BOSTON — Berkeley Investments has received approval from the Boston Planning & Development Agency to move forward with development of its 176 Lincoln mixed-use project in Boston’s Allston neighborhood. Plans call for Class A lab and R&D space, offices and apartment units. Designed by CBT, 176 Lincoln will be built on a five-acre site with two acres of landscaped open space. The two main commercial buildings will include 720,000 square feet of lab, R&D and office space. The project will also include onsite housing, including 252 apartment units with 10 live-work units for artists. The project will be situated within immediate proximity to Harvard’s recently completed Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, the Harvard Business School and the recent expansion of Harvard academic and cultural facilities such as the Harvard Innovation Labs. The expanding Harvard presence in Allston is establishing a new cluster for innovation and research in greater Boston, according to Berkeley. “With its location adjacent to Harvard’s growing Allston campus and its introduction of state-of-the-art, Class A lab space, 176 Lincoln will be an important addition to the rapidly growing life sciences, medical, academic research and corporate corridor stretching through Boston and into Cambridge,” says Young Park, …
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Whole Foods to Anchor $1B Mixed-Use Development in Downtown Greenville, South Carolina
by John Nelson
GREENVILLE, S.C. — Whole Foods Market has signed on to anchor Greenville County Square, a $1 billion mixed-use redevelopment project in downtown Greenville. Atlanta-based RocaPoint Partners is the developer behind the 3.5 million-square-foot live-work-play destination, which will modernize and activate 40 acres along University Ridge. The Austin, Texas-based grocer will occupy a standalone building designed by MVA Architects. Whole Foods is the first tenant announced, and RocaPoint is currently pursuing other credit-worthy retailers and restaurants to join the development. “Whole Foods Market will add to the development’s lively charm and represents the quality of the tenants we’re targeting to drive economic growth while simultaneously answering public interest at Greenville County Square,” says Patrick Leonard, principal of RocaPoint. The developer says that Greenville County Square will serve as a connective hub to the city’s outdoor-oriented attractions, namely Falls Park and the new Cancer Survivor’s Park. Additionally, the project is expected to connect with the historic Swamp Rabbit Trail, a 22-mile walking and biking path that runs along the Reedy River and connects Greenville to Travelers Rest, S.C. “This redevelopment is positioned to be the ideal walkable environment for residents and visitors with a strategic blend of office, hotels, residential, restaurant, entertainment and …
NEW YORK CITY — Newmark has arranged the $248 million refinancing of The Biltmore, a 51-story apartment tower in Manhattan’s Midtown West neighborhood. The borrower was a partnership between institutional investment firm BentallGreenOak and locally based developer Slate Property Group. Built in 2003, The Biltmore consists of 464 apartments and 47,397 square feet of commercial space. Units feature studio, one- and two-bedroom floor plans with quartz countertops, custom cabinetry and individual washers and dryers. Amenities include a fitness center with a yoga studio; rooftop terrace with entertainment areas; library with private conference rooms; communal dining room; and a game lounge. The Biltmore’s commercial space houses an array of food and beverage purveyors, convenience-oriented retailers, boutique fitness concepts and a medical office user. The property recently underwent a renovation that upgraded the lobby, amenity spaces and elevator systems. Ownership plans to use a portion of the newly issued proceeds to fund further capital improvements. Jordan Roeschlaub, Dustin Stolly, Nick Scribani and Chris Kramer of Newmark arranged the financing through two New York City-based firms, Square Mile Capital and Clarion Partners. “The multifamily market in New York City has been a strong performer despite the headwinds over the past few years and …
Fox Corp. Plans $1.5B Expansion to Historic Fox Studio Lot in Los Angeles, Including New Office Towers
by John Nelson
LOS ANGELES — Fox Corp. has submitted plans to the City of Los Angeles to expand the historic Fox Studio Lot as part of a project known as “The FOX FUTURE Studio Lot Project.” The plan is expected to cost approximately $1.5 billion and generate $9 million in annual tax revenues. The Fox Studio Lot currently comprises 1.8 million square feet across 96 buildings. The FOX FUTURE Studio Lot Project would add 1.6 million square feet of new development, including nine new soundstages, as well as production facilities and a 24-story media campus office building. The media campus office is intended to receive LEED Platinum certification and will feature shared and private offices designed for film and TV production. Fox is seeking a development partner to construct a 35-story building toward the northeast section of the Fox Studio lot that will directly connect to the studio lot and the Century City subway station, but will function as independent office space. This building will also be designed with LEED Platinum certification in mind. Plans also call for upgrades to existing facilities, a historic preservation plan for key buildings, seismic retrofits of older buildings and a renovation of Fox Sports Studio A. “The Fox …
DENVER — EMBREY has acquired 219,562 square feet of land in the Washington Virginia Vale neighborhood of Denver for the development of a Class A multifamily community. Located at 5231 Leetsdale Drive, the property is currently home to a small retail strip building and a hardwood flooring company. The buildings will be demolished to make way for the new development, which is set to offer 283 units upon completion. Travis Hodge and Tony Bobay of the Capstone Colorado land team represented the buyer in the acquisition of the development site. A timeline and further details on the project were not announced. EMBREY is also currently developing Belaire, a 354-unit multifamily community in Denver’s 40 West Arts District, which is scheduled for completion in 2025. The project is set to offer shared amenities including a pool, spa, outdoor cooking space, bike workshop and racks, ski gear lockers, lounge areas, a fitness and yoga center and dog park. “EMBREY has been part of the Denver community for 23 years, and over the past decade, the population has continued to soar,” says Executive Vice President Jimmy McCloskey. “We expect strong rental demand as the area continues to grow.” San Antonio-based EMBREY owns, develops, …
CHICAGO — Woodlawn Central LLC is moving forward with the development of Woodlawn Central, an $895 million mixed-use project spanning eight acres in Chicago’s Woodlawn neighborhood. The development team recently hired Transwestern Real Estate Services as its commercial real estate services provider. Woodlawn Central is poised to transform the area into a walkable, transit-oriented district with easy access to civic amenities such as the Obama Presidential Center, Jackson Park, the Museum of Science and Industry and the University of Chicago. Woodlawn’s Apostolic Church of God conceived and planned the project. The Network of Woodlawn, which was founded in 2009 to improve the neighborhood’s quality of life by building infrastructure to support better education, safety, health and economics, gave substantial input on the project. In addition to 870 homes ranging from affordable workforce options to market rate, luxury and seniors housing, Woodlawn Central will support a diverse range of Black businesses, creators, innovators and residents with much-needed community assets. Plans call for a 154-room hotel, small performance theater, vertical greenhouse and microgrid energy facility. The retail, hospitality, cultural, service, tech and transit options have been planned to nurture Black-owned businesses and generate employment opportunities for residents. According to the development team, …
Greystone Provides $257.2M Refinancing for 1,155-Unit The Beacon Apartments in Jersey City
by John Nelson
JERSEY CITY, N.J. — Greystone, a privately held commercial real estate financial services firm, has provided a $257.2 million loan for The Beacon, a six-building apartment complex in Jersey City totaling 1,155 units. The borrower, Building and Land Technology (BLT), is using the loan to refinance the construction loan stemming from the project’s adaptive reuse of a historic hospital. The Beacon opened as the Jersey City Medical Center Complex in 1936 before its conversion to high-end apartments between the early 2000s and 2016, according to Jersey Digs. Judah Rosenberg of Greystone originated the Freddie Mac loan, which features a 10-year term and fixed interest rate. John Alascio, Alex Hernandez, Alex Lapidus, Mitch Rothstein, Brian Whitmer, Niko Nicolaou and David Bernhaut of Cushman & Wakefield arranged the financing on behalf of BLT. “The property is ideally located at the intersection of three of Jersey City’s most populated neighborhoods and features unparalleled views of the New Jersey Gold Coast and Manhattan,” says Alascio. “The recently redeveloped complex features best-in-class amenities and a thoughtful community design offering tenants a convenient live-work-play environment.” Situated on 14 acres near Jersey City’s Journal Square, McGinley Square and Bergen Lafayette neighborhoods, The Beacon is located within two …
NEW YORK CITY — Walker & Dunlop has arranged a $131 million construction loan for a 240-unit multifamily project that will be located in the Long Island City area of Queens. The site at 23-10 42nd Road lies at the convergence of the borough’s Court Square and Queens Plaza districts. Preliminary sitework was completed last fall, and the development team expects to fully deliver the building in summer 2025. Apartments will be available in studio, one- and two-bedroom formats and will feature Class A finishes. Residents will have access to more than 15,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor amenities, including a fitness center, coworking spaces, sky lounge and multiple amenity terraces, all with views of the Manhattan skyline. A syndicate led by Corebridge Financial (formerly AIG) and Los Angeles-based PCCP LLC provided the floating-rate loan, specific terms of which were not disclosed. The borrower is locally based developer Werwaiss Properties, which has partnered with Albanese Development Corp. on the project. “This thoughtfully conceived residential tower in one of New York’s most rapidly growing, transit-rich neighborhoods will help create additional market-rate and attainable housing options in New York City,” says Brian Haber, managing director at PCCP. Jonathan Schwartz, Aaron Appel, …
Standard Communities Acquires 3,200-Unit Affordable Housing Portfolio in Florida, Georgia
by Jeff Shaw
LOS ANGELES — Standard Communities, an affordable housing developer and investor based in Los Angeles, has acquired controlling interest in an affordable housing portfolio of approximately 3,200 units in Florida and Georgia. The seller and price were not disclosed. This is Standard Communities’ largest acquisition to date. The portfolio includes the firm’s first acquisitions in Florida and first affordable housing acquisitions in Georgia. “Standard is expanding its portfolio in the Southeast to foster more thriving communities in the region,” says Jeffrey Jaeger, co-founder and principal of Standard Communities. “High-quality, well-maintained affordable housing is crucial to the well-being and livelihood of so many people.” Standard Properties is partnered with Apartment Life, a Dallas-based nonprofit organization that works to increase renters’ access to education and healthcare, foster community engagement, reduce food insecurity and provide opportunities for economic mobility. The firm plans to invest $25 million in capital improvements across the portfolio. Apartment Management Consultants and Arco Management Corp. will manage the properties. Also in Georgia, Standard Communities recently broke ground on a project in Savannah that will convert a 1920s-era Atlantic Coast Line Railroad office building into a 219-unit market-rate apartment community. — Channing Hamilton
N.R. Investments Starts Construction of $300M Rockwell District Mixed-Use Redevelopment in Whitehall, Ohio
by Katie Sloan
WHITEHALL, OHIO — N.R. Investments has started construction of a three-phase, $300 million mixed-use project located at the corner of East Broad Street and North Hamilton Road in the Columbus suburb of Whitehall. The development will be named Rockwell District, according to reports by Columbus Business First. The 50-acre project, which is being developed in partnership with the Central Ohio Community Improvement Corp. and the City of Whitehall, is set to include 1,000 residential units, 250,000 square feet of Class A office space and 75,000 square feet of retail and restaurants upon completion. The residential portion of the property will offer a mix of for-sale and for-rent units, 20 percent of which will be dedicated workforce housing. The redevelopment will be fully integrated with the adjacent Whitehall Community Park, an 80-acre nature park with access to Big Walnut Creek, walking paths and sport fields. N.R. Investments is the master developer for the project. Duany Plater-Zyberk, M + A Architects, Ruscilli Construction Co., EMH&T and additional community partners collaborated with N.R. Investments on the site plan for the development. Phase I is scheduled for completion in 2025. The Ohio Department of Development awarded a $4.2 million grant to the City of …