COLUMBIA, S.C. — GE Real Estate has provided a $30 million loan to Campus Acquisitions for the purchase of two garden-style student housing communities in Columbia and Texas. Sterling by the River is a 173-unit, 8-acre complex in Columbia, located at 500 Alexander Rd. The property consists of 11 two- and three-story buildings. Amenities include an internet caf, swimming pool and fitness center. The loan was originated by James Tramuto, Thomas Scott and Brian Neiswender of CBRE | Melody.
PENSACOLA, FLA. — The U.S. Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southeast, is developing a 150,000-square-foot, 16-acre U.S. Air Force training facility at Naval Air Station Pensacola. The project will include a 100,000-square-foot hanger, 75,000 square feet of hanger space, 25,000 square feet of maintenance space, 24 aircraft sun shelters and a 50,000-square-foot, single-story navigator training facility. The facility will break ground mid-summer and is slated for completion next November. Atlanta-based Opus South and Pensacola-based Whitesell-Green will design and construct the project. Pensacola-based Bullock Tice Associates is the lead project designer.
NORTH LAS VEGAS, NEV. — Sacramento, Calif.-based Panattoni Construction Inc. has broken ground for the construction of a 39,100-square-foot addition to the Civic Center Corporate Park in North Las Vegas. Located at 3828 Civic Center Dr., the single-story light industrial building is the latest component of the business park, which was developed by Panattoni Development Company LLC. The $3 million project is scheduled for completion in September. Tectonics Design Group provided architectural services for the project.
MIAMI — Florida International University broke ground on the College of Nursing and Health Sciences Building, a $34 million, 140,000-square-foot interdisciplinary sciences building in Miami. The five-story building will include two 300-seat auditoria, a 90-seat classroom, two 60-seat teaching classrooms and instruction and research lab environments. HOK Florida is the project architect. Construction began this month and is slated for completion next November.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Atlanta-based Pope & Land Enterprises has acquired the Charlotte Coliseum. The transaction was completed 60 days after Pope & Land Enterprises was chosen by the city of Charlotte as the winning bidder in a unique auction process. Initial plans for the redevelopment include significant greenspace and recreational amenities surrounding new residential, office, retail and hotel developments. Plans include the demolition of the coliseum building in early 2007 with initial groundbreaking to commence afterwards.
DOWNERS GROVE, ILL. — Elmhurst, Ill.-based International Contractors has completed a 15,000-square-foot expansion at The Avery Coonley School at 1400 Maple Ave. in Downers Grove. The expansion included the construction of a new wing, which includes the school's middle school classrooms; state-of-the-art science labs; and wireless technology throughout. The new wing was completed in less than 9 months with little disruption to the existing classrooms. FGM Architects + Engineers of Oak Brook, Ill., provided architectural and engineering services.
CHICAGO — Chicago-based Newcastle has brokered the sale of a surface parking lot owned by the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago, as well as an adjacent four-story retail apartment building located at the corner of Chicago Avenue and State Street in Chicago, for $40 million. The building was sold by a third party and contains a retail component. The properties were acquired by Loyola University, which plans to use the combined 61,470-square-foot site for future expansion. Newcastle represented all parties in the transaction.
GAINESVILLE, FLA. — The University of Florida is building a $65 million, 160,000-square-foot biomedical sciences building in Gainesville. The six-story facility began construction in October 2006 and topped out in February. The project is slated for completion in early 2009. Orlando, Fla.-based HuntonBrady Architects are the project architect.
OCALA, FLA. — The Marion County Board of Commissioners is building a $38 million, 150,000-square-foot addition that will connect on all five stories to the existing Marion County Judicial Center in downtown Ocala. The new structure will house the State Attorney’s Office and new courts and related services. The property is located at 110 N.W. 1st Ave. Construction is slated for completion in late 2009. Moss & Associates is the general contractor, and Ocala-based Architecture Studio and HOK, a global architecture firm, are designing the project.
BUTNER, N.C. — John Nelley and Al Buckley, partners with Nashville, Tenn.-based NWI Limited Partnership, are developing Falls Lake Commerce Center, a 300-acre master-planned business campus in Butner. The property will feature more than 4 million square feet of industrial and retail development. The first phase, Falls Lake II, includes a 150,800-square-foot distribution facility scheduled for completion in September. Site development is also underway for two speculative facilities, totaling 190,000 square feet. The development will offer land parcels, build-to-suits and 50 acres allotted for large box retail. Colliers Pinkard’s Raleigh, N.C., office is marketing the property, located 6 miles from Durham near Interstate 85.