Hobart Historic Restoration wants to start construction on the $9.2 million project by this spring

December 15, 2014 | 5:14 pm

CEDAR RAPIDS A push for more housing in the citys center is getting a boost from two building proposals in Kingston Village across the Cedar River from downtown.

The latest of the two proposals at the most visible of the two locations in the 400 block of First Street SW looking at downtown comes from Hobart Historic Restoration, which has told city officials it will construct a $9.2-million, six-story building with first-floor retail space, four floors of market-rate apartments and a fifth floor with two penthouse condominiums.

B.J. Hobart, an owner of Hobart Historic Restoration, said Monday that the river views that will come with the new project made adding the top-story penthouses to the project too good an opportunity to pass up.

She said the company hopes to start construction this spring.

The second proposal, called Kingston Lofts, features a four-story building with retail space on the first floor and a mix of 23 market-rate apartments and owner-occupied condominiums on floors two through four in the 200 block of Third Avenue SW. The developer, the Ahmann Companies, has put the project cost at $4.1 million.

The Ahmann project, which was first announced some months ago and is further along in the citys development process, is expected to start construction in April with a completion date in July 2016.

The City Council on Tuesday is slated to approve support for the two Kingston Village projects, both of which are slated to go up on city-owned land that the city acquired in its flood-recovery buyout program.

The City Council also is being asked to provide a 100-percent property-tax break for 10 years for the two projects, an incentive permitted by the citys economic development policy for projects that create more downtown housing.

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Developers target Kingston Village for two housing projects

POSTED: 11 December 2014. Retail property with residential above sold

Crosthwaite Commercial have sold the freehold property at 502 Fulwood Road, Sheffield for a private investor to Energytest Ltd for 140,000.

Crosthwaite Commercial have let 11 Sandygate Road in Sheffield on behalf of a private investor at a rent of 16,000 per annum. Following a planning application for change of use, the former retail premises will be opening in the New Year as an Estate Agents.

Crosthwaite Commercial have let the former Barclays Bank at 18-20 Commercial Street, Sheffield to Tech House Solutions for a term of 10 years at an average rent of 20,800 per annum.

Crosthwaite Commercial have let a surplus warehouse within the Hodkin & Jones complex on Callywhite Lane in Dronfield to H2O Bathroom Solutions for a term of 6 years at a rent of 20,500 per annum.

Crosthwaite Commercial have sold the Grade II listed former cutlery works, Advance Works in Mary Street, Sheffield to Symon Donavan Properties for residential conversion. 260,000 was achieved for the three storey long leasehold premises.

Crosthwaite Commercial have let the retail premises at 721 Abbeydale Road, Sheffield for a private landlord to Ian Sills at 6,000 per annum for a term of 3 years. The shop is to retail specialist badminton equipment.

Crosthwaite Commercial are now selling the Bolton Upon Dearne investment having let the shop as a hot food takeaway. The flat is vacant and in need of refurbishment.

Crosthwaite Commercial are marketing the freehold of a terrace of 5 split level garages with land on Bevercotes Road in Firth Park. The 0.14 acre plot has lapsed outline residential planning permission.

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Crosthwaite Commercial

Southern Illinois residents see it everywhere.

In several counties, construction is happening and has been going on for some time.

Some of these projects will be finished next summer, while others extend to 2017.

Projects include expansion of Southern Illinois Healthcare, to Carbondales first swimming pool in years, as well as several road construction projects.

SIH is one of Southern Illinois biggest employers. It has multiple projects in progress.

The construction aspect of the $25 million, 43,500-square-foot Cancer Center is almost completed, said System Director of the Cancer Center Jennifer Badiu.

We are putting all the finishing touches on it right now, she said. It is really coming together and we are ready to show off all the hard work from the people in the community."

McCarthy Construction from St. Louis is the general contractor, but Badiu said the majority of the work was local.

More than 50 percent of the construction costs went to businesses within 25 miles, she said. Only 2 or 3 percent went out of state.

She said there will be an open house in February and the center will begin seeing patients March 2.

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Many construction projects going on in the region

All around Southern Illinois, construction is happening.

Millions of dollars are being spent by different organizations throughout the region in hopes to improve the region.

The construction is not limited to one spot.

Carbondale has three major projects in progress.

Evolve at SIU, at the former site of the 710 Bookstore, is about 25 percent finished, said President of Tartan Realty Group Douglas Reichl.

He said the project will be complete in July. Tartan is the developer of the site.

Other projects in Carbondale include the Super Splash Park in the Carbondale Superblock.

Executive Director of the Carbondale Park District Kathy Renfro said the project is about 50 percent complete. She said the pool will open in May.

Also in Carbondale, a new project just broke ground at the former site of an apartment complex in the 900 block of East Walnut Street.

Mount Vernon-based Heartland Womens Healthcare, the developer of the Walnut Street site, will have 7,000 square feet for an OB/GYN clinic. In addition, The Pediatric Group will be housed there in 3,000 square feet, and an additional 10,000 square feet will be dedicated to retail space, said Ashton Stephens, director of marketing and public relations for Heartland Womens Healthcare.

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Construction is everywhere

PLANS for the second phase of Prestatyn Retail Park were given the go ahead at Denbighshire Councils committee meeting yesterday (Wednesday).

Proposals for the expansion of the new retail complex include the demolition of the existing retail units at the former Iceland and Bevans Homewares site, and the construction of a terrace of four new retail units, the reconfiguration of the existing customer car park, associated landscaping, pedestrian and vehicle access works and an extension to the existing staff car park.

Councillor James Davies, a member of Denbighshire Councils planning committee, said: "This relatively small extension to the shopping park has not been met with universal enthusiasm, partly due to concerns over HGV deliveries, pedestrian safety and the aesthetics of the rear of the units.

There has also been disappointment that the units are not double-fronted. I have been liaising with developers to help tackle these and other issues over the last nine months and a number of welcome alterations have been made to the plans. The constraints of the site mean there is no perfect solution, but on balance the proposals have my support because of the economic benefits that they will bring.

These include jobs, an enhanced retail offer, the regeneration of a tired-looking block, improved pedestrian links to the High Street and the retention and transfer of Iceland and potentially also Bevan's to vacant High Street premises."

Objections have been made to the plans in regards to concerns about increased visitor traffic, lack of turning space for delivery lorries, the height of development being above the existing roofline, loss of retail parking space, poor pedestrian safety at Glyn Avenue and Nant Hall Road roundabout and poor visual aesthetics from Nant Hall Road.

The councils economic and business development team said: The completed phase of the Shopping Park has already brought additional visitors to Prestatyn and created new jobs in the town centre.

This new phase will enhance the town's retail offer still further and the improvements to the connections between the Shopping Park and the High Street proposed in the revised scheme should help other parts of the town centre to benefit from the additional footfall which will arise from this investment.

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Phase two of Prestatyn Retail Park given the go ahead

J.K. Dinee, San Francisco Chronicle

An ambitious retail and restaurant plan set to be revealed Thursday for the new Transbay Transit Center on Mission Street is intended to make the transportation depot a thriving hub for eating, drinking and shopping.

Before the end of the year, the Transbay Joint Powers Authority will solicit proposals for a private retail development and leasing group to build out, lease and manage 100,000 square feet of restaurants and shops at the center. In comparison, San Franciscos Ferry Building has 65,000 square feet of retail, and New Yorks Grand Central Terminal has 135,000 square feet.

The retail is a very important and exciting part of the Transbay program, said Maria Ayerdi-Kaplan, who heads up the authority, which is managing construction of the transit center. When we open the station and the park at the end of 2017, we want to have the active retail component up and running.

Retail will eventually sprout on three levels, with a 15,000-square-foot food court modeled after Mario Batalis highly successful Eataly in New York, on the second level. There will also be three or four full-service restaurants, including one on the 5.4-acre rooftop park, and smaller coffee bars, newsstands, a gym, and shops selling everything from electronics to clothing to eyeglasses.

And an additional 60,000 square feet of retail could be added to a lower level when or if high-speed rail and Caltrain are added to the transit center.

Rooftop amphitheater

The group picked for developing and managing the stations retail will also be responsible for programming both the 1,000-seat rooftop amphitheater and the stations grand hall, which will also be used as a performance space.

The mix of retail, dining and performance space might help temper the criticism that the $4.5 billion transit center project is the worlds most expensive bus station.

The Transbay retail is quite important for three reasons, said Gabriel Metcalf, the executive director of SPUR, a San Francisco urban think tank. Its an amenity for transit riders, its a source of revenue for the TJPA, and its an amenity for the neighborhood.

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Transbay Transit Center grand vision includes thriving retail hub

Redwood Citys blueprint for downtown development is being tweaked to increase the allowable office space but overall density will remain the same by reducing housing and retail limitations.

The council, with Councilman Ian Bain voting no and Councilwoman Diane Howard abstaining, directed staff to move ahead with the proposed changes and required environmental review. Both plus a recommendation will be back to the Planning Commission and City Council in early 2015.

Amid the recession in 2010, the existing Downtown Precise Plan predicted 2,500 residential units, 500,000 square feet of office space, 100,000 square feet of retail space and 200 hotel units.

Four years later, amid an unprecedented downtown construction boom drawing new projects and tenants like Box, Inc. the projections for office space have just about reached the maximum allowed.

The proposed conversion adds an extra 168,930 square feet to the office space amount, maintains the hotel units, drops residential units by 740 and shaves 85,000 square feet from the retail space.

Councilman John Seybert said, while the numbers are different, the plan amendments still adhere to the original community intent and will contribute to the quality of life.

Despite numerous speakers who disagreed with the proposal or worried about housing reductions and traffic, the council majority emphasized that it does not change the plans overall density.

Were not talking about unlimited development, Mayor Jeff Gee said.

The increased office space might actually lower traffic in the area because employees like those at Box are prone to using public traffic which is why developers pay high prices for the location, Community Development Director Aaron Aknin said.

Aknin said the office space itself doesnt create new jobs but instead job growth drives the need for office space.

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Downtown Redwood City plan tweaked in favor of office space

Published: Wednesday, December 10, 2014 at 4:37 p.m. Last Modified: Wednesday, December 10, 2014 at 6:55 p.m.

PORT ORANGE Construction of Riverwalk Park is set to begin in spring and will include a kayak launch, green space, boardwalk and trails in the northern city limits along Halifax Drive.

During a presentation to Port Orange council members on Tuesday, Shailesh Patel, principal of Dredging & Marine Consultants, said complete construction of the park is expected to be finished by the summer of 2016.

Last year the city approved $210,000 in contracts for the firm to provide design and consulting services for Riverwalk. That included a workshop last year where the public weighed in on the overall design.

Plans for a second phase of the park include additional trails, a playground, splash pad, restrooms, concessions stands, an iconic feature and utility improvements. The park is designed to accompany a private development with high-rise condos, a boat marina, retail space and a riverboat restaurant.

Other key features of the park include 180 parking spaces, lighting, a sea wall and a fishing pier.

The city is budgeting $3.1 million for construction of the park and has received $200,000 in grants. Wayne Clark, Port Orange community development director, said that the city will have a budget of $4.1 million for the park if it receives all the grants its seeking.

This is a high-profile park in the city, Clark told council members. Instead of coming back with construction bids, we wanted to come to you first for input.

Council members expressed overall approval of the design plans and are expected to bid on construction work early next year. However, a few members did not support the construction of a splash pad, which is expected to cost $275,000.

Do we really want a splash pad? Councilman Bob Ford said. That is a logistical nightmare to maintain and control.

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City aims to finish Riverwalk Park by summer of 2016

It's not Abercrombie & Fitch, but it's a start.

Downtown Allentown developer City Center Investment Corp. announced Monday that it has signed business services and printing company Minuteman Press to occupy 2,000 square feet of retail space in its 11-story Two City Center office tower at Seventh and Hamilton streets.

The office services store is unlikely to rival the late Hess's as a Christmas shopping destination any time soon, but it is the first non-restaurant retail tenant City Center or any other downtown developer has announced for any of the downtown properties being developed or rehabbed along Hamilton Street.

"We always knew retailers, just by their nature, are kind of followers," said J.B. Reilly, City Center CEO. "They want to see the development in place before they commit."

The city's Neighborhood Improvement Zone tax incentive zone has added hundreds of new office workers and several new restaurants to Allentown's central business district, but so far, other forms of retail, especially national brand name stores, have been slow to follow.

That's about to change, Reilly promised.

"The interest in our retail is exploding, in that 2015 my expectation is that downtown Allentown will become a retail destination," he said.

The downtown will never return to its department store heyday, he said, but it will become a place that draws shoppers looking for "authentic shopping experiences."

"You're not going to have a department store downtown, nobody is building department stores anywhere anymore," he said.

City Center, which controls 60,000 square feet of retail space in its various properties both open and under construction, is in final discussions with a number of "unique quality retailers" Reilly said he expects to announce as tenants within the next two to three months.

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Allentown's City Center inks first retail tenant

A GREEN space which form the centrepiece to a multi-million pound housing plan in west Rhyl is taking shape.

After months clearing and levelling the site, turf is now being laid down for green space in the heart of the Gerddi Heulwen regeneration area in West Rhyl this week.

Homes on Gronant Street, Aquarium Street, John Street and Abbey Street are being demolished to make way for housing as well as leisure and office or retail space.

The green space project is being led by Denbighshire Council and the work is being carried out by Brenig Construction.

Cllr Hugh Evans, leader of Denbighshire Council, said: "The green open space, along with the surrounding Gerddi Heulwen Housing Improvement Scheme, is one of the most significant housing-led regeneration schemes in Wales.

"Once completed, it will create a vibrant community where families and businesses wish to settle and grow and will benefit from new energy efficient homes, green open space and new shops.

"It will be integral to the regeneration of Rhyl as a town."

Clwyd Alyn Housing Association, part of the Pennaf Housing Group, has now received planning permission for demolition and to create new-build affordable homes for sale and rent along Gronant Street and Abbey Street.

North Wales Housing Association is also working in partnership with the West Rhyl Community Land Trust to offer an urban rental opportunity for two and three-bed family homes which are due to go before the council's planning committee on Wednesday.

The Welsh Government is also in discussion with private developers to also create additional homes for sale in the area.

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Green space at heart of Rhyl housing development is taking shape