CONROE, TEXAS — VGXI Inc., a biotechnology firm that supports the gene therapy and DNA vaccine industries, will open a new life sciences and headquarters facility in Conroe, about 40 miles north of Houston. Local media outlets, including Community Impact Newspaper and the Houston Business Journal, report that the facility will span 240,000 square feet. The company’s new space will be located within Deison Technology Park and will allow VGXI to quintuple its current production capacity. BE&K Building Group is handling the design and build of the project. Construction is underway, and the facility is expected to be operational by the first quarter of 2022.
Development
COLUMBUS, OHIO — Herman & Kittle Properties Inc. has opened Whispering Creek, a $5 million apartment community in Columbus. The property is located at 2960 Gooden Way and features 188 units. Floor plans range from one-bedroom to four-bedroom units. Amenities include a business center, dog park, fitness center, laundry facility, play area and barbecue grills. The development is situated near Hoover Park and the Scioto Country Club on the Scioto River. Monthly rents start at $811.
AUSTIN, TEXAS — Austin-based Greenstar Development has completed 49 Street Office Park, a 32,900-square-foot adaptive reuse project in the Rosedale neighborhood of Austin. Designed by Mark Odom Studio, the two-story building features three office spaces connected by outdoor work areas. Franklin-Alan served as the general contractor for the project. Architecture firms Britt Design Group and Thirteen23 have committed as tenants to the building.
NEW YORK CITY — Falcon Pacific Builders has completed renovations of the lobby at 83 Maiden Lane, a 180,000-square-foot office building in Manhattan. The project added a new reception desk, turnstiles and building card access system, as well as LED lighting and a new digital camera system throughout. Nonprofit organization AHRC New York City owns the building, where it houses its headquarters. Helmsley Spear leases and manages the property. Architecture firm EVN designed the project.
THE COLONY, TEXAS — Dallas-based Cawley Partners will develop three office buildings totaling more than 1.5 million square feet at Grandscape, a 433-acre mixed-use destination located in the northern Dallas suburb of The Colony. Hoefer Wysocki is handling design of the new buildings, all of which will rise 17 stories and feature 500,000 square feet of Class A space. A construction timeline is still being established as the development team looks for a lead tenant for the project. Nebraska Furniture Mart is the lead developer of Grandscape and anchors the development’s retail component along with sporting goods store Scheels.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS — South Carolina-based Johnson Development Associates Inc. will build Forum Commerce Center, a 129,450-square-foot speculative industrial project that will be located in the Great Southwest submarket in Arlington. Building features will include a cross-dock configuration, 32-foot clear heights, 24 dock doors, 84 car parking spaces (expandable) and nine trailer parking stalls. Cushman & Wakefield is handling leasing of the project, which is expected to be complete in the second quarter of 2021.
Trammell Crow to Develop 700,000 SF Amazon Fulfillment Center Near Jackson, Mississippi
by Alex Tostado
CANTON, MISS. — Trammell Crow Co. will develop a 700,000-square-foot Amazon robotics fulfillment center in Canton, about 26 miles north of Jackson along Interstate 55. The project is expected to house 1,000 employees who will pick, pack and ship small items such as books, electronics and toys to customers. This will be the third fulfillment center in the Magnolia State but the first to incorporate Amazon’s robotics technology. The Seattle-based e-commerce giant opened its first Mississippi facility in Byhalia in 2019 and its second in August in Olive Branch. According to Madison County officials, the Canton fulfillment center is expected to deliver in August 2021. Amazon expects to fill the 1,000 jobs by next holiday season.
Halvorsen Holdings Breaks Ground on Publix-Anchored Shopping Center in Southwest Florida
by Alex Tostado
NAPLES, FLA. — Halvorsen Holdings has broken ground on Fiddler’s Creek Plaza, a 60,000-square-foot, Publix-anchored shopping center in Naples. The 48,000-square-foot Publix is one of the company’s newest prototype models, featuring a drive-thru pharmacy and an updated layout with a mezzanine level. There is 12,000 square feet of shop space available as well, including a 2,925-square-foot end-cap restaurant space with an outdoor patio. Three outparcels are available for sale or ground lease. The property is located at the intersection of U.S. Highway 41 and Sandpiper Drive, 12 miles southeast of downtown Naples. Boca Raton, Fla.-based Halvorsen Holdings expects to complete Fiddler’s Creek Plaza in summer 2021.
BURLINGTON, N.J. — A partnership between an affiliate of Endurance Real Estate Group and Boston-based Cabot Properties has broken ground on a 289,042-square-foot speculative industrial project in Burlington, about 20 miles northwest of Philadelphia. The 56.6-acre site at 2609 Rancocas Road will house two warehouses that are expected to be complete in the fourth quarter of 2021. Building I will feature 217,986 square feet, 36-foot clear heights, 180 car parking spaces and 28 trailer parking spaces. Building II will total 71,056 square feet and will offer 32-foot clear heights and 69 car parking spaces. John Plower, Nate Demetsky and Ryan Cottone represented the development team in the acquisition of the land. Newmark represented the seller of the land.
CapRock Acquires 230,000 SF Infill Industrial Property in San Gabriel Valley for Redevelopment
by Amy Works
POMONA, CALIF. — Newport Beach, Calif.-based CapRock Partners has purchased an infill industrial property situated on 12.5 acres at 4200 W. Valley Blvd. in Pomona. Terms of the transaction were not released. The buyer acquired the asset as a sale-leaseback from an owner-tenant that will continue to occupy the existing 230,000-square-foot manufacturing building in the short term. Upon expiration of the lease, CapRock intends to demolish the existing facility and develop a 270,000-square-foot, 36-foot-clear-height building offering up to 10,000 square feet of speculative office space. The property’s location is within minutes of the California State Route 57 and Interstate 605 interchange, Interstate 10 and California State Route 71. Wes Hunnicutt, Matt Moore and Eric Tomchick of Newmark represented the buyer and undisclosed seller in the transaction. Additionally, the Newmark team will serve as leasing agents for the property. Greg Brown, Peter Thompson and San Godfrey of JLL Capital Markets Debt Placement arranged an undisclosed amount of financing on behalf of CapRock Partners.