How did The Fay hotel in Fayetteville, Ark., save $500,000 mid-construction? How are other apartment, office and mixed-use developments doing the same, across the construction cycle? Developers are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence (AI) to flip the script on the challenge of value engineering that often dumbs-down original design plans. Value engineering is almost a constant in the business: A project is designed and priced during the feasibility and entitlement stage but three, four or five years later when construction starts, prices have jumped while the budget is the same. And prices go up for many reasons, such as materials costs, labor costs or regulatory issues — even for import tariffs, as we’ve seen the past year. But maybe we’re blaming the wrong culprit in giving “value engineering” a negative connotation.Now it’s time for the procurement process to take its turn in preserving value and design. Saving despite tariffsProactive procurement led to a half-million-dollar savings for real estate investor/developer Dwellist at its Fayetteville project. Dwellist is transforming a decades-old motel near the University of Arkansas into The Fay, its first Motelier-branded property, a full adaptive-reuse. Recently, materials ordering was running into cost-overruns that risked putting the overall project over budget. …
FORT WORTH, TEXAS — Stockyards Heritage Development Co., which is a partnership between California-based Majestic Realty and Fort Worth-based Hickman Cos., will undertake a $30 million renovation of two hospitality properties in the historic Stockyards District in downtown Fort Worth. The renovation of the Stockyards Hotel and H3 Ranch will deliver upgraded infrastructure and a refreshed dining room, as well as other updates to preserve the properties’ historic character. The hotel first opened in 1907, and the H3 Ranch debuted in 1998. Work is set to begin in early April, with the H3 Ranch scheduled to reopen by the end of the year. The hotel will reopen in early 2027.
By Michael Poris, McIntosh Poris Architects Long defined by its industrial legacy, Detroit development currently combines ground-up construction with intelligent, innovative adaptive reuse. Brick-and-mortar manufacturing-era remnants include many buildings that originally served the automotive industry. As large-scale manufacturing relocated and Detroit’s population declined, several significant buildings were abandoned. Many are viable for second lives, ones that fulfill current commercial real estate market demands. Adaptive reuse makes sense I co-founded McIntosh Poris in 1994 to protect Detroit’s historic buildings from bulldozers and redesign them for a post-manufacturing economy. At that time, demolition was the most expedient option. To address this, we focused as much on civic networking and preservation education as architectural design. Implementation involved organizing events with public officials and the local business community to meet leaders of other cities’ successful urban-renewal programs. To make Detroit more attractive to commercial real estate investment, we lobbied for zoning changes. Most relevant, commercial and historic districts were re-evaluated to permit mixed-use redevelopment. Historic preservation became viable, often making sense both financially and culturally. Well before sustainability became a commercial real estate consideration, we educated developers on available adaptive reuse incentives such as historic tax credits. Combined with the inherent efficiencies of reuse, …
SANTA BARBARA, CALIF. — Warren Resort Hotels has acquired the Franciscan Inn & Suites, a boutique hotel in Santa Barbara’s West Beach district, from Ed St. George for $22.5 million, or $424,528 per key. Developed in the mid-20th century, Franciscan Inn & Suites features 53 guest rooms and suites, a pool, landscaped courtyard and dedicated parking. The property is walkable to both West and East beaches, Santa Barbara Harbor, Stearns Wharf, State Street and Funk Zone, an arts, dining and industrial district. Austin Herlihy, Chris Parker, Miles Waters, Mike Lopus and Mike Chung of Colliers, in partnership with Steve Golis of Radius, marketed the asset and led the disposition and acquisition processes for both parties.
WEST PALM BEACH, FLA. — Locally based Related Ross has acquired The Ben, Autograph Collection, a 208-room luxury hotel property located on the waterfront in downtown West Palm Beach. Jordan Roeschlaub, Nick Scribani, John Caraviello, Tyler Dumon and Tate Keir of Newmark arranged $172.5 million in acquisitioning financing through Nomura on behalf of Related Ross. Robert Webster, Ron Danko, Jr., and Timothy Southard of CBRE represented the seller, Greenwich, Conn.-based Wheelock Street Capital, in the transaction. The sales price was not disclosed. Wheelock Street Capital originally acquired The Ben in 2021. Situated near the CityPlace retail lifestyle center (formerly known as Rosemary Square), The Ben opened in 2020 and includes amenities such a rooftop lounge with a heated swimming pool, cabanas and a bar, 24-hour fitness center, library, onsite restaurant and roughly 18,475 square feet of event space. The boutique hotel offers various experiences to guests like private yacht charters and sunrise yoga.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. — PEG Cos., as developer, co-owner and manager, has opened AC Hotel Scottsdale Old Town, a six-story AC Hotels by Marriott asset at 7117 E. 3rd Ave. in Scottsdale. The hotel features 168 guest rooms, the brand’s signature AC Lounge and AC Kitchen, a 24/7 fitness center, rooftop pool and purpose-designed meeting and event rooms. The property also features a three-level underground parking garage and pet-friendly accommodations for guests traveling with small dogs up to 50 pounds. Additionally, Cielito, a rooftop bar and restaurant developed in collaboration with The Wayfaring Group, features 70 seats.
SEDONA, ARIZ. — JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group has arranged $37 million in nonrecourse refinancing for Ambiente, an adults-only luxury hotel in Sedona. Adrienne Andrews and Jessica Mehra of JLL secured the refinancing through a debt fund. The transaction provides a significant cash-out component, recapitalizing the asset for continued operations and future growth. Located at 900 W. State Route 89A, Ambiente features 40 glass guest atriums on a 3-acre site. The accommodations feature floor-to-ceiling windows, private rooftop decks with fireplaces and curated interior finishes. Onsite amenities include Forty1 restaurant, Velvet Spa and 600 square feet of event space. The landscape hotel is one of Arizona’s only two Michelin Key hotels.
SAVANNAH, GA. — For the third time in 10 years, JLL has arranged the sale of the Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa, a 299-acre hospitality property located adjacent to the newly expanded Savannah Convention Center on Hutchinson Island. Andrew Dickey, Maciej Polek and Derek Hayden of JLL represented the undisclosed seller in the transaction. Hersha Hotels and Resorts, a KSL portfolio company, purchased the resort for an undisclosed price. In addition to 403 guestrooms, the Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa features more than 51,800 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting venues, five food-and-beverage outlets, an 18-hole championship golf course designed by Robert Cupp and Sam Snead, the 17-room Heavenly Spa by Westin, a resort-style pool with river views, tennis and pickleball facilities and an 18-hole disc golf course.
DODGE CITY, KAN. — Ariel Property Advisors’ Capital Services Group has secured a $12.4 million acquisition loan for a 108-room Hampton Inn & Suites hotel in Dodge City within southwest Kansas. Matt Swerdlow and Matthew Dzbanek of Ariel arranged the fixed-rate loan through a regional balance sheet lender. The loan featured a 6.5 percent interest rate and a 25-year amortization schedule.
THREE FORKS, MONT. — Marcus & Millichap has arranged the sale of Sacajawea Hotel, a historic property located at 5 N. Main St. in Three Forks. Terms of the transaction were not released. Built in 1910 and fully refurbished in 2010, Sacajewea Hotel features 36 rooms, event space, two full-service bars, including Sacajawea Bar, and Pompey’s Grill steakhouse. Huberth Marak and Adam Christofferson of Marcus & Millichap represented the seller and procured the buyer in the deal. Skyler Cooper, Chris Gomes and Allan Miller of Marcus & Millichap’s Miller-Gomes Hotel team also assisted with the transition.
Newer Posts