MANASQUAN, N.J. — Ariel Property Advisors has arranged a $1.8 million acquisition loan for the $2.4 million purchase of a mixed-used property, located at 140 Main St. in Manasquan. The 6,000-square-foot property features four retail units and five residential units. Ariel’s Capital Services Division arranged the non-recourse seven-year loan for an undisclosed borrower.
MCKINNEY, TEXAS — EDGE Realty Capital Markets has arranged the sale of a mixed-use property located at 7508 Eldorado Parkway in McKinney. Iselworth Management Inc. sold the 8,815-square-foot property to Guidepost A LLC, a Delaware-based limited liability company, for an undisclosed price. Wilson Stafford and Brandon Crow of EDGE Realty Capital Markets represented the seller, while Stephen Coffey of Greyhawk Associates represented the buyer in the deal.
COCONUT GROVE, FLA. — Terra and partner Mayfair Real Estate Advisors plan to transform a 1980s-era parking garage in Coconut Grove into Mary Street, a Class A mixed-use project. Designed by Touzet Studio, the property will include three levels of office space, a public parking garage component and 20,000 square feet of street-level retail space fronting Mary, Oak and Rice streets. The property will include a main lobby, 24-hour security, covered valet and drop-off, dedicated elevators, electric car charging stations and bike storage. Construction on Mary Street is set to begin early this year. Terra has two other projects in Coconut Grove under construction: Grove at Grand Bay, a condominium property, and Park Grove, a multifamily community. Mary Street will represent the first construction of office space in Coconut Grove in more than 20 years, according to Terra.
RICHARDSON, TEXAS — Balfour Beatty Campus Solutions, along with Dallas-based Wynne/Jackson and lead equity partner Star Alliance, has closed on the financing for the second phase of a mixed-use project for the University of Texas at Dallas in Richardson. The development team will expand on the Northside Phase 1 development by delivering 275 housing units and more than 6,600 square feet of retail space valued at $67 million as part of a public-private partnership. Situated on 12 acres, the second phase will include mid-rise apartments and townhomes totaling 900 beds, as well as shops, restaurants and entertainment venues to serve the 27,000 students, faculty, staff and young professionals of the university and greater Richardson area. Additionally, the new development will have a fitness facility, a resort-style pool, patio areas and spaces for small gatherings. Andres Construction will lead the overall design/build team, with Architecture Demarest as the lead design firm. Construction is underway, with completion slated for August 2018.
COLUMBUS, OHIO — The Columbus Downtown Development Corp. is seeking a national developer for a 21-acre mixed-use project at the Scioto Peninsula along the city’s waterfront. A request for qualifications (RFQ) was released on Friday. The Scioto Peninsula mixed-use development will include residential, commercial, office, retail and cultural amenities. The goal is to transform downtown Columbus and its waterfront areas into an active live, work and play environment for residents and visitors. The project will encompass 3.1 million square feet, including 1,575 to 1,800 apartments, up to 840,000 square feet of office space, 180,000 square feet of retail space and up to 240 hotel rooms. The Scioto Peninsula, located near the Scioto River, will be anchored by the National Veterans Memorial & Museum, which is slated to open in 2018, as well as the COSI science museum. The development site is adjacent to the Scioto Mile, Columbus’ system of waterfront parks, with easy access to recreational trails connecting to The Ohio State University, Victorian Village and other Columbus neighborhoods. RFQ submittals are due on March 27. A developer is expected to be chosen in July, and the project is expected to break ground in the first half of 2018.
CHICAGO — Blackstone and Equity Office have unveiled a $500 million investment plan to remake Willis Tower in downtown Chicago. The tower will be transformed with office, retail and entertainment space. This will be the first renovation for the tower, constructed in 1973. Approximately 460,000 square feet of existing space within the tower will be reconfigured. This includes 150,000 square feet of space for exclusive tenant use, including a full-service fitness center, expansive tenant lounges, private event space and concierge services. The plan also calls for more than 300,000 square feet of new retail, dining and entertainment space to be added to the base of the building, and a new 30,000-square-foot outdoor deck and garden space. Part of the investment will also focus on enhancing the tower’s 103rd floor Skydeck Chicago experience. Work to transform the tower is scheduled to begin this month, and will create an additional 2,500 jobs. San Francisco-based design firm Gensler designed the renovation. Gonzalez Architects designed the tenant-only office amenities, and Los Angeles-based Hetzel Design is overseeing the design concepts for the Skydeck enhancements. Design-build firm Turner Clayco will oversee the construction of the new Willis Tower.
FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. — Blackhawk Properties & Investments LLC plans to begin construction in May on the 550 Building, a seven-story office property located at 550 S. Andrews Ave. in downtown Fort Lauderdale. Demolition has begun on the site, which formerly housed the 30,734-square-foot Justice Building. Blackhawk purchased the site in 2013 for $3.6 million. Situated across from the new Broward County Judicial Complex, the 86,257-square-foot 550 Building will feature 7,500 square feet of ground-level retail and patio space and six floors of offices. The property will also feature an attached 663-space parking garage with 14,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space on the ground floor known as The SOLO Shoppes. The project team includes Kate Murphy of Collins Capital Partners, Thomas McDonald of Craven Thompson & Associates, William Murphy of Douglas Management and architect Falkanger, Snyder, Martineau and Yates. Blackhawk has hired Berger Commercial Realty/CORFAC International to market the 550 Building, which is slated for a spring 2018 delivery.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Rock Creek Property Group has broken ground on the repositioning of the historic Takoma Theatre located at 6833 4th St. N.W. in Washington, D.C.’s Takoma neighborhood. Situated two blocks from the Red Line’s Takoma Metro station, the theater opened in the 1920s and was one of the first theaters in the area to feature talking movies. Since its opening, the venue has hosted several performances and events, including an HBO comedy special by Chris Rock in 1996. Rock Creek plans to convert the asset into 23,000 square feet of office and retail space with 15- to 20-foot ceilings. The design team, including Cunningham | Quill Architects and Eichberg Construction, will open the new project this summer. Washington, D.C.-based Rock Creek has more than $100 million of ongoing projects in all stages of the development cycle.
NEW YORK CITY — Brooklyn Standard Properties has purchased a four-building mixed-use portfolio for $16.5 million. Fordham Apartments LLC sold the 56,836-square-foot portfolio that offers a total of 74 apartments, three retail spaces, office space and a 12-car parking lot. The portfolio includes a five-story, 22-unit building at 615 E. 189th St.; two four-story buildings at 2476 and 2483-2489 Cambreleng Ave. totaling 38 units; and a five-story, 14-unit mixed-use building at 2470 Belmont Ave. Aaron Jungreis of Rosewood Realty Group represented the buyer and seller in the deal.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — TriBridge Residential has broken ground on the retail portion of One305Central, a $50 million mixed-use development located in Charlotte’s Plaza Midwood neighborhood. The Shopping Center Group will market the 10,000 square feet of retail space and 2,000 square feet of patio space for dining and entertainment tenants. The project team for the retail portion, which will be housed in a redeveloped building located at the corner of Central and Clement avenues, includes Hood Architecture and Roper Construction. In addition to the retail space, One305 Central will also feature 281 apartments, which will be complete this summer, along with resident-only parking and 65 parking spaces allocated for retail and dining customers. TriBridge Residential acquired One305Central’s five-acre site in 2014 for $7.8 million. Citizens Bank provided construction financing for the mixed-use development.