HOUSTON — General contractor Benchmark Houston Builders has broken ground on a 30,000-square-foot office headquarters project within East River, Midway’s 150-acre mixed-use development. The project is a build-to-suit for the U.S. subsidiary of Australian firm Anton Paar USA, which provides laboratory instruments and measuring systems. Powers Brown Architecture is designing the space. Completion is slated for next summer.
SOCIAL CIRCLE, GA. — Electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian held a groundbreaking ceremony for its $5 billion plant near Social Circle, about 44 miles east of Atlanta via I-20. The project will be situated within the 1,600-acre Stanton Springs North master-planned community. Construction is expected to begin in 2026 with customer vehicle production for the midsize, five-seater R2 SUV and R3 crossover anticipated to start in 2028. Rivian plans to develop the plant in two phases, each resulting in 200,000 units of annual capacity. The plant is expected to create 7,500 direct jobs and 8,000 indirect jobs by 2030, as well as 2,000 construction jobs, according to an analysis conducted by IMPLAN. Rivian received financing from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing Loan Program for the manufacturing facility. The groundbreaking ceremony comes on the heels of Rivian announcing its decision to locate its East Coast headquarters at Junction Krog Street in Atlanta’s Inman Park district.
ATLANTA — Allen Morris Co. has delivered Stella at Star Metals, a 22-story apartment high-rise within the Star Metals District mixed-use development in Atlanta’s West Midtown neighborhood. Oppenheim Architecture designed the 327-unit community, which features a unit mix ranging from studios to penthouses. Monthly rental rates range from $1,670 to $7,300, according to Apartments.com. Amenities include a 52-foot entry, hotel-style lobby, rooftop pool and lounge, fitness facilities, a screening room and access to restaurants, bars and retail spaces at Star Metals.
NASHVILLE, TENN. — The Clear Blue Co. has opened Highland East, a 238-unit affordable housing community located at 301 Ben Allen Road in east Nashville. The seven-building property has direct access with the Metro Greenway and the city’s expanding trail and greenway network thanks to a partnership with Metro Parks. Highland East features a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom units available to individuals earning up to 60 percent of the area median income (AMI). Ten units will be reserved for those earning up to 30 percent of AMI, and five units will be dedicated as permanent supportive housing to serve individuals who formerly experienced homelessness. Amenities include a clubhouse, business center, playground, indoor fitness center, outdoor fitness circuit, dog park, art installations and decks with fire pits and grilling areas. Clear Blue broke ground on Highland East in June 2023. The development is supported by Amazon, the Tennessee Housing Development Agency through Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) generating $36.7 million in equity and construction and LIHTC equity investment from JP Morgan. Regions Bank provided a $24.8 million construction loan and a $23.6 million equity bridge loan for the project. Walker & Dunlop is also providing permanent financing. The Metropolitan …
BETHLEHEM, PA. — Phoenix Tube Co., a manufacturer of stainless steel products for ornamental and structural applications, is nearing completion of a 75,000-square-foot industrial expansion project in the Lehigh Valley city of Bethlehem. The facility will be situated next to the company’s existing 200,000-square-foot plant and includes dedicated space for production, warehousing and offices. Regional developer J.G. Petrucci Co. is serving as the design-build firm for the project. Construction is expected to be complete in the coming weeks.
CHICAGO — Mavrek and ACRES Commercial Realty Corp. have received financing for the conversion of 65 E Wacker Place, an historic office building in Chicago, into apartments. The development will be named Wacker Place. With the issuance of the full building permit, interior construction is poised to begin. The property will be redeveloped into a 252-unit luxury apartment complex. The project team includes McHugh Construction and architect Pappageorge Haymes Partners. Chris Knight of JLL represented the development team in the placement of debt. The financing includes a $62.4 million senior loan from Derby Lane Partners and an $11 million loan from Hoyne Savings Bank. The project’s capital stack includes more than $17 million in federal and Illinois state historic tax credits, which were monetized through PNC Bank. Wacker Place will offer a mix of studios, one- and two-bedroom units. Amenities will include a coworking lounge, fitness center and rooftop deck. Morton’s The Steakhouse will continue its tenancy on the ground floor. The property was originally constructed as the Millinery Mart Building and later served as the home of the Esquire offices.
RICHMOND, IND. — Flaherty & Collins is underway on the development of 6Main, a $38 million luxury apartment complex in Richmond, a city in eastern Indiana. The 150-unit project is being built on the site of the former Elder-Beerman department store and will include 3,000 square feet of first-floor retail space. Amenities will include a fitness center, pool, outdoor and indoor lounges, a pet spa and dog park. Leasing is anticipated to begin in late 2026 ahead of the grand opening in spring 2027.
NEW YORK CITY — A partnership between The Community Preservation Corp., Shelter Rock Builders and the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development has completed a 31-unit affordable housing project in Brooklyn. The project represents Phase I of the Bedford-Stuyvesant North & Central development and comprises nine three-family and two two-family buildings with 11 for-sale units and 20 rental units. Phase II of the project will add another 76 units.
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Locally based Middle Street Partners and Chicago-based Singerman Real Estate plan to develop Atlantic St. Thomas, a new 71-unit build-to-rent (BTR) residential community in Charleston. The townhome property will be located at 2815 Clements Ferry Road on Charleston’s Daniel Island. Atlantic St. Thomas will have an amenity package that includes a resort-style pool, clubhouse, fitness center, working space and a lounge. The property will include two- and three-bedroom, three-story townhomes ranging in size from 1,565 to 2,500 square feet. Units will include single and two-car garages, rooftop terraces and dens in select three-bedroom townhomes. The co-developers will welcome residents at Atlantic St. Thomas, which represents Middle Street’s first BTR community, in spring 2027. The project team includes general contractor Middle Street Construction, civil engineer Sitecast, land planner Cissell Design Studio, landscape architect Studioforme and architect Terminus Design Group.
PHILADELPHIA — Crow Holdings Development will build a 103,500-square-foot speculative industrial project at 2748 Grant Ave. in northeast Philadelphia. The single-story warehouse and distribution building will feature 32-foot ceiling heights, 32 dock positions, two drive-in doors and parking for 65 vehicles. M+H Architects is designing the project, and BH Cos. is providing engineering services. Oline Construction is the general contractor. JLL brokered the land deal, the seller in which was James D. Morrissey Inc. Construction, and has also been retained as the leasing agent. Completion is slated for mid-2026.