Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

The Ioniq 5 is going to be revealed on February 23, but before then, we get this teaser. Its a photo and quick video showing the Ioniq 5s interior. Hyundai reveals a few things about the car to us, as well.

Ioniq (Hyundais new pure-EV brand) stresses the openness of the cabin. Since its built on a dedicated electric car platform Hyundais E-GMP platform the Ioniq 5 can have a flat floor and more interior space than a traditional combustion engine vehicle. Apparently, you can enter and exit the cabin on either side and simply slide over to whichever side you want. The flat floor and sliding center console allow this easy access. Ioniq calls this center console the Universal Island, and says its a fundamental rethink of the conventional center console. Well be interested to see it all in action.

Ioniq has a mini comfort addition to traditional front seats, too. There are leg rests for the driver and passenger seats that can be put up (video below) while the vehicle is being charged, so you can relax and recline while the juice flows in.

The seats themselves are made using sustainable materials, too. Hyundai says its using eco-processed leather that is dyed and then treated with plant oil extractions from flaxseed. Sugar cane bio components, wool, poly yarns and recycled plastic water bottles are the sources for other interior materials Hyundai doesnt specify which, but says other soft furnishings use these materials. The hard materials like the dashboard, switches, steering wheel and door panels are coated in a polyurethane bio paint that is composed of oils from flowers and corn.

There will be a virtual world premiere happening in just a weeks time, so circle back to see what the full production car and interior looks like next Tuesday.

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Ioniq 5 teases its airy new interior ahead of full reveal - Autoblog

Lexus is literally putting gamers in the driving seat with its newest Gamers IS concept. Based on a standard 2021 Lexus IS 350 F Sport, Gamers IS is the first vehicle designed by and for the Twitch community, said Lexus, and the video streaming platforms 15 million daily active users were responsible for voting on the vehicles modifications.

The Twitch community dives headfirst into their passion of gaming, just as we did in designing the new 2021 Lexus IS as a pure expression of a sports sedan, said Vinay Shabani, vice president of marketing at Lexus. We asked for their help designing their dream gaming space, and they answered in spades.

The Lexus Gamers IS has a custom-built gaming PC with an MSI Gaming GeForce GPU and AMD CPU hiding under the trunk. The PC has a custom-built housing with programmable RGB LED lighting, automated RGB lasers, and a fog machine installed for maximum reveal effect, said Lexus.

Similar to Samsungs Digital Cockpit and Harmans Live Interactive Virtual Experience (L.I.V.E.) vehicle platforms, Lexus Gamers IS has a high-definition curved monitor as chosen by nearly two-thirds or 64-percent of Twitch respondents. The in-car video and gaming platform has a retractable keyboard and mouse, including a bespoke 3D printed game controller with a metallic space gray finish and dark teal neon accents.

Lexus has effectively leaned into the community and connectivity that define Twitch, said Walker Jacobs, Chief Revenue Officer at Twitch. Our viewers crave being a part of the action, and through this collaboration, we were able to create a truly immersive experience that celebrates their passion for gaming.

This latest partnership between Lexus and Twitch is part of the formers All In campaign for the 2021 Lexus IS. Outside, Gamers IS has a custom Infiltrate vinyl wrap as chosen by 48-percent of voters. Meanwhile, 55-percent of Twitch voters chose the Neon Tokyo style interior theme, designed to give off the effect of driving under the lights of downtown Tokyo at night in a light rain, said Lexus.

The ceiling has a clear layer of acrylic with embedded raindrops backlit by programmable RGB lights. There are LED panels behind the rear seats that project an animated backdrop on the rear windows, while Smart Tint dims the cabin during intense gameplay. When the going gets rough, theres a six-drink center console filled with the gamer communitys fuel of choice: Coffee drinks!

This one-of-a-kind Lexus IS is custom built by the fabrication experts at SCPS. The entire build took five months to complete and required the mastery of no less than twenty concept artists, designers, 3d modelers, fabricators, upholsterers, and computer technicians, to name just a few.

The unveiling of Gamers IS coincides with the arrival of the extensively-reengineered 2021 Lexus IS at showrooms last fall. The newest IS 350 F Sport has a 311-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 engine. The RWD variant has an eight-speed automatic, while AWD versions have a six-speed auto gearbox.

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This Lexus Gamers IS is the Twitch communitys vehicle of choice - SlashGear

Terrafugia Inc. announced this week that it reached a milestone in its road to bringing the Transition roadable aircraft to market. The FAA granted Terrafugia a FAA Special Light-Sport Aircraft (LSA) airworthiness certificate for the Transition aircraft. The flying car is a combination of two-seat aircraft and an automobile designed to meet both the FAA and NHTSAs safety standards.

The vehicle granted the LSA certificate is now legal for flight and represents the Transition roadable aircrafts initial version. Initially, Terrafugia will build and sell a version of the Transition that is dubbed a flight-only model.

The company promises to continue to evolve the driving portion of the aircraft design to be legal in the sky and on local roads in 2022. While the company isnt exactly clear, the understanding is that the flight-only version sold initially will be capable of driving on the highways and only needs to clear other regulatory hurdles for that to happen.

Terrafugia VP and GM Kevin Colburn says the company had an extremely challenging pandemic year. Still, the vehicle was able to complete 80 days of flight testing while the company delivered 150 technical documents to pass an FAA audit.

The Transition aircraft features enhanced safety capability and the latest avionics. Its powered by a 100 horsepower Rotax 912iS Sport fuel-injected engine able to operate for 2000 hours between overhauls. It has a flight speed of 100 mph and can run on both premium gasoline or 100LL aviation fuel. The aircrafts standard features include a Dynon Skyview avionics package, BRS airframe parachute, four-wheel hydraulic disc brakes, a rigid carbon fiber safety cage, and folding wings allowing storage in a single-car garage.

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Terrafugia Transition flying car granted a Light-Sport Airworthiness certificate by the FAA - SlashGear

Although Kit Chua and her husband had lived in their Chicago home for several years, shed never set up her home office properly. Once the pandemic hit, and Ms. Chua, an education consultant, was forced to work from home, where her husband was also working and their two daughters, ages 9 and 12, were engaged in remote school, it became clear that she needed a viable office set-up.

When Ms. Chua, 46, hired interior designer Alice Benjamin to help design her office last spring, she realized that there were other spaces in the home that also needed attention. "Our living and dining room had become the kids space over the years," says Ms. Chua. "It can be pretty stressful to have the biggest and best space in your home filled with kids stuff especially during a pandemic." Ms. Benjamin created a plan in which the tucked-away family room was transformed into a study and hang-out zone for the girls while the dining and living room got a dramatic refresh. The overall project cost roughly $250,000.

Ms. Benjamin took cues from commercial workspaces for the design of the girls area where she incorporated rectangular booths fitted with cushions. "The kids each have one where they can stretch out or sit up and do their schoolwork at writing desks positioned in front," says Ms. Benjamin. Sconces illuminate the cocoon-like booths and charging stations ensure there is always a spot to plug in. Colorful cubbies nailed to the wall provide storage and the walls are covered in cloud wallpaper.

In the living room, a movie screen and projector were installed along with a custom sectional. "We werent a big TV-watching family before Covid," says Ms. Chua. "But now that we have such a nice screen, we watch a lot of shows and movies all together." Additionally, Ms. Chuas Peloton software hooks up to the projector and while in quarantine during the colder months, the family has been doing yoga. "When the kids are home for remote school and I need to be their P.E. teacher, we do dance cardio," she says.

Ms. Chua says her office, equipped with a desk at which she can either sit or stand, is now her dream space. It has floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and a sliding ladder. To expand the workspace, Ms. Benjamin transformed the adjacent room into a room where Ms. Chua participates in podcasts and video conferences. Dry-erase paint turned the walls into a blank canvas that she uses to map out ideas; the girls also enjoy writing on the walls and doing school projects at the adjustable table in the room where they can spin on swivel stools.

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After spending a couple of months on lockdown at his home in Newton, Mass., Stephen Sullivan felt it was time to turn the finished basement into a room the whole family would enjoy and appreciate more. "It was a nice big open space with a tile floor, but it didnt feel homey," says Mr. Sullivan, who shares the house with his partner, Michelle DeSimone, and her 19-year-old daughter, Caitlyn, and 22-year-old son, Michael.

Mismatched couches from Mr. Sullivan and Ms. DeSimones previous homes provided the rooms seating and an exercise bike and treadmill gave the space a disjointed feel. While Ms. DeSimones children already spent time in the basement, "once Covid hit, we realized the area could be so much more; a place where we could all hang out together," says Mr. Sullivan, who enlisted interior designer Elizabeth Georgantas to transform the expansive main room into a home theater.

"Its a great opportunity to make a forgotten space into something useful and beautiful," says Ms. Georgantas. To add depth to the stark white box-like room, millwork painted grey-blue was added to the walls and wall-to-wall carpeting was installed to soften the space. A new wet bar has an icemaker, refrigerator, sink, and microwave. A counterwith seating for fouris topped with a blend of marble, granite, and natural quartz that echoes the rooms hues.

Mr. Sullivan worked with MGI Systems to select a 120-inch screen with a projector and sound system for the room and Ms. Georgantas replaced the furniture with tiered, stain-resistant seating that can accommodate at least 14 people--"Much more if youre willing to squeeze close," she says.

The rooms focal point is an 81-inch-by-81-inch original poster from the 1965 James Bond film, Thunderball starring Sean Connery. The piece also functions as a sliding door to the adjacent gym. Previously, the double-wide opening to the gym was awkward. "If someone was working out while someone else was watching a movie, it would be distracting and uncomfortable," says Mr. Sullivan. Ms. Geograntas found the poster on 1stDibs from a gallery in London. "We then had to send it to a backer to cover in plexiglass. But all of the plexiglass at the time was being used for PPE. So we had to wait months to get it," says Ms. Georgantas.

When the poster finally arrived at Mr. Sullivans home in October, an on-site craftsman made it into a sliding door. "The kids love it down here and now we want to use it as much as possible, too. Its a very versatile space. We watch football games and movies, and the kids use the karaoke machine that hooks up to the screen."

The theater, which cost about $235,000 to create, is also a quiet spot to seek refuge. The seating is equipped with docking stations in the armrests. "Sometimes, Ill sneak down here and plug my laptop into a chair, stretch out and work," says Mr. Sullivan, a principal with PwC who hasnt been to his office since March.

In August, Eric Clough took advantage of the pandemics impact on the rental market when he moved with his wife, Kate Fenner, and their 14-year-old son, Lucien, from their home in New York Citys West Village to SoHo. "We were fortunate to get an apartment with one-third more space, for one-third less than what we were paying previously," says Mr. Clough, an architectural designer and founder of 212box, a multi-disciplinary firm that has designed 161 Christian Louboutin boutiques worldwide as well as other commercial and residential spaces.

When it came to allocating space in the new loft, Mr. Cloughs top priority was carving out a room that suited all of Luciens needs. Lucien, a freshman in high school, alternates between in-person schooling and remote learning on a rotating cycle. "We knew hed be spending a lot of time in here due to Covid so we wanted his room to give him ample space for studying and schoolwork, a place to hang out, and a sleeping space," says Mr. Clough. He used modular elements and wedges to keep furniture nestled close to wallsit all has a built-in-look, but nothing is actually screwed in. "The rooms millwork was built by an outfit out of state and trucked in. A local installer pieced it together like a kit of Legos using our drawings as an assembly set."

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Storage was also key. "Lucien is a fanatic about organizing his Legos. In the old house, he didnt have a good way to store them, so everything was everywhere," says Mr. Clough. He designed a system of 45 drawers to categorize the colorful pieces. A ladder rising from a bookcase inspired by an Instagram photo Lucien sent his father connects to the lofted sleeping space. "Since the room has 12-foot ceilings, we were able to accommodate two levels," says Mr. Clough.

During the shutdown last spring, Mr. Clough spent time cleaning out his offices and sorting through materials left over from some of his firms projects. He incorporated several of these castoffs in Luciens room, including a batch of reclaimed tin which was installed on the wall behind the bed and a rug emblazoned with a tiger that never made it into a mens store on which his firm was working. Bookshelves are 18-inches deep, which is a bit deeper than a standard 13-inch library shelf. "We wanted Lucien to have a lot of display area to incorporate keepsakes hes collected," says Mr. Clough.

A fluted glass door opens into Luciens room, which cost roughly $85,000 to build out. Strategic lighting ensures that the room is a bright, ambient space day or night. "Lucien is much more organized here. Hes really good about going to his room to work on long projects," says Mr. Clough. "When he has remote school he is in there six to seven hours a day and hes back again in the evenings for two to three hours. His friends hang out with him in the lounge area by his desk."

Lucien is so happy with his room that he thanks his father often for creating it, says Mr. Clough, "I get to be the best dad, which is pretty great to hear."

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These Families are Stuck at Home During Covid, But Have Plenty of Places to Go - Mansion Global

Colleen Michele Jones|St. Augustine Record

With the recentexplosion of residential and commercial development in south St. Augustine especially along the corridors of Wildwood Driveand State Road 207 growth in this area of St. Johns Countyis beginning to rival that of communitiesnorth and west of the city.

Of course, with growth comes traffic.

St. JohnsCounty officials will host a public meeting to discuss anupcoming project to improve traffic flow atthe WildwoodDrive/US 1 South intersection. The meeting will take place from 5 to 6 p.m. Thursday at 49 Shores Blvd. (the headquarters of Deltona Realty).

Video: Wildwood Drive in St. Augustine

Wildwood Drive in St. Augustine connects U.S. 1 to State Road 207.

Peter Willott, St. Augustine Record

According to the county, the $1.1 million state Department of Transportation project will include a dual left turn lane and new traffic signal. Construction is expected to begin next month and continue through October.

Wildwood Driveis only about 4 miles long, but it connects U.S. 1 South and S.R. 207 and allows residents of the St. Augustine Shores and even St. Augustine South easy access to Interstate 95.

With more and more developments under constructionor in the works for the roadway, as well as nearby S.R. 207 and U.S. 1, congestion has increased exponentially over the last several years.

Some recent projects include Treaty Acres, with for more than 400 single-family homes, and another smaller development on the western edge of Wildwood Drive,called the Wildwood Forty PUD, thatcalls for 64 homes on 22 acres.

KB Homes Orchard Park, currently under construction off Wildwood Drive,encompasses 300 townhomes. Newer, smaller subdivisions along Wildwoodalso include Windsong Acres and Treaty Oaks.

On the commercial side, the Moultrie Bluff shopping center has been approved for U.S. 1 South just north of Wildwood Drive, although no shovels are in the ground yet.The center will beconstructed across from the complex on U.S. 1 that includes Dicks Wings and Romanos.

Property owner, the Peter Sleiman Development Group, is also proposing 15 residential lots that would abut the shopping center to the south. The parcels boundaries also border the Moultrie Trails residential community to the southeast and West Genung Street to the north.

More action is taking place at the end of Wildwood Drive around the S.R. 207 intersection.

Earlier this year, the St. Johns County Commission approved Entrada, a development of about 1,000 homes that will connect directly to Wildwood Drive at the traffic signal at S.R.207. Developers are seeking a supermarket to anchor the complex, which in its first phase of construction would offer 100,000 square feet of retail space, as well as a restaurant and other retail uses.

In addition, there are plans for amixed-use development called the Benchip PUDwhich would includeabout 500,000 square feet of commercial space and up to 280 multi-family homes. This project would connect with Entrada.

Further west of the intersection butclose enough to have an impact on overall traffic in the region Chris Shee, CEO of the Mastercraft Builder Group, wants to develop land near I-95 and S.R. 207.

As proposed, his Parrish Farms would encompass 3,700 homes and include elements of commercial, office and recreational space.

Shee is also proposing an I-95 interchange that would be at the southern end of the development and extend Watson Road to connect with the highway and add another option for folks who take Wildwood as a cut-through to get to I-95.

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St. Augustine plans traffic upgrade for busy intersection of Wildwood Drive and US 1 South - St. Augustine Record

OAKLAND, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Lowe, a national real estate developer, investor and manager, announced today its completion of Assembly, a 127-unit apartment community that incorporates an historic Auto Row storefront transformed into 8,000 square feet of ground floor retail space. Located at 260 30th Street, Assembly is walking distance to the shops, restaurants and art galleries in Oaklands Uptown district and Piedmont Ave., both known as hubs for shopping, dining, arts and entertainment.

Assembly is an example of the type of community-focused project that is a hallmark of Lowe. In Oakland, and in markets across the country, our team assesses the area to ensure that our new apartment communities are conceived to fill a need, offer the features and amenities most desired in the market and are designed to complement the existing neighborhood, said Alan Chamorro, senior vice president, Lowe. Development of Assembly continues Lowes long history of developing and managing commercial real estate of all types throughout the Bay Area.

Lowe created Assembly, a boutique residential community designed to evoke the historic character of Auto Row, by assembling four contiguous parcels bounded by 30th Street, Broadway and Brook Street, and incorporating an existing Auto Row storefront as a key element of the design. The bright and spacious apartments, with floor-to-ceiling windows, make up the five stories above the historic building, wrapping around the Courtyard, a central spot for residents to relax in a landscaped plaza with custom murals by local artist Charly Malpass and with space for lounging around the fire pit or exercising in the outdoor fitness deck. Upon entering the building, residents are welcomed by a public art sculpture that wraps around the lobby, created by Oakland artist Shawn HibmaCronan, entitled Through Line, depicting the entire length of Broadway using laser cut and mirror polished stainless steel.

Homes at Assembly are configured as studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom floorplans all offering quality finishes, wide plank flooring, in-unit washer and dryer and keyless entry. Bedrooms are fitted with blackout shades and custom walk-in closets.

Assembly offers multiple options for indoor and outdoor gathering. A roof deck offers multiple options for gathering and enjoying the East Bay Hills, downtown Oakland and San Francisco views with lounge seating, cabanas and gas grilling spaces. Residents can enjoy communal indoor and outdoor spaces at the Club Room with wide French doors connecting to the Courtyard. The Club Room offers an array of games, TV viewing areas, comfortable seating for relaxing, and a mezzanine level conference space and co-working room, enhancing work from home options.

A two-level fitness center with 18-foot ceiling and infused with natural light from the two-story windows offers a spacious center with top equipment and regular fitness classes, overlooking and connecting the Courtyard.

Assemblys location provides residents with easy regional access with two nearby Bart stops. It also is walking distance to the downtown business center as well as the tranquil park setting of Lake Merritt. Assembly derives its name from the history of the area dating back to 1917 when General Motors opened the Oakland Assembly, the Chevrolet and GMC factory, which anchored the area that became known as Auto Row.

Lowe began construction of Assembly in 2018. The propertys design was prepared by BDE Architecture and Vida Design. For additional information visit http://www.rentassembly.com.

About Lowe

Los Angeles-based Lowe, formerly known as Lowe Enterprises, is a leading national real estate investment, development and management firm. Over the past 48 years, it has developed, acquired or managed more than $32 billion of real estate assets nationwide as it pursued its mission to build value in real estate by creating innovative, lasting environments and meaningful experiences that connect people and place. Lowe currently has more than $2 billion in commercial real estate projects in the pipeline or under development. In addition to its Los Angeles headquarters, Lowe maintains regional offices in Southern California, Northern California, Charleston, Denver, Seattle, and Washington, DC. Lowes hospitality affiliate, CoralTree Hospitality, operates numerous hotel and resort properties across the US and in Mexico. Lowes commercial property operations affiliate, Hospitality at Work, brings hospitality inspired-property management service to office buildings nationwide. For more information visit http://www.Lowe-RE.com http://www.hospitality-work.com http://www.coraltreehospitality.com.

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Lowe Debuts Assembly 127-unit Apartment Building in Oakland's Uptown District - Business Wire

Construction hasnt slowed for downtown Wilmington. To share updates on activity thats happening and where projects stand, we talk this week with two of the players in the central business district, including Wilmington Downtown Inc.s new leader.

"We're changing gears a little bit here at WDI," said Holly Childs, who started at the beginning of the year as the group's president and CEO. "I think WDI is going to focus more on expanding our role to be very project-based and partnership-based. And we're going to look at how we support development throughout downtown whether it be residential or jobs focused."

Joining Childs in the discussion was Lucien Ellison, senior managing partner for East West Partners. He gave an update on the new 13-story, mixed-used River Place development.

"We're pretty much finished with the construction. We have a few punch list items that we're working through right now, but sales of the condominiums have been really good," he said. "We have 82 of the 92 condos either under contract or closed at this point."

Apartment units are about 40% occupied so far, said Ellison, who added that 94% of the building's retail space is leased up.

"Axis Fitness, Mellow Mushroom, DGX and Bank of America are already operating. Ruth's Chris [Steak House], Citrus Salon and The Nutrition Spot are coming online this summer," he said about businesses opening in the development, which is the result of a public-private partnership with the city of Wilmington.

"I'd say we've done what we started out to do, which was bring residences and businesses to downtown Wilmington and specifically to activate Water Street and make it a better place to live and work," Ellison said.

View the full conversation below. Also listen to this and future weekly WilmingtonBiz Talk discussions on the Business Journal's new podcast, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Stitcher.

BizTalk is livestreamed on the Business Journal's Facebook page each week at noon Thursday. For notifications on upcoming topics, sign up for newsletters at wilmingtonbiz.com/register and to submit topic or speaker ideas, email [emailprotected].

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WilmingtonBiz Talk: Downtown update - Greater Wilmington Business Journal

Outdoor dining at The Wharf.

Washington, D.C.s waterfront areas are no strangers to change. The first phase of The Wharf, a $2.5B mixed-use development along the Potomac in Southwest D.C. opened in 2017, bringing scores of new shops, restaurants and housing to the area. Its developers have been moving ahead with Phase 2, even during the coronavirus pandemic.

Meanwhile, the rest of Southwest D.C.s waterfront has been moving forward with exciting new projects, from the redevelopment of a more than 50-year-old housing project to a new contemporary museum.

While this area has experienced a hit to its restaurant, office and retail markets during the pandemic, local developers and shop and restaurant owners are committed to facing these challenges head-on, once again embracing change, forging ahead and finding creative ways to move forward.

New Residential, Retail And Cultural Destinations

In the Southwest area, developers are investing in a growing list of destinations designed to entice more visitors and residents to the area. These destinations include the continueddevelopment of Waterfront Station II, from developer Hoffman & Associates, a 400K SF mixed-use community consisting of 456 units 319 market-rate and 137 affordable 20K SF of retail space and 9K SF of theater space that is expected to be delivered in 2022.

The redevelopment of the Greenleaf public housing complex, between the Wharf and theCapitol Riverfront,will bring more than 1,800 units of mixed-income and affordable multifamily housing to the area.

The area is also making a push to add new cultural institutions, including theRandall School Contemporary Art Museum, which will house the Miami-based Rubell Family Collection, an internationally acclaimed contemporary art collection, and the redevelopment of Westminster Church, which is the home of long-running jazz and blues nights.

"We benefit greatly in Southwest from having a collection of business innovators capable of taking this corner of the District through its most creative reinvention in decades, Southwest D.C. Business Improvement District Executive Director Stephen Moore said. Our work at the SWBID is to align this talent, the attractions, hotels and venues and to design our re-emergence as a powerful destination for locals and visitors alike.

Construction Continues At The Wharf

At The Wharf, one of the fastest-growing areas of D.C.s waterfront, construction is coming along smoothly even in the midst of unprecedented times.

Hoffman & Associates President Shawn Seaman, who is leading the charge of new developments at The Wharf, said that Phase 2 is coming along as planned. Some project highlights include a 90K SF office building at 610 Water St. designed by Morris Adjmi Architects. This building will be home to media company The Atlantic and feature 10K SF of outdoor terrace space. Other highlights include 670 and 680 Maine, trophy office space designed by SHoP Architects with WDG Architectsthat isalready 60% leased but is still offering 200K SF for potential tenants.

Seaman said he hopes the office towers provide future tenants with a connected environment along the Washington Channel it'saccessible from the National Mall, Reagan National Airport and Capitol Hill, combining both culture and convenience.

Along with these new office spaces, The Wharf will begin sales in the spring at The Amaris, a 96-unit, 12-story, luxury waterfront residential condominium building designed by Rafael Violy Architects, with interiors by Thomas Juul-Hansen. The apartments range from 700 SF one-bedrooms to over 5.7K SF four-bedrooms, including split-level penthouses.

Additionally, construction of Pendry Washington D.C is moving quickly and is expected to be finished by 2022. This 140K SF hotel will feature 131 guest rooms, three food and beverage concepts, Spa Pendry and fitness center, and more than 5K SF of meeting space, including a rooftop event space.

Dining And Entertainment Find Ways To Pivot

Bob Rubenkonig, executive director of the Wharf Community Association, added that The Wharf is also moving forward with new restaurants and retail destinations.

During the Districts health emergency, The Wharf provided a safe customer experience, as the neighborhood was designed and built as a healthy outdoor waterfront environment, Rubenkonig said. In fact, eight new businesses opened in Phase 1 of The Wharf during 2020. That has helped prospective retailers have confidence in what The Wharf experience can bring to their brand.

Throughout 2020, Wharf Street was closed to create more outdoor dining locations for local restaurants, and the area has kept the program going throughout the winter by organizing group purchasing for propane and outdoor heaters to keep diners warm. Local restaurants and stores have also been offering virtual experiences, from live-streamed cooking classes led by Kaliwa chef Cathal Armstrong to online craft tutorials from Shop Made. The popular live music venue Union Stage has even pivoted to become a live-streaming venue to continue to give people access to local talent, such as thepopular '90s cover band White Ford Bronco.

Rubenkonig remains positive about the future of the area and the resilience of local events and businesses.

We are optimistic about Phase 2 leasing efforts as both iconic D.C. businesses and emerging entrepreneurs want to be located at The Wharf, Rubenkonig said. We are looking forward to Bloomaroo, which will celebrate the cherry blossom season at The Wharf, as well as some more outdoor movies and activations throughout the summer that have yet to be announced.

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In The Pipeline: Top Projects Coming To D.C.'s Southwest Waterfront - Bisnow

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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