MALTA, N.Y. — Florida-based LeCesse Development Corp. has completed GrandeVille at Malta, a 189-unit multifamily project located about 30 miles north of Albany in Upstate New York. The project represents Phase II of a larger development, the initial phase of which comprised 292 units. Phase II residences are spread across three buildings and come in one-, two- and three-bedroom formats. Units are furnished with stainless steel appliances, quartz countertops, custom cabinetry, walk-in closets and individual washers and dryers. Amenities include an indoor pool, clubhouse, fitness center, game room, business lounge and a spa. Project partners included James Fahy Design Associates, general contractor Platinum-LeChase, Lansing Engineering and Five Star Bank. Rents start at about $1,700 per month for a one-bedroom apartment.
Development
Opus Group Breaks Ground on 131,000 SF Speculative Industrial Facility in Huntersville, North Carolina
by John Nelson
HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — The Opus Group has broken ground on Huntersville Commerce Center, a 131,000-square-foot speculative industrial facility located at 13601 Reese Blvd. in Huntersville, about 12 miles north of Charlotte via I-77. The 11-acre project is situated within the Park at Huntersville, a master-planned development that houses tenants including Daumar, Atom Power, NSI Industries and Oelikon. Slated for delivery in the fourth quarter, Huntersville Commerce Center will feature 13 dock doors (expandable to 26), two drive-in doors, 32-foot clear heights, 11 trailer parking stalls and 130 auto parking stalls. The Opus Group is the developer, general contractor, architect and structural engineer of record on the project. Orsborn Engineering Group PA is serving as civil engineer. Justin Smith and Rob Speir of Colliers’ Charlotte office are marketing Huntersville Commerce Center for lease.
DigitalBridge Signs 79,141 SF Corporate Headquarters Lease at Sundy Village in Delray Beach, Florida
by John Nelson
DELRAY BEACH, FLA. — DigitalBridge, a digital infrastructure investment firm active in data centers and cell towers, has signed a 79,141-square-foot office lease at Sundy Village, a mixed-use development located at 100 S.E. 1st Ave. in Delray Beach. The South Florida property will serve as the new corporate headquarters for DigitalBridge, which is relocating from nearby Boca Raton. The company plans to move its 300 employees to Sundy Village in the third quarter. The development’s other office tenants will include the developer, Pebb Capital, as well as Vertical Bridge. Joe Freitas and John Criddle of CBRE oversee office leasing at Sundy Village, which also features retail space, structured and subterranean parking and green spaces.
MIAMI — Bowlero Corp. has opened Lucky Strike Miami, a 30,000-square-foot entertainment venue within the $6 billion Miami Worldcenter development. The venue is the second new build for Bowlero using the Lucky Strike brand since it was acquired in September. Lucky Strike Miami features 28 bowling lanes, an arcade, craft cocktail bar, food service and a VIP room with six private bowling lanes. The venue is situated adjacent to Kaseya Center, home arena of the NBA’s Miami Heat. Miami Worldcenter Associates is the master developer of the 27-acre district, which comprises 10 city blocks and features three residential towers and the newly opened citizenM hotel, among other uses.
OLIVETTE, MO. — A.J. Brown Inc. has completed construction of Padel + Pickle, an indoor padel and pickleball facility in the western St. Louis suburb of Olivette. The 42,116-square-foot project marks the largest indoor padel and pickleball facility in the world, according to the construction firm. A.J. Brown converted a former whiskey distillery and manufacturing facility into the championship-level property, which features six European-style padel courts and eight pickleball courts along with a bar, lounge areas, big-screen televisions, locker rooms and a pro shop. Padel + Pickle offers clinic, private lessons, leagues, court rentals, open play and tournaments for all skill levels. The project team included Linea Design Inc. and Fixture Contracting. Padel is a mix between tennis and squash.
Urban Catalyst Receives $10.5M in Financing for Icon/Echo Mixed-Use Redevelopment Project in San Jose
by Amy Works
SAN JOSE, CAILF. — Gantry has secured $10.5 million in financing for pre-construction costs for Icon/Echo, a mixed-use redevelopment project in downtown San Jose. The borrower, Urban Catalyst, plans to construct two towers on the 2.1-acre land site following demolition of existing buildings and a parking lot. Current plans include a 21-story office building with street-level retail and a 27-story multifamily residential tower. The towers will be connected by a shared podium on floors one through four. Additionally, the project will offer a below-grade level of parking and 1,000 parking spaces. Construction at the site is slated to begin the next 12 to 24 months. Jeff Wilcox and Robert Slatt of Gantry arranged the short-term bridge loan with interest-only terms through a private real estate investment company.
Ryan Cos., ESI Ventures Break Ground on 145,000 SF Industrial Project in Surprise, Arizona
by Amy Works
SURPRISE, ARIZ. — Ryan Cos. US, as builder, and ESI Ventures, as owner, have broken ground on Surprise 34, an industrial campus. The project will be located in the Surprise Pointe neighborhood of Surprise, a suburb northwest of Phoenix. The two-building development will offer more than 145,000 square feet of industrial space. Each building will feature 28-foot clear heights and dock wells for tenants. Ryan A+E Inc., the design studio of Ryan, is the architect and civil engineer of record for the project.
KATY, TEXAS — Sporting goods retailer Academy Sports + Outdoors has announced plans to open 160 to 180 new stores over the next five years. Half of the new stores are expected to open in markets where the retailer has an existing footprint. The remaining 80 to 90 stores are planned for new and adjacent markets, with a focus on expanding to smaller and mid-sized markets. The company sees these locations as offering higher opportunities for profit despite lower sales volumes. These openings will increase the Katy-based retailer’s footprint from 282 stores across 18 states to between 442 and 462 nationally. The company will begin this effort by opening 15 to 17 new locations in 2024. The first of these stores recently opened in Knightdale, N.C. Another location is set to open on April 12 in Greenwood, Ind. The company, which sees 95 percent of its sales fulfilled in brick-and-mortar locations, concurrently announced plans to enhance its omnichannel shopping experience by improving its mobile application and search capabilities, increasing the speed of online check-out, and offering more payment options. Academy Sports + Outdoors was founded in 1938 and offers a full range of outdoor and sports apparel and footwear; hunting, …
Affordable Housing Crisis Prompts Search for Answers from Local, State and Federal Governments
by Jeff Shaw
One step forward, one step back could easily be the motto for affordable housing development this year. Experts are hopeful a more stable interest rate environment will bolster transaction activity in 2024. At the same time, rising insurance costs, supply-chain hiccups and property staffing issues are forcing developers and investors to proceed with caution in the affordable housing sector. The one-step-forward theme also applies to the legislative arena. The Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024 contained Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) provisions that would have incentivized developers to build more housing for extremely low-income renters. The act passed the U.S. House of Representatives in late January and is headed to the Senate, though the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) reports that the major reforms to LIHTC were left out of the bill. These speedbumps aren’t mere bureaucratic headaches. Some experts say they stand in the way of keeping many Americans safe and secure. According to NLIHC, the United States is short 7.3 million rental homes that are affordable and available to renters with extremely low incomes, which is defined as either the federal poverty guideline or 30 percent of their area median income (AMI), whichever …
AUSTIN, TEXAS — Texas-based developer Presidium has broken ground on a 307-unit multifamily project that will be located within the 314-acre Velocity master-planned development in southeast Austin. Apartments will come in studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom floor plans and range in size from 375 to 1,400 square feet. Amenities will include a pool, fitness center, coworking lounge, dog park, volleyball and pickleball courts, entertainment lounge and podcast rooms. O’Brien Architects designed the four-story project, and Provident General Contractors is handling construction. Completion is slated for mid-2025.