlocked and abruptly closed in mid-January.

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Springfield restaurants 2019: Openings, expansions, and a closing - Springfield News Sun