WEST CHESTER, Ohio (AP) Major new retail developments and plans for a sports complex have helped spur a boom in hotel building along Interstate 75 in southwestern Ohio.

More than 700 new rooms will be added to market over the next 12-18 months, The Hamilton-Middletown Journal-News reported (http://bit.ly/1oODfI6).

In some cases, plans delayed by the recession are now moving along with construction of a new Bass Pro Shops and a Cabela's in the Butler County area. Both of the sporting goods stores are expected to open next year.

The Streets of West Chester shopping and entertainment area just off I-75 north of the Interstate 275 is expected to add more retail and dining space in late 2015.

A new sports complex also is being developed to attract out-of-town teams to tournaments.

Cincinnati Children's Hospital is adding to its Liberty Township campus, and the $350 million Liberty Center project is being constructed nearby. It will include a hotel among its retail and entertainment options.

Among projects underway is Centre Park of West Chester, which will have a Holiday Inn and 650-seat event center.

"West Chester is growing very well, but also, why do we want to building amongs the other hotels there?" said Neha Bhatnagar, of developer Middletown Hotel Management. "You don't have a facility that can accommodate 650 people with a hotel attached to it."

Sharonville officials said the city plans a hotel and meeting facility project, expected for 2016, which should complement West Chester projects while its recently remodeled convention center draws trade shows and regional events.

"It makes the package of the region stronger and more attractive to these events" said Jim Downton, the Sharonville Convention Center's executive director.

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Hotels sprouting along I-75 in southwestern Ohio

San Francisco is experiencing one of its biggest development waves since The City rebuilt itself after the 1906 earthquake and fire, and industry experts are reaching out to teens interested in construction about potential career-related paths.

Recently, 45 high school students primarily from Bayview-Hunters Point gathered at a first-of-its-kind construction and trades exposition at the former Hunters Point Naval Shipyard for a glimpse into The Citys largest private development project that will ultimately revitalize the area into residential, retail and park space.

Construction jobs are bouncing back in San Francisco with full force after unemployment hovered around 30 percent in the Great Recession, due in part to the technology boom and more trade workers retiring.

We have a real need in the building trades to replenish our workforce, said Mike Theriault, secretary-treasurer at the San Francisco Building and Construction Trades Council, citing an aging labor pool and recent development surge. Were going to need folks to step in and take our places and build this town.

Theriault was one of about a dozen trade union representatives who encouraged the 14- to 17-year-old students to explore careers as painters, pile drivers, engineers, sheet metal workers, plumbers, pipefitters and ironworkers, among others.

It is a career. Its a good-paying job [that offers] immediate gratification, Chris Fallon, lead painting instructor at Glaziers Training, said of entering work as a painter, dry wall finisher, glazier or floor cover craftsman.

When you walk out of that building at the end of the day, youre able to look over your shoulder and say with pride, I did that, Fallon said.

Raynesha Mims, 16, is only a sophomore at Balboa High School, but she said she already has a goal of building a company from the ground up literally.

I want to be able to manage and build my own building, said Mims, who has taken a particular interest in seismic safety. I find that really interesting in how to make safer structures, so people ... dont have to worry about earthquakes and floods.

Mims enthusiasm is precisely why Lennar Urban, the development firm leading the shipyard effort, and Young Community Developers, which provides training and support opportunities for Bayview-Hunters Point residents, teamed up to offer the workshop to students, Lennar Urban spokeswoman LaShon Walker said.

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Building a town: Teens recruited for construction jobs amid SF development boom

River Drive Construction, a leading New Jersey construction company based in Elmwood Park has announced that it has broken ground on the second phase of Riverwalk, Elmwood Park's first luxury multifamily rental community. Wells Fargo financed the project, which will cost $8.5 million.

The second phase of Riverwalk, which is expected to be complete by the end of the year, will entail the construction of 51 apartments and 17,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space. Construction of phase one included 107 apartments, and was completed in the summer of 2012.

Riverfront Residential is currently seeking tenants for the 17,000 square feet of ground floor retail space, which is divisible. For more information, email jlangan@riverdrive.com.

Riverwalk features one- and two-bedroom apartments that offer convenience, luxury and value. Situated along the river at 400 Riverfront Blvd., Riverwalk is conveniently located near the Garden State Parkway and Routes 80, 46, 21 and 17. The community is located approximately 15 miles from New York City and close to a variety of shopping venues, restaurants, airports, and sporting arenas, including Newark Liberty International Airport, Garden State Plaza and MetLife Stadium in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Please visit riverwalknj.com.

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River Drive Construction breaks ground on Phase II of Riverwalk

TAMPA (FOX 13) -

A new flair of Mexican food is coming to south Tampa. The chain Bartaco will be opening its first Florida location in Hyde Park Village.

The opening date has yet to be announced, but construction will begin this fall.

The trendy taqueria will be located in the large empty retail space where the Cactus Club was once located on W. Snow Avenue, just south of Lululemon. The restaurant is described as upscale street food with a coastal vibe, in a relaxed environment with a spacious dining room and unique artwork. The food is a mix of traditional Mexican dishes with a unique twist of spicy flavors from Asian and Mediterranean cuisine.

In addition, the American sportswear company J McLaughlin will also call the neighborhood home this fall. It will open at the corner boutique space between Wine Exchange and Piquant in late September.

The Boston-based company WS Development announced the big changes today, nearly a year after acquiring Hyde Park Village. Once a booming neighborhood filled with restaurants and retail space, the neighborhood took a big hit during the recession, with many businesses leaving the area due to high lease costs under the previous management.

If you walk through the village today, you will still notice large spaces of prime retail real estate still sitting empty.

The new management company promises to change that, saying this latest announcement is just the beginning of many more changes to come to the village this fall. They expect to announce several other deals before the end of the year.

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New restaurant, clothing story set to open in Hyde Park Village

TAMPA (FOX 13) -

A new flair of Mexican food is coming to south Tampa. The chain Bartaco will be opening its first Florida location in Hyde Park Village.

The opening date has yet to be announced, but construction will begin this fall.

The trendy taqueria will be located in the large empty retail space where the Cactus Club was once located on W. Snow Avenue, just south of Lululemon. The restaurant is described as upscale street food with a coastal vibe, in a relaxed environment with a spacious dining room and unique artwork. The food is a mix of traditional Mexican dishes with a unique twist of spicy flavors from Asian and Mediterranean cuisine.

In addition, the American sportswear company J McLaughlin will also call the neighborhood home this fall. It will open at the corner boutique space between Wine Exchange and Piquant in late September.

The Boston-based company WS Development announced the big changes today, nearly a year after acquiring Hyde Park Village. Once a booming neighborhood filled with restaurants and retail space, the neighborhood took a big hit during the recession, with many businesses leaving the area due to high lease costs under the previous management.

If you walk through the village today, you will still notice large spaces of prime retail real estate still sitting empty.

The new management company promises to change that, saying this latest announcement is just the beginning of many more changes to come to the village this fall. They expect to announce several other deals before the end of the year.

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New restaurant, clothing store set to open in Hyde Park Village

WEST CHESTER TWP.

A public hearing will be held Tuesday to consider zoning changes requested by a developer proposing to build luxury apartments, as well as retail and office space off Union Centre Boulevard.

Earlier in 2014, Indiana developer Anderson Birkla Investment Partners LLC submitted plans calling for more than 250 multi-family units, 100,000-square-feet of office space, 20,000-square-feet of retail space and a 406-space parking garage in West Chester Twp. near the intersection of Union Center Boulevard and Centre Pointe Drive.

The project has had several working names, including The Square and iLoft at West Chester.

However, soon after plans were submitted, they were tabled to make changes. Among the reasons to table the plans were concerns about adequate parking spaces, according to zoning records.

Since then, revised plans were submitted in July to the township, also according to zoning records. Scaled-back updates reduced the amount of apartment units from 257 to 247; and reduced office space from 100,000-square-feet to 81,600-square-feet. However, the number parking spaces in an outside private lot was boosted from 85 to 160.

Trustees are scheduled to hold a public hearing at 7 p.m. next Tuesday on the zone change application. Its to be held at the township building, at 9113 Cincinnati-Dayton Road.

The project described as resort-style living would sit on 8.2 acres covering two properties, one zoned for business use and one zoned for commercial planned unit development use.

If trustees approve the zoning changes, it would allow for the combination of residential and business development where now only commercial development is allowed, said Barb Wilson, township spokeswoman.

Butler County Planning Commission recommended approval of the rezoning on June 10 and West Chester Zoning Commission recommended approval of the rezoning July 21.

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Public hearing set for West Chester luxury apartment development

HARTFORD An advisory panel appointed by the city's development director on Thursday heard presentations from the three bidders seeking to develop land north of Hartford's downtown, a project that would include housing, retail space and a minor league ballpark.

Three developers have bid on the project, though only two have broad plans for the area.

A group led by New York-based LeylandAlliance and Middletown-based Centerplan has proposed building a ballpark, more than 210,000 square feet of municipal office space, more than 600 residential units, and retail space that features a supermarket with covered parking.

JCJ Architecture, Sports Contracting Group, Urban Design Associates, Freeman Companies, BETA, McDowell Jewett, and Greenskies Renewable Energy also are part of the development team. The plan would cost $350 million, city officials said Thursday.

Boston-based CV Properties LLC submitted a plan that includes a new municipal office building, a ballpark and a garage. The company said it would partner with other interested developers "to advance the housing and retail components of the project."

The CV Properties' team also includes Gilbane Inc., Kage Growth Strategies, and HFF Inc. The development would cost $217 million.

A third proposal was submitted by Bloomfield-based Thomas Hooker Brewing Co. The owner, Curt Cameron, has said he intends to build a 40,000-square-foot brewery, restaurant and beer garden on North Main Street, across from the proposed stadium. Cameron's plan would cost $16 million.

Centerplan's bid included letters of intent from two "prominent supermarket operators." City officials on Thursday declined to reveal the operators, but sources with knowledge of the project said ShopRite and Balducci's had submitted the letters.

The proposals from Centerplan and CV Properties both include Hooker Brewery as part of the overall development.

"We want this development to be the catalyst for economic growth and accelerate the creation of a new neighborhood Downtown North," Mayor Pedro Segarra said in a statement Thursday. "We believed that this could be achieved without burdening taxpayers and that opportunity is before us."

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Hartford Panel Hears Plans For Baseball Stadium Development

August 21 at 12:44 PM

Projects Proposed

1.

Townhouses and retail space. Palisades Development, Rockville. A preliminary plan of subdivision was submitted to develop 140 townhouses and 4,000 square feet of commercial space on 12 acres in the southeast quadrant of Good Luck and Greenbelt roads, Lanham.

2. Mixed-use project. St. John Properties, Baltimore. A conceptual site plan was submitted to convert an office park into a mixed-use project with 2,500 residential units, including apartments and senior living units, and 320,000 feet of retail and office space. The Melford project will be on 260 acres in the northeast quadrant of routes 50 and 301, Bowie.

3. Self-storage facility. Annapolis Road Self-Storage, Reston. A site plan was submitted to build a 112,560-square-foot mini-storage facility on 4.09 acres in the southwest quadrant of Forbes Boulevard and Annapolis Road, Lanham.

4. Student housing. Manekin Construction, Columbia. A building permit application was filed to construct a $9.2million student housing building for Capitol College, 11301 Springfield Rd., Laurel.

5. Medical office building. FPR Medical Properties Brandywine, Rockville. A site plan was submitted to build a 65,300-square-foot medical office building in the northeast quadrant of the Brandywine Crossing shopping center, Timothy Branch Road and Route 301, Brandywine.

6. Retail center. Broglen, Fort Washington. A preliminary plan of subdivision was submitted for eight retail lots on 10.8 acres in the southwest quadrant of Annapolis and Bell Station roads, Glenn Dale.

7. Urgent care. Adventist Healthcare, Gaithersburg. A site plan was submitted to build a 5,500-square-foot Centra Care urgent care center on slightly more than half an acre in the northeast quadrant of Baltimore Avenue and Magnolia Street, Laurel.

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Prince Georges County development

HARTFORD An advisory panel appointed by the city's development director on Thursday heard presentations from the three bidders seeking to develop land north of Hartford's downtown, a project that would include housing, retail space and a minor league ballpark.

Three developers have bid on the project, though only two have broad plans for the area.

A group led by New York-based LeylandAlliance and Middletown-based Centerplan has proposed building a ballpark, more than 210,000 square feet of municipal office space, more than 600 residential units, and retail space that features a supermarket with covered parking.

JCJ Architecture, Sports Contracting Group, Urban Design Associates, Freeman Companies, BETA, McDowell Jewett, and Greenskies Renewable Energy also are part of the development team. The plan would cost $350 million, city officials said Thursday.

Boston-based CV Properties LLC submitted a plan that includes a new municipal office building, a ballpark and a garage. The company said it would partner with other interested developers "to advance the housing and retail components of the project."

The CV Properties' team also includes Gilbane Inc., Kage Growth Strategies, and HFF Inc. The development would cost $217 million.

A third proposal was submitted by Bloomfield-based Thomas Hooker Brewing Co. The owner, Curt Cameron, has said he intends to build a 40,000-square-foot brewery, restaurant and beer garden on North Main Street, across from the proposed stadium. Cameron's plan would cost $16 million.

Centerplan's bid included letters of intent from two "prominent supermarket operators." City officials on Thursday declined to reveal the operators, but sources with knowledge of the project said ShopRite and Balducci's had submitted the letters.

The proposals from Centerplan and CV Properties both include Hooker Brewery as part of the overall development.

"We want this development to be the catalyst for economic growth and accelerate the creation of a new neighborhood Downtown North," Mayor Pedro Segarra said in a statement Thursday. "We believed that this could be achieved without burdening taxpayers and that opportunity is before us."

Excerpt from:
Hartford Panel Hears Plans For Ballpark Development

CrossIron Mills mall is getting bigger.

Construction will begin on the one million square foot shopping centre in the new year to create an additional 46,000 square feet of retail space.

With greater Calgarys tremendous population growth rate and high disposable income, we are capitalizing on the opportunity to expand CrossIron Mills to welcome more world-class premium outlet brands that are seeking a truly successful retail destination with a proven track record, said John Scott, senior vice president for Ivanho Cambridge, the company that owns the mall.

The $60 million expansion will relocate the food court and increase the food vendors from 14 to 16 and provide an additional 200 seats. It will also create more space in a high-traffic area for additional retailers, said Scott.

By expanding and relocating CrossIron Mills hugely popular food court, were increasing retail opportunities for outlet brands in two prime areas within the centre, he added.

Work will start in January 2015 and is expected to be complete in two phases with the first phase opening in spring 2016 and the second the following spring.

CrossIron Mills opened in 2009 and covers more than 200 specialty stores and brand outlets.

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Mall to expand