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CLEVELAND — Spark GHC and Cleveland Construction Inc. have formed a joint venture to redevelop a 400,000-square-foot office building in downtown Cleveland into mixed-use space. Dubbed Project Scarlet, the $100 million development involves the adaptive reuse of the Rose Building, which formerly served as the headquarters of insurance company Medical Mutual. The joint venture plans to transform the property into a boutique hotel with apartment units and ground-floor retail space. The project team says the development will not only breathe new life into a historic structure, but also address the evolving needs of the Cleveland community for contemporary living spaces and upscale hospitality offerings. Founded in 1934, Medical Mutual is the oldest and one of the largest health insurance companies based in Ohio. The Rose Building had served as the home of Medical Mutual since 1947, but the insurer announced in late 2022 that it would leave the downtown offices for its suburban headquarters in Brooklyn, Ohio, according to Cleveland.com. Since 2020, the Cleveland market has emptied nearly 2.4 million square feet of office space due to negative absorption, according to Newmark. The office vacancy rate increased to 23.4 percent in the first quarter of 2024, up 50 basis points …

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CLAYTON, N.C. — Novo Nordisk, a Danish pharmaceutical giant, has broken ground on a 1.4 million-square-foot manufacturing facility in the Raleigh suburb of Clayton. The drugmaker plans to invest $4.1 billion in the development in order to boost the production of diabetes treatment Ozempic, weight loss drug Wegovy and other injectable therapies. Operations at the 56-acre site will include filling and packaging syringes and injection pens. According to CNBC, the demand for Wegovy and Ozempic has outstripped supply in the United States over the past year. The disparity has led to “intermittent shortages,” reports the national news outlet. In 2024 alone, Novo Nordisk is investing $6.8 billion into pharmaceutical production, up from approximately $4 billion last year. “It took us a century to reach 40 million patients, but through this expansion and continued investment in our global production, we’re building Novo Nordisk’s ability to serve millions more people living with serious chronic diseases in the future,” says Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen, president and CEO of Novo Nordisk. “This is yet another real signal of our efforts to scale up our production to meet the growing global need for our life-changing medicines and the patients of tomorrow.” The expansion project will double …

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Toyota-Texas-San-Antonio

SAN ANTONIO — Toyota is planning a $531 million expansion of its manufacturing facility in San Antonio, which is informally known as Toyota Texas. The initiative is expected to create more than 400 new full-time jobs. The centerpiece of the expansion will be the development of a new 500,000-square-foot facility that will be dedicated to producing drivetrain parts such as transmission systems, driveshafts, axles and wheels. A construction timeline was not disclosed. The Japanese automaker’s San Antonio plant spans about 2,000 acres and has been in operation for nearly two decades. The facility is the exclusive home of the Tundra truck and all-hybrid Sequoia SUV, both of which are assembled on the same production line. The plant rolled out approximately 181,000 new vehicles in 2023 alone. To date, Toyota’s investment in the facility and the surrounding regional economy is approximately $4.7 billion. “Toyota Texas’ $531 million investment to expand its manufacturing facility in San Antonio and create over 400 good-paying jobs is a testament to Texas’ unmatched business-friendly environment, low taxes and skilled workforce,” says Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. — Taylor Williams

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COLUMBIA, S.C. — Landmark Properties has acquired a 67-acre development site located near the University of South Carolina campus in Columbia. Landmark plans to construct an 826-bed cottage-style student housing community at the site. The community will offer fully furnished units in two- through six-bedroom floor plans. Landmark will begin construction imminently and plans to deliver the project in August 2026.  Units will be wired for high-speed internet and will feature hardwood-style laminate floors, quartz countertops, stainless-steel appliances and full-sized washers and dryers. Community amenities will include an outdoor pool complex with a sun deck, cabanas, hammocks, a Jumbotron and outdoor grilling stations; a sand volleyball court; sports simulator; fire pits; a 24-hour fitness center; study spaces; and a computer lab. Residents will also have access to a complimentary shuttle service for commuting to and from the University of South Carolina campus and downtown Columbia. Landmark Cottage Construction, the company’s in-house general contractor, will manage construction of the project. The development site is situated at 1050 Idlewild Blvd., less than a mile from the university’s Williams-Brice football stadium. The site is located adjacent to a parcel earmarked for the University of South Carolina’s stadium project, a $1 billion modernization initiative …

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William-Vale

NEW YORK CITY — EOS Hospitality has acquired The William Vale, a luxury hotel located at 111 N. 12th St. in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn in New York City. The property was purchased for $177 million through a bankruptcy sale. The acquisition by stalking horse bidder EOS followed a three-year ownership restructuring and litigation process, which was led by Asaf Ravid of All Year Holdings Ltd. The transaction was approved by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York in late May and resulted in the full payment of all outstanding secured bonds. Developed in 2016 by Riverside Developers, The William Vale rises 21 stories and offers 183 rooms. The property is one of four luxury hotels in Brooklyn and features eateries by restaurateur Andrew Carmellini, 7,300 square feet of indoor and outdoor function spaces, retail and office space. Eastdil Secured and A&G Real Estate Partners arranged the sale of the property. The partnership also secured the sale of the Williamsburg Hotel, a 147-room property also located in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, last summer.  Manhattan-based EOS Hospitality is a full-service hospitality management company with a portfolio ranging from budget-conscious to five-star luxury properties.  —Katie Sloan 

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KNOXVILLE, TENN.— Subtext has started development of VERVE Knoxville, a 498-bed student housing property located at 1919 Lake Ave. adjacent to the University of Tennessee campus in Knoxville. The community will span 329,294 square feet, including nine floors of residential space and a five-level parking garage. The development will offer 136 fully furnished units in one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom configurations. More than 12,500 square feet of shared amenity spaces will include a wellness suite with sauna and meditation rooms; state-of-the-art fitness center and yoga studio; study pods and open study lounges; a pool terrace; and rooftop deck and lounge. The project is scheduled for completion in summer 2026. The development team includes general contractor Brinkmann Constructors and architect Dynamik Design. The community is Subtext’s second development in the Knoxville market following TENN, which opened in 2018. St. Louis-based Subtext, founded in 2014, is a student housing and multifamily developer. — Kristin Harlow and Katie Sloan

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400-Lake-Shore_Chicago

CHICAGO — Related Midwest has broken ground on 400 Lake Shore, a multifamily project in the Streeterville neighborhood on the Near North Side of Chicago. Situated on a waterfront site where Lake Michigan meets the Chicago River, the two-tower development will occupy the last undeveloped parcel at the location. 400 Lake Shore’s first phase will feature a 72-story, 858-foot tower. The building will feature 635 apartments, with 20 percent of the residences (127 units) designated as affordable housing. Units will include studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments.  Related Midwest’s in-house contracting company, LR Contracting Co., will build the first phase of the project with BOWA Construction. Skidmore, Owings & Merrill designed the development, with building interiors designed by MAWD. Stantec is serving as the architect of record.  Related will also lead the development of a 3.3-acre park — with a $10 million commitment from the company — and an extension of the Chicago Riverwalk, in conjunction with the construction of the first tower. Dubbed DuSable Park, the park will comprise a portion of the 4.5 acres of public space included in the 400 Lake Shore project, which will also feature a plaza with amenities, two-story podium and public art. The …

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Waldorf-Astoria-Hotel-&-Residences-Miami

MIAMI — PMG, a development and investment firm with offices in New York City and Miami, has received a $668 million construction loan for the Waldorf Astoria Hotel & Residences Miami. Located at 300 Biscayne Blvd, the building will rise more than 1,000 feet and will house 387 private residences and 205 hotel rooms and suites, as well as retail and restaurant space. The latter component will include Peacock Alley, a concept that is part of the Waldorf Astoria band. The Waldorf Astoria is part of the Hilton Hotels (NYSE: HLT) family of brands. Christopher Peck, Chris Drew, Brian Gaswirth, Jimmy Calvo and Mateo Bolivar of JLL arranged the financing through Arkansas-based Bank OZK and New York City-based Related Fund Management on behalf of PMG. According to South Florida Business Journal, condo sales launched in 2021, and the formal groundbreaking took place in 2022. At the time of the loan closing, more than 90 percent of the residences had been pre-sold. Vertical construction of the property is slated for mid-2028 completion. Hotel guests and residents will have access to a shared suite of amenities. These will include: Residents of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel & Residences Miami can also utilize a …

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NORTHBROOK, ILL. — Pine Tree, in partnership with a state pension fund, has purchased six open-air shopping centers from SITE Centers Corp. (NYSE: SITC) for $495 million.  The portfolio comprises 2.5 million square feet and includes properties in metros such as Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Columbus, Ohio; Cincinnati; Phoenix; and Portland, Oregon. The assets included in the portfolio are: The portfolio’s retail anchors include Kroger, New Seasons Market, The Fresh Market, Target, Ulta Beauty, Nordstrom Rack, Dick’s Sporting Goods and 13 stores leased by TJX Cos. Pine Tree is a retail developer and management company based in Northbrook, Illinois. The deal, which was sourced off-market, brings Pine Tree’s assets under management to a total of approximately $2.5 billion and 20 million square feet. SITE Centers is a retail REIT based in Beachwood, Ohio. The SITC stock price opened at $14.56 on Friday, June 14, up slightly from $13.19 one year prior. — Channing Hamilton

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Alamo-Drafthouse

CULVER CITY, CALIF. AND AUSTIN, TEXAS  — Sony Pictures Entertainment has acquired theater chain Alamo Drafthouse Cinema from Altamont Capital Partners, Fortress Investment Group and founder Tim League for an undisclosed price.  Alamo Drafthouse was founded in 1997 in Austin, and has grown from a single mom-and-pop location to 35 cinemas across 25 metropolitan areas. The company is the seventh-largest theater chain in North America and was one of the pioneers of the in-theater elevated food and drink concept.  Alamo Drafthouse will maintain its headquarters in Austin and will continue to operate all of its locations, as well as the company’s Fantastic Fest film festival, which was included in the acquisition. Sony will manage these entities under a newly established division, Sony Pictures Experiences, led by Alamo Drafthouse CEO Michael Kustermann.  The acquisition is groundbreaking, as it was recently made possible through the Department of Justice’s decision in 2020 to rescind the Paramount Decrees. Put into place by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1948, the Decrees mandated a separation between film distribution and exhibition, requiring major motion picture studios to divest of any theater holdings.  “We are excited to make history with Sony Pictures Entertainment and have found the right home …

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