BERKELEY HEIGHTS, N.J. — Local developer The Connell Co. has broken ground on a 55,000-square-foot entertainment building at The Park, a 185-acre mixed-use development in the northern New Jersey community of Berkeley Heights. The building will be located within The District, a 60-acre section of the larger campus. Tenants that have committed to the new building include craft beer provider Emberside Brewery, Mexican restaurant Rosa Azul and speakeasy-style steakhouse and entertainment concept BASH. Completion is slated for 2026.
IRVINE, CALIF. — Premier Design + Build Group has started construction on LogistiCenter at Irvine I & II, its first project in the Western region for developer Dermody Properties. The development will consist of two LEED-certified industrial facilities totaling 224,920 square feet. LogistiCenter at Irvine I will be a 133,320-square-foot freestanding building situated on six acres. The asset will feature 10,000 square feet of office/mezzanine space, a clear height of 36 feet, 15 dock doors with dock bumpers, one drive-in door and 108 parking stalls. Situated on an adjacent 4.4 acres, the 91,600-square-foot LogistiCenter at Irvine II will offer 8,200 square feet of office/mezzanine space, a clear height of 36 feet, 11 dock doors, one drive-in door and 74 parking stalls. Completion is slated for first-quarter 2025. The project team includes HPA Architecture, Darin Fong and Associates, Tait Engineering, Kier + Wright, Gregg Electric and Wallace P. Johnson Plumbing. CBRE is serving as the real estate broker for the development.
LAKE FOREST, ILL. — Urban Innovations has completed the renovation and expansion of the Consumers Credit Union headquarters building at 300 N. Field Drive in the Chicago suburb of Lake Forest. Urban Innovations led the 140,000-square-foot renovation of an existing three-story building, which the tenant purchased in 2022 to move its headquarters from Gurnee. The project for the company’s 500 employees entailed a new interconnecting grand staircase from the first floor to the basement. Amenities include a Starbucks with lounge, fitness center, large training room and cafeteria. Other project features include an upgraded lobby and reception desk, new executive offices, a 40-person boardroom, new conference and phone rooms, six coffee bars and pantries, and a refresh of existing finishes and lighting. Partners by Design was the architect.
OMAHA, NEB. — Lockwood Construction has begun demolition work on a former Charleston’s restaurant space in Omaha. Terra Gaucha, a Brazilian steakhouse, will open in the 8,788-square-foot space. The new location marks the restaurant’s first venture into Omaha. The building will feature an expanded dining area to accommodate private dining, an expansive wine wall and open bar concept, and extensive exterior updates and landscaping to coincide with other Terra Gaucha locations. The restaurant is expected to open in May 2025.
By David DiRienzo, director — business development, at Talonvest Capital, Inc. This is part two of a two-part series discussing the key drivers behind transaction volume and the steps owners can take to ensure they are well positioned going forward. As highlighted in part one, despite substantial changes in the market over the past few years, the capital markets continue to offer quality financing solutions for real estate owners. Part two of this article series delves into two key drivers of current financing activity: elective refinancing to optimize the capital stack and the initiation of new business plans. Given the plethora of value-add projects in the pipeline and the interest in undertaking new business plans as equity capital returns to the market, these financing strategies are taking on greater importance than in past years. Interestingly, elective refinancing and starting a new business plan are two scenarios where the borrower’s actions are optional because an impending maturity is not a consideration. For this reason, it is important that borrowers understand the nuances behind these strategies as well as the approach that a capital expert might take. Elective Refinancing to Maximize Investment Performance While loan maturities trigger many refinancings, owners run into a …
CHICAGO — Ryan Cos. US Inc. has formed a joint venture with Namdar Realty Group and Mason Asset Management to close on the land and start construction of the final phase of Pullman Crossings industrial park in Chicago. The final phase is a 160,000-square-foot speculative facility. Pullman Crossings is a 50-acre industrial park within Pullman Park, a 180-acre mixed-use project being developed by Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives. The new building will feature outdoor eating areas, exterior bike racks, ESFR fire protection and a clear height of 32 feet in the warehouse. Ryan is developing and building the facility with construction financing provided by Bankers Trust. Completion is slated for August 2025.
CHICAGO — A joint venture between McShane Construction Co. and Ashlaur Construction has completed The Foglia Residences in Chicago. Brinshore Development and The Chicago Lighthouse developed the 76-unit affordable housing building for residents who are blind, visually impaired, disabled and veterans. The development marks the first Low-Income Housing Tax Credit building in the nation for the blind community, according to McShane. Situated on a site adjacent to The Chicago Lighthouse’s center in the Illinois Medical District, the podium-style building features nine stories with three levels of parking, six levels of units and first-floor retail space. Units are offered in studio, one- and two-bedroom floor plans. Income restrictions were not provided. Amenities include a fitness center, community room, fourth-floor rooftop terrace, dog run and playground. The common areas offer contrasting colors, lit braille unit signage, handrails, braille wallpaper, braille numbering on mailboxes, contrasting flooring in front of unit doors and elevators with audible signals. LBBA was the architect.
LAREDO, TEXAS — A partnership between Maryland-based investment manager Realterm and regional owner-operator Titan Development will develop a 440,300-square-foot industrial project in the Rio Grande Valley city of Laredo. The cross-dock facility will be situated on a 26-acre site and will be divisible for two tenants. Building features will include 30-foot clear heights, 185-foot truck court depths and 264 trailer parking stalls. Construction is expected to last about 12 months.
HALTOM CITY, TEXAS — Multifamily developer JPI has broken ground on Jefferson Drove, a 343-unit mixed-income housing project that will be located north of Fort Worth in Haltom City. About 50 percent of the units will be reserved for households earning 80 percent or less of the area median income, and the remainder will be rented at market rates. Amenities will include a pool, fitness center and a coworking lounge. Preleasing for the first residences is scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2026.
EAST HANOVER, N.J. — Ares Commercial Real Estate has provided a $135 million construction loan for High Point on 10, a 584,000-square-foot industrial project that will be located in East Hanover, about 25 miles west of New York City. The development will have 380,000 square feet of build-to-suit cold storage space that is preleased to operator RealCold. Jordan Roeschlaub, Jonathan Firestone and Nick Scribani of Newmark arranged the debt on behalf of the developer, a partnership between Related Fund Management, Onyx Equities and Russo Development. An expected completion date was not announced.