NEW YORK CITY — Co-developers Hidrock Properties and The Buccini/Pollin Group have topped out Embassy Suites New York – Midtown Manhattan, the first Embassy Suites hotel in New York City. Located at 60 W. 37th St., the 40-story, 310-suite hotel features the Design Option III concept, which decreases the amount of land needed while increasing efficiencies in the development process. Designed by Peter Poon Architects, the hotel will feature a lobby bar, a café with adjoining roof deck on the third floor, amenity space on the fourth floor, and an adjacent three-level parking garage with access on 36th Street. The hotel is scheduled to open in early 2017.
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GIG HARBOR, WASH. — Emerald Communities, a Seattle-based operator, has started construction of Heron’s Key, a 275-unit continuing care retirement community (CCRC) in Gig Harbor, approximately 40 miles southwest of Seattle. Being built on 18 acres of woodlands in the Harbor Hill neighborhood of Gig Harbor, Heron’s Key is more than 70 percent pre-leased. The first construction phase will include 194 apartment and cottage homes, 36 assisted living suites and 45 private skilled nursing rooms. Amenities built during this phase include multiple dining venues, a salon and barber shop, massage and day spa, nature walking trails and pond, fitness center, and onsite health center. This will be the first CCRC in the county, and the largest project ever built in Gig Harbor, according to Emerald Communities. The first phase is slated to open in early 2017.
CARSON, CALIF. — KTGY Architecture + Planning has unveiled the design for Vintage Real Estate’s retailer expansion at SouthBay Pavilion, a 1.2 million-square-foot enclosed shopping center located in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson. KTGY worked with Vintage Real Estate to redesign the mall’s over-all lease plan to make way for a new 17,000-square-foot F21 RED store, and new retail and food tenants, as well as new flooring, restrooms and other upgrades to the property. The firm adapted Forever 21’s F21 RED brand for the new SouthBay Pavilion store, which includes floor-to-ceiling display window boxes, textured wall treatments and red metal panels. The expansion includes food concepts Wing Stop, Jamba Juice, Chile Verde Mexican Food and health retailer Vitamin World. The anticipated completion date for the redevelopment is early 2017.
LOWELL, MASS. — WinnDevelopment has secured financing to transform the 170-year-old Adden Building, a historic mill in Lowell, into market-rate apartments. The $15.5 million adaptive reuse project will complete a three-building residential development effort for the 15-acre Hamilton Canal District. Construction of the 88,000-square-foot building is expected to start immediately, with completion slated for summer 2017. Designed by The Architectural Team, the project will feature 73 market-rate apartments and two units restricted to households with incomes at or below 60 percent of area median income. The unit mix will be 47 one-bedroom units, 11 one-bedroom units with dens and 17 two-bedroom apartments. The project is a joint venture between WinnDevelopment, Banc of America CDC and the Architectural Heritage Foundation. Dellbrook Construction is serving as general contractor for the project, which is situated between the 52-unit Counting House Lofts and the 173-unit Loft Two Seven.
SUGAR LAND, TEXAS — Heavy Construction Systems Specialists (HCSS) has moved into a new office building located at 13151 W. Airport Blvd. in Sugar Land. Designed by Studio RED and built by Rosenberger Construction, the commercial office building features a climbing rope net in the lobby and an adult slide. HCSS’s goal was to create a fun, energetic and creative atmosphere to serve as a catalyst for retaining and recruiting talent. The 15,400-square-foot building, intended for HCSS’s software development group, is organized into pods that accommodate six to eight employees. A lounge space joins the pods together and is open to both floors. Conference rooms, manager offices and support spaces are also included.
ELDERSBURG, MD. — Black Oak Associates has completed the $60 million redevelopment of Eldersburg Commons, a 300,000-square-foot shopping center formerly known as Carrolltown Mall. The retail development is located at 6400 Ridge Road in Eldersburg in Carrolltown County. The official grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony is set for June 16. The project is anchored by a 190,000-square-foot Walmart Supercenter, which opened last fall. The redevelopment has attracted 17 new retailers, including AT&T, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Dental Care at Eldersburg Commons, Jimmy John’s, MOD Pizza, Noodles & Co., Olympia Sports, Petco, Sleepy’s, T.J. Maxx, Ulta Beauty and The Vitamin Shoppe. Other tenants opening later this year include Hair Cuttery, Luxury Nails & Spa, Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt and Sunny’s Fine Wines & Liquors. Eagle Realty served as Black Oak’s lending partner for the redevelopment. The project team includes leasing broker KLNB Retail, civil engineer Development Design Consultants, general contractor Glen Arm Building Co., traffic engineer The Traffic Group, traffic consultant Lenhart Traffic Consulting, architect Banta Campbell Architects and civil engineer Kimley-Horn.
NORFOLK, VA. — Simon Property Group has begun construction on Norfolk Premium Outlets, a 332,000-square-foot outlet mall located at I-64 and Northampton Boulevard in Norfolk. Set to open in summer 2017, the property will feature 85 designer and name-brand retailers, as well as a Market Hall with multiple dining options. Simon expects the new outlet mall to create 500 full-time construction jobs and 800 full- and part-time jobs upon completion. Norfolk Premium Outlets will serve the Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake and Hampton Roads markets in Virginia.
INDIANAPOLIS — Indianapolis Public Schools has selected Hendricks Commercial Properties to develop a former Coca-Cola bottling plant in downtown Indianapolis. The $260 million mixed-use project will encompass over 1 million square feet of space and be situated on 11 acres. The proposed development will include a boutique hotel, retail, residential units, entertainment options, creative office spaces, educational facilities and structured parking. The development will be located along Massachusetts Avenue, an arts and entertainment district.
DOWNERS GROVE, ILL. — Novak Construction has finished remodeling a 5,000-square-foot Panera Bread restaurant in Downers Grove, approximately 25 miles west of Chicago. Interior renovations included demolition, new millwork, fabric panels and wall coverings, new ceilings, light fixtures, specialty artwork installations, flooring, bathrooms and kitchen line equipment. Exterior renovations included new signage, metal canopies, ornamental and decorative façade elements and outdoor seating with an overhead trellis.
CHICAGO — Novak Construction has completed work on a 15,000-square-foot restaurant in downtown Chicago. Portillo’s is a two-story eatery offering Italian beef, hot dogs and cake among other menu items. The project is the second Portillo’s location in downtown Chicago. The building features two patios, a drive-thru, an elevator and a vintage car on display.