Published: Wednesday, December 31, 2014 at 3:46 p.m. Last Modified: Wednesday, December 31, 2014 at 3:46 p.m.

Meanwhile, city officials suspended a portion of the program and have contemplated whether to suspend it entirely. There has even been talk of scrapping it, but the city is bound by contract until 2019.

The debate has raged since 2010 and could reach its highest decibels in 2015. The 4th District Court of Appeal ruled in October that private companies may not legally issue uniform traffic citations. The city of Palm Coast, in conjunction with American Traffic Solutions, which has a contract to run the cameras until 2019, issues such citations when a suspected violator doesnt pay the initial fine within 60 days.

As of today, the city issues those initial fines but cannot charge late fees because of the court ruling, which is being appealed.

The red-light cameras have become a quagmire of state and local policy and law, said Steven Nobile, one of two new Palm Coast City Council members elected in November. Nobile was a vocal critic of the citys red-light program during his campaign, .

We really cant make a move right now ... Nonetheless, I am continuing to look at other avenues to put a stop to the program and replace it with a local law enforcement program to analyze and provide direction as to (the) best methods to reduce red-light (violators), Nobile said.

Heidi Shipley, the other newly elected council member, has not taken as strong a stance as Nobile on the red-light camera issue but her patience has worn thin since the October court ruling.

The red-light cameras divide people ... and for that reason I would like to rid our city of them, Shipley said.

Including the mayor, the council consists of five elected officials. If Shipleys staunch opposition doesnt change, the number of council members opposed to the camera program appears now to be greater than the number who support it.

Nobile and Shipley joined the City Council just before it faced another controversial issue the construction of a new city hall building. For years, Palm Coast has used retail space for its headquarters, but has since approved the design and construction of a standalone building in Town Center. Construction is scheduled to be completed in the fall.

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Red lights, green space dominate new year in Flagler

Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) December 30, 2014

What do real estate developers Equity Residential, JBG Companies, Fisher Brothers, and Holland Partner Group have in common? Theyve all chosen OxBlue construction cameras for their large, multiunit residential projects. OxBlues construction webcam services, high-definition time-lapse movies, and intuitive technologies are often used by big-box retailers, construction companies, and other builders to monitor construction progress, document build details, and manage projects. Developers also benefit from these capabilities, especially when project owners and other stakeholders are are not near the jobsite.

With development in multiple states, Vancouver, Wash.-based Holland Partner Group (HPG) needed a way for the real estate investment companys executives and project managers to monitor progress remotely. Citing the technological capabilities and plug-and-play ease of use of OxBlues construction camera system, HPG has chosen to use an OxBlue camera on several projects. The latest is a 7-story complex with 606 apartment units atop 26,000 square feet of commercial space and 320,000 square foot subterranean parking garage. The mixed-use space in rapidly redeveloping City West, near downtown Los Angeles, boasts such amenities as landscaped courtyards and paseos, rooftop decks, outdoor pools, and fitness center.

Washington, D.C.-area developer JBG Companies also turned to OxBlue for their Galvan at 1800 Rockville Pike project, located in Marylands Twinbrook area. The urban area has been a hotspot of redevelopment and renewal for years, but the Galvan is the highest profile project to date. The project is transforming 450,000 square feet of former retail space into 356 apartments with 100,000 square feet for retail. Residential amenities feature landscaped courtyards, outdoor living rooms, grilling areas and fireplaces, and pool. JBG cites functionality and ease of use of the construction camera interface and the excellence of customer service as significant sources of their satisfaction with OxBlue.

After using an OxBlue construction webcam on an earlier project, New York-based developer Fisher Brothers knew it was a given that theyd use it on their 225 E. 39th Street project, a 37-story, 372-unit luxury rental building in the prestigious Murray Hill neighborhood of Manhattan. With the unique amenities the building offers everything from indoor fire pits and rooftop pool to terraces with lawns and in-unit laundry rooms Fisher Brothers was especially interested in the ability to market this high-profile project. OxBlues administrative controls and simple Web-based platform enable clients to use real-time jobsite views, high-resolution archived images, and high-definition time-lapse videos for marketing and public relations purposes.

Chicago-based Equity Residential has an OxBlue construction camera on its 170 Amsterdam Avenue project, a 20-story, 236-unit residential building on Manhattans Upper West Side. In addition to remote jobsite monitoring and the range of camera mounting locations afforded by the cameras high-resolution imaging and zooming capabilities, Equity Residential has reaped some benefits they werent even expecting:

According to Dave Gill, SVP Construction Management Development, We were surprised by the features for time-lapse photography; they are great for presentations. Weve also used archived images and real-time views to resolve schedule disputes and observe quality issues. Being able to see a project at different angles gives us a better understanding of the project than we get from a set of 2-dimensional construction drawings. The jobsite photos tell a much better story than words can describe.

OxBlue construction camera systems come complete with all hardware, cellular data connection, intuitive technologies, automatically generated time-lapse videos of active projects, and a professionally produced time-lapse video of the completed project. To learn more about OxBlue construction camera systems, please contact OxBlue at (888) 849-2583.

About OxBlue: OxBlue, a leading construction webcam service provider, has been making the jobs of construction professionals and project stakeholders easier since 2001. High-resolution jobsite images, high-definition time-lapse movies, and intuitive technologies connect everyone on the project to the jobsite and with each other for better project management, better communication, and a more efficient build. OxBlue construction webcams are at work across 6 continents and all 50 states, serving Fortune 500 companies and top ENR contractors. For more information, please visit OxBlue.com.

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OxBlue Construction Cameras Currently Being Used by Developers for High-Profile Residential Projects

ChipotleMexican Grill, the popular, national burrito chain, and Baggins, the popular Tucson sandwich chain, are moving into one of Marana's busiest retail corridors.

Both restaurants are expected to open in the next couple months across the street from one another on West Arizona Pavilions Drive off Interstate 10 adn West Cortaro Road.

Chipotle will take over the retail space that was most recently home to Payless Shoe Source at 5940 N. Business Park Drive. Construction has been ongoing since early December and the restaurant is expected to open sometime in the next couple months, company officials said.

Construction just got started on the 2,300-square-foot-space where Baggins will serve its menu of gourmet sandwiches and salads beginning sometime in early February, said Baggins Vice President Sunny Bravin. This will be Baggins' ninth Tucson location.

Bravin said the timing is right to move into Marana, which has seen remarkable growth in mostly chain restaurants in the I-10/Cortaro Road corridor in the past several years. Among the restaurants already operating there is Chili's, Native Grill & Wings, Texas Roadhouse, Cracker Barrel and a handful of fast-food outposts including In-N-Out Burger and Panda Express.

Dunkin' Donuts opened a store at 8090 N. Cortaro Road across the driveway from Panda Express in late summer. In early November, Village Inn, known for its breakfast specialities and homespun comfort food, opened at 5955 W. Arizona Pavilions Drive.

"That area is booming over there," said Bravin. "I think that's just been an underdeveloped area for our clients. We have a lot of customers (from Marana) who come to our Oro Valley and Oracle Road stores."

Originally posted here:
Chipotle, Baggins coming to Marana

Retailers Can Thrive Simultaneously in Online and Brick & Mortar Worlds, They Just Need To Adjust

The current challenge has a lot more to do with technology and a lot less to do with sales and spending. Still, the results could be just as dramatic on the retail marketplace.

"Every few years the retail sector experiences a spurt of store closures that temporarily spooks the CMBS market. What I focus on more now is how technology is changing the retail landscape, Marshall Glick, senior vice president and senior analyst of Securitized Asset Management Group at AllianceBernstein LP, said at a CMBS and CRE roundtable this month hosted by Standard & Poors.

Noting that iTunes effectively eliminated the need for pure music retailers and large electronic stores are closing locations or moving toward a smaller footprint due to internet retailing, Glick said he continues to believe in clothing retailers. They keys, as always, are execution and location. "Department stores could downsize the store formats and become a bit more current in their retailing methods," Glick added. "In a thriving mall, this becomes an opportunity for the owner to bring new excitement to the property; while in a sub-performing mall, [this] could be a trigger to a death spiral.

Our credit team here at [AllianceBernstein] is concerned about Sears, but it may be more of a 2016 event, rather than next year, Glick answered.

In one post, Lampert addressed the questions of just how much retail floor space does the company need to deliver a great shopping experience. And with more and more of its sales and member engagement moving online or via mobile, do those stores need the same kinds of stock rooms and warehouses?

And his answer is basically: not nearly as much as it has now.

"Some of our stores are simply too large for our needs, given that populations shift, new roads are built and new retail areas open constantly, Lampert wrote, adding that he plans to continue to execute the retailer's plan to integrate its store and digital capabilities, which will include adjusting the size and number of stores it operates.

"Additionally, Sears Holdings will continue to build and experiment with new capabilities in stores and on its mobile and online platforms, with an emphasis on its Shop Your Way membership program and integrated retail offerings.

Of course, Sears is far from alone in tackling these questions.

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RETAIL OUTLOOK: Tech-Driven Interruption of Shopper Habits Will Continue in 2015

A 5,000 square foot warehouse on the state nursery on Highway 12 is undergoing transformation.

Still mostly empty, the warehouse has a few work spaces partitioned by recycled lumber and some power tools resting in the open. But given a few more weeks, Matt Forbes envisions the space becoming Helenas next epicenter for creative manufacturing.

The idea is anything you can dream of fabricating from metal or wood we can potentially make happen here, Forbes said.

The Means of Production or M.O.P. Shop is something Forbes has been mulling over for a few years.

It can be hard for an artist just starting out to accumulate the necessary tools or find a space to work. The idea behind the M.O.P. Shop is for everyone to split the cost of space and have access to a spread of community tools, Forbes said.

Eventually, hes imagining 10 to 12 individual work spaces, each eight feet by 12 feet. Renters in those spaces would have 24 hour access and dedicated storage.

People who dont need their own space can rent one of multiple oversized lockers. Theyll have a large table to share and use of community tools, but limited access.

Forbes vision also includes some sort of dedicated retail space at the front of the shop, in which full-fledged members would each be allocated space to sell their goods.

A construction worker by trade, Forbes tinkers and refurbishes old furniture as a hobby. He even made his own tiny house, a meticulously built abode no larger than 200 square feet.

When he found the warehouse in Helena and decided to try and make it into the M.O.P. Shop, he parked his home out back and spent lots of time tooling around the space envisioning the end result.

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Retrofitted space aims to enable creative manufacturing

Corporate News

Posted on December 28, 2014 09:57:00 PM

The expansion of Festival Supermall in Alabang and the soft launch of four other projects will bring the real estate developers gross leasable area to 219,195 sq.m. next year.

The company had said in November it wants to increase its gross leasable area to around 995,000 sq.m. within five years.

Festival Supermall, the companys flagship mall located in Alabang and managed by its wholly owned subsidiary Festival Supermalls, Inc., will add 46,705 sq.m. in 2015 to the current 134,090 sq.m. of leasable space, Filinvest Land Corporate Communications Manager Christine A. Gaylican said in a mobile phone reply on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the developers retail and commercial centers in Cebu and Laguna will be operational in 2015, according to Filinvest Land Senior Vice-President for Commercial Center and Retail Management Joy Polloso.

Construction is ongoing for Il Corso, the companys lifestyle, retail and dining strips in Cebu. The project will have 11 connected buildings with a gross floor area of 55,000 sq.m. and a gross leasable area of 36,000 sq.m.

The Central Piazza where the main entrance and amphitheater are located will be ready to welcome guests early next year, Ms. Polloso said.

The companys 4.4-hectare project in Laguna, The Village Front, is planned to be the commercial area for the Brentville International community in Bian.

Fora, Filinvest Lands mixed-use development at the Tagaytay Rotunda, will be complete by 2016 and will house 32,000 sq.m. of retail and mall space.

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Filinvest Land to boost leasable space by 58%

The reopening of The Edgewater Hotel marked one of the biggest stories of 2014 but it also was a year that saw additions in the grocery market and expansions in retail.

The Edgewater Hotel: After years of debate, two years of construction and a $100 million renovation and expansion, owner Robert Dunn reopened The Edgewater Hotel on Lake Mendotas east shore and on the west end of Wisconsin Avenue.

The 202-room property, with 356,220 square feet of space, includes four restaurants, a ballroom, private roof-top event spaces, a spa and a digital gallery that celebrates Madison. Construction began in November 2012 and included closing the hotel, building a 15-story tower and removing parts of the 1970s addition and renovating what remained of the original structure that opened in 1948. This spring, construction will begin on a 150-foot permanent pier that will include two floating piers with 38 boat slips.

Grocers continue to expand: One of the most competitive grocery markets in the Midwest continued to add aisles, although one long-time grocery store closed its doors.

Shortly after Roundys opened its 58,000-square-foot Metro Market at 6010 Cottage Grove Road in June, Tammy and Joe Wirag announced they would close their 25,000-square-foot Sentry store just blocks away after 40 years in business.

Willy Street Co-op completed a $4 million renovation to its flagship store at 1221 Williamson St. The project added higher shelving, an expanded courtyard, a pizza oven and storage. The co-op could announce this year a site for a third store.

Other new grocery store openings in 2014 included a Hy-Vee in Fitchburg, the $7 million Lake Mills Market in Lake Mills and, for the college students, a Kwik Trip store but without gas pumps on the ground level of Varsity Quarters, a six-story, 129-bed apartment building at 1423 Monroe St. In the 800 block of East Washington Avenue, Gebhardt Development of Madison broke ground on a $65 million multi-use development that will include a 75,000-square-foot grocery store from Onalaska-based Skogen Festival Foods

Retail happenings: To the relief of businesses, homeowners and commuters, the reconstruction of East Johnson Street was finalized this fall while the Verona Road project continued on schedule but still has two years of work remaining. Hilldale Shopping Center in September began a $15 million redevelopment that covers 53,000 square feet. The project, scheduled for completion this spring, is designed to create more open spaces and revitalize the backside of the mall.

The Shoppes at Prairie Lakes in Sun Prairie continues to expand. Major projects underway at the 110-acre development include the construction of an 86,000-square-foot Cabelas that began in June and a 100,000-square-foot, 12-screen cinema by Marcus Theatres that broke ground in May.

The Habitat ReStore East moved to a larger space at 4207 Monona Drive; Webers Bakery in Lodi closed in March after 92 years in business and Robert Blain, president, CEO and co-owner of Blain Supply and Blains Farm & Fleet, announced in June his retirement from the Janesville-based company. His sister, Jane Blain Gilbertson, has assumed his role.

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Landmark hotel reopens and grocers expand

The new year should bring some new businesses to Skibo Road.

But what will they be? For the most part, that remains to be seen.

There's lots of activity at different locations along the busy commercial corridor, including the continuing makeover of Marketfair Mall and clearing work at three sites along the road.

Marketfair Mall reps haven't announced who's slated to join Carmike Cinemas, Gander Mountain and HH Gregg in the shopping center once its redevelopment is complete. But a few of the future tenants have indicated their plans to come. They include hardwood flooring retailer Lumber Liquidators, the sandwich shop chain Which Wich, and Planet Fitness.

South of Marketfair, the land between Verizon Wireless and Casual Jack's restaurant has been cleared. Charlotte-based Providence Group has been marketing the site for months as a future shopping center. A flier at Providence Group's website shows a plan for a strip center with eight units containing nearly 19,000 square feet with some named tenants - McAlister's Deli, Wing Stop, Mission BBQ, Total Nutrition, MOD Pizza and World of Beer. But are they coming there for sure? All are mum for now on the subject although McAlister's Deli has said it definitely plans to open a store in Fayetteville.

A little bit farther down the road, just past Cliffdale Road, the 48-acre site that used to be home to the Leisure Living mobile home park is now empty and awaiting its new fate. The land was rezoned commercial last spring and its owners have said a shopping center is planned. Warehouse club Costco has been said to be looking at the site but nothing's confirmed.

Down near Skibo's intersection with Raeford Road, behind the Hardee's, is another cleared patch of land destined for shopping. Owner Jurgen Stanley said it will be a small strip center with five units in about 6,500 square feet total. He said one tenant will be a mail-delivery business and another a sandwich shop. The other three tenants are still being lined up.

Stanley expects the center to be up and running by late spring.

Elsewhere in town, what's going to happen with the former Wynnsong cinema space at the Boone Trail shopping center?

Something.

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Retail Therapy: What will new year bring to Skibo Road?

Altoona is on the edge of a commercial development explosion, some of which is on the books and some lurking around the fringes.

Construction will begin next spring on the much-anticipated outlet mall at the Shoppes at Prairie Crossing, a 175-acre retail, entertainment, residential and commercial center south of Bass Pro Shops along the U.S. Highway 65 bypass.

And within the next few months, work should begin on a 12-screen movie theater on 15 acres across from Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino on Altoonas northwest side.

The two highly visible projects are attracting attention from businesses interested in joining the development wave.

Everybodys very secretive about what they want to do, but we have development questions coming into our office all the time, said Jeff Mark, Altoonas city administrator. And when both projects are under construction, there will be even more interest.

The city has long been a draw for visitors seeking entertainment at Prairie Meadows, Adventureland amusement park, and the nearby Iowa State Fairgrounds. And the new $300 million Facebook data center on the north side of Interstate Highway 80 has helped put the city in the spotlight.

This is only the tip of the retail iceberg, Mark said.

The Shoppes at Prairie Crossing is being developed by Quad Cities businessman Mike Whalen and his Heart of America Group. The site has been primed for several years with $10 million in streets, water, sanitary sewer, storm sewer, street lighting and grading provided by the city. Last summer, Heart of America opened the developments first tenant, Johnnys Italian Steakhouse.

HOA announced last spring that New England Development of Newton, Mass., planned to build a 325,000-square-foot open-air outlet mall on the property starting in 2015. The project will include about 75 retailers in spaces ranging from 800 square feet to 20,000 square feet, said Michael Barelli, vice president of development for New England Development.

The project is on schedule although the price tag is growing. Construction costs are increasing because of all the construction activity in the market, Barelli said.

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Altoona plans for busy retail construction season

The Charlotte City Council has extended the retail contract with Paradies Shops LLC to manage stores inside Charlotte Douglas International Airport terminal.

The original contract, awarded in 2010, was set to expire in 2017. But council members voted in early December to grant Paradies a five-year extension that will keep it in Charlotte Douglas through 2022.

The city extended the contract because it is expanding two parts of the airports main terminal. The expansion will include new retail and restaurant space, including two new retail stores in the west terminal expansion and five new stores in an east terminal expansion.

Paradies also will operate those stores. The City Council said it will require a significant investment by Paradies.

Construction on a three-story, $10.5 million terminal expansion of the west side of the terminal started in 2013. The project is scheduled to be finished in early 2015. The new stores will total 2,650 square feet. The expansion will connect Security Checkpoint A with Concourse B.

The $9 million east-side terminal expansion started design work last spring. The two-story, 32,000-square-foot expansion will create a new food court and 2,700 square feet of retail space.

The airport also is planning a $32 million renovation of the terminal and concourses in 2015.

Atlanta-based Paradies today operates stores in Charlotte such as Lacoste, EA Sports and Brooks Brothers.

Terry Wimpy, the Paradies general manager for Charlotte, said the company doesnt have any firm commitments yet for the new space.

He said the new stores would likely be a combination of news and gifts and some nationally branded stores.

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Charlotte City Council extends Paradies airport retail contract