HUNTSVILLE, ALA. —Blackburn Development/YRG Hotel Group will break ground in January on the 150-room Springhill Suites hotel in Huntsville. Each unit includes a microwave and a mini-fridge, and the property features a conference area, a pool and a fitness center. Forum Architecture & Interior Design serves as the interior designer of the hotel. Delivery is expected in January 2010.
Southeast
OSCEOLA COUNTY, FLA. — Maesbury Homes, as owner and developer, has begun construction on the 124-unit Caleb’s Club Townhouses in Osceola County. The two-story townhouses will range in size from 1,680 square feet to 1,860 square feet. Property amenities include an indoor arcade, a fitness center with steam and sauna rooms, a pool and a 7,800-square-foot clubhouse. Altamonte Springs, Fla.-based Forum Architecture & Interior Design is serving as architect/interior designer for the community. KTD Consulting Engineers and ONM&J Structural Engineers will provide engineering assistance.
KENDALL, FLA. — Flagler Real Estate has broken ground on a 400,000-square-foot retail expansion to TIAA-CREF’s The Palms at Town & County. When the expansion is complete next fall, the property, located at 8268 Mills Dr. in Miami, will encompass 700,000 square feet of retail components and the 133,000-square-foot Professional Arts Center. An 88,783-square-foot Kohl’s has recently opened in the space, joining the first phase of tenants, New York & Co., Marshall’s, Men’s Warehouse, Nine West Outlet and Publix. The expansion will also bring a slew of specialty retail stores and restaurants to the open-air center.
ORLANDO, FLA. — Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Co. has leased 250,000 square feet at the SouthPark Center in Orlando from owner Flagler Development Group. The office space is spread across buildings 1300 and 1500 in the 18-building park. Houghton Mifflin will join Busch Entertainment Corp., Strayer University and Wyndham Vacation Resorts in the 2.9 million-square-foot center. Cushman & Wakefield’s Rick Solik and Gil Daley represented Houghton Mifflin in the lease.
MIAMI — With an eye toward building a 250-room Embassy Suites, HP Hotels has purchased 22,700 square feet of commercial land from an assemblage of three owners for $6.26 million. Brickell Station Associates, 1000 Brickell Ltd. and Metro Brickell Villas Ltd. banded together to sell the land, located at 1001 S.W. 1st Ave. in Miami. Louis Gallo of The Allen Morris Company and Max Puyanic of Commodore Realty brokered the transaction.
POMPANO BEACH, FLA. — CASH4GOLD has purchased the 39,000-square-foot Harris Computers warehouse from an undisclosed party for $3.45 million in cash. The 38-year-old building spans 3.4 acres at 2800 Gateway Dr. in Pompano Beach. Les Byron of Sperry Van Ness’ Fort Lauderdale office represented the seller, and Brenner Real Estate’s Jeffrey Scott represented the buyer.
DORAVILLE, GA. — Creative Corporate Strategists has sold a 15,000-square-foot warehouse to Camana Holdings for $1.9 million. The property is located at 3535 Best Friend Rd. in Doraville. Grubb & Ellis’ Dave Watson and Darren Ross represented the seller, and Vantage Realty Partners represented the buyer.
DULUTH, GA. — WEG Electric Corp. has leased 250,000 square feet at the Business Park at Sugarloaf, located at 6655 Sugarloaf Parkway in Duluth, from an undisclosed party. The company, which currently houses its headquarters in Suwanee, Ga., will occupy 50,000 square feet of the new building in 2010. Grubb & Ellis’ Dave Watson and Darren Ross represented WEG, and Brian Sutton of Duke Realty represented the landlord.
BIRMINGHAM, ALA. — Warren Higgins of Capmark Finance’s Horsham, Pa., office has secured a $19.5 million loan for Rodman Properties’ acquisition of the 315-unit Stonecrest Apartments. The loan was financed through Capmark’s Fannie Mae DUS program. The 26.5-acre property, located at One Stonecrest Dr. in Birmingham, features a clubhouse, a pool and tennis, volleyball and basketball courts. Stonecrest is 92 percent occupied.
MAITLAND, FLA. — The Morgan Group has completed vertical construction on the first phase of its 450-unit Village at Lake Lily mixed-use project. The property, located at 921 S. Orlando Ave. in Maitland, will also include 40,000 square feet of office, retail and restaurant space. Construction began in December 2007, and the first phase will deliver in early 2009, with a 2010 completion date set for the second phase.