Hartford Branch ModSpace Branch Office 6,480 sq ft 160 Days Middletown, CT

ModSpaces Hartford branch was split between three aging facilities. The ModSpace team needed a new centralized branch that would facilitate business growth, while representing the companys green and sustainable vision for the future.

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Area managers and the ModSpace Design-Build team opted to use buildings from the existing fleet of modular buildings on a 20 acre green field site. Refurbishing 20-year old modular buildings and reusing them for the new branch office dramatically reduced construction waste and its lingering impact on the environment.

After careful review and consideration of the available buildings, nine clear-span 12 x 60 modules were selected. The modules received EPDM roofs to allow interior work to begin as soon as the modules were set on the at-grade foundation. Once in place, a truss roof created space for the ductwork needed for the high-efficiency HVAC system.

Inside the building, Operations, Sales, and Construction Services each have their own suites that connect the teams to the common areas. Interior finishes, including the black ceiling grid and blue walls provide a clean and comfortable feeling. LED lighting, occupancy sensors, metered faucets with motion sensors, motion sensor toilets and high-efficiency windows were added to further reduce energy and resource consumption.

The finished nine-module repurposed classroom buildings feature exterior styling that blendsnicely with the wooded New England surroundings, right down to the lighted cupola and weathervane.

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Originally posted here:
Commercial Property & Office Building Construction ...

by Steven M. Friedman and Steven J. Szymanski

For years, federal income tax law was unclear about how to treat payments that owners or landlords make to tenants for construction allowances to improve leased retail space.

Last September, the Internal Revenue Service adopted final regulations on previously created construction allowance safe-harbor regulations to help eliminate controversy over related taxation. Landlords and tenants that adhere to the safe-harbor rules are afforded tax-free treatment on certain construction allowances.

Retail Construction Allowances Generally, a landlord provides a potential tenant with a construction allowance to induce the tenant to lease a property. This especially is true in the retail market, where an attractive tenant may improve the chance for a project's success as well as attract other key tenants.

However, the broad definition of gross income in Internal Revenue Code Section 61 all income from whatever source derived has led to debate about the tax treatment of landlords' cash payment of construction allowances to tenants.

Because of the ambiguity, Congress enacted IRC Section 110 in the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 to provide a safe harbor under which certain tenants would not be taxed on construction allowances received to improve their leased space.

IRC Section 110 provides that a tenant's gross income does not include payments or rent reductions received from a landlord under a lease for 15 years or less for the purpose of constructing or improving qualified long-term real property. Retail space is defined as real property leased, occupied, and used by a tenant in its trade or business of selling tangible personal property or services to the general public.

On Sept. 20, 1999, the Treasury Department issued proposed regulations to clarify IRC Section 110's safe-harbor rules. The proposed regulations clarify two requirements. To satisfy the purpose requirement, a lease agreement must state that the construction allowance is for the purpose of constructing or improving the property for use in the tenant's trade or business at that particular site. To satisfy the expenditure requirement, a tenant must use the construction allowance within 8 months after the close of the taxable year in which the allowance was received.

On Sept. 1, 2000, the IRS adopted final regulations that were effective Oct. 5. These final regulations expand the definition of allowances to include space for office or storage supporting the retail activity and give examples of qualifying retail services, which include doctors, lawyers, accountants, bankers, insurance agents, stockbrokers, security dealers, tailors, hair stylists, and shoe repairers. They also state that a landlord can reimburse a tenant for amounts spent in a prior year, provided that the tenant did not depreciate the costs.

Since the landlord retains the benefits and burdens of ownership with the safe harbor, the landlord depreciates the cost of a construction allowance. Under the final regulations, if a tenant takes depreciation on a construction allowance, the safe harbor would not be met.

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Retail Tenants Get Tax Break for Construction Allowances ...

RTD Train Hall is one of several construction projects around Union Station. (AAron Ontiveroz, The Denver Post)

Construction gains outside of housing remain tepid nationally, but Colorado is bucking that trend.

"Part of this is a story of emerging economic momentum," said Anirban Basu, chief economist with Associated Builders and Contractors, who gave a forecast Thursday morning in Denver.

Robust oil and gas production, combined with metro Denver's attractiveness to young professionals, have provided the state a jump on other areas.

"This helps explain to a large extent why the state's economy has become turbocharged lately," Basu said of the ongoing energy boom.

Construction hiring in Colorado through February is up 6 percent, compared with a 2.5 percent annual pace nationally, noted Ken Simonson, chief economist of the Associated General Contractors of America, during an economic webcast sponsored by Reed Construction Data.

Some of the most robust construction activity is taking place in Denver's core, which the Downtown Denver Partnership touted Thursday morning at a separate event on its "development map."

The downtown area has seen 5,688 residences, 2,297 hotel rooms and 2.7 million square feet of office space either added or under construction since 2008. Two dozen projects worth $1.8 billion are expected to be completed this year alone, a third of them located in the Central Platte Valley.

Multi-family and even single-family construction have shown strength the past year, but nonresidential is an entirely different story.

"We have had a hard time building momentum in nonresidential," said Kermit Baker, chief economist with the American Institute of Architects.

The rest is here:
Colorado construction gearing up faster than other states

Philadelphia, Pa. (PRWEB) April 18, 2014

MB1 Capital Partners and Aquinas Realty Partners today announced the official groundbreaking for the construction of the AQ Rittenhouse, a mixed-use, apartment-retail-classroom tower at 2021 Chestnut Street in Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia.

The $40 million complex, due to be completed by the end of the year, will be constructed on the site of the former Philadelphia YWCA Annex which was built in 1954 but vacant and blighted for more than a decade. The new 12-story building, designed by BLT Architects of Philadelphia and being constructed by Clemons Construction Company of Philadelphia, will also include classroom, lab and activity space for the adjacent Freire Charter School.

Joel Brudner, Managing Partner of MB1 Capital Partners, noted AQ Rittenhouse will also include 4,500 square feet of retail space on the ground floor, as well as a 1,500-square-foot mezzanine as other components of this new 12-story apartment tower.

Brudner noted the key component of the building will be 110 upscale apartments in studio, one- and two-bedroom units to help meet the need for quality housing in Center City. The signature feature of the building will be its large exterior windows and Juliet balconies.

This will be one of the most beautiful and versatile buildings in Philadelphia, Brudner said. The plan also includes a second-floor terrace, a center courtyard on the eighth floor, and a rooftop sky terrace and lounge that will offer incredible views, all within the tremendous location in Rittenhouse Square.

As the development will cater to professionals, other amenities include a fitness center, 24-hour doorman and concierge, fitness center, Wi-Fi cafe, bike storage and even a dog washroom.

I cannot describe to you how bad of a building [the YWCA Annex] was, said Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter in his remarks at a recent groundbreaking ceremony. There are many, many challenging properties, but this particular property, literally located wall to wall with a charter school where students are trying to get an education, was a terrible property. It will now be transformed into a beautiful property.

By replacing this dilapidated property with a 110-unit apartment building, complete with restaurants, retail shops, and our top-notch charter school, this project is taking a major step towards the revitalization of the 2000 block of Chestnut Street, but much of Chestnut Street will benefit from this project, the mayor added.

The building, which will meet the standards for LEED Silver certification, is an example of public and private interests coming together to help renew old neighborhoods, while creating jobs and endless opportunity, Brudner added.

Read more from the original source:
MB1 Capital Partners Joint Venture to Construct New Project in Rittenhouse Square

WHERE long or difficult loads are concerned, like in the construction retail industry, Hubtex multidirectional and side-loaders will make a significant difference in South Africa as many operations here are still employing unsuitable technology. This is the opinion of Thomas Schmitt, Hubtex Germanys key-account manager, responsible for liaison between Goscor Lift Truck Company (GLTC,) the Southern African distributors of Hubtex, and Hubtex head office in Fulda, Germany.

I noticed on my recent trip to South Africa, that many companies in the construction industry are using traditional, front-loading forklifts in their long-load applications. The result is inefficient utilisation of warehouse and yard space and a significant reduction in productivity all-round, says Schmitt.

Goscor Lift Truck Company Sales Director Patrick Barber agrees. The Hubtex technology, which enables long loads to be handled in narrow aisles, will save several companies a lot of money in South Africa. It is true that many operations in this country that have specialised load-handling requirements are not using the correct technology. We have started showing these companies the benefits of the Hubtex range and I have no doubt that demand will grow exponentially for these machines with time, he says.

Two machines that have proven themselves in these industries worldwide are the Hubtex DQ diesel/gas multidirectional sideloader and the Hubtex Electric sideloaders.

The former, with diesel or gas drive, is an extremely robust machine developed for indoor and outdoor use. With its hydrostatic all-wheel drive and independently activatable differential lock it is suited to all surfaces including poor ground or floor conditions. Also, the multidirectional steering enables optimal handling of long and bulky loads and the efficient use of storage space.

The superior High Performance Steering (HPS) steering system of our multidirectional sideloaders ensures the shortest changeover time from lengthwise to crosswise drive. In fact research has shown that compared to conventional steering systems the Hubtex HPS enables a 60% faster changeover and, in addition, has up to a 30% smaller turning radius by means of its load wheels, says Schmitt.

He adds that in lengthwise drive, the Hubtex DQ series can quickly transport long material through narrow doors and aisles, in crosswise drive it can be used as a conventional front loader while circle drive enables the fast turning of the truck. This overall agility can save up to 50% floor space, Schmitt says.

The Hubtex sideloader series, which is electric, diesel or LPG-powered, is designed to maximise long-load storage density providing room for additional racks and enhanced storage capacities. Not only do these trucks enable up to 100% more storage space than conventional forklifts, but their unique design also allows quick, safe and efficient operation with reduced load damage, Schmitt says.

The heavy-duty, diesel sideloaders are specifically designed for demanding operations and provide exceptional performance with proven stability.

With capacities of up to 40 tons and load bed widths of up to 2,500mm these workhorses have proven themselves in the toughest operations in theconstruction industry.

Excerpt from:
Hubtex will help construction retail sector: 50% space saving recorded

CREATED Apr. 16, 2014

Las Vegas, NV (KTNV) -- New shops will soon be coming to the west valley, now that phase 2 of Tivoli Village is well underway.

The new building, currently under construction, will have 200,000 square feet of retail space, but it's only the beginning of new things to come.

Opening a few years ago during the tail end of the recession, Tivoli Village got off to a slow start.

"We frankly went through a stretch of 3 to 4 years when retailers wouldn't even look at Las Vegas, it just wasn't a market where retailers would come into," said Patrick Done, president of Tivoli Village.

But with ample crowds now checking out many of their regional-based restaurants and shops, construction is well underway on phase 2, which is expected to be primarily retail.

"We'll have a strong home furnishings presence, we'll also have a strong fashion presence with national retailers," said Done.

New attractions in Las Vegas

Next up is the third phase, a residential building with 300 units. But in between the second and third phases, the developer said their is now room for a boutique hotel to be constructed and said they've already been in touch with some major international brands.

"This hotel is very distinct from what you see in the market, it's a boutique hotel and will cater to business travelers and it is also of a size that will fit well in our development," said Done.

The rest is here:
Construction continues on Tivoli Village additions, renovations

Raghuvinder Pathania, Asst. Vice President Sales & Marketing, Mantri Developers Pvt Ltd. has been working with Mantri Developers for last 11 years and have contributed remarkably in the growth of the company. He has over 13 years of professional experience in managing marketing and sales, customer relationship management and also manages the international business operations.

Mantri Developers Pvt. Ltd. is a leading developer of world class Homes, IT Parks, Retail Spaces and Educational Institutions. Mr. Sushil Mantri founded Mantri Developers in Bangalore in the year 1999. In just 14 years, the company has built over 24 projects. Today, Mantri Developers has to its credit over 10 million square feet of constructed area, over 30,000 satisfied residents and 8 million square feet under various stages of construction. Mantri Developers has a track record of delivering 1.4 homes per day since inception. The company plans to focus on the residential sector, retail, hospitality, IT Parks and educational institutions in Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad.

Replying to Yash Ved of IIFL, Raghuvinder Singh Pathania says Currently, our portfolio is spread across 20 million sq. ft. which includes 11 million sq.ft in the residential, retail, office, hospitality and townships.

Brief us about your current and upcoming projects in residential, commercial, retail space? Mantri Developers has been at the helm of changing the skyline of South India since 1999. In these 14 years the group has carved a niche for itself in the real estate industry.

In the residential sector, we have just launched Primus Eden at Kanakapura Road. The project, a state of the art luxurious residential community for seniors (55 years and above) marks the entry of Mantri Developers into senior living segment.

In the retail space we have one of South Indias most prominent and one of the largest malls in the country. The Mantri Square in Bangalore is spread over an astonishing 1.7 million sq. ft. of space, and hosts over 250 retail outlets. The company is also on the threshold of creating further landmarks in retail. Mantri Developers has also left its mark in the commercial office space segment. We have changed the landscape with a host of premium & ultra-modern complexes. The company has also recently made a foray into the high-growth area of office leasing apart from Bangalore in Pune and Hyderabad which is spread over 11 mn sq ft.

What is the total area under development? Mantri Developers is one of the leading players in South India. We have a very diversified portfolio of services that we offer. Currently, our portfolio is spread across 20 million sq. ft. which includes 11 million sq.ft in the residential, retail, office, hospitality and townships. These projects are under various stages of the construction.

In our residential segment we have various kinds of projects under development. It consists of villas, row houses, super luxury apartments, luxury apartments and semi-luxury Apartments. The Company has an enviable track record of having delivered 1.4 homes, every single day. Environmental management and safety standards are a major concern at our company and we are at the forefront of using cutting-edge technological innovations like home automation systems to complement the state-of-the-art architecture of its smart home projects.

What price scenario do you see in Mumbai and other cities? On the whole, 2013 proved to be an exciting and eventful year for the real estate market in the country. With the passing of Real Estate Regulatory Bill and the Land Acquisition Bill in the parliament, the real estate market is on the cusp of new developments. We are hoping that these new regulations will bring some stability in the sector.

With respect to Mumbai, the real estate in the city is bit fragmented owing to the geographical conditions (its an island city) and hence there are pockets of markets that have emerged over a period of time. These pockets are unique and have their own characteristics as a result of which we have some high growth pockets and some slow growth ones. Affordable housing is proving to be a big challenge in the city as the land prices are sky rocketing in the city.

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Raghuvinder Pathania, AVP Sales & Marketing, Mantri Developers

With funding secured and construction companies readying their crews, work to convert the long-abandoned, 1.4-million-square-foot Sears Crosstown building into a "vertical urban village" with health-care, arts, education, retail, and residential space should begin this spring.

But for our April 29, 1999, issue, when the building was nothing more than a hulking, big empty, we held a contest asking our readers what they'd like to see fill the space. Those with the 10 best answers were awarded a Flyer T-shirt.

Answers were all over the place, but reader Joel Edlin had perhaps the most far-fetched idea: "Turn it into a BIG ASS JAIL. Bet we could fill it up, just like Sears did on August 8, 1927, with 47,000 customers."

Adrienne Faires thought the building would make a nice American Red Cross distribution and training center, while Oscar F. Williams envisioned the Crosstown building as a hotel that would help Memphis attract more conventions.

Les Poppenheimer had visions of suburbia in the inner city with dreams of a Crosstown outlet mall with one retailer per floor. Fabian Baron saw the place as a future subsidized senior living center, where seniors paid rent based on their incomes.

Jay C. Schechtman thought we could use the Crosstown building for a little worldwide philanthropy by converting the building into the Southern Trading Center, where we would "display the products and services of South America, Africa, South Asia, and Australia. We could create jobs in Memphis, and assist underdeveloped countries [in] securing a foothold in American trade."

When the renovated Crosstown building opens in 2016, there will be an educational component with the Memphis Teacher Residency and Rhodes College setting up office space inside. Long-time (and now deceased) Flyer reader and letter-writer Arthur Prince may have glanced into the future with his idea of turning the building into an institute of higher education, or a "tower of learning," as Prince wrote.

Frank Crumby wasn't terribly far off from today's plans of including residential and retail space, but in his plan, the entire building would have been devoted to luxury living.

"Her new name would be The Evergreens. She would be a mix of upscale spacious condos on the top floors and the tower, apartments on the middle floors, and retail [which] would feature services to appeal to the large number of residents, such as dry cleaners, hair salons, convenience stores, etc. The building also offers plenty of space for a spa, indoor pool, and racquetball. The Evergreens could be the ultimate address," Crumby wrote.

If we had been gamblers back in 1999, we should have bet on the suggestions of Harold F. Keuper and Brantley Ellzey. While the current plans for Crosstown include the medical industry namely the Church Health Center and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital offices it's being fused with an arts component. Inside the building, there will be artist working spaces and studios, an art gallery, and performance space.

More here:
Crosstown: A Big Ass Jail?

Bottega Americana partners (from left) Greg Van de Velde, Dave Warner, Giuseppe Ciuffa, and Chad Ruyle in the East Village space slated to become a restaurant and urban marketplace.

London has its Harrods food hall, Paris its Le Bon March Grand Epiciere, New York its Eataly. This summer, San Diegos East Village will have Bottega Americano, a first-of-its kind foodery inspired by those urban marketplaces.

The Bottega project combines a moderately-priced sit-down restaurant, interactive culinary stations, gourmet retail space, grab-and-go dining options, a bar, patio and private indoor/outdoor space for weddings, parties and corporate events.

Bottega Americano will use patio space at the Thomas Jefferson School of Law for private events. Eduardo Contreras

The $3 million, approximately 8,000-square-foot marketplace, located on the first floor of the Thomas Jefferson School of Law building on Island Avenue, is two blocks north of the new Central Library and is at the epicenter of downtowns residential and commercial construction boom.

During a tour of the still-under-construction space Tuesday, Bottega Americanos four partners said they expect the project to draw from the neighborhoods burgeoning condo and rental developments, new corporate offices, tourists, as well as residents from throughout the county.

When it opens, well be the first ones to do something like this, culinarily, said chef Giuseppe Ciuffa, founder of Giuseppe Restaurants & Fine Catering. Where else can you get a complete meal to go and have a high-quality full sit-down space all under one roof?

The menu and prepared food will be produce-driven, urban Italian with an American twist, with pizza, cured meats, fresh mozzarella, Italian wine and specialty coffees among the expected offerings.

Unlike other food halls, like Eataly, where customers have to order at separate counters or buy products from different vendors, Bottega Americanos retail will be under one umbrella and customers can order off a master menu.

Youre going into a culinary blind date when you come here, joked Ciuffa. Quickly chiming in was partner and fellow chef David Warner: But were very good matchmakers.

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East Village 'foodery' on menu

FITCHBURG At North and Main streets, where downtown Fitchburg meets Fitchburg State University, is a partially empty lot with dilapidated buildings the city has been talking about developing for years.

It will finally get a face-lift this summer.

Some officials were hoping for a mixed-use development of residential and commercial/retail space at the site. But, after years of no action, some councilors say they'll take just the business as long as something goes in there.

At Tuesday night's council meeting, Dan Curley, executive director of the Fitchburg Redevelopment Authority, updated councilors on the project. Some were unaware that construction will begin, with or without the upper floors for housing, in August.

Developer Edward "Ted" C. Carman Jr. pulled together nearly $1 million in financing for the construction of a multistory building that would include retail space on the first floor and 62 units of market-rate housing on the upper floors and already signed a contract with a major national retailer.

But to develop the housing portion of the project, Mr. Curley said, Mr. Carman is awaiting approval for financing under the New Markets Tax Credit Program. The program attracts investment capital to low-income communities by permitting individual and corporate investors to receive a federal tax credit.

"It is the last hurdle," Mr. Curley said. "It is contingent on new markets tax credit financing.

"Plan B is, if the financing is not in place by August, they'll go with a free-standing retail building. Either way, the shovel is in the ground in August."

Councilor Marcus DiNatale appeared surprised that the latter was "plan B."

"Bring on plan B," he said. "We have enough housing in downtown."

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Partly empty lot in Fitchburg will get makeover