The walls are going up at yet another new Kent apartment complex.

The 285-unit Alexan Gateway Apartments mark the sixth major project in the last few years that will bring nearly 1,800 units to a 3.5-mile stretch between Military Road South on the West Hill to 623 W. Meeker St., near downtown.

Construction continues this month at Alexan Gateway, 23000 Military Road S., with sweeping views of the Kent Valley and Mount Rainier.

Crews are building three separate four-story, 45-foot-tall buildings with associated parking, amenities, landscaping and utilities on the 6.64-acre site. The development will be accessed via driveways from both Military Road and Veterans Drive. Three single-family homes were demolished to make room for the project.

Alexan Gateway, developed by Dallas-based Trammell Crow Residential, sits just west of the Grandview Apartments, which opened a few years ago on an 11-acre site and feature 261 units along Veterans Drive.

Here are the other major apartment projects along the 3.5-mile stretch between the West Hill and downtown:

Ethos

The developer has started phase II of constructing approximately 492 apartment units and 12,000 square feet of commercial retail and restaurant space in 23 separate buildings with associated parking areas and amenities.

Location: 2200 W. Meeker St.

Midtown 64

Apartments built on the southwest corner of West Meeker Street and 64th Avenue South in Kent that feature 308 units. Seattle-based Goodman Real Estate is the developer, the same company that built The Platform Apartments in downtown Kent across from Kent Station.

Madison Plaza

Madison Plaza is a seven-story, 157-unit urban style apartment building under construction that will include five stories of residential units built atop a two-story parking garage and a ground floor retail space. The project is on a 0.79 acre site located west of the Uplands Playfield Park and the Interurban Trail.

Location: 102 Madison Ave. N.

Ovation at Meeker

A five-story, 218-unit, senior apartment building planned with associated parking and landscaping on a vacant lot behind KeyBank. The project was formerly known as the Reserve at Kent.

Location: 623 W. Meeker St.

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The first walls of the Alexan Gateway Apartments go up Feb. 9 on Kents West Hill along Military Road South near Veterans Drive. STEVE HUNTER, Kent Reporter

A rendering of the Alexan Gateway Apartments under construction on Military Road South on Kents West Hill. COURTESY GRAPHIC, City of Kent

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Apartments rise on Kents West... - Kent Reporter

There are three hurdles that have historically made affordable housing difficult to develop in Chicago: rising costs of construction, the building code and the competing priorities of the parties involved in these types of deals.

Those arent necessarily issues exclusive to affordable housing, but they are issues that challenge the development community in general and their ability to finance a deal because of uncertainty, said Dave Bartolai, vice president, McHugh Construction. As such, each deal seems to need to be evaluated neighborhood by neighborhood, location by location, and requires the entire team to work collaboratively to address these issues from the earliest stages.

One of those three hurdles was recently lowered with the adoption of a new Chicago building code that hews closer to the International Building Code. Basing the code on the IBC has improved the cost metrics for some affordable projects in Chicago as it expanded the spectrum of building products and parameters that can be used.

For example, restrictions have been loosened on the use of wood framing, allowing for stick-built affordable structures higher than what had previously been allowed. Alternative construction methods such as panelized load bearing walls and floor systems also allow these projects to go up faster and cheaper.

The subcontractors have gotten really innovative and figured out ways to panelize these structures, Bartolai said. Theyre bringing out pre-fabricated components that have been coordinated in advance and really theyre just stacking elements into place which allows for construction to advance pretty quickly.

There has been a growing trend to locate affordable housing within transit-oriented parts of the city. Meshing affordable housing with TOD not only puts residents in close proximity to public transportation, but it also allows the developer to forego the expense of putting in surface or structured parking, meaning more development dollars can go toward actual housing.

Another way to underwrite affordable housing is to co-locate it with market rate units. Affordable-only housing projects tend to scale smaller, which inherently makes them more expensive to develop. Sharing those costs within a market rate development can offset the capital outlay.

The quality expectations of affordable housing have been increasing over the last several years, said Steve Wiley, senior vice president preconstruction and estimating at McHugh Construction. Affordable housing, on a quality level, is really now almost indistinguishable from market rate products.

One project that McHugh is working on is the $200 millionOgden Commons which, upon completion, will deliver 120,000 square feet of commercial and retail space, as well as more than 350 mixed-income housing units to Chicagos North Lawndale neighborhood. McHugh is building the development on behalf of a public-private partnership between The Habitat Company, Sinai Health System, Cinespace Chicago Film Studios, the Chicago Housing Authority and the city of Chicago.

Construction just wrapped on the first phase of the project, a commercial medical office building, and McHugh is working with the development team to plan the first phase of residential construction which will hopefully begin later this year.

The contractor is also working on 43 Green, a $100 million TOD project in the Bronzeville neighborhood. The first phase will add 99 rental units and 6,000 square feet of retail space to formerly vacant land at the corner of 43rd Street and Calumet Avenue. The Habitat Company and P3 Markets are joint venturing this development.

McHugh is partnering with Bowa Construction for the contracting work on both the Ogden Commons and 43 Green developments.

Thats absolutely critical to the success of these projects, Wiley said. All of these projects that were working on are joint venture partnerships, which is so important to addressing the concerns of community inclusion.

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Bridging the affordability gap in Chicago REJournals - REjournals.com

Progress Capital partner Brad Domenico and the development at 136 Summit Avenue (Photos via Progress Capital)

A luxury apartment complex in Jersey City will advance after snagging a $30 million construction loan.

The 99-unit residential building at 136 Summit Avenue, developed by Monticello Equities, has been in the works for several years. Progress Capital arranged the latest round of financing from Bank Leumi, which will be used to help finish construction on the project, which broke ground in 2018.

When its finished, the 159,861-square-foot project will have 2,240 square feet of ground floor retail space and a 75-space parking garage.

The development is located on the site of the former Fairmount Hospital. When it was first proposed in 2016, some area residents pushed back, claiming it would negatively impact the neighborhood, according to Jersey Digs.

Now, its set to become one of the largest residential projects in this particular corner of Jersey City.

Contact Sasha Jones

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Jersey City development advances with $30M construction loan - The Real Deal

Once completed, it will make The Yards the largest waterfront development in the Washington, D.C., region

Rendering courtesy Brookfield Properties

Rendering courtesy Brookfield Properties

Rendering courtesy Brookfield Properties

Developer Brookfield Properties has released more details about its planned Phase II expansion of The Yards, the mixed-use community along the Capitol Riverfront.

Phase II will include a total of 3.4 million square feet of new development in 10 additional buildings with more office, residential, restaurant and retail space as well as more public park space.

Once completed, it will make The Yards the largest waterfront development in the Washington, D.C., region, with a total of 48 acres, including: six waterfront acres; 2 million square feet of office space; 400,000 square feet of retail and restaurants; 3,400 residential units, including apartments and condos; and 7.5 acres of public parks.

The Phase II additions include 1,260 residences and 1.8 million square feet of office space, some of it waterfront. All Phase II buildings will be within a three-minute walk to the river.

One of the key additions to The Yards development will be Yards Place, a cobblestone, curbless, pedestrian-friendly street that will connect the Navy Yard Metro to the Anacostia River, the only direct walkable connection from a Metro stop to a D.C.-area waterfront, according to Brookfield Properties.

It is going to be very unique to D.C. I compare it, in terms of how it will look and feel, to New York Citys High Line in the sense that it will be a very highly landscaped, highly curated, very comfortable-feeling space that people will flock to, said Toby Millman, senior vice president of development for Brookfield Properties.

Not only for the shopping and activities along the street, but also because of the look and feel of the experience as you walk down the street, he said.

Phase II development will be in an area that is currently a large swath of vacant land and parking lots bounded by New Jersey Avenue SE and First Street SE. Phase II, though, will not happen overnight: Depending on market conditions, Brookfield Properties expects to complete the final build out of The Yards in 10 years.

Brookfield Properties has set a goal of all new buildings achieving LEED Gold certification. Architects for the various additions include Selldorf, SHoP, Leong Leong, Concrete, Studios and Scape.

Phase II of The Yards has been in planning for awhile. It officially got its jump-start with the groundbreaking of a 300,000-square-foot office building at 1250 New Jersey Ave. SE a year ago. Chemonics International, a company that manages projects in developing countries, has signed a lease for the building and will move 1,200 employees to its new headquarters when completed later this year.

Chemonics is currently the only signed tenant for Phase II construction.

Phase I of The Yards was completed in 2010. Brookfield Properties acquired The Yards in late-2018.

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Phase II of The Yards will feature a cobblestone street - WTOP

The two-acre property at 450 Colwell Lane (corner of West 5th Avenue and Colwell Lane) in the Borough of Conshohocken was last developed in 1975 into the existing 27,000 square feet warehouse. Most recently, the tenants were American Olean Tile and CSG Global Consulting (a telecom provider). The site previously maintained approximately 25 employees, meaning traffic and parking were minimal. The property is currently vacant, which results in the property generating minimal revenue for the Borough.

The property falls within the Limited Industrial/Research zoning district and is just outside the floodplain that encompasses lower Colwell Lane. You can view the uses allowed within this district here.

A few ideas already explored by the developer and deemed to not be feasible were:

Uses Under Consideration by the Developer

Expanded WarehouseThe existing 27,000 square feet of conditioned warehouse space can be increased to nearly 35,000 square feet. Existing plans include expanded rebuild as a refrigerated warehouse.

PROs: Local and convenient space for grocery or convenience deliveries.Ample space allows for a refrigerated warehouse. Will create more jobs than any other proposed option.Does not require approval from Borough Council as this is a current approved use of the space.

CONs: Refrigerated tractor-trailers would be making frequent trips to and from the warehouse.In addition, these refrigerated vehicles must idle while loading and unloading which creates lots of noise and may disturb neighbors. This option would result in higher peak-time traffic as well as more overall traffic than generated by what is currently there.

Doggie Daycare/Boarding FacilityIncludes 18,000 square feet of conditioned indoor play space and 8,000 square feet of outdoor play space.

PROs: Local and convenient space for doggie daycare.Ample play space allows separation of dogs by size and temperament.Boarding facilities combined with play space would allow for the dogs to only be caged for sleeping. This use would result in lower overall traffic than what is currently there.

CONs: Barking dogs can be noisy and disruptive to immediate neighbors. This use would result in higher peak-time traffic than the current warehouse use. Requires approval from Borough Council.

Gun RangeIncludes 15,000 square feet of gun range space with 200 feet of shooting distance.Includes on-site retail space for ammunition and assorted sporting equipment but not gun sales. Gun sales have grown during the pandemic and there is a demand for practice and training.

PROs: Local and convenient space for all kinds of target practice, gun training, and gun safety with ample parking.This would result in lower-traffic than the current warehouse use.

CONs: Local neighbors may dislike a gun range near their homes.Requires approval from Borough Council.

Condos/TownhousesThe plan includes 48 homes that are two-bedroom, with two bathrooms, a garage, and two parking spaces per unit. Each home will be 1,500 to 1,800 square feet with balconies. An additional 35 parking spaces are planned on the site for overflow parking.

PROs: New construction attracts affluent homeowners and raises the property value of the housing stock within Conshohocken.Will create local jobs from the construction of units.This use will generate lower peak time traffic than other options.This use will generate a higher net revenue for the Borough than any other option.This will not create parking problems for neighbors.

CONs: Additional housing units in the Borough add to the existing housing stock.Requires approval from Borough Council.

Condos/Townhouses with Commercial SpaceThis plan includes 30 units that are two-bedroom with two bathrooms, a garage, and two parking spaces per unit. Each home will be 1,100 square feet with balconies. Commercial space could include a small grocer that focuses on prepared foods or another retail use or office.

PROs: New construction attracts affluent homeowners and raises the property value of the housing stock within Conshohocken.Will create local jobs from the construction.Will generate lower peak time traffic than other options.

CONs: Additional housing units in the Borough add to the existing housing stock.Depending on retail uses, parking could result in overflow street parking. Requires approval from Borough Council.

Indoor Sports ComplexThe plan includes suitable spaces for basketball and baseball training, as well as dance floors.

PROs: Convenient location for sports enthusiasts and complementary to the nearby Proving Grounds. This will generate lower peak time traffic than other options.

CONs: Peak time parking may exceed current on-site parking and may result in competition between customers and residents for parking.Requires approval from Borough Council.

Take the Survey

The developer would like your input. Please consider taking the below anonymous survey to voice your opinion.

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Developer seeks public's input on potential redevelopment of property at corner of West 5th Avenue and Colwell Lane in Conshohocken -...

Work is progressing at215 West 42nd Street, where the historicTimes Square Theateris in the process of a retail conversion and expansion. Designed by Beyer Blinder Belleand developed by NYC Economic Development Corporationand Stillman Development International, the $100 million project calls for extensive interior renovations and a vertical extension that will double the structures height, bringing it to 138 feet tall and six stories above ground, as well as the addition of a cellar level. The property is located in the heart ofTimes Square between Seventh and Eighth Avenues, and will yield 52,521 square feet with 34,313 square feet designated for commercial space.

Beyer Blinder Belles plan will create four new floors atop the old theater that will collectively accommodate new retail space with the restoration of the theater itself. The third and fourth floor will be double-height spaces that showcase the proscenium arch, plaster dome, and decorative sgraffito frieze. A rooftop space also appears to be part of the plan.

Renderings released last year by Stillman Development International

Renderings released last year by Stillman Development International

Renderings released last year by Stillman Development International

Recent photos show the state of the structure, whose main southern elevation currently stands behind sidewalk scaffolding. Above is a colonnade of six corinthian columns, which have been fitted with steel joints in preparation for the construction of the framework for the protruding glass addition. This space is depicted in the interior rendering above. The rendering also shows the lower half of the wall behind the colonnade removed, connecting the expansion with the redeveloped theater space.

215 West 42nd street. Photo by Michael Young

215 West 42nd street. Photo by Michael Young

215 West 42nd street. Photo by Michael Young

215 West 42nd street. Photo by Michael Young

215 West 42nd street. Photo by Michael Young

The sites location in Times Square makes it highly accessible, with the 1, 2, 3, 7, A, C, E, N, Q, R, W, and S trains all nearby at the 42nd Street-Times Square and 42nd Street-Port Authority Bus Terminal stations.

A finalized completion date has yet to be announced. Beyer Blinder Belle previously called for a 2020 deadline, but sometime in late 2021 or early 2022 is probable at this point.

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Times Square Theater's Retail Conversion and Expansion Progresses at 215 West 42nd Street in Times Square, Manhattan - New York YIMBY

ANN ARBOR, MI The coronavirus pandemic delayed many construction projects in 2020, but several new Ann Arbor developments are still moving forward.

Heres a look at two dozen real estate developments to watch in 2021.

1. The Standard

Work continues on The Standard, a new apartment high-rise on Main Street between William and Packard, on Dec. 31, 2020.Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News

After demolition of a 1980s office building at the southeast corner of Main and William streets, a 10-story high-rise called The Standard is rising and expected to open in fall 2022.

City Council voted last March to approve plans calling for 218 apartments with 421 bedrooms and over 6,000 square feet of ground-floor commercial space.

2. Veridian

Plans for the Veridian development next to County Farm Park on Platt Road in Ann Arbor.Courtesy of Thrive Collaborative

City Council voted in October to approve plans for a housing development officials say could be a shining example of sustainable living and inclusivity.

The solar-powered, mixed-income neighborhood known as Veridian at County Farm is a partnership between Thrive Collaborative and Avalon Housing, including 50 affordable housing units and 99 market-rate housing units.

Its planned to be net-zero for energy use, with no gas lines or combustion appliances, in keeping with the citys carbon-neutral goals. The project could break ground in the spring and take two to three years to complete.

3. Hoover and Greene

Work continues on the Hoover and Greene apartment complex in Ann Arbor Dec. 31, 2020.Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News

A four-story, 171-unit, 182-bed apartment building with some ground-floor commercial space is underway at 151 E. Hoover Ave., where an entire neighborhood block of homes and businesses was demolished.

Pre-leasing now for spring 2021! signs outside the building read, directing prospective tenants to hooverandgreene.com.

4. 2111 Packard

Design by Myefski Architects for a mixed-use redevelopment at 2111 Packard St. in Ann Arbor.Myefski Architects

Plans are in the works for a three-story, mixed-use development at 2111 Packard St. in Ann Arbor.

The project, which received initial approval in December, includes a 72-unit apartment building with 118 bedrooms and two ground-floor retail spaces.

5. The Gallery

Work continues on The Gallery condos at Ashley and Jefferson streets in Ann Arbor on Dec. 31, 2020.Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News

The Gallery, a five-story, 19-unit condo building is under construction at 441 S. Ashley St.

As of Dec. 1, the Ann Arbor Builders website listed 10 units still available, including two-bedroom units starting at $514,000 and three-bedroom units starting at $729,000.

6. Valhalla

Plans for the Valhalla development off South Main Street in Ann Arbor.J. Bradley Moore and Associates and HLR Architects

A 454-unit apartment complex proposed along South Main Street is expected to go before City Council for approval in early 2021. It would rise on nearly 10 acres surrounded on three sides by the University of Michigan golf course.

7. 309 N. Ashley St.

The 309 N. Ashley St. condo development underway in Ann Arbor on Dec. 31, 2020.Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News

A five-story, 17-unit condo building is under construction at 309 S. Ashley St., one of the latest projects from Ann Arbor developer Tom Fitzsimmons, who has built several new condo buildings in the downtown area in recent years.

Nine units are already reserved, according to 309ashley.com.

8. Vic Village South

A rendering by Hobbs and Black Architects for the Vic Village South high-rise on South University Avenue.

A row of one- and two-story commercial buildings on South University Avenue was demolished in December to make way for Vic Village South, a 13-story apartment high-rise catering to University of Michigan students.

Construction is expected to start in 2021 and last into summer 2023, according to developer Hughes Properties.

Plans include nearly 130 apartments with 300-plus beds, including 14 affordable housing units, and ground-floor commercial spaces.

9. Broadway Park West

A city map showing a 14-acre site along the Huron River at 841 Broadway St.City of Ann Arbor

City Council in September approved plans for a $100-million transformation of a riverfront property off Broadway Street. The development could break ground this spring.

Detroit-based Roxbury Group plans to build four six-story buildings with 96 condos, a nine-story hotel with 148 rooms, a riverfront restaurant, commercial spaces, public green space, walking trails, an event pavilion and more.

10. Lockwood senior housing

A rendering by Edmund London and Associates of the Lockwood of Ann Arbor senior housing facility proposed on Ellsworth Road.Edmund London and Associates

A 154-unit senior housing facility proposed at 2195 E. Ellsworth Road received councils initial OK in December and awaits final approval Jan. 13.

11. Brightdawn Village

A site plan by Midwestern Consulting for the 120-unit Brightdawn Village condo development on Burton Road next to U.S. 23 in southeast Ann Arbor.Midwestern Consulting

Council in December OKd plans for a 120-unit condo development on Burton Road. The four-building complex is expected to be built by 2022.

The developer promises theyll be some of the least expensive new condos built in Ann Arbor in years.

12. Near North

A rendering by Jarratt Architecture showing plans for 22 townhouse-style condos on Ann Arbor's North Main Street.Jarratt Architecture

A 22-unit, townhouse-style condo development at 700 N. Main St. awaits city approval.

13. High-rise behind Michigan Theater

Bloomfield Hills-based Cerca Trova LLC is teaming up with Chicago developer CA Ventures to propose mixed-income apartments and ground-floor commercial space to replace four rental houses and an old commercial building along Washington Street behind the Michigan Theater in downtown Ann Arbor.ESG Architecture & Design and J. Bradley Moore & Associates

Plans for a 19-story high-rise behind the Michigan Theater were put on hold in 2020 due to the pandemic, but the project is expected to move ahead in 2021.

The high-rise includes 51 studios, 90 one-bedroom units, 39 two-bedroom units, 14 three-bedroom units, 25 four-bedroom units and 21 five-bedroom units, as well as a ground-floor restaurant along Washington Street. Its expected to attract people with a mix of incomes with 19 affordable housing units.

A six-story companion building next to it will include 19 more apartments billed as workforce-housing micro units.

14. New downtown hotel

A proposed development site at the northwest corner of Huron and First streets in downtown Ann Arbor on Aug. 25, 2020, where a five-story Fairfield Inn is proposed to replace the RelaxStation massage business, Ellmann and Ellmann P.C. law offices and the Center for Eating Disorders.Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News

Plans are in the works for a five-story, 95-room hotel at the northwest corner of Huron and First streets.

Initial designs for a Fairfield Inn and Suites by Marriott were submitted last summer and a formal site plan was submitted in the fall, now awaiting approval. Construction could begin by next October, plans state.

15. Affordable housing

A view of a proposed high-rise development on the Y Lot looking west along William Street past the downtown Ann Arbor library.SmithGroup

With recent city voter approval of a 20-year tax for affordable housing, city leaders are exploring building affordable housing on several city-owned properties.

Any of the city-owned properties could move forward in 2021, said Jennifer Hall, Housing Commission director, adding she thinks a high-rise project on the Y Lot at 350 S. Fifth Ave. could be among the first to advance.

16. Liberty Townhomes

A rendering by Jarratt Architecture for the Liberty Townhomes development in Ann Arbor.Jarratt Architecture

Council in August approved plans for 52 townhouse-style apartments in nine three-story buildings on the north side Liberty Street east of Interstate 94.

17. Prentice 4M

The 4M development at 830 Henry St. off East Stadium Boulevard in Ann Arbor on Dec. 31, 2020.Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News

A new aligned living housing development at 830 Henry St. is nearing completion, featuring 10 six-bedroom units and one three-bedroom unit, with rooms marketed at $75-$85 per night. First tenants are scheduled to arrive Jan. 11.

The development includes co-working spaces and units feature big common areas and video conferencing centers.

18. Beekman on Broadway

A small solar array at the new Beekman on Broadway Apartments at 1200 Broadway St. in Ann Arbor on Oct. 24, 2020.Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News

The first phase of the new Beekman on Broadway apartments just opened, with studios priced at $1,770 to $1,980 per month, one-bedroom units priced at $1,740 to $2,380 per month, two-bedroom units priced at $2,660 to $3,260 per month and a three-bedroom unit priced at $3,240 per month.

There also will be 15 below-market-rate apartments in the three-building development, which has two more phases to go.

Following the first 254-unit apartment building, the second phase in 2021 will be a 277-unit apartment building with 4,600 square feet of ground-floor retail space.

The developers plans for an 86-unit condo building were put on hold due to slow pre-sales.

19. The Garnet

Rendering by J. Bradley Moore and Associates Architects.Rendering by J. Bradley Moore and Associates Architects

The Garnet, a five-story, 10-unit condo building at 325 E. Summit St. is expected to break ground in 2021.

20. Main and Davis

A rendering by Royal Oak-based BMK Design and Planning showing plans for a 36-bed student apartment building at 907-913 S. Main St. in Ann Arbor.BMK Design and Planning

Two houses on South Main Street are proposed to be demolished to make way for a six-unit, 36-bed student apartment building. The project awaits approval.

21. The Madison on Main

The Main and Madison development site in Ann Arbor on Nov. 27, 2019, where underground site-prep work was recently completed in anticipation of vertical construction in 2020.Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News

A long-delayed development known as The Madison on Main is expected to move forward in 2021, according to the developer.

Plans include a roughly 40-unit, 46-bed, five-story apartment building with ground-floor commercial space at 600 S. Main St.

22. The Glen

Plans for The Glen, a mixed-use development including hotel, apartment and retail/restaurant uses on Glen Avenue between Catherine and Ann streets submitted to the city of Ann Arbor in August 2017. The project architects are Neumann/Smith Architecture of Southfield and J Bradley Moore & Associates of Ann Arbor.

Another long-delayed development is the nine-story project known as The Glen, which includes a 162-room hotel, plus 24 apartments and ground-floor restaurant/retail spaces at the corner of Glen Avenue and Ann Street.

The development team applied for a building foundation permit last March before things were put on hold.

The site remains vacant, but the development team recently indicated plans to break ground in 2021.

23. Ann Arbor Campus Hotel

Design rendering submitted to the city of Ann Arbor by ESG Architects and Mortenson Development Inc. showing plans for a nine-story hotel where the Firestone auto repair shop now stands at 402 E. Huron St.ESG Architects

Theres uncertainty about whether a nine-story hotel proposed for the Firestone auto repair site at Huron and Division streets could go forward.

The project went before the citys Design Review Board in 2019, but a formal site plan was never submitted. The city hasnt heard anything from the development team in a while, said Brett Lenart, city planning manager.

As of early 2020, the project was still in the works, according to Minneapolis-based Mortenson Development Inc.

A development team representative couldnt be reached for comment this past week.

24. 327 E. Hoover

A four-story, six-unit, 18-bed apartment building planned at 327 E. Hoover Ave.Myefski Architects

Another approved project is a four-story, six-unit, 18-bed apartment building overlooking UMs Elbel Field at 327 E. Hoover Ave. The project received councils OK in 2019 but has yet to move forward and it may not in 2021.

As of now, the plan is to break ground in 2022, said Dan Williams of Ann Arbor-based Maven Development.

Originally posted here:
24 Ann Arbor developments to watch in 2021 - MLive.com

With 2020 behind us, thankfully, we look at whats to come. Here are some quick hits I previously reported on, to give a glimpse on what to expect for 2021. Please keep in mind that plans can fall through and new plans will arise throughout the year, but this will give you a head start on what to expect. If 2020 taught us anything, its that things can certainly change in an instant.

Mission BBQ is scheduled to open in Mishawaka by spring. Danny Specht, the director of operations for Indiana and Illinois locations, said they anticipate a May 2021 opening, barring any construction delays. It will be at 5320 N. Main St., next to the new Raising Canes location and is in a multi-tenant building with its neighboring space 2,800-square feet still available, hence the for-lease signs nearby.

Panera Bread is anticipated to move from its current location in Erskine Village to the new building at 1315 E. Ireland Road. A clear timeline of when that is anticipated to happen is unknown at this time.

The proposed Chick-Fil-A on Portage Avenue in South Bend still has no definitive construction begin or opening date. According to a company spokeswoman in June, plans for the new restaurant at 3703 Portage Ave. have been pushed back because of COVID-19. However, they stated they remain excited about opening a Chick-fil-A restaurant in South Bend.

The former site of Brunos Pizza 2610 Prairie Ave., was sold to Red Tail Properties, an area estate subsidiary of the non-gaming investment arm of the Pokagon Band of the Potawatomi. A company spokesman said the future development will add vitality to the neighborhood and to the surrounding community.

Construction for a Taco Bell at 59661 Bremen Highway is scheduled to begin in early 2021 with an anticipated mid-summer opening date. Eric Robertson, vice president of operations, said that construction had been delayed due to the pandemic.

Aspen Tap House will fill the former Scottys Brewhouse building on Main Street in Mishawaka. President Bern Rehberg said they anticipate a February opening and the restaurant will feature a made-from-scratch menu with items such as hand-cut steaks, salads and burgers and will focus on craft beer, wine and hard seltzer on tap.

Construction for a gas station and convenience store at the corner of Ewing Avenue and South Michigan Street is underway.

Construction for a Valvoline Oil Change business at 215 E. Ireland Road is underway.

Rohrs inside the Morris Inn on the campus of Notre Dame will reopen for indoor dine-in service beginning Jan. 11. The restaurant recently went through a remodel in 2020 and closed to indoor dining in the fall due to the coronavirus.

A new Culvers is slated to open in early 2021 at 13145 Indiana 23, across from Goodwill in Granger.

A INOVA Federal Credit Union is being built near Costco in Mishawaka.

South Bend Brew Werks will move into the Hibberd Building at 321 S. Main St. come spring 2021. Owner Steve Lowe said the business will remain open at its current location, 216 S. Michigan St., until the move.

Development at McKinley Commons that includes a new car wash, restaurant and retail store is slated to begin in 2021. Johns Auto Spa is scheduled to build a new car wash and oil change service, a free-standing restaurant building also is scheduled to be constructed, though no tenant has been decided, and more than 50,000 square feet of space inside the former KMart location is also available.

American Kitchen and Bath will move into the former Fitness USA building on Ireland Road in January.

Roselily will open for brunch beginning in the new year, replacing L Street Kitchen at 131 S. Lafayette Blvd. in downtown South Bend. Owner Eamonn McParland, who also plans to continue operating Roselily for dinner service, said he plans to offer many of the same brunch menu items as L Street with some options being his own.

Rose & Remington will open in University Park Mall in the coming weeks, according to a release.

Owners of Barnabys in Mishawaka will open at the former Giannettos location in Granger. This will be a second location for the business, with plans to run it concurrently with the Mishawaka location on Grape and Edison roads, where the property is still listed for sale. Owners initially planned to open New Years Eve, but the opening date is dependent on some construction projects.

St. Clairs Butcher Shoppe and Delicatessen will open in spring 2021 at the former Save A Lot grocery store on Edison Road in South Bend. Operators said it will offer custom cuts; traditional deli sandwiches, such as corned beef and New York pastrami; as well as specialty items such as rubs and herbs.

A new commissary kitchen and community center will open at 60660 Old U.S. Hwy 31 South by spring 2021.

Granger-based Bare Hands Brewery is moving forward with plans to open a brewpub in downtown South Bend. An agreement was recently amended for the fifth time when the city provided another extension as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the latest development agreement, Bare Hands is expected to spend $456,000 revamping the vacant building that it received from the city for $1 in 2016. The city wants work to begin by March, but it is giving the business until March 2022 to complete the project.

PKR Noodle Bar will be relocating in South Bend, but it is unclear where and when. The restaurant known for its ramen and Asian street food initially opened as a popup concept at the Emporium building at 121 S. Niles Ave. in downtown South Bend in Oct. 2019.

New restaurant Howard Park Public House is scheduled to open in early January. Keep an eye out for a future column with more details.

Scaled down Ulta shops will open inside 100 Target stores nationwide beginning in late 2021, with more to be added as time progresses. Exact Target locations for the new shops were not given. There are currently two Targets in the area, one at 155 E. University Drive in Mishawaka and the other at 1400 E. Ireland Road in South Bend.

Two hundred Sephora beauty shops will be inside Kohls locations by next fall with 850 sites by 2023, according to a report by CNBC. It was not clear when local stores would see the change.

The Dainty Maid Co. building at 231 S. Michigan St. in downtown South Bend is anticipated to open soon. Businesses such as Pink Lemonade Pastries and breakfast business Early Bird Eatery are scheduled to open inside the common space building.

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Market Basket: What to expect in 2021 retail and restaurant news - South Bend Tribune

The COVID-19 pandemic will surely continue to dominate our coverage as we turn the page to 2021. It will continue to impact schools, the court system, small businesses and more. As we move forward, here are the stories well be following in 2021:

Wilkes-Barre Area School District plans to merge its three highs schools GAR, Meyers and Coughlin after opening the new consolidated high school in Plains Twp. in August or September.

The $121 million project began in April 2019 and was 71% complete in December. This years graduating classes at GAR, Meyers and Coughlin will be the last.

The district may sell the Coughlin property in downtown Wilkes-Barre and the Meyers property in South Wilkes-Barre in 2021. The district plans to use GAR as a middle school after merging the high schools.

School districts in the region will begin the year dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and deciding when to resume or begin some level of in-person learning. Many districts in the area suspended in-person classes in response to the surge in COVID-19 cases that began in October.

School board seats will be also be on the ballot this year in the primary and general elections.

Michael P. Buffer

Wilkes University, Luzerne County Community College and Kings College pushed back the first day of spring semester classes one week, from Jan. 25 to Feb. 1, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Misericordia University will delay the start of the upcoming semesters classes from Jan. 19 to Jan. 25.

Penn State will start the spring semester with remote instruction Jan. 19 and continue remotely through Feb. 12 at all campus locations.

Wilkes and Misericordia students will be tested for COVID-19 prior to returning to campus. Kings is also planning a return-to-campus protocol.

The Rev. John J. Ryan is retiring June 30 as president of Kings College. Kings has launched a search for a new president, and the next president is expected to begin in July.

Kathleen Cieplak Owens has a one-year term as president of Misericordia University that expires June 30. Owens succeeded Thomas Botzman as president last July, and Misericordia began a national search for Botzmans long-term successor.

Michael P. Buffer

This year will see two vacancies on the bench of the Luzerne Court of Common Pleas, as well as six other jurists up for retention in the fall.

Luzerne County judges William H. Amesbury and Thomas F. Burke Jr. will have their seats up on the ballot during the May primary election.

Both judges won retention in the November 2019 general election but were only able to serve partial terms because the mandatory retirement age for judges is 75.

Amesbury, who earlier last month announced his plan to retire into senior judge status, is 73. Burke is 74.

On the November general election ballot, six other judges will be up for retention: President Judge Michael T. Vough and judges Lesa S. Gelb, Richard M. Hughes III, Fred A. Pierantoni III, Jennifer L. Rogers, and Joseph F. Sklarosky Jr.

Only three of the countys 11 full-time judges Joseph M. Augello, Tina Polachek Gartley and David W. Lupas will not see their seats on the ballot this year.

James Halpin

After nearly a year of shutdowns, continuances and delays, court administrators are hoping to resume normal operations at some point later this year.

When the COVID-19 pandemic first hit Northeast Pennsylvania last winter, the courts imposed protective measures such as extra cleaning and scheduling changes to mitigate spread of the virus.

But as the pandemic worsened, Luzerne County President Judge Michael T. Vough was prompted in mid-March to delay all trials and limit other courthouse operations.

As the spread of the disease slowed in the summer, a few high-profile criminal trials were conducted at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza to allow for social distancing.

But when the virus experienced a resurgence in the fall, Vough was again compelled to close the courts to the public. The latest order of a judicial emergency allows the courts to remain open only for essential services criminal and civil hearings that directly impact the health, safety, security, welfare or incarceration of an individual.

Officials say they hope to reopen the courts to the general public by March 1.

James Halpin

Five seats on Luzerne County Council will be on the ballot for the 2021 municipal election. At least three new council members will likely take office in 2022. Incumbents Harry Haas and Linda McClosky Houck are term-limited and cannot seek re-election this year, while incumbent Sheila Saidman says she probably will not seek another term.

An extensive upgrade of the county 911 communication system is expected to be completed in the latter half of 2021. The $25 million project will replace the countys current analog communication system with a digital system supplied by Motorola Inc. Police communications will be encrypted in the digital system, meaning the public will not be able to listen to police calls on emergency scanner frequencies.

County Manager David Pedri plans to appoint a new director of elections in January. Incidents involving the county election bureau made national news twice in 2020.

Luzerne and Lackawanna counties will likely decide this year whether to pursue a merger of the transportation agencies of the two counties.

Eric Mark

Restaurants will reopen for indoor dining on Monday, Jan. 4 when Gov. Tom Wolf lifts temporary bans.

Gyms also will reopen but some like 10X Fitness, which has locations in Mountain Top and Taylor, and Dankos, which has locations in Plains Twp., Dallas and Wright Twp., didnt follow the states shutdown orders and already reopened.

Casinos, including Mohegan Sun Pocono in Plains Twp. and Mount Airy Casino Resort in Monroe County, also will reopen Monday after being shut down for the second time on Dec. 12.

Tony Carlucci, president and general manager of Mohegan Sun Pocono, said the casino has taken a number of steps to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 including requiring masks for all guests and team members, taking non-invasive temperature scans, observing social distancing, following rigorous cleaning protocols and making hand sanitizer and cleaning wipes widely available for guests and team members.

Wolf implemented temporary bans on indoor dining, gyms, casinos and all in-person entertainment businesses for three weeks following a surge in COVID-19 cases after Thanksgiving.

In-person extracurricular activities and school sports also were prohibited as were indoor gatherings of more than 10 people and outdoor gatherings of more than 50 people.

The indoor dining ban included restaurants, bars, wineries, distilleries, social clubs and private events. Indoor dining can now open Monday at 50% capacity but restaurants that have not self-certified with the state are allowed to open at 25% capacity.

In-person businesses can operate at 75% capacity but casinos, theaters, museums and other entertainment venues can open at 50% occupancy. Indoor recreation and health facilities like gyms and spas also can open at 50% occupancy. Business capacity limits, mask-wearing requirements and gathering limits will continue to be enforced, Wolf said.

Denise Allabaugh

Something many people will be keeping an eye on this year in the county seat is the City of Wilkes-Barres finances and budget projections.

Mayor George Browns $53.2 million budget relied on doubling the annual recycling and sewage transmission fees to $100 each to raise about $2 million in revenue, but council members Tony Brooks, John Marconi and Beth Gilbert McBride would agree to only $25 increases to each fee.

The three voted to amend Browns budget by reducing projected overtime and workers compensation expenditures by $200,000 each, increasing projected revenue from fines by $100,000 and projected revenue from delinquent sewage and recycling fees by $600,000.

Brown has called the amendments unrealistic and said he wont be responsible for meeting those projections in what he referred to as councils budget.

In his budget, Brown projected $3.1 million in construction permit revenue, an increase of $650,000 over 2020 projections, which is based on some significant new construction projects he expects will begin downtown this year.

After H&N Investments obtained zoning approval to construct a new hotel at the site of the former Hotel Sterling at North River and East Market streets this past June, H&N representative Steve Barrouk said he expected the company would break ground for a Hyatt Place hotel at the site early in 2021.

Barrouk pegged the project at about $25 million and said the four-story building would house 3,500 square feet of retail space on the first floor, and an 107-key hotel, a 5,000-square-foot conference center and about eight apartments or condominiums on the upper floors.

Also this past June, Sphere International broke ground for a 102-room Avid Hotel at South Main and East Northampton streets, which included demolition of the former Frank Clark Jeweler building at 63 S. Main St.

Hitesh Patel, one of the Sphere principals, described the building design as a five-story boutique hotel on a 102-room property, with retail space fronting South Main Street between Dinos Pizza Express and Place 1 at the Hollywood dress shop.

The developer declined to estimate the cost of the investment, but it was pegged at $28 million when first announced in 2015. It was, at that time, to include a convention center, luxury apartments and condominiums.

Sphere attorney Jack Dean had said the project footprint had changed because of problems with land acquisition.

Local developer George Albert said this past fall that he expected rehabilitation work on the historic train station once owned by the Central Railroad of New Jersey at Market Street Square to begin last last year.

That construction hasnt started yet. But with any luck, progress should be seen there as well as with another project of Alberts.

The city council in December authorized Mayor George Browns administration to sell the former First National Bank building at 59-63 Public Square to Albert for $400,000.

The council also authorized the administration to apply for a $250,000 Keystone Communities Program state grant to fund renovations in the building.

Steve Mocarsky

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Year in preview: Local stories that will make headlines in 2021 - Wilkes-Barre Citizens Voice

Wheeler Cowperthwaite|The Patriot Ledger

HANOVER Construction of a Market Basket grocery store atthe Hanover Crossing development on Route 53 could start as soon as this week now that the supermarket chain has received a building permit.

Hanover Crossing spokesperson Lisa Berardinelli said in an email that constructionpreparations are on track, despite the pandemic. A substantial amount of the utility work is complete and construction has started on a wastewater treatment plant. The Peterson Pond dambeen removed.

Hanover Building Commissioner Joseph Stack said two building permits have been granted for Hanover Crossing: one forMarket Basket,and the other for Chipotle Mexican Grill.

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Stack saidconstruction of the restaurant began in November.

Hanover Crossing replaces the Hanover Mall, which was demolished this year.

More: Final sections of Hanover Mall demolished

The permitting fees in Hanover are tied to the cost of construction. The Market Basket store is estimated to cost $14.4 million, which means it paid the town $144,000 for the building permit. The much smaller Chipotle is estimated to cost $1 million, for a building permit cost of $10,000.

Market Basket representatives have not returned requests for comment.

Town meeting voters rejected a citizens petition for a liquor license at Market Basketafterliquor store owners complained about possible competition.

The supermarket will sit roughly where the Walmart store was in the Hanover Mall, although farther back to provide for more parking, Hanover Mall General Manager Ed Callahan previously said.

Market Basket stores are concentrated mainly in northeastern Massachusetts, but the company also has locations in Plymouth, West Bridgewater and Brockton.

Hanover Crossing will bean open-air complex with about 600,000 square feet of retail space and a 297-unit residential building at the site of Patriot Cinemas.

The project is allowed under the towns Village Planned Unit Development zoning bylaw, which is under a moratorium after the project exposed flaws in the bylaw, including no requirement for affordable housing.

The moratorium is tentatively on the warrant for the 2021 annual town meeting.

On Nov. 19, the state awarded Hanover $1.26 million as part of a $68 million package in MassWorks funding for infrastructure projects.

The money will pay for the reconfiguration and new signals at Route 53 and Hanover Mall Drive.

Fred Hanson contributed to this report.Wheeler Cowperthwaite can be reached at wcowperthwaite@patriotledger.com.

Read more:
Chipotle coming to Hanover Crossing; Market Basket could begin construction this week - Enterprise News