PARAMUS, N.J. — Barnes & Noble has opened a 35,000-square-foot store in the Northern New Jersey community of Paramus. The bookseller is backfilling a space formerly occupied by Big Lots at 765 Route 17 S. Marc Palestina of New Jersey-based brokerage firm The Goldstein Group represented Barnes & Noble in the lease negotiations. Joe Dougherty of Metro Commercial represented Big Lots, which previously occupied the space.
By Ryan Johnson and Tyler Grisham, managing partners and market leaders, SRS Real Estate Partners Those who live and work in Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) should be grateful for the metroplex’s strong fundamentals. There are a lot of macro-level factors that are out of whack and hurting the commercial real estate business, but there are also a lot of macro factors working in favor of DFW that not many major markets in the United States can claim. Thinking glass half-full, DFW has enjoyed exceptional growth in employment, housing and population over the last decade. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, DFW now boasts nearly 8 million residents, which makes it the nation’s fourth-largest metropolitan area. According to the Dallas Regional Chamber, 14 major companies relocated to North Texas in 2023 — Kelly Moore Paint Co., Inbenta, McAfee Corp., Frontier Communications and West Shore Homes, among others. Thinking glass half-empty, DFW has sky-high construction costs, the highest interest rates in recent memory, highest exit cap rates/lowest valuations in recent memory and just a general market mentality that causes developers, banks and investors to exercise great caution. Active Segments, Trends Given these challenges, it may be surprising that there are retailers that are …
MIAMI — Terra and Grass River Property, two Miami-based development firms, have completed construction of Grove Central, a transit-oriented, mixed-use development in Miami’s Coconut Grove neighborhood. The property comprises a 23-story apartment tower, 1,250-space public parking garage and 170,000 square feet of retail space leased to tenants including Target and Sprouts Farmers Market. Grove Central is a public-private partnership between the co-developers and Miami-Dade County, which owns the land. The development is located at the intersection of US Highway 1 and SW 27th Avenue and connects to the adjacent Coconut Grove Metrorail Station. The project interfaces directly with The Underline, a 10-mile linear park that stretches from the Dadeland South Metrorail Station to the Miami River in downtown’s Brickell district, as well as Miami-Dade County’s bus system and the City of Miami’s trolley network. According to Terra and Grass River Property, Grove Central generated more than 1,600 construction jobs during its development and nearly 500 permanent full-time and part-time positions. The project has also spurred tens of millions of dollars in lease revenue to Miami-Dade County, which can collect property tax revenues for the first time in the site’s history. “Grove Central is an exciting milestone and a shining example …
Commercial property conversions can offer significant advantages over conventional ground-up real estate developments. Conversions can provide a head start on construction with established entitlements, existing structures, in-place utilities and entry to choice locations in otherwise built-out submarkets. Consider the Universal Buildings, Post Brothers’ conversion of two 1960s-era office buildings into more than 600 residential units and ground-floor retail just north of the District of Columbia’s Dupont Circle. The 15-story complex will feature a two-level, glass-walled fitness and recovery center with more than 10,000 square feet of training zones, equipment and classrooms. The developer is housing the fitness center and other amenities in a new atrium that replaces the upper levels of structured parking originally built within one of the former office buildings. “The location is incredible — there is probably no greater location in any major city in the country for conversion,” says Josh Guelbart, Post Brothers’ Co-Chief Operating Officer. “Having the entire block means we have light, air and hilltop views of Kalorama, Adams Morgan and Dupont Circle, three of the finest residential neighborhoods in the District. There isn’t room for new buildings of scale in those neighborhoods, and that really made this existing, large building attractive to us.” …
STARKVILLE, MISS. — Mississippi State University has announced plans for an $80 million residence hall development on its campus in Starkville. The five-story project will span 155,000 square feet and offer 400 beds. The development is also set to include a dining hall, offices, a storm shelter and shared amenity spaces. The development team for the project includes Roy Anderson Corp. and Wier Boerner Allin Architecture. Construction is expected to begin in February with completion scheduled for spring 2025.
LAKE WORTH, FLA. — The Altman Cos. has opened Altís Blue Lake, a 318-unit apartment community in Lake Worth, roughly 40 miles outside of Fort Lauderdale. Located on Jog Road, the property comprises residences in one-, two- and three-bedroom layouts. The community’s 6,000-square-foot clubhouse features a heated swimming pool with cabanas, grilling stations and a pavilion. Amenities at the community also include a 24-hour fitness center, cyber café, a private conference room, game room, wellness treatment room, dog spa, multi-purpose trail and a pet park. Monthly rental rates at the community begin at $2,110, according to the property website.
PENSACOLA, FLA. — Go Store It Self Storage, an affiliate of Madison Capital Group, has opened a new, 530-unit self-storage facility at 3670 N. L St. in Pensacola. Totaling 530 units, the property features climate control, as well as recorded video surveillance and keypad access for security. BenCo Construction completed the project, an adaptive reuse of a former office building, on behalf of Go Store It. Monthly rental rates at the property begin at $36, according to the facility website.
CHATTANOOGA, TENN. — Urban Story Ventures has acquired a 169,000-square-foot manufacturing facility located at 3800 Amnicola Highway in Chattanooga. New York City-based Arcade Beauty sold the property, which includes two buildings comprising 130,000 and 39,000 square feet, respectively. The larger building features climate-controlled areas and fire suppression, and the second building offers office and industrial flex space. Additionally, the site includes 9.8 acres of undeveloped land zoned for manufacturing. Urban Story will serve as the landlord and property manager for the site as Arcade Beauty transitions to a new location in Chattanooga. The sales price was not disclosed.
DURHAM, N.C. — Urban Standard Capital has provided an $8 million loan to finance the construction of 555 Abranova, an apartment development in Durham, near the city’s downtown and Research Triangle Park. Abranova Real Estate is the borrower and developer. Upon completion, the property will feature 48,000 square feet of residential space across 37 units, with 5,000 square feet and 1,500 square feet of coworking and retail space, respectively. Other amenities will include a gym, yoga studio, outdoor terrace with grills and a communal lounge. Residents will also have access to the basketball court, dog park and walking paths within the developer’s adjacent townhome project. Site work has been completed at 555 Abranova, and completion is expected for either the fourth quarter of this year or the first quarter of 2025.
AUSTIN, TEXAS — Canadian developer Northland Living has unveiled plans for Luminary, a 35-story multifamily tower that will be located at the northwest corner of 14th and Guadalupe streets in downtown Austin. Designed by Page Southerland Page, Luminary will feature 286 condos in one-, two- and three-bedroom floor plans, 4,800 square feet of retail space, one floor of office space and a six-story parking garage. The Luminary will also offer a pool, fitness center and other indoor and outdoor amenities. A construction timeline was not disclosed.