SARALAND, ALA. — Kennesaw, Ga.-based Ryla will bring a new regional headquarters, a corporate data center and a regional customer contact center to Saraland in June, creating 1,200 local jobs. The company is making an $8.5 million capital investment in the project and will welcome 400 new workers to the new property by early this summer; the 800 remaining jobs will be created by the end of 2011. In a press conference, Ryla President and CEO Mark Wilson explained that many locations in the Southeast were in the running for the new center, but Saraland stood out. “The decision is one that we’re confident is going to prove good for our company and good for the community,” he says.
Southeast
LARGO, MD. — Truman Drive LLC has borrowed a $4.2 million loan for its 284-unit Truman Park apartment complex. The Class A property, located on Harry S. Truman Drive in Largo, was built in 2002. Chris Black of KeyBank Real Estate Capital secured the Freddie Mac mortgage.
PERSON COUNTY, N.C. — With the help of Raleigh, N.C.-based Progress Energy, Carolina Solar Energy will develop a solar PV facility on 4 acres of land in the Person County Business and Industrial Center, located on U.S. 501 in Person County. The facility will be used to manufacture 837,000 kilowatt-hours of solar energy during its first year of production. Carolina Solar started planning the project last year in response to Progress Energy’s call for renewable energy proposals.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Falls Church, Va.-based Toshiba America Nuclear Energy Corp. will open a national project management and engineering center in Charlotte. The firm markets advanced boiling water nuclear reactors among other construction and engineering products associated with nuclear reactors. To help launch this new facility, the state has awarded Toshiba America, which is gearing up for the planned construction of two nuclear reactors in Houston, a job development investment grant. The $2.8 million facility is expected to generate 194 new jobs. Details of the project have not been announced.
JACKSONVILLE, FLA. — Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Meritage Hospitality Group has acquired 20 Wendy’s restaurants in Jacksonville from undisclosed sellers. The fast food properties represent 35 percent of the city’s Wendy’s restaurants. Meritage will undertake exterior and interior renovations to the properties and will also install operating and accounting systems.
TAMPA, FLA. — The law firm Cole, Scott and Kissane has leased 32,723 square feet of space in Crescent Resources’ 247,000-square-foot Corporate Center Four at International Plaza. The Class A office property is located on Boy Scout Boulevard in Tampa. Cole, Scott and Kissane leased the entire fourth floor of the eight-story property, which is now 55 percent leased. Patrick Duffy of Atlanta-based Newmark Knight Frank represented the tenant, and Sharon Bragg of Tampa-based Crescent Resources represented the tenant.
DORAL, FLA. — Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida has signed a 103,476-square-foot lease renewal with Prudential Insurance Co. of America for space in Westside Plaza 1. Blue Cross will occupy the space until 2014. The 363,328-square-foot property is located at 8400 N.W. 33rd St. in Doral. George I. Pino and Juan Ruiz of Coral Gables, Fla.-based Flagler Real Estate Services represented the landlord.
MIAMI — The local architecture firm Leo A Daly has been selected to design 60,000 square feet of retail space surrounding the new Florida Marlins baseball stadium in Miami. Nineteen companies were competing for the project, which is part of the 495,000 square feet of retail and commercial space planned to spread across four five-story structures. The project also includes designing the 5,800-space Stadium Site Parking Complex.
ORLANDO, FLA. — Orlando-based HuntonBrady Architects, the Florida headquarters of the Pizzuti Cos. and an undisclosed engineering company are the first to prelease space in the 11-story 777 N. Orange Ave. office tower in Orlando. These three leases account for 55,000 square feet of space in the development, which is slated to break ground later this year. The Class A LEED property, which is being developed by Pizzuti Cos., is part of a three building project, spanning 777, 757 and 737 N. Orange Ave. Delivery of the 777 building is slated for early 2011. Jamie Barati and Todd Davis of Colliers Arnold’s Orlando office are marketing the property.
GLEN BURNIE, MD. — The Children’s Guild and The Monarch Academy have signed leases with Platt Development Group to occupy space at 6730 Baymeadow Dr. in Glen Burnie. Monarch, an arts and technology-based school, has signed a 24,320-square-foot lease that carries an option to expand by 13,000 square feet. The lease can be extended for the next 25 years. By 2012, the school hopes to house 600 kids in grades K-8. The Children’s Guild, a special-education charter school, has signed a 25-year lease for 17,621 square feet. Greg Masi of Columbia, Md.-based Manekin represented both tenants, and Sage Platt represented Platt Development Group internally.