HOUSTON — Accesso, a Florida-based owner-operator, will renovate 3900 Essex, a 235,620-square-foot office building in West Houston. Plans for the capital improvement project include lobby renovations and construction of several spec suites throughout the 12-story building. These upgrades build on recently completed enhancements of the HVAC, fire and security systems and newly updated common areas and amenity spaces at 3900 Essex, including a fitness center and a conference facility. Accesso also secured a two-year loan extension in conjunction with the announcement of new capital improvements.
DOWNERS GROVE, ILL. — Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago has begun plans to develop a low-acuity pediatric hospital in Downers Grove, a western suburb of Chicago. The proposed hospital will include a pediatric emergency department, surgery sites, inpatient beds and pediatric subspecialties such as oncology, cardiology, gastroenterology and orthopedics. The new facility would be Lurie Children’s first inpatient hospital outside its main location in Chicago’s Streeterville neighborhood. Lurie Children’s says the Downers Grove hospital represents a key component of its strategic growth initiatives, reflecting the organization’s evolution from a single hospital into an integrated pediatric healthcare system. The announcement comes on the heels of Lurie Children’s opening a new outpatient center in Schaumburg in 2025. In addition to its flagship hospital in Chicago, Lurie Children’s offers care through more than 20 outpatient centers and 10 partner hospitals across Chicagoland. A design-build team led by Clayco will also include healthcare design and construction expertise from Skender, ZGF and LJC. The project is subject to regulatory approvals.
HEBRON, IND. AND KERNERSVILLE, N.C. — Agricultural and construction machinery company John Deere (NYSE: DE) plans to open two new industrial facilities in the United States. The developments include a distribution center near Hebron, Ind., and a manufacturing campus in Kernersville, N.C. John Deere recently broke ground on the 234-acre Indiana facility, which is designed to streamline operations and ensure timely delivery of equipment and parts. John Deere plans to invest $125 million to equip and development the 1.2 million-square-foot project, which is situated just off I-65. According to the company, the project is expected to create roughly 150 jobs in the state. John Deere also operates its primary North American parts distribution center in the Midwest region in Milan, Ill. That facility has been in operation since 1973 and employs roughly 1,200 people. In Kernersville, a new $70 million manufacturing center will produce excavators for the construction market, assuming production activity that was previously conducted in Japan. The campus total approximately 400,000 square feet and will employ more than 150 people. “We are excited to bring this new facility to our Kernersville campus and to be part of the region’s thriving manufacturing community,” said Ryan Campbell, president of worldwide …
PEMBERTON, N.J. — New York City-based Rockefeller Group will develop a 486,850-square-foot industrial project in Pemberton, located about 35 miles east of Philadelphia. The site spans 100 acres at 2554 U.S. Route 206, and the two-building development will be known as 206 Logistics Center. Building features will include clear heights of 36 to 40 feet, ESFR sprinkler systems and “ample” trailer parking. A construction timeline was not announced. Jonathan Klear and Fred Meyer of NAI Mertz represented Rockefeller Group in its acquisition of the land. NAI Mertz has also been retained to market the project for lease, sale and/or build-to-suit opportunities.
NEW YORK CITY — A partnership between locally based developer Slate Property Group and RiseBoro Community Partnership has completed a 318-unit affordable housing redevelopment project in Queens. The property, which is known as Baisley Pond Park Residences, is a conversion of the 350-room JFK Hilton Hotel in the borough’s Jamaica neighborhood, which was originally built in 1987 and is located about half a mile from JFK International Airport. The new complex houses studio, one- and two-bedroom units and amenities such as a fitness center, computer lounge and multiple common rooms. Aufgang Architects designed the project. Leasing began last spring.
NASHVILLE, TENN. — AJ Capital Partners has obtained a $475 million construction loan for Belle Meade Village, a 15.5-acre retail and residential village underway in Nashville. Located on the border of Belle Meade, Tenn., the project is a redevelopment of an under-utilized shopping center. Raymond James Real Estate Investment Banking arranged the financing through Barings on behalf of AJ Capital. Belle Meade Village will feature 1 Iris Lane, The Residences at Belle Meade Village, which are a pair of two 46-unit condominium buildings. The condos have a starting price of $3 million and come in one- to four-bedroom layouts. Residents have access to 16,000 square feet of amenity space, including high-end fitness and wellness features and private wine and cigar rooms, among other attractions. The project also includes a five-acre private park and a central courtyard space with an antique carousel surrounded by a seven-building retail village that will feature local and global brands, a private members’ club and a boutique hotel. AJ Capital broke ground on Belle Meade Village last October, with plans to wrap up construction by 2028. The design-build team includes Meyer Davis (interior design for 1 Iris Lane), Brasfield & Gorrie (general contractor), Barge Civil Associates …
DENVER — Urban Land Conservancy (ULC), a Denver-based affordable housing nonprofit, has completed construction and opened The Irving at Mile High Vista in Denver’s West Colfax neighborhood. Located at 3.270 W. Colfax Ave., the 102-unit community serves households earning up to 20 to 80 percent of area median income. With ULC’s ownership of the land through a community land trust, affordability is guaranteed for 99 years. The Irving is adjacent to the Denver Public Library’s Corky Gonzales branch. The architect was Studio Completiva, and the general contractor was Pinkard Construction. The project is ULC’s first ground-up development. The land stewardship group acquired the property in 2010.
MANKATO, MINN. — Kraus-Anderson has completed a new public works facility for Blue Earth County on a 40-acre greenfield site in Mankato, a city in southern Minnesota. Designed by ISG Architects, the $29.8 million facility features an 89,363-square-foot main building with office space, an exercise room, shop areas, locker rooms, garage parking, three overhead cranes and a multipurpose room for county and public use. The project also includes a 30,000-square-foot vehicle storage building, an 1,100-square-foot fuel island and a 14,000-square-foot salt and sand storage building with a 90,000-gallon water tank to supplement the fire suppression system for the campus. Construction began in October 2024.
SEATTLE — Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) has unveiled plans to close its Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh physical stores, converting various locations into Whole Foods Market stores. The Seattle-based e-commerce giant states that it hasn’t “yet created a truly distinctive customer experience with the right economic model needed for large-scale expansion.” Customers can continue to shop Amazon Fresh online in available areas for delivery. At the same time, Amazon plans to open more than 100 new Whole Foods Market stores over the next few years, citing increased investment in “physical stores that are resonating with customers.” Amazon acquired the Austin-based natural and organic foods grocer in 2017 in a $13.7 billion deal. Since then, the brand has experienced over 40 percent sales growth and expansion to more than 550 locations. There are 14 Amazon Go convenience stores located in Washington, California, Illinois and New York. According to the company, Amazon Go locations served as innovation hubs where Amazon developed Just Walk Out technology — now a scalable checkout-free solution operating in over 360 third-party locations across five countries. There are 58 Amazon Fresh grocery stores located in California, Illinois, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Washington, Viriginia and Tennessee. Amazon says …
ARDMORE, PA. — Eastdil Secured has arranged $140.7 million in construction financing for a 270-unit multifamily project in Ardmore, a northwestern suburb of Philadelphia. The development is known as The Plaza at Ardmore, and the financing consists of a $112.6 million senior loan from Bank OZK and a $28.1 million mezzanine loan from Affinius Capital. Units will come in studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom floor plans. Amenities will include a pool, outdoor grilling and dining stations, a fitness center and dedicated coworking and private study spaces, as well as 30,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space. Nick Seidenberg of Eastdil Secured arranged the financing on behalf of the borrower, an affiliate of Piazza Auto Group, which has partnered with Radnor Property Group for the overseeing of development and construction of the project. A tentative completion date was not announced.