AUSTIN, TEXAS — Dallas-based Dalfen Industrial has acquired 146 acres in northeast Austin for the development of an approximately 1 million-square-foot project. The development will be located at the site of the former Manor Downs horse racetrack, about eight miles from the downtown area and 10 miles from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. The project will consist of six buildings that will range in size from 70,000 to 365,560 square feet and will feature 32- to 36-foot clear heights. Construction is scheduled to begin in the third quarter of next year.
HOLBROOK, MASS. — Port One Cos. and Tiderock Cos. have formed a partnership to develop a 410-unit seniors housing community on a 48-acre parcel in Holbrook, approximately 15 miles south of Boston. The estimated budget for this project is $190 million. The developers are under contract to acquire the site for $19 million. Tiderock will provide operational support and oversight including but not limited to project management, marketing, budgeting, product mix and review of and negotiations for limited partner equity and debt. Further details on the project were not disclosed.
BOSTON — Shawmut Design & Construction has completed the $115 million expansion of the Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine at Boston University. The building was originally constructed in 1970. The three-year, four-phase project increased the building’s size by about 48,000 square feet and expanded clinical spaces by 70 percent to improve students’ educational experience and enhance patient care. Shawmut also added a learning simulation center, predoctoral patient treatment center and more collaborative workspaces for students as part of the project.
NEW YORK CITY — Charlotte, N.C.-based Grubb Properties will develop a 317-unit mixed-income project that will be located at 25-01 Queens Plaza North in the borough’s Long Island City area. The 17-story building will comprise about 220 market-rate units and 97 units that will be reserved for renters earning less than 130 percent of the area median income (AMI), as well as 9,000 square feet of retail space. Grubb Properties will operate the building under its Link brand, which provides housing geared toward renters earning between 60 and 140 percent of AMI. A construction timeline has not yet been finalized.
STANTON, TENN., AND GLENDALE, KY. — Ford (NYSE: F) has unveiled plans to build Blue Oval City, a massive manufacturing campus for its electric vehicles in the tiny town of Stanton, approximately 50 miles northeast of Memphis and with a population of fewer than 500 people. In addition, the car builder is planning the BlueOvalSK Battery Park manufacturing campus in Glendale, approximately 50 miles south of Louisville, to produce the lithium-ion batteries that power those electric vehicles. Ford estimates development costs for Blue Oval City at $5.6 billion and BlueOvalSK Battery Park, which will comprise two separate manufacturing facilities, at $5.8 billion. Both plants are scheduled to begin production in 2025. The auto maker predicts the Stanton location will create 6,000 jobs, while the Glendale location will create 5,000 jobs. Blue Oval City will span 3,600 acres — nearly six square miles — and focus on producing F-Series electric pickup trucks. The company noted that it will work with Redwood Materials on domestic battery recycling and that the facility will be carbon neutral, producing zero landfill waste once fully operational. In addition to the new plant, Ford said it will make a new investment to increase production of the F-150 …
PLANTATION, FLA. — South Florida-based development firm, Merrimac Ventures has broken ground on Merrimac Plantation, a multifamily development in Plantation. Located at 1711 N. University Drive, Merrimac Plantation will total 293,945 square feet with 306 apartments across two six-story midrise buildings. Construction is slated for completion in 2023. The apartment units will range from one- to three-bedroom layouts, featuring stainless-steel appliances, quartz countertops and smart locks and thermostats. Community amenities will include a double-height lobby; club room; pool; covered terrace; barbecue grilling stations; two exterior courtyards; fitness center; co-working and business center with private offices and conference rooms; resident lounge; dog park and dog spa; electric vehicle charging stations; and Wi-Fi connectivity throughout the property. Merrimac Plantation will be adjacent to the Plantation Midtown Business District, an 860-acre, master-planned development featuring 2.5 million square feet of retail and restaurants as well as 3 million square feet of office space. The apartment community is also near Plantation Pointe Office Park, Westside Regional Medical Center, the Plantation Walk mixed-use redevelopment, the 1 million-square-foot Fountain Shoppes lifestyle center, the 2.4 million-square-foot Sawgrass Mills and Plantation’s 103-acre Central Park.
CHINO, CALIF. — Alere Property Group has broken ground on the construction of two industrial warehouse facilities in Chino. The two developments will bring more than 626,000 square feet of speculative industrial space to the area. Located at the northeast corner of Bickmore and Euclid avenues, the eight-building Euclid Industrial Park will offer 360,000 square feet of space in buildings ranging from 13,050 square feet to 206,118 square feet. Completion is slated for August 2022. Ken Andersen, Eric Fikse and Richard John of Daum Commercial represented Alere in the 18.6-acre land acquisition for the project. The Daum team will also oversee leasing of the development. Chino Commerce Park, situated on 13 acres at the northwest corner of East End Avenue and County Road, will consist of four buildings offering a total of 266,348 square feet. The park will include a 210,747-square-foot building with 36-foot clear heights and three smaller buildings ranging from 15,104 square feet to 25,177 square feet with 26-foot clear heights. Tim Pimental, Chris Tolles, Eric Larson and Robin Dodson of Cushman & Wakefield represented Alere in the land acquisition for the development and will oversee leasing of the project, which is slated for completion in May 2022.
DECATUR, ILL. — The Atkins Group will develop a 635,400-square-foot industrial build-to-suit in the central Illinois town of Decatur. ARCO National Construction will serve as general contractor for the project, which is estimated to cost in excess of $41 million to build. AJ Thoma III of Coldwell Banker Commercial Devonshire Realty and Mike Dean of Cushman & Wakefield represented the undisclosed tenant in the build-to-suit lease, which spans seven years. Completion of the 43-acre project is slated for July 2022.
NOBLESVILLE, IND. — Capitol Seniors Housing has broken ground on The Outlook at Hamilton Town Center, a 164-unit active adult community in Noblesville near Indianapolis. The 145,000-square-foot, four-story community will serve residents aged 55 and older. The property will be situated adjacent to Hamilton Town Center, an outdoor shopping, dining and entertainment destination. Amenities will include a pool, clubhouse, library, theater and fitness studio. Element Architects and Core Construction make up the project team. Completion is slated for early 2023.
MESQUITE, TEXAS — Vehicle Accessories Inc., a manufacturer of automotive parts like splash guards, body side moldings and bumper protectors, will relocate its corporate headquarters to Mesquite, an eastern suburb of Dallas. The move is expected to bring about 315 new jobs and $30 million in total capital investment to the local economy. The company will consolidate its operations in Buffalo, Toronto, nearby Sunnyvale, Texas, and Magog (Quebec) into a build-to-suit, 310,000-square-foot building at Alcott Logistics Station. Vehicle Accessories plans to take occupancy of the building, which is being developed by Jackson-Shaw, by the end of 2022.