MIAMI — Netherlands-based hotel chain citizenM and developer Miami Worldcenter Associates have broken ground on a new citizenM hotel in downtown Miami. The hotel will be part of a $4 billion mixed-use development called Miami Worldcenter. Owner, operator and developer citizenM and master developer of the mixed-use campus Miami Worldcenter Associates will make the 700 NE 2nd Ave. property into a 12-story, 351-room hotel spanning 128,000 square feet. According to plans from general contractor Suffolk Construction and architectural firm Gensler, the hotel will feature a sundeck and rooftop bar, as well as 1,850 square feet for societyM, citizenM’s branded creative spaces and meeting rooms. The site is located across the street from the MiamiCentral terminal and adjacent to Miami Worldcenter’s pedestrian-only, open-air shopping promenade. Miami Worldcenter is a 27-acre “city within a city” delivering in phases. It will feature residential, commercial and hospitality uses, as well as of 300,000 square feet of retail, restaurant and entertainment space. The project’s first phase includes the recently completed Paramount Miami Worldcenter that features 513 upscale condominiums; the 444-unit Caoba apartment tower, which opened earlier this year; and the 434-unit Luma rental tower, now underway. In addition, Hines is preparing to build a new …
Development
Meridian Capital Arranges $52M in Construction Financing for Mixed-Use Project in Los Angeles
by Amy Works
LOS ANGELES — Meridian Capital Group has arranged $52 million in non-recourse construction financing for Produce LA, a speculative mixed-use development located in Los Angeles. The three-year loan, which a balance sheet lender provided, features a floating rate, two one-year extension options and full-term interest-only payments. Seth Grossman and Sarah Kuebler of Meridian negotiated the financing for the undisclosed borrower. Located at 640 S. Santa Fe Ave., the 71,400-square-foot development site is located within an Opportunity Zone in the Arts District of downtown Los Angeles. When complete, the four-story, 113,600-square-foot property will feature Class A creative office space with ground-floor restaurant and retail space and a 4,300-square-foot rooftop terrace. Additionally, the project will sit above two levels of subterranean parking and include an adjacent 64-stall surface lot, totaling 216 parking spaces for the property. Produce LA is also located adjacent to the Sixth Street Viaduct project, a new bridge and 12-acre park slated to open in 2020, as well as the proposed Sixth Street metro station.
TYSONS, VA. — A partnership between locally based developer Foulger-Pratt and USAA Real Estate has broken ground on Tysons Central, a 25-story speculative office project located within the Tysons Corner submarket of Northern Virginia. Tysons Central will span 383,628 square feet. Approximately 91 percent of the space will be dedicated to office use, with the remainder for retail and restaurant use. The building will feature 9-foot ceilings and column-free floors that support floor plates ranging in size from 26,000 to 29,000 square feet. Amenities will include a penthouse and fitness center on the top floor, as well as elevated terraces on the upper portion of the building. Gensler designed the project, which will be located just steps away from the Greensboro Metro Station. “As competition for talent intensifies, companies have increasingly selected highly connected and amenitized locations that appeal to an educated urban workforce,” says Cameron Pratt, CEO of Foulger-Pratt. “With only a handful of large blocks available in Tysons, we believe the market will respond strongly to the project’s world-class design, modern efficiencies and unrivaled walkability to transit, local residential and destination retail.” Avison Young has been tapped to lease the building, completion of which is scheduled for 2021. …
TAMPA, FLA. — Bromley Cos. has unveiled plans for a 70,000-square-foot, standalone office building within its Midtown Tampa project called The Loft at Midtown Tampa. The three-story building will feature ground-floor retail space with boutique office space on the second and third floors. The property will offer 15-foot ceilings, skylights and an outdoor terrace. Located near Midtown Commons park, The Loft will be adjacent to the dual-branded Aloft and Element hotels and 400 planned apartments. The office space will serve as an alternative to three traditional office towers already announced for the $500 million Midtown Tampa project, which will total 750,000 square feet. The first tower, Midtown One, is currently under construction with completion expected in 2021. Robin Bishop of Cushman & Wakefield’s Tampa office is Bromley’s leasing agent for The Loft.
Miller Breaks Ground on 427,856 SF BMW Collision Center, Garage Complex in Broward County
by John Nelson
PEMBROKE PINES, FLA. — Miller Construction has broken ground on a six-story, 427,856-square-foot collision center and inventory garage in Broward County for Holman Automotive that will be occupied by franchisee BMW of Pembroke Pines. Immediately west of the Pembroke Pines dealership, the complex will serve as an automotive repair shop and an extension of the BMW showroom. Fort Lauderdale-based FSMY Architects and Planners designed the precast concrete structure, which will feature compressed air systems, car lifts, paint booths, alignment pits, a car wash and a show floor. Floors two through six will provide parking for the dealership’s inventory. Project team members include engineering firms Oakland Park, Fla.-based Winningham & Fradley (civil), Fort Lauderdale-based Bryntesen Structural Engineers (structural) and Deerfield Beach-based FAE Consulting (MEP). Completion is scheduled for fourth quarter 2020.
Republic Urban Properties, Principal Real Estate Plan $401M Gateway at Millbrae Station Mixed-Use Project in Bay Area
by Alex Patton
MILLBRAE, CALIF. — A partnership between Republic Urban Properties and Principal Real Estate Investors is preparing to break ground on a transit-oriented, mixed-use project named Gateway at Millbrae Station in Millbrae, a suburb just south of San Francisco. Located at the Millbrae Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station, the development will comprise 157,000 square feet of office space, 320 market-rate apartments, 80 affordable housing units, a 164-room hotel, 400 homes and 44,000 square feet of retail. Development costs are estimated at $401 million. The two developers formed a partnership called Republic Millbrae LLC, which will finance, construct and own the residential and office components of the project. “Gateway at Millbrae Station promises to be the new standard for revitalizing transit stations by increasing ridership while increasing revenues and creating much-needed affordable housing and jobs for the city of Millbrae and San Mateo County,” says Michael Van Every, president and CEO of Republic Urban Properties. The Millbrae BART Station and parking garage will remain open during construction, which is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, Dec. 4. “BART’s transit-oriented development helps the Bay Area address two of its greatest challenges: worsening traffic congestion and the lack of affordable housing,” says Bevan Dufty, …
CHICAGO — North Wells Capital, the investment affiliate of Urban Innovations Ltd., has begun expansion of 306 W. Erie, a 45,000-square-foot office building in Chicago’s River North. North Wells Capital acquired the building in May 2017 with plans to more than double its size. The expansion, designed by NORR Architects, integrates the existing brick and timber loft structure with a modern five-story addition, which will include an outdoor terrace and amenity space. Upon completion, the project will span 93,535 square feet. ARCO/Murray is the general contractor and JLL is the leasing agent. Urban Innovations will continue providing property management services.
ELMHURST, ILL. — LMC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lennar, has broken ground on The Flynn, a 212-unit apartment building in Elmhurst. First move-ins are slated for January 2021. Situated at 183 N. Addison Ave., the eight-story development is less than three miles from interstates 290 and 294. Floor plans will range from 565 to 1,745 square feet. Amenities will include a sky deck terrace, clubroom, dog run, fitness center and bike lounge. This is LMC’s seventh community in the greater Chicago area, joining properties such as The Marlowe and The Emerson.
NEW YORK CITY — Rockefeller Group has topped out Rose Hill, a 123-unit condominium building in the NoMad neighborhood of Manhattan. The building, located at 30 East 29th Street, rises 600 feet and 45 stories and will offer floor plans ranging from studio to four-bedroom units, including penthouses. Amenities will include a resident bar and lounge with indoor and outdoor seating, fitness center, bike workshop, billiards room, pet salon and a studio guest suite available for reservation. Closings are expected to begin in late 2020. CentraRuddy Architecture designed the building and the interior and Lendlease is the general contractor.
OmniTRAX, Broe Group Break Ground on $92M Facility for A&R Logistics Near Port of Savannah
by Alex Tostado
RINCON, GA. — Transportation holding company OmniTRAX Inc. and investment firm The Broe Group have broken ground on a build-to-suit facility within Savannah Gateway Industrial Hub, an industrial park located in Effingham County 12 miles from the Port of Savannah. Denver-based OmniTRAX is the master developer of the 2,700-acre industrial park owned by Effingham County Industrial Development Authority. Louisville, Ky.-based A&R Logistics Inc. has signed a 12-year lease guaranteeing approximately 610,000 square feet of the project with an option to expand to 1 million square feet. Completion of the facility is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2020. OmniTRAX will construct more than seven miles of park-serving rail infrastructure, a multi-customer OmniTRAX rail yard located nearby and a 200-plus-car dedicated rail yard for A&R. OmniTRAX will spend $92 million constructing the building and railyard where A&R will package and ship plastic pellets, according to the Savannah Morning News. A&R will receive, process and send out shipments internationally from the industrial park via its connection with Class 1 railroads CSX and Norfolk Southern.