Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

SACRAMENTO, CA - AECOM-Canyon Partners, in a joint venture with The Martin Group, announced the closing of a$73.3 millionsenior construction loan from Pacific Western Bank to begin the transit-oriented development of Wexler on 65th, a mid-rise student housing project nearCalifornia State University, Sacramento. The development will bring much needed housing to Sacramento State. Construction of the project is scheduled to commence inJune 2020, bringing hundreds of job opportunities to the community, and is scheduled to reach completion by Fall 2022.

The property is located less than a 5-minute walk from the university's Hornet Crossing entrance and adjacent to several retail and dining options. It is directly adjacent to Sacramento Regional Transit Authority's ("SacRT") University/65th St. Gold Line light rail station, providing direct service to downtownSacramentoin approximately 11 minutes. InMarch 2020, the joint venture began the reconstruction and modernization of bus stops for the SacRT on 67th and Q streets, as part of the Wexler's off-site improvement plan.

The 223-unit project will offer a mix of studio, two-, three-, four-, and five-bedroom units, featuring bedroom-bathroom parity, in addition to numerous tenant amenities, ample parking, and approximately 7,400 square feet of commercial space.

With a total enrollment of over 31,000, Sacramento State is the sixth largest university in theCalifornia State University system, which is the largest four-year public university system inthe United States. Over$260 millionof projects have been recently completed or are underway at Sacramento State, including a new science center and student activity center.

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AECOM-Canyon Partners and The Martin Group Secure Construction Loan for Sacramento State Student Housing Development Project - MultifamilyBiz.com

Construction is nearing the finish line on Beckford House and Beckford Tower, a pair of residential buildings in the Yorkvillesection ofManhattansUpper East Side. Crews are almost completely done installing the fenestration of Brynne Brownstone and Indiana Limestone on both the 19-story, 215-foot-tall Beckford House, located at 301 East 81st Street and also addressed as 1562 Second Avenue, and the 29-story Beckford Tower at 301 East 80th Street. The project is designed by Studio SofieldandSLCE Architectsand developed by Icon Realty Management, withCM & Associatesin charge of construction management.

Photographs from street level show the envelopes of both Beckford buildings in the afternoon sunlight, highlighting the ornamental details and subtle shade variations of their two stone materials. Overall, the development features a cohesive design that brings classical New York architecture into the 21st century.

Beckford House. Photo by Tectonic

Beckford House. Photo by Tectonic

Beckford House. Photo by Tectonic

Beckford House. Photo by Tectonic

Beckford House is set to yield 32 condominiums with two- to five-bedrooms layouts, as well as ground-floor and cellar-level retail space. There will be three units per floor on floors two through five, two per floor from the sixth to 12th stories, full-floor homes from the 13th to 17th stories, and a duplex penthouse on the 18th and 19th stories. Amenities include a swimming pool, a basketball court, a fitness and yoga center, several communal lounges, a childrens playroom, a shared rooftop terrace with an outdoor kitchen, a laundry room, a bike storage room, a mail and package room, and additional residential storage.

Beckford Tower has 72 residential units ranging from one- to six-bedroom layouts. Five units are housed on each floor from the second through sixth floors, and the rest of the structure will have three or fewer on each level. Amenities include an indoor swimming pool, a double-height half basketball court, a fitness center, and a 3,000-square-foot yoga studio. There will also bea piano bar, a party room, a game room, a childrens playroom, a laundry room, a bicycle storage room, residential storage, a mail and package room, and concierge service.

Beckford Tower. Photo by Tectonic

Beckford Tower. Photo by Tectonic

Beckford Tower. Photo by Tectonic

Beckford Tower. Photo by Tectonic

Beckford Tower. Photo by Tectonic

Beckford House and Tower could likely be finished sometime before the end of 2020.

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Beckford House and Tower Near Completion on the Upper East Side - New York YIMBY

The Carmel City Council approved more than $27 million in developer-backed bonds June 15 for four projects that include apartments, office space, condos, retail and facade improvements. The bonds will be repaid through tax increment financing with developers responsible for covering the difference if there is a shortfall.

Facade improvements are planned at Brookshire Village Shoppes. (Rendering by SITE Architecture)

What happened: The council approved $2.5 million in bonds for improvements to the Brookshire Village Shoppes retail center.

What it means: Developer KennMar anticipates spending up to $6 million to refresh the center, which will be anchored by Needlers Fresh Market. The grocer is set to sign a contract that includes a 10-year lease, but it was dependent on the bonds being approved by the city. The city received 129 letters in support of the project and two against using bonds to fund it. KennMar will receive 100 percent of TIF revenues for 25 years to repay the bonds.

Whats next: Needlers anticipates opening in the fall.

What happened: The council approved $14 million in bonds for The Corner project.

What it means: Kite Realtys $70 million mixed-use development on the southwest corner of Range Line Road and 116th Street will have 25,000 square feet of retail, 278 apartments and a parking garage. Kite will receive 100 percent of TIF revenues for 25 years to repay the bonds.

Whats next: Construction is expected to begin in early 2021 and be complete by early 2023.

What happened: The council approved $3.7 million in bonds for the Melang project.

What it means: Onyx+East will build 12 condos and 45 brownstones on 2.6 acres along the Monon Greenway just south of Civic Square. The developer will receive 80 percent of TIF revenues for 25 years to repay the bonds on the $29 million project.

Whats next: The project is expected to break ground in the fall and be complete by summer 2021.

What happened: The council approved $5.6 million in bonds for the Lot One development.

What it means: The $40 million project on 1.8 acres on the northeast corner of Range Line Road and Main Street will include 60,000 square feet of office space, four condos and 70 apartments wrapping a 325-space garage. Developer Lauth will receive 100 percent of the TIF revenues for 25 years to repay the bonds.

Whats next: Construction is set to begin in early 2021.

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Carmel council approves $27M in bonds for Needlers, The Corner, other projects - Current in Carmel

Texas A&M researcher Venkatesh Shankar discusses the future of retail with Delaware Online reporter Brandon Holveck. Delaware News Journal

The Prices Corner shopping center is bustlingonce again.

Only now it's construction vehicles that fill the center's parking lot, not busy shoppers.

Three more businesses are set to join the more than 50-year-old shopping center, which is undergoing a large-scale redevelopment that will bring a wave of new shops and restaurants as well as a new look.

AutoZone, Chase Bank and Two Claws, a Cajun seafood restaurant, have each agreed to deals with the shopping center, according to marketing materials posted by Arrow Real Estate Services.

They will join previously reported tenants Target and Chick-fil-A.

Construction crews reshape the former Sears at the Prices Corner shopping center into a Target. Target will anchor a redevelopment of the more than 50-year-old shopping center.(Photo: Brandon Holveck/Delaware News Journal)

Arrow lists late 2020 as the redevelopment's "delivery date." The project will include a new facade for much of the shopping center and two new pad sites in place of the former Sears Auto Center.

The pad sites, located at the edge of the shopping center along Kirkwood Highway, will be filled by Chick-fil-A and Chase Bank.Chase has openedseveral brick-and-mortar branches throughout northernDelaware over the past year and expects to open abranch in the Newark Shopping Center by August.

AutoZone will take the place of the former David's Bridal across from Pep Boys Auto, and about 3miles north of theAutoZoneat the Kirkwood Highway and Limestone Road.

New business: Delaware to get new movie theater this fall as coronavirus brings big changes to the industry

Two Claws opened its first location last summer, taking over the former Kenny's Pan Asian Cuisine location in Governor's Square Shopping Center in Bear. It's slated to fill in between the DTLR shoes and clothing storeand a nail salon.

Two Claws will open its second location next to DTLR in the Prices Corner shopping center.(Photo: Brandon Holveck/Delaware News Journal)

Construction crews have made significant progress on Target, which is taking part of the space previously occupied by Sears. Among the changes, the storefront is being recrafted to introducea larger entrance on the left side of the store.

The space is also being divided to housetwo tenants. A tenant for the second space, totaling roughly 67,000 square feet, has not been announced.

When asked about a date for opening, a Target spokesperson said the company has plans to open the store "in the coming years." Arrow's materials indicate the store will open later this year.

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The shopping center still has several vacancies, with signs from defunct stores such as Avenue Plus, Payless ShoeSource and RadioShack markingparts of the strip.

With constructioncurrently concentrated at the former Sears buildings, most of the other businesses in the shopping center are open,but with restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Some businesses have already felt the effects of shutdowns earlier this year, most notably J.C. Penney, which is currently the largest store in the shopping center.

After filing for bankruptcy, J.C. Penney closed more than 150 stores in May. The Prices Corner J.C. Penney and the company's two other Delaware locations survived. Retail experts expect more stores to close, especially those outside marquee malls, if the company doesn't first find a buyer.

"I dont think that J.C. Penney is going to be one of those companies that emerges,"Camilla Yanushevsky, a retail stock analyst for CFRA Research, said in May. "At the end of the day, I think theyll be liquidating their assets to get some cash back to creditors."

Like knowing what stores, restaurants and developments arecoming and going in Delaware? Join ourFacebook groupWhat's Going There in Delaware.

Contact Brandon Holveck at bholveck@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter @holveck_brandon.

Read or Share this story: https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/local/2020/06/16/prices-corner-shopping-center-filling-out-new-shops-restaurants/3190372001/

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These are the latest businesses coming to the revamped Prices Corner shopping center - The News Journal

The District 121 corporation received grant funding to develop a lawn space called The Commons at District 121. (Rendering courtesy city of McKinney)

The development will be located on 0.7 acres of an existing 17.85 acres located at the northeast corner of SH 121 and Alma Road in McKinney. The larger plot of land has been set aside for proposed office, retail, restaurant and hospitality developments in a project called District 121.

The smaller lawn space, called The Commons at District 121, will be privately maintained and owned by District 121 but publicly accessible, officials said. The lawn will be surrounded by the other proposed buildings along with an adjacent parking garage and a possible hotel with structured parking, per meeting documents.

[District 121] will be a destination retail, corporate, and restaurant development in McKinney, MCDC President Cindy Schneible said.

The Commons within District 121 will feature an expansive grass area in front of an approximately 825-square-foot stage with a large LED screen as a backdrop, according to meeting documents. Floor pavers and stamped concrete will be used to designate outdoor rooms. Cushioned seating, tables and umbrellas will be clustered around the perimeter of the lawn area, with portable seating provided throughout the space. There will be areas for outdoor gas fire pits as well as lawn games such as bocce ball and cornhole.

The Commons is designed to attract and allow/encourage groups, as well as individuals/families, to enjoy an outdoor setting while waiting for a restaurant reservation, immersing in specific programming offerings or simply relaxing, meeting documents stated.

Space within the park can be used to host programmed events and could serve as an activity center for events such as exercise classes, lectures, streaming sports events and live music, per meeting documents.

In addition, vendor kiosks can be set up within the space similar to a farmers market and could be either permanent or brought in for special events.

The District 121 corporation estimates the project will cost $2,040,250, which will be covered by the grant.

Construction of The Commons is expected to begin in late 2020 and is slated to open to the public by December 2021.

"I love the project," council member Rainey Rogers said. "I think it is a great thing."

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McKinney approves grant for The Commons at District 121, which will start construction later this year - Community Impact Newspaper

What lies beyond the pandemic? MassForward is MassLives series examining the journey of Massachusetts businesses through and beyond the coronavirus pandemic.

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For the first time in three months, the Worcester Public Market will open its doors to the public on Thursday.

The market opens at 11 a.m and when patrons arrive, they can expect to see some changes within the market, which celebrated a grand opening at the end of February.

On the night it opened in the Canal District, the food court, the vendor space and Wachusett Brewing Companys bar room were filled to capacity. Smiles filled many of the faces of those inside.

On Thursday, no more than 80 people will be allowed inside the market aligning with state regulations. Masks and social distancing policies will be enforced. The 20,000 square foot space can only allow 40% of its capacity.

It represents only one of the many changes the market has undergone to reopen. If you plan on visiting the Public Market on Thursday or in the future, heres what to expect.

7 New Vendors

The Worcester Public Market closed in the middle of March due to the coronavirus pandemic. Since that time, a host of new vendors have found homes in the market.

Akra - An African fusion takeout and juice bar.

Crate & Howl - A dog supply boutique that features everything pet teepees to bowties.

Georges Middle Eastern Bakery - As the name implies a middle eastern bakery.

Girly Girl Soaps - A shop offering handmade natural soaps without any chemicals.

K Sense Co. - Specializing in custom and handmade gifts that are ethically and locally-sourced.

Northampton Olive Oil - More than olive oils, a shop with BBQ, hot sauce, and more.

Sabrosa Venezuela - A Venezuelan inspired pastry shop.

Hours

The Worcester Public Market is open Thursday, Friday and Sunday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. On Saturday the market opens at 9 a.m. and closes at 7 p.m.

Wachusett Brewing Company will open Thursday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Entering/exiting

All three entrances to the Worcester Public Market will be open. Floor managers will have headsets and monitor the number of people inside. If lines form outside vendor spaces, customers much remain 6 feet apart.

Once more than 60 people enter the facility, floor managers will close the entrances to insure the floor never eclipses 80 people. Once capacity dips below 60, entrances will reopen. Customers outside the market must also remain 6 feet apart.

Outdoor seating

Developer of the Worcester Public Market Allen Fletcher estimated there will be about 80 seats outside of the market for patrons to dine at. Party sizes are restricted to no more than six people.

Picnic tables will line Harding Street and may also be available at the plaza by Kelley Square. Regular tables will primarily populate the plaza, though.

Picnic tables are also expected to extend to Green Street once construction is complete.

Ordering food

Patrons wanting to order food at the market will have to go inside to place the order and wait for its completion. Once the order is complete, customers must take it outside.

Retail shopping

The Worcester Public Markets retail vendors will be open. Capacity for the entire facility, though is 80, including both for retail and the food court.

MassForward is MassLive's series examining the journey of Massachusetts' small businesses through and beyond the coronavirus pandemic.

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Worcester Public Market reopens Thursday: Everything you need to know before going inside - MassLive.com

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Lakeview Community Partners Limited and Artscape Atelier are thrilled to announce 19 selected GTA artists for over $100,000 in paid work opportunities at Lakeview Village, a transformative 177-acre mixed-use community to be built on Mississauga's waterfront. Sculptor, Ryan Longo; visual artist, Raquel Da Silva; painter, Lynn Taylor; poet, Duke Redbird; visual artist, Daniela Rocha (artist alias Planta Muisca); and 14 muralists, including several from Mississauga, have been chosen to animate the Lakeview Village site with art. The completed pieces will include over 1,600 linear feet of artistic works situated near a massive field of sunflowers set to bloom at the project site this summer.

We were impressed with the caliber of submissions by each of these artists. Now more than ever, artists have an important role to play in bringing our shared spaces to life. Together, these pieces will anchor the site in its historical roots, convey messages of healing for our present condition, and introduce a hopeful image of the future, said Assaf Weisz, Chief Strategy Officer, Artscape. We look forward to seeing their work at the Lakeview Village site throughout the summer months.

We are excited to collaborate with Artscape and local artists to create a beautiful and immersive way for community members and visitors to enjoy the Lakeview Village site during the construction process and beyond, said Brian Sutherland, Director of Development, Argo Development Corporation, and development lead for Lakeview Village. We are passionate about placemaking and look forward to welcoming the community back to experience the magic of a horizon of sunflowers at our site again this summer, this time with the stunning integration of original art honouring the waterfront.

Artist Ryan Longo has been selected to create an Interactive Art/Sculpture to be installed at the top of the sunflower field in July. The finished sculpture will serve as both a focal point and gathering place to view Lake Ontario.

Raquel Da Silva has been selected to bring life to the construction hoarding with her proposed abstracted flipbook, which explores the theme of reconnecting with the surrounding nature, specifically that which is native to the Mississauga community.

Lynn Taylor, based in Mississauga, will create a visual land and heritage acknowledgement and poet, Duke Redbird, has also been commissioned to complete the poetic narrative that describes Indigenous life along the waterfront. Both works will also to be incorporated into the construction hoarding design.

Canadian-Colombian artist Daniela Rocha (Planta Muisca) will paint a nature-inspired mural that will feature animals and vegetation native to the Mississauga region. Her focus on local plants and animals will encourage visitors to embrace and connect with nature during these uncertain times.

Fourteen other artists will complete the Sunflower Lane Mural Wall Series, a multi-artist mural that will run parallel to the sunflower field to share the message they believe the world needs to hear right now. The selected artists will each produce a mural at the site while honouring social distancing practices. The creation process will be safely filmed, shared with the public via social media channels, and physically revealed this summer, pending regional health measures.

Each of the artworks will be installed on the current redevelopment site of Lakeview Village, a sustainable mixed-use community and four-season waterfront destination on the former site of the Lakeview Generating Station. Arts and culture will be a central component of the future development, which will combine diverse high-quality housing options for all lifestyles and life stages, with office space, retail and restaurants, trails, parks and green space, and cultural and recreational amenities all connected to transit and the nearby 64-acre Jim Tovey Lakeview Conservation Area.

Lakeview Community Partners Limited looks forward to welcoming community members and visitors to the Lakeview Village site to celebrate and experience the art of placemaking this summer in a safe manner as COVID-19 health and social distancing measures permit.

More information and full bios of selected artists can be found at: http://www.mylakeviewvillage.com/art-of-placemaking

About Lakeview Community Partners Limited

Lakeview Community Partners Limited is a partnership of community builders that includes TACC Construction Limited, Greenpark Group, CCI Development Group, Branthaven and Argo Development Corporation. The partnership represents an unprecedented collaboration dedicated to transforming Mississaugas waterfront through the development of Lakeview Village, a sustainable mixed-use community and all-season destination on the former site of the Lakeview Generating Station, a decommissioned coal-fired power plant. This transformative 177-acre revitalization project will revolutionize the way people live, visit and experience the waterfront through its thoughtful design and curated collection of housing, retail, office and recreational programming. For more information, visit http://www.mylakeviewvillage.com.

About Artscape Atelier

Conceived in 2019, Artscape Atelier is a social enterprise dedicated to creating opportunities for artists to meaningfully participate in city-building and shape communities through site-specific public art, public realm and creative placemaking interventions.

Since inception, Artscape Atelier has commissioned $190,000 worth of local artist work to create public art out of built infrastructure, such as park benches and bicycle racks, at the Zibi community development site in Gatineau, Quebec with developer DREAM Asset Management; and partnering with The Daniels Corporation to offer artists the paid opportunity to create over 1,300 unique welcome gifts to new condominium owners at Daniels City of the Arts and DuEast Tower in Regent Park. Learn more at creativeplacemaking.artscape.ca.

About Artscape

Artscape is a not-for-profit organization that makes space for creativity and transforms communities. Artscapes projects, programs and services are designed to help creatives thrive while enhancing the communities around them to become more vibrant, inclusive and resilient.

Artscape is best known for its work as the developer/operator of a growing portfolio of 14 unique cultural facilities in Torontoincluding community cultural hubs; multi-purpose creative spaces; artist live/work studio spaces; and 44 performance, exhibition and event spaces. Artscapes work is accomplished through a range of social enterprises focusing on: real estate development; affordable housing and property management; performance and event facility management; makerspace management; entrepreneurship development; community animation and youth empowerment programming; as well as knowledge transfer, research and consulting services. Learn more at artscape.ca.

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Lakeview Community Partners Limited and Artscape Announce the Selection of Local Artists for Exciting Works Set to Animate Lakeview Village in...

There has been no movement on development of The Pinnacle, a planned $50 million six storey, 110 condominium project located at the corner of Pinnacle and Bridge Streets on the site of the former Quinte Hotel, which burnt down in December of 2012.TIM MEEKSjpg, BI

Rumours have been swirling the condo project at the former Quinte Hotel site on Pinnacle Street has been shelved, but Belleville mayor Mitch Panciuk says the city has not heard anything on the subject.

With the COVID-19 crisis I wouldnt be surprised, but I havent heard anything about the project because we havent spoken with those people in quite some time, Panciuk said.

Fair Trade Works are the developers of the The Pinnacle, the $50 million six-storey project designed to house 110 condominum units with retail space on the ground floor. The site at the corner of Pinnacle and Bridge streets has been vacant since the Quinte Hotel burned in December of 2012.

The Pinnacle units range in price from $205,000 to $507,000. The Pinnacle plans include 5,565 feet of courtyard and outdoor kitchen space, a meeting/party room, two lobbies, three elevators, underground parking, a car wash, an electric car charging station and a dog washing station.

From the City of Bellevilles point of view its a very important property for the downtown that we would love to see developed, but right now its not an urgent priority for us, Panciuk said.

Once we start to get back to sort of normal we want the Market Square and Memorial Arena and Legion sites to get moving and the former Intelligencer building is back on the market, so the Pinnacle Street property would be another plus to get that done. But its a condo project based on pre-sales and once they get to that threshold I suspect it will get the go-ahead, Panciuk said.

Meanwhile, the mayor said a cooling centre will be opening at the north end of the Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre this week. Details can be found on the citys website at http://www.belleville.ca

As well, the mayor announced Monday the Farmers Market will be reopening this Saturday once Hastings Prince Edward Public Health finalizes its plan.

Some good news, we expect the Belleville Farmers Market to be open this Saturday, Panciuk said in his regular pandemic video address on Facebook. They are working through their final approval from the health board to be able to do it, but the City of Belleville has approved that we open it at George Zegouras Market Square behind City Hall.

Panciuk said the public will still be required to social distance as per provincial requirements under the current COVID-19 pandemic.

I think its going to be an appointment pick-up plan, but residents can checkout the Farmers Market website (www.bellevillefarmersmarketon.ca)for updates and further information, he said.

The mayor also said city hall, which has been closed to the pubic since March 18 due to the COVID-19 crisis, will reopen to the public on Monday by appointment or availability.

You will be able to come in and pay your bills in person or ask inquiries, apply for licensing or permits, Panciuk said. That means if you call ahead and make an appointment we will be able to get you your scheduled time but if you show up at city hall and if theres availability we will allow you to go through. We are going to have security at the front door managing traffic going in and out.

The city is still working on a plan to open the Kinsmen Aquatic Centre on Dundas Street East by July 1. There is no timeline for splash pads and the pool at the QSWC to open, Panciuk said.

Pop-Ups

Panciuk will launch the 2020 Pop-Ups on the Bay Thursday at West Zwicks Park. To ensure physical distancing, the mayor will make the announcement at 10 a.m., however the Pop-Ups wont officially open at 11 a.m.

We are excited to have such a diverse selection of vendors participating this year and anticipate the Pop-Ups will be a wonderful addition to our waterfront landscape, Panciuk said.

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No word on when The Pinnacle will begin construction - Belleville Intelligencer

Congressional Democrats and Republicans broadly agree chokeholds should be prohibited in most circumstances, but differ over shielding police from lawsuits and the federal governments role overseeing police departments.

At stake in negotiations over legislation are legal changes to address public demands raised during weeks of unrest following the death of George Floyd.

A policing overhaul bill will transform the culture of policing to address systemic racism by holding police accountable and increasing transparency, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said in a statement yesterday. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (Ill.) called on Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to bring the House Democrats bill to the Senate floor.

The House measure, introduced June 8, is going nowhere in the Senate because it is just another attempt to federalize every issue in front of Congress, McConnell told reporters yesterday.

Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) will introduce the Senate GOPs own bill this morning at 9:30 a.m. The measure is expected to address choke-holds, no-knock warrants, and how to prevent officers fired for misconduct from getting rehired by other police forces. The legislation is likely to include some of the priorities President Donald Trump stressed in an executive order signed yesterday.

McConnell left it up to Democrats how to proceed on the Republican bill, which would require at least 60 votes to pass the Senate.

They could either shoot it down as insufficient or be willing to take the risk to go to the bill and see what changes, if any, we can all agree to in order to get to 60, he said. Shaun Courtney has the latest.

Photographer: Stefani Reynolds/CNP/Bloomberg

Scott attends Trumps signing of an executive order on policing at the White House on Tuesday.

Black Soldiers More Likely to Face Discipline: The U.S. military has failed to examine causes that lead Black servicemembers more likely to be investigated or face military justice and disciplinary action than their White counterparts, the governments top watchdog, lawmakers, and representatives of military services said. The Air Force alone has found that Black airmen were likelier than Whites to be subject to courts-martial and nonjudicial punishment from fiscal 2013 through 2017, the Government Accountability Offices Brenda Farrell told the House Armed Services personnel panel. Roxana Tiron has more.

Trillions in Stimulus Go Unchecked: The U.S. has spent more than half of $3 trillion in economic rescue funds passed by Congress with little of the oversight intended to ensure the money goes to the right places.

Three new oversight bodies are barely functional: A special inspector general was only recently sworn in, a congressional panel still lacks a chairman and staff, and President Donald Trump quickly removed the official who was going to lead a separate accountability committee. At the same time, about $2 trillion in stimulus money has already been distributed, according to an estimate from the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a nonpartisan group focused on fiscal policy.

The sheer size of the pandemic response means theres a wide swath of issues to investigate. But mistrust in Washington is so deep that the oversight groups investigations are already mired in politics. Leaders of both parties have failed to agree on a chairman to lead the congressional oversight panel. And Democrats are already voicing concerns on whether Trumps hand-picked special inspector general for the stimulus can be independent from his former boss. Read more from Laura Davison.

U.S. Plans a Reset of WTO Tariff Commitments: Trumps trade chief, Robert Lighthizer, will tell U.S. lawmakers today the time has come to renegotiate Americas fundamental tariff commitment at the World Trade Organization. Currently, outdated tariff determinations are locked in place that no longer reflect members policy choices and economic conditions, Lighthizer said in prepared remarks for the Senate Finance Committee starting at 3 p.m. Hes scheduled to testify earlier in the day to the House Ways and Means Committee.

Many countries with large and developed economies maintain very high bound tariff rates, far above those levied by the United States, the trade representative said. The United States must ensure that tariffs reflect current economic realities to protect our exporters and workers. Read more from Bryce Baschuk.

Trump Nominee Vows to Back Objective Science in Consumer Job: Trumps nominee to lead the Consumer Product Safety Commission promised senators yesterday to champion policies supported by objective and transparent science, but Democrats accused her of doing the opposite in her work as a chemical industry lobbyist and at the EPA. Nancy Beck, a toxicologist and former chemical industry executive and lobbyist, in 2017 was named principal deputy assistant administrator for the EPAs Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, which oversees chemical regulations. Beck is currently detailed to the White House, where she reviews EPA chemical regulations. Read more from Adam Allington.

FTC Scrutiny of Google Sought Over Scams: Two Democratic lawmakers urged the Federal Trade Commission to probe Google over online ads that perpetuate alleged frauds regarding stimulus aid checks of up to $1,200. While advertisers bear the primary legal responsibility for deceptive ads, Google should also face scrutiny over the continued failure to address the known problem of fraudulent actions, wrote Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) in a letter to the agency. Read more from Ben Brody and Rebecca Kern.

Targeted Relief Urged for Clean Energy: Renewable energy backers called on Congress to make the fourth time a charm by ensuring that relief to wind, solar, and energy efficiency, which was lacking in the first three coronavirus recovery packages, makes it into the next one. The coronavirus deep impact on the U.S. energy sector, which has lost 1.3 million jobs, was the focus of dueling hearings in the House Energy and Commerce and Senate Energy and Natural Resources committees yesterday. Read more from Dean Scott and Kellie Lunney.

Pompeo Urged to Boost Support for Yemen Peace: A bipartisan group of U.S. senators asked Secretary of State Michael Pompeo to pressure Saudi Arabia and Yemens president to accept a UN envoys push for a broad cease-fire and move toward political negotiations to end the conflict. In a letter to Pompeo yesterday, the nine senators said the U.S. is uniquely positioned to bring together all sides for talks given its influence with Saudi Arabia, where Yemen leader Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi is now based. Read more from Nick Wadhams.

Partisan Gap Could Limit U.S. Recovery: Democrats and Republicans hold starkly diverging views of the U.S. economy and the gap is widening as the pandemic persists, casting a shadow over Trumps hopes for a V-shaped recovery powered by pent-up demand as nationwide lockdowns ease.

One closely watched metric, the University of Michigan Index of Consumer Sentiment, reveals the political divide over the economy. Overall, the index rebounded from 72.3 in March to 78.9 in May on the strength of better-than-expected May jobs numbers. But it only ticked up 0.7 points for Democrats while surging 11 points for Republicans. That gulf could expand as Election Day approaches and political sentiment becomes more entrenched closer to the vote. Read more from Gregory Korte.

Kaplan Says U.S. Recovery Faces Risks: Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas President Robert Kaplan said its possible the U.S. economy recovers faster than expected, but the performance will depend on public health. Theres downside risk to the recovery and theres upside, Kaplan said yesterday in an interview with Bloomberg Televisions Kathleen Hays. Which one will prevail is going to have less to do with monetary and fiscal policy and a lot more to do with how effectively we execute the healthcare policies. How well we do that will determine how fast we grow, he said. But theres certainly an upside case. Read more from Catarina Saraiva.

Feds Jobs, Inflation Mandates Blur 70s Law Aimed at Inequality: Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell is testifying before Congress this week in hearings mandated by a 1978 law that was meant to prevent mass joblessness and dissolve racial inequality. Neither has happened. The Humphrey-Hawkins Act is instead mostly known for giving the U.S. central bank its dual mandate of maintaining full employment and price stability. But the legislation, championed by the late Rep. Augustus Hawkins (D-Calif.), was originally conceived as a great equalizer, one that would carry forward the legacy of the civil rights movement by ensuring that every American who wanted a job would be able to have one.

Four decades of ever-widening inequality later, a pandemic that has induced the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression is shining a spotlight on problems with how the legislation was implemented and the lack of political will to correct it. Read more from Matthew Boesler.

Study Finds Trump Tax Break Fails to Deliver for Communities: Trump recently highlighted the opportunity zone tax breaks he signed into law in late 2017 as a reason his administration has done more for the Black Community than any president since Abraham Lincoln.

A new analysis by the left-leaning Urban Institute questions if the program is meeting its goal of spurring development and creating jobs in undercapitalized communities, many of which of are majority Black. It was sobering for us in terms of how hard it is to do impact projects under the program, said researcher Brett Theodos, one of the authors of the study. Its not impossible, but its harder than it might seem, and certainly than it should be, for a program purporting to help neighborhoods. Read more from Noah Buhayar.

Oklahoma Says Rally Goers Will Face Risk: People who plan to attend Trumps campaign rally in Tulsa, Okla., on Saturday should get tested for the coronavirus before the event and consider getting tested afterwards, Oklahoma State Health Department Commissioner Lance Frye said in a statement yesterday. Attendees should follow public health guidance including wearing cloth face coverings and those in vulnerable groups and age 65 and older should stay home, Frye said in the statement, Elizabeth Elkin reports.

Trump Campaign Asks Donors to Convention With $1M Package: Trumps presidential campaign is enticing big-spending donors to the Republican Partys convention in August by offering packages that cost almost $1.2 million dollars per couple. Trump Victory, the joint effort of the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee, sent out invitations Tuesday with details of the perks available at the convention in Jacksonville, Florida, from Aug. 24-27. The invitations, obtained by Bloomberg News, offer various tiers of support, all with different levels of access to Trump as well as RNC and campaign officials. Read more from Misyrlena Egkolfopoulou.

Biden Ties Climate Change to Racial Equality: Democratic nominee Joe Biden linked climate change and pollution to the struggle against racial inequality, vowing to fight as president for environmental justice. In remarks yesterday webcast by the League of Conservation Voters, Biden said he would defend communities of color where people, in fact, tend to be victims of being put in spots where the water is not clean, the air you cant breath.

Climate change is not just an environmental issue, Biden told the environmental group, which has endorsed him. They now look at it as a health issue and a jobs issue and an equity issue.

Poor people and people of color often face higher exposure to pollutants, according to the American Lung Association. Pollution sources tend to be located near disadvantaged communities, increasing exposure. Read more from Ari Natter.

Facebook Wants to Register 4M Voters: Mark Zuckerberg hopes Facebooks social networks will spur 4 million Americans to sign up as new voters before the 2020 U.S. election, double the number the company claims to have helped register before the 2016 election and 2018 U.S. midterms. Voting is voice. Its the single most powerful expression of democracy, the best way to hold our leaders accountable, and how we address many of the issues our country is grappling with, Zuckerberg, Facebooks chief executive officer, wrote in an op-ed published yesterday by USA Today. I believe Facebook has a responsibility not just to prevent voter suppression which disproportionately targets people of color but to actively support well-informed voter engagement, registration, and turnout. Read more from Kurt Wagner.

Trump Signs Suicide Bill, VA Spending Bill: Trump yesterday signed into law a pair of measures, according to a statement: S. 2746, which establishes the Law Enforcement Officers Suicide Data Collection Program to collect data on the suicides and suicide attempts of federal, state, tribal and local law enforcement, and S. 3414, which authorizes $2.27 billion in medical facility construction projects for the Department of Veterans Affairs.

U.S. Sues to Block Boltons Tell-All Book: The U.S. government sued to block the publication of a tell-all book by former National Security Adviser John Bolton, who claims Trump was willing to endanger the nation in order to be re-elected. Boltons book The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir is due out on June 23 and has been touted by publisher Simon & Schuster as the book Donald Trump doesnt want you to read. Read more from Erik Larson and David Yaffe-Bellany.

U.S. Backs Trump Aide for Latin America Bank: Trumps administration plans to nominate a U.S. adviser to head the top development bank for Latin America, seeking to break the organizations six-decade tradition of choosing a chief from the region. The Treasury Department says it is backing Mauricio Claver-Carone, senior director of the National Security Council for Western Hemisphere Affairs, to head the Inter-American Development Bank. Ben Bartenstein and Eric Martin have more.

South Korea Warns Kim Jong Un Against Provocations: South Korea warned North Korea against further provocations, after Kim Jong Uns regime pledged to dismantle the last remnants of President Moon Jae-ins legacy of rapprochement and move troops into disarmed border areas. Jihye Lee and Shinhye Kang have more.

To contact the reporters on this story: Zachary Sherwood in Washington at zsherwood@bgov.com; Brandon Lee in Washington at blee@bgov.com

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Giuseppe Macri at gmacri@bgov.com; Loren Duggan at lduggan@bgov.com; Michaela Ross at mross@bgov.com

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What to Know in Washington: Lawmakers at Odds on Policing Revamp - Bloomberg Government

Tim Hortons is making a very big expansion onto SkyTrain with the opening of three new retail locations inside stations this year.

TransLink told Daily Hive Urbanized the fast-food restaurant chains new locations are at Rupert Station, Stadium-Chinatown Station, and Surrey Central Station.

The Rupert Station restaurant is located within a 524-sq-ft space inside the station, but just before the fare gates, outside the fare paid zone. This location opened earlier this month.

A 320-sq-ft location opening at Stadium-Chinatown Station will be situated after the fare gates, inside the fare paid zone just across from the recently opened Boba Boy, which occupies the 450-sq-ft retail formerly used by Waves Coffee.

Tim Hortons being built inside Stadium-Chinatown Station. (Kenneth Chan / Daily Hive)

Additionally, the location inside Surrey Central Station occupies an 850-sq-ft retail unit within the2019-built, $24 million station expansion project. This Tim Hortons will be accessible from the street, outside of the fare paid zone.

Both of the locations at Stadium-Chinatown Station and Surrey Central Station will open sometime later this summer.

Tim Hortons being built inside Surrey Central Station. (@Channel_Juan_11/ Twitter)

Given the extenuating circumstances with the recent severe drop in ridership, the public transit authority says it has offered rent deferral to tenants of its in-station retail program, depending on their particular financial circumstances. Several businesses closed at the start of the crisis, but they have since reopened and implemented health safety measures.

SkyTrains Expo and Millennium lines typically see 359,000 average daily boardings combined, but at the peak of the crisis in earl April ridership dropped to just 65,000 per weekday.

According to TransLinks statistics for 2018, Rupert Station saw 4,300 average weekday boardings, Stadium-Chinatown Station saw 17,200, and Surrey Central Station saw 13,100.

Layout of the retail units inside Stadium-Chinatown Stations west concourse, with the Tim Hortons unit (left) and Boba Boy unit (right) shown. (Sitings / TransLink)

Retail units that are located not only within high-traffic stations but also before the fare gates outside the fare paid zone with general public access and visibility typically see far greater success and longevity.

The Tim Hortons expansion is the largest single chain addition to SkyTrains retail offerings since 2009, when Jugo Juice opened four locations inside the Canada Lines underground stations in Vancouver. Some of these Jugo Juice locations inside the fare paid zone were short-lived, with the franchise owners pursuing legal action against the Canada Lines private operator, SNC Lavalins ProTrans BC.

And in early 2019, the INS Market convenience store tucked away deep inside the fare paid zone of Yaletown-Round Station was forcibly shuttered, after less than a year of business and just weeks after escalator construction began in front of the stores entrance. Legal letters posted on the window of the closed store stated the franchisees missed two consecutive monthly rent payments.

Artistic rendering of the now-completed Surrey Central Station expansion, showing the location of the new retail unit for Tim Hortons. (Sitings / TransLink)

In recent years, TransLink has opened new retail locations with a two-pronged approach of utilizing existing void spaces within stations and adding purpose-built retail spaces during extensive station renovation projects.

The 2016-completed renovation and expansion of Main Street-Science World included a particularly large retail component of approximately 2,000 sq ft of combined retail space, with Tim Hortons and A&W occupying the west entrance units and Starbucks taking over the east entrance unit.

Prior to the health crisis, with the opening of these Tim Hortons locations, the public transit authority had budgeted $940,000 in revenue from its in-station retail program for 2020 up from $800,000 in 2018, and $500,000 in 2017.

TransLink had also originally budgeted $1 million in annual retail revenue by 2022, when its retail floor area will grow to 17,000 sq ft up from 10,000 sq ft in 2017.

In addition to revenue, the retail units provide TransLink with a manned presence that can help improve passenger safety, based on Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design Principles.

Commercial real estate listings also show TransLink is actively attempting to lease a 350-sq-ft retail unit at Gilmore Station, and 190-sq-ft and 352-sq-ft retail units at Holdom Station. The retail units inside both of these stations are located in the fare paid zone.

Available retail units inside Holdom Station. (Sitings)

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New Tim Hortons locations opening inside three SkyTrain stations | Dished - Daily Hive