EAST BRUNSWICK, N.J. — Locally based developer AMS Acquisitions has begun leasing Summerhill Gardens, a 96-unit multifamily complex located outside of New York City in East Brunswick. Designed by Minno & Wasko Architects, the property consists of four three-story buildings that house one- and two-bedroom units, 24 of which are subject to income restrictions. Amenities include a fitness center with studio space, business center with conferencing facilities, outdoor courtyards with grilling and dining areas, playground, dog run and a resident lounge. Rents start at $2,400 per month for a one-bedroom unit.
AUBURN, ALA. — Birmingham, Ala.-based HPM has completed construction of the Tony and Libba Rane Culinary Science Center at Auburn University. The dual-purpose, 142,000-square-foot property houses learning environments for culinary students, as well as a boutique hotel, the 1856 teaching restaurant, brewery and a food hall. HPM served as program manager on the project and provided project management support for Auburn University Facilities Management during the pre-construction and construction phases. Auburn alumnus and board of trustees member Jimmy Rane helped kickstart the project with a $12 million gift dedicated to the building’s construction. The board later approved naming the facility in honor of his parents, Tony and Libba Rane. The property is situated at the corner of East Thach Avenue and South College Street in downtown Auburn. HPM also oversaw the construction of a $10 million, six-story parking garage nearby before breaking ground on the culinary facility in 2019. The design-build team for the property include architect Cooper Carry, facility operator Ithaka Hospitality Partners, the Auburn University Facilities Management department and general contractor Bailey-Harris Construction.
HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — Terwilliger Pappas plans to break ground this September on Solis Birkdale, a 210-unit apartment community in the Charlotte suburb of Huntersville. The property will serve as the multifamily component of Birkdale Place, a mixed-use development by Gustafson Partners that will also feature a 140-room hotel and conference center and 45,000 square feet of shops and restaurants. Terwilliger Pappas plans to complete Solis Birkdale in the second quarter of 2025. The property will have studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments and townhomes, as well as a resort-style pool, fitness center with yoga studio, coworking offices, game and lounge areas and a pet spa. The project team includes general contractor Clancy & Theys, architectural firm BB+M and landscape architect and civil engineer Bolton & Menck. Also in the Carolinas, Terwilliger Pappas recently sold Solis Nexton in the Charleston suburb of Summerville, S.C., to Boston-based West Shore. The sales price was not disclosed.
DETROIT — Locally based real estate firm Bedrock has unveiled plans for Development at Cadillac Square, a 1.5 million-square-foot mixed-use campus in downtown Detroit. The site is located near Ford Field, home of the NFL’s Detroit Lions, as well as Campus Martius Park and Cadillac Square. The development will feature residential, retail, office and entertainment space, as well as parking. Bedrock is owned by billionaire and Rocket Cos. founder Dan Gilbert, who with his companies has invested $5.6 billion in the purchase and rehabilitation of buildings in downtown Detroit, according to Forbes. Gilbert himself boasts a net worth of $18 billion and owns Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse — home of the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers (also owned by Gilbert) — in Cleveland, Ohio, where his real estate arm is planning the Cuyahoga Riverfront, another in the trend of developing mixed-use projects around sports stadiums. Upon completion, the Development at Cadillac Square property will include 230,000 square feet of residential space, comprised of 250 to 280 units. The project is subject to an Affordable Housing Agreement with the City of Detroit. Retail space will total 90,000 square feet in the form of a market hall, grocery store, restaurants and other shops. Plans for …
WASHINGTON, D.C. — With many office buildings, hotels and shopping malls sitting vacant or underutilized, repurposing commercial properties into multifamily housing is growing more commonplace. A recently released report suggests that these conversions could be financially feasible across a broad range of markets and circumstances. “Conversions have existed for decades, but the pandemic has accelerated their growth potential by rendering more commercial properties obsolete,” says Anita Kramer, senior vice president of the ULI Center for Real Estate Economics and Capital Markets. “Our research demonstrates that there’s no ‘cookie-cutter’ formula for executing a successful project, but we do hope the insights that experienced developers shared with us can provide valuable guidance.” Behind the Facade: The Feasibility of Converting Commercial Real Estate to Multifamily was conducted by the National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC) Research Foundation and the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Terwilliger Center for Housing. The report examines the viability of converting old or under-utilized commercial properties, with data gathered through interviewing the developers of 29 commercial-to-multifamily conversion projects. According to the report, costs can vary based on several factors, particularly the initial acquisition and the demographic the project targets once completed. Most developers reported successful returns on investment regardless of cost, however, …
RINCON, GA. — Sewon America, a subsidiary of Korean-based automotive supplier Sewon Precision Industry Co., plans to invest $300 million for a new manufacturing facility in Rincon. Situated within the Grande View industrial park, the project is expected to support 740 new jobs in the Effingham County area. Sewon America’s new manufacturing location will produce electric vehicle body parts for automotive manufacturers, including Hyundai. Operations are expected to begin in 2025. The company opened a manufacturing facility in LaGrange, Ga., in 2008, which has since doubled in size. The Sewon America development is the latest in a string of automotive suppliers announcing projects around the Hyundai Metaplant in Bryan County, representing roughly $1.8 billion in investment to-date. This announcement fulfills Hyundai’s commitment to create jobs and investment in all four of the Savannah Harbor Interstate-16 Joint Development Authority (JDA) counties.
BIXBY, OKLA. — Marcus & Millichap Capital Corp. (MMCC) has arranged $14.7 million in joint venture equity for a 161-unit, build-to-rent residential community in Bixby, a southern suburb of Tulsa. The development will offer one-bed duplexes and two-, three- and four-bedroom farmhouse-style homes. Residences will feature private garages and backyards, and communal amenities will include a pool, fitness center and a clubhouse. Justin Shuart and Travis Headapohl of MMCC structured the equity on behalf of the developer, a partnership led by ACRE Development Partners.
SAN ANGELO, TEXAS — General contractor Hoar Construction has broken ground on a 142,000-square-foot healthcare project in the Central Texas city of San Angelo. The seven-story building will be an expansion of the 1.5 million-square-foot Shannon Medical Center, and the operator of that facility is also the lead developer of the project. The building will comprise three levels of parking and four levels of patient care facilities, including a 19,310-square-foot intensive care unit. Completion is slated for summer 2024.
PLAINFIELD, IND. — New City Development has broken ground on Hobbs Station, a $300 million mixed-use project in the Indianapolis suburb of Plainfield. The project is being built in partnership with Formation Properties. Shiel Sexton Cos. is the general contractor. Phase I includes 300 apartment units with 30,000 square feet of street-level retail and restaurant space. Completion is slated for the end of 2024. Phase I will also include 98 single-family homes built by Pulte Homes and Pyatt Homes along with two industrial buildings totaling nearly 500,000 square feet built by HSA Commercial. A centralized public park as part of the project will enable the community to enjoy amenities such as pickleball and bocce ball. At full buildout, Hobbs Station will include up to 240 single-family homes, 650 apartment units, 90 seniors housing units, 70,000 square feet of commercial space, 500,000 square feet of industrial space and 200,000 square feet of office space.
NEW YORK CITY — New York City-based development and investment firm Innovo Property Group (IPG) has topped out The Borden Complex, a 900,000-square-foot industrial project in the Long Island City area of Queens. The development will feature elevated truck courts and a vertical parking structure, as well as purpose-built film studio space. IPG acquired the site, which previously housed the warehouse of online grocer FreshDirect, in January 2019 with Atalaya Capital Management and Nan Fung Group for $75 million. Construction began in July 2022, and the development team is targeting a spring 2024 completion. Eastdil Secured arranged construction financing for the project through Starwood Property Trust and J.P. Morgan. Starwood also originally provided $155 million in project financing in early 2021.