PLYMOUTH TOWNSHIP, MICH. — Henry Ford Health System has unveiled plans to revitalize the site of a former Kmart property in Plymouth Township with a new outpatient medical center. The multi-story, 120,000-square-foot center will offer specialty care services, as well as an emergency department and ambulatory surgery center. Kmart closed its doors at the site in November 2017. Henry Ford is expected to close on the purchase of the property in mid-August. Construction is slated to begin shortly thereafter and be completed in 2021. Gensler and Hobbs + Black Associates Inc. are the project architects. With the new facility, Henry Ford’s footprint in western Wayne County will expand to three outpatient facilities.
Development
CLIFFSIDE PARK, N.J. — General contractor Legacy Builders has completed the renovation of Apogee Co-Op, a 30-story multifamily high-rise at 250 Gorge St. on New Jersey’s Gold Coast. The property includes 315 units. As part of the facelift, Legacy overhauled and modernized the aesthetics of the entranceway, lobby and amenities of the property, which was originally built in 1972. Rental prices have appreciated more than 20 percent since renovations began in 2014. New York City-based Steven Kratchman Architect served as the project designer.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Local developer Diversified Properties LLC has broken ground on a 480 Flatz, a 35-unit multifamily property in East Rutherford. The four-story property will offer one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments that will range in size from 700 to 1,100 square feet. Units will feature quartz countertops and stainless steel appliances, as well as proximity to public transit lines and retail hubs. Thomas J. Brennan Architects is designing the project.
ATLANTA — WRS Inc. will bring a 351-room Yotel-branded hotel to Underground Atlanta, a four-block redevelopment in south downtown Atlanta. The hotel will offer 234 rooms for short-stay guests and 117 rooms, known as YotelPad, for long-stay guests. Construction is slated to begin in summer 2020 with delivery scheduled for fall 2022. The new Yotel will offer a grab-and-go café, swimming pool, rooftop terrace and bar, self-check-in kiosks and SmartBeds. When complete, Underground Atlanta will have more than 400,000 square feet of retail, restaurant, entertainment, office and residential space, according to WRS.
Agricultural Machinery Company to Invest $6M for New Distribution Facility in Upstate South Carolina
by Alex Tostado
SIMPSONVILLE, S.C. — Agricultural machinery company Alo will invest $6 million for a new distribution facility in Simpsonville. Alo will create 44 jobs over the next five years at the facility. Alo’s operations will include the distribution of farming equipment manufactured by the company at multiple global locations, steel fabrication of made-to-order mounting kits for the agricultural equipment and assembly of products and hydraulic kits. Distribution will be mainly for the U.S. market. The new facility will be located at 130 Monroe Drive, 15 miles south of Inland Port Greer and 12 miles southeast of downtown Greenville. Alo expects to open the new facility in October.
AUSTIN, TEXAS — A partnership between Los Angeles-based CIM Group and Austin-based Aspen Heights Partners has completed construction of The Independent, a 58-story residential tower in downtown Austin that is known locally as the “Jenga” building. Rising 685 feet and encompassing 363 condominium units, The Independent is the tallest tower in Austin. The building is situated on 1.7 acres at the corner of West Third Street and West Avenue overlooking Shoal Creek. The Independent houses one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom units, as well as penthouses, and all residences feature 10-foot ceilings and private patios or balconies. Amenities include a pool, fitness center, resident clubhouse, a spa, theater, business center, dog park and a children’s play area.
WALLER, TEXAS — NRG Manufacturing, a division of AFGlobal Corp., will open a 238,900-square-foot campus within Waller Industrial Park, located on the northwestern outskirts of Houston. NRG has partnered with Houston- and Dallas-based developer Archway Properties to renovate an existing 144,500-square-foot warehouse and office facility and to build a 94,400-square-foot manufacturing and testing center. The latter is under construction and is expected to be complete in November. Don Dennis and Ben Allen of Archway’s advisory division represented the landlord, GeoSouthern Intermediate Holdings, in the lease negotiations.
LAWRENCE, KAN. — The Opus Group has begun construction on a new three-story student housing community near the University of Kansas. The project will include 120 units accommodating 312 residents as well as 8,200 square feet of retail space. The development is the first in Lawrence to use the new Smart Code portion of the city’s zoning code, requiring the project to incorporate more civic space and encourage less automobile usage. Residents will be able to take public transportation from a bus stop adjacent to the property. A biking and hiking trail from the property will lead directly to campus. Indoor amenities will include a fitness center, spa, clubroom, game room, podcast booth and study spaces. Outdoor amenities will include a terrace area along 23rd Street in front of the retail space for public use, as well as a pool, fire pits, gas grills and fitness area. The project is a joint venture with The McKinney Fund & Co. Central Bank of St. Louis and Central Bank of the Midwest provided construction financing. Completion is slated for July 2020.
COLUMBUS, OHIO — The Pizzuti Cos. has purchased the former Grant Oak Apartments in Columbus and is scheduled to begin construction immediately on the redevelopment of the site. Located at the southeast corner of Grant Avenue and Oak Street in the Discovery District, the project will include a combination of renovation work, new construction and site improvements. Phase I will include a renovation of the four westernmost buildings and will result in 70 market-rate studio and one-bedroom units. Completion is slated for spring 2020. Phase II will include a new-construction, five-story building with a mix of studio, one- and two-bedroom units. The 80-unit property will include walk-up units along Oak and 9th streets. Pizzuti expects to break ground on Phase II in the fall with completion slated for late summer 2020. Sullivan Bruck Architects oversaw the design of the renovated portion and Lupton Rausch Architects Inc. designed the new-construction building. Elford Inc. will serve as the general contractor on both portions of the project.
LOS ANGELES — KBS Real Estate Investment Trust II has launched a $20 million renovation of Union Bank Plaza (UBP) in downtown Los Angeles. Improvements will include an updated retail center, conference center, outdoor seating area and lobby. The property is located at 445 S. Figueroa St. In addition to the building renovation, KBS has embarked on a spec suite program, building out tenant suites without a committed tenant. Of the first eight suites currently under construction, two have been pre-leased. UBP includes a 701,888-square-foot office tower, two-level retail center, two-acre landscaped outdoor plaza and a four-level parking structure. Swinerton Builders will handle construction. The first round of demolition work will begin immediately with completion set for early 2020.