COLUMBUS, OHIO — True Food Kitchen has opened its first Ohio restaurant at Easton Town Center in Columbus. The restaurant brand was founded in 2008 by Sam Fox and Dr. Andrew Weil, creator of the anti-inflammatory diet, which involves selecting foods that help fight chronic inflammation. True Food Kitchen serves a variety of vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. As a result of COVID-19, the restaurant is currently offering family to-go meals and carryout cocktails. The dining room includes 27 tables that are spaced six feet apart. The restaurant also includes an outdoor patio. There are 34 True Food Kitchen locations in 15 states.
Development
Greystar to Break Ground on $145M Student Housing Community Near University of Washington
by Amy Works
SEATTLE — Greystar is set to break ground on Lakeview Student Residences, a $145 million student housing community located in Seattle’s U District near the University of Washington. The Charleston, S.C.-based developer recently purchased a five-parcel assemblage of existing apartment buildings located at NE 42nd St. and 12th Ave. NE for the development for $17 million. Dan Chhan, Tim McKay and Sam Wayne of Colliers International represented Greystar and the undisclosed seller in the transaction. “This is a core location with high-rise zoning, just three blocks from the University of Washington and one block from the new light rail station opening in 2021,” says Wayne. “Despite some current headwinds facing student housing due to COVID-19, this area is poised for outsized future growth as institutional investors develop new residential and office towers and the University of Washington continues its expansion.” The 21-story, 226-unit community is slated for completion in fall 2022. Lakeview’s amenities are set to include a rock-climbing wall and rooftop decks with designated study areas and entertainment space. Charles Halladay, Jordan Angel, Chris Ross, Teddy Leatherman, Stewart Hayes and Taylor Gimian of JLL worked on behalf of the developer to secure construction financing for the project through Pacific …
Advocacy Development Completes Entitlements for 83-Unit Assisted Living Project in San Jose
by Amy Works
SAN JOSE, CALIF. — Advocacy Development Partners (ADP) has received unanimous approval from the San Jose City Council for a new assisted living and memory care project in the city. The 1.2-acre project will include 73,000 square feet of living and common areas, comprisingf 83 units and 93 beds. “This facility underscores the need for assisted living and memory care for senior residents in San Jose,” says Pam Foled, Councilmember for District 9, where the community will be located. “This project meets the market demand in a fashion that is least intrusive to the overall community by terracing the building into the single-family neighborhood of Dry Creek and creating fabulous outdoor garden spaces for the residents.” As recommended by the San Jose Planning Commission, the City Council approved the Conditional Use Permit for the project site to replace existing dilapidated retail strip buildings with a modern, three-story building. ADP is in the process of securing its project team of architects, engineers and contractors for the development, according to Paul Bunton of ADP. He says the firm also expects to have its financing and operator in place in the next couple months and anticipates breaking ground in early 2021, which would …
EL PASO, TEXAS — TJX Cos., the Massachusetts-based corporation that owns major discount retailers such as T.J. Maxx and Marshalls, will open a $150 million distribution center in El Paso, a move that will bring about 1,000 full-time jobs to the borderplex region. The facility could ultimately feature as much as 2 million square feet of industrial space. According to The El Paso Times, the proposed site for the facility is a 200-acre tract at Global Reach Drive and George Perry Boulevard in East El Paso that is owned by the El Paso International Airport. The paper also reports that Marmaxx Operating Corp., the affiliate of TJX Cos. that operates T.J. Maxx and Marshalls, received $14.3 million in tax rebates and other incentives for the project.
THE WOODLANDS, TEXAS — Transwestern Real Estate Services has completed Research Forest Lakeside Building 9, a 134,938-square-foot office project located in The Woodlands, about 30 miles north of Houston. The six-story, Class A building includes floor-to-ceiling glass, a climate-controlled parking garage and proximity to a planned four-acre green space that will feature walking trails and exercise stations. In addition, several restaurants, including Snooze A.M. Eatery, Grub Burger Bar and Bellagreen American Bistro, are located adjacent to Building 9. Research Forest Lakeside is a mixed-use development that spans 77 acres overlooking Lake Woodlands that will ultimately feature 1.8 million square feet of commercial space.
BAYONNE, N.J. — Developer KRE Group has broken ground on Phase II of Bay 151, a multifamily project that will add 213 units to the local supply of the New York City metro of Bayonne. Phase I consists of 200 units that are now 85 percent occupied. At full build-out, Bay 151 will comprise 625 apartments and 10,000 square feet of retail space. Residences at Bay 151 come in studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom formats, and the property features more than 15,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor amenity space, with all amenities now open to residents. Completion of Phase II is slated for late 2021.
CHICAGO — Optima Inc. has begun development of Optima Lakeview, a 198-unit luxury apartment project in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood. The seven-story, transit-oriented development will replace a shuttered Treasure Island grocery store and parking lot. Designed by Hovey, the project also includes 14,000 square feet of street-level commercial space. Residents will have access to 40,000 square feet of amenities, including a rooftop sky deck, pool, indoor basketball court, golf simulator, fitness center, yoga room, sports lounge, pet spa, game room, business center and two conference rooms. The building will offer 94 fully enclosed parking spaces and storage for 208 bicycles. Optima says it designed larger floor plans to accommodate dedicated space for a home office in today’s work-from-home environment. Completion is slated for March 2022.
MINNEAPOLIS — Owner Accesso has unveiled plans to renovate Crystal Court, a central gathering place located within IDS Center in Minneapolis. The renovation plan, which was designed in collaboration with Perkins and Will and New History, calls for updating the “functionality and aesthetics of the space to better meet the evolving needs of today’s consumer.” Renowned architect Philip Johnson designed the 57-story, 1.4 million-square-foot office tower, which opened in 1972. The updated Crystal Court will feature new collaborative seating areas, a grove of trees and a new water feature. Accesso, a manager, owner and operator, boasts a portfolio of 35 office properties spanning 15.6 million square feet throughout the U.S.
NORTHBROOK, ILL. — Cannabis Facility Construction (CFC) has completed building a new recreational and medical cannabis dispensary for Greenhouse in Northbrook. Located at 755 Skokie Blvd., the 9,982-square-foot project serves as a flagship dispensary for the brand. The building features an open floor plan with high vaulted ceilings and abundant natural light. To accommodate social distancing, all points of sale are six feet apart. In addition to the retail space, the project features back-office space with a secure vault for inventory storage and an advanced security system.
NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, TEXAS — Centurion American Development Group has broken ground on City Point, a 52-acre mixed-use development in the Dallas suburb of North Richland Hills. Development costs were not disclosed, but D Magazine reports it will cost the Farmers Branch, Texas-based developer $300 million. City Point will comprise 400 to 600 multifamily units, 60,000 square feet of commercial space, a trail system, outdoor greenspace and 366 single-family homes, including bungalows and townhomes. The commercial space will include office, retail and restaurant space. The City of North Richland Hills and Tarrant County each contributed a cap of $4.2 million and $1.7 million, respectively, through a Tax Increment Financing District (TIF) for infrastructure improvements surrounding the development. Cleveland-based NRP Group will build the apartment units, Plano, Texas-based CB Jeni Homes will construct the townhomes and Gunter, Texas-based New Synergy Homes will build the bungalow homes portion of the development. A developer for the commercial space was not disclosed. City Point is situated at the former site of North Mills Mall, which closed in 2004 and was torn down in 2007, according to D Magazine. The site has sat vacant since. The property is located along Grapevine Highway near Interstate 280, …