Mixed-Use

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Bank OZK has provided $174 million in construction financing for Upton Place on Wisconsin, a planned mixed-use development in Washington, D.C., that will feature 689 multifamily units and 100,000 square feet of retail space. Eastdil Secured arranged the loan. The borrowers and developers, Apartment Investment Management Co. (Aimco) and The Donohoe Cos. Inc., expect to break ground in early 2021 and deliver the project in 2024. Donohoe originally developed the site, situated at 4000 Wisconsin Ave., in 1987 as the headquarters for Fannie Mae. The site has sat vacant since Fannie Mae consolidated its headquarters in downtown D.C. in 2014. Upton Place on Wisconsin will comprise a six- and an eight-story building. The multifamily portion is expected to include 65 affordable housing units. SK+I Architecture designed Upton Place to include most of the existing 825 below-grade parking spaces. Communal amenities will include a rooftop pool, three internal courtyards, barbecue areas, fitness center and a yoga studio.

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By Bob Kraemer, Kraemer Design Group The way that we work, eat, shop, gather and interact in community spaces will never look the same. While we may someday return to dine-in experiences and large-scale events, it’s clear the novel coronavirus has prompted profound and pervasive societal changes that are here to stay. It should come as no surprise to anyone who understands the deep connection between designed spaces and the people who occupy them that public spaces will need to evolve. We have already seen an evolution of spaces in order to stay relevant, stay profitable and in some cases, stay open. What does all of this mean for design and development? To understand what the brick-and-mortar landscape of tomorrow might look like, we have to think differently about the design of public spaces and the evolving priorities and practices of consumers, diners and office users. The waiting game Thinking differently about the design and functionality of public spaces means ensuring spaces formerly seen as functional or utilitarian are updated to address health and safety concerns and are no longer viewed and designed as an afterthought — but as strategically designed spaces. For example, diners waiting to be seated or …

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AUSTIN, TEXAS — Texas-based developer Presidium and global investment manager Partners Group have unveiled plans for River Park, a 109-acre mixed-use project that will be located on East Riverside Drive near Oracle’s newly announced headquarters campus. The new master plan for the project calls for more than 10 million square feet of commercial and residential space across office, retail, hospitality, entertainment and multifamily uses. The residential component will also include 400 affordable housing units. River Park will be a multi-phase project that is expected to take 10 to 20 years to fully build out. A new street network of short, pedestrian-friendly blocks and trail connections will link the various uses and connect to the surrounding neighborhood and a new multimodal transit hub. Gensler is leading the design of the project. The team anticipates beginning construction with a 15-acre portion along the southeastern side of the site.

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OKLAHOMA CITY — Gardner Tanenbaum and Robinson Park Investments have unveiled plans to develop a 400,000-square-foot mixed-use project within Oklahoma City’s Innovation District. The developers secured 2.7 acres of land for the project and expect to break ground in late 2021. Plans call for research labs, office space, a hotel, retail space and a public area. FSB Architects designed the project. Expected development costs were undisclosed. According to the developers, the goal is to “build an environment that promotes cross-sector collaboration among Oklahoma’s key industries, including aviation, aerospace, bioscience and energy.” The facilities will feature shared technology for 3D imaging and printing, as well as biomedical research and laboratories. Wheeler Labs, the first portfolio company of Echo Investment Capital’s venture capital fund in biotech, is slated to be the project’s anchor tenant. Wheeler is a clinical laboratory with plans to expand into the bio-manufacturing industry. In addition, the University of Oklahoma is committed as an educational and research partner. “This project ushers in a new era for our ever-growing city,” says Richard Tanenbaum, CEO of Gardner Tanenbaum. “Researchers, engineers, universities and industry leaders are pioneering Oklahoma-born advances in bioscience, aerospace, energy and health.” The Oklahoma City Innovation District encompasses 1.3 …

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SEATTLE — Skanska has sold a 95 percent stake of 2+U, a 38-story mixed-use tower in downtown Seattle. South Korea-based Hana Alternative Asset Management and parent firm Hana Financial Group purchased the majority interest from the Swedish developer for $669 million. According to Skanska, the sale of 2+U is the largest single-property commercial real estate transaction in the United States since the pandemic began. Office tenants at 2+U include job search giant Indeed.com, tech firm Dropbox, coworking operator Spaces and customer experience firm Qualtrics. Retail tenants include Italian eatery Ethan Stowell Tavolàta and Seattle-based specialty coffeeshop Caffe Ladro. Hana has hired Houston-based Hines to manage 2+U. The development is situated near Seattle Art Museum, Waterfront Park, Benaroya Hall, Pike Place Market and downtown’s Pioneer Square neighborhood. Skanska delivered the 701,000-square-foot office component of 2+U, which is named after its location at Second Avenue between Union and University streets, in late 2019. The office tower is raised 85 feet off the ground and the retail component, which is still under development, is tucked underneath the podium. 2+U also includes nearly a half-acre of open space for tenant and community gatherings. Skanska will retain a 5 percent interest in 2+U and is …

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BALTIMORE — KLNB has brokered four retail leases totaling 9,000 square feet within The Can Company building in Baltimore’s Canton neighborhood. Ryan Wilner led the KLNB team that represented the landlord, a joint venture between MCB Real Estate, Angelo Gordon and JMC Holdings LLC, in all four transactions. The new tenants include HalfSmoke, Kisner’s Salon & Barber, uBreakiFix and AllCare Family Medicine and Urgent Care. HalfSmoke is a Washington, D.C.-based restaurant that will occupy 4,000 square feet at The Can Company building. This will be the restaurant’s first location in Baltimore and third overall. Kisner’s will occupy 1,300 square feet, marking the second location for the 14-year-old company. This will also be the first location in Baltimore City for uBreakiFix, an electronics repair store. The chain, specializing in iPhone, Samsung, PC, Mac and other phones and tablets, has 10 stores in Maryland. Lastly, AllCare will occupy 2,275 square feet. This will be the medical office’s first site in Baltimore and sixth in Maryland. The Can Company is a 205,865-square-foot mixed-use building situated at 2400 Boston St., two miles southeast of downtown Baltimore. MCB Real Estate completed renovations at the property in 2018. The asset, which was originally built in 1895, …

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Mountain-View-Village-Riverton-UT

RIVERTON, UTAH — Developer CenterCal Properties has selected Okland Construction to build the second phase of Mountain View Village Phase II, an 85-acre lifestyle development in Riverton. The second phase will include five pocket parks with unique amenities; show fountains; a covered market hall-style pavilion with a collection of eateries and common indoor and outdoor seating; a 14-screen Cinemark movie theater complex; and retail, restaurant and commercial spaces. The first phase includes a Harmons Grocery Store and Fuel Shop and more than 35 retailers, businesses and dining options. Okland Construction will begin work immediately on the second phase. Upon built-out, Mountain View Village will be a community gathering place, commercial hub and residential community.

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7700-Parmer-Austin

AUSTIN, TEXAS — Accesso, a full-service investment manager, owner and operator, will expand a 129-acre site in Austin’s Parmer District that houses a 911,574-square-foot office complex with a variety of new uses. Plans for the expansion currently call for the development of 1,800 multifamily units, a 340-room hotel, 80,000 square feet of retail space and an additional 800,000 square feet of office space. The campus is located at 7700 Parmer Lane, adjacent to Apple’s future $1 billion campus, and currently houses a range of technology uses. Amenities include a 540-seat food hall, an onsite daycare and preschool, fitness center, running trails and outdoor volleyball and basketball courts. Accesso has received zoning approval for the project. Marc Bellet, Accesso’s national director of development, says the firm hopes to begin planning portions of the office, retail and multifamily components in the next 12 months and to begin preleasing office space in the first quarter of 2021. AQUILA Commercial is leasing the office portion of the project.

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MIAMI — Balfour Beatty has completed construction on River Landing Shops and Residences, a 2.5 million-square-foot mixed-use development along the Miami River. The Atlanta-based general contractor completed the project on behalf of real estate investment trust H&R REIT and South Florida developer Urban-X Group. Matthews Southwest provided owner representative services. River Landing Shops and Residences spans 8.1 acres of riverfront land. The development features a seven-story, 488,000-square-foot retail and commercial space housing national retailers and shops; 142,000 square feet of Class A office space; and two multifamily residential towers above a 12-story, 2,344-space parking garage. River Landing also provides boater access along the Miami River, a waterfront linear park and a 25,500-square-foot restaurant row that will accommodate up to seven fine dining to fast casual restaurants. The design team includes architects BC Architects, McNamara Salvia Structural Engineers and Steven Feller MEPFP engineers. At its peak, the job employed more than 750 Balfour Beatty workers. River Landing Shops and Residences began opening its retailers to the public in early September. The tenant roster includes national retailers T.J. Maxx, Chase Bank, AT&T, Ross Dress for Less, Burlington, Hobby Lobby, Publix, Old Navy and Chick-fil-A.

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ATLANTA — Patterson Real Estate Advisors has arranged construction financing for Phase II of Lee + White, a 423,000-square-foot mixed-use development along the Atlanta BeltLine. MetLife Investment Management provided the financing.  The borrower and developer, a partnership between Ackerman & Co. and MDH Partners, will use the undisclosed financing to build office space, a food hall, retail outlets and a multifamily community. The co-developers expect the project to cost $85 million to build. A timeline for completion was not disclosed. Existing tenants at Lee + White include Wild Haven Beer, Monday Night Brewing ASW Distillery, Honeysuckle Gelato and HopCity. The developers acquired the former industrial property in fall 2019.

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