DUBLIN AND PETALUMA, CALIF. — Regency Centers, in partnership with SoCore Energy and several of its retail partners, has installed over 750 kilowatts of rooftop solar photovoltaic systems at Persimmon Place in Dublin and East Washington Place in Petaluma. Combined, the systems include approximately 2,500 modules and are expected to produce over 1.2 million kilowatt hours of electricity each year.
LOUISVILLE, KY. — Brown-Forman Corp., a Louisville-based spirits and wine company, has released 11 new renderings that detail its design for the new Old Forester Distillery, a 60,000-square-foot bourbon distilling operation and visitor experience located at 117 and 119 Main St. along Louisville’s historic “Whiskey Row.” Brown-Forman expects to produce 100,000 cases of Old Forester, a 146-year-old bourbon brand, annually at the new operation. Old Forester Distillery is scheduled to be complete by late 2017.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Beacon Partners has signed two leases with restaurateur Deedee Mills for two new dining concepts at 500 East Morehead, a seven-story office building in Uptown Charlotte. The 178,000-square-foot property is currently under construction. The two new dining concepts include The Packhouse, a Southern-themed restaurant, and Joe and Nosh, a quick service breakfast and lunch destination and coffee shop. Charles Thrift of Collett & Associates represented Beacon Partners in the lease transaction.
HOUSTON — Lionstone Investments and Midway plan to rebrand the buildings located at 712 and 708 Main St. in downtown Houston as “The Jones on Main.” The property, once known as the Gulf Oil Building, is the current Houston banking headquarters for JPMorgan Chase & Co. The name pays tribute to Houston businessman and philanthropist Jesse Jones, who commissioned the building in 1927. The Art Deco tower dominated was the city’s tallest building until 1963. Proposed renovations to the site include ground-level connection of the two buildings, the addition of high-end interior amenities, as well as new street-level restaurant and retail spaces along Main and Rusk streets. New storefronts, the addition of sidewalk patios and a nearby bike valet are designed to enliven and activate the streetscape. Historic interior details, including original frescoes illustrating the history of Texas and Houston in the Main Street lobby, will be integrated into a new public space featuring communal tables and lounge seating called the Currency Lounge. Lionstone Investments purchased the property in 2013. The property is located at intersecting MetroRail lines and the downtown tunnel system, making it easily accessible. JPMorgan Chase remains the building’s main tenant, occupying nearly 452,000 square feet of office …
LANSING, MICH. — Chick-fil-A will break ground next week on a freestanding store in Lansing, kicking off the restaurant chain’s expansion across the state. Chick-fil-A will open 15 to 20 new stores within the next five years. The first building, to be located at 5617 W. Saginaw Highway in Lansing, is slated for completion this fall. The 4,971-square-foot restaurant will feature seating for 132 people with additional patio seating. The building will also include two drive-thru lanes. The second store is expected to open at Troy’s Somerset Collection by the end of the year. The remainder of the stores in the expansion will open at a rate of approximately three to four stores per year, and the franchise is considering additional locations in Kalamazoo, metro Detroit and Grand Rapids. Chick-fil-A currently operates two stores in the state of Michigan, one at Detroit Metropolitan Airport and one on the Oakland University campus in Rochester.
LOUISVILLE, KY. — Hilton Worldwide has opened a dual-branded Hampton Inn by Hilton Louisville East/Hurstbourne and Home2 Suites by Hilton East/Hurtsbourne in Louisville. The 160-room property is owned and operated by Kana Hotel Group. The property is situated at 1150 Forest Bridge Road with access to the University of Louisville and the Louisville International Airport. The property has two separate lobbies and dining areas. The Hampton portion features a breakfast area, to-go breakfast bags Monday through Friday, free Wi-Fi, 24-hour business center and a 24-hour fitness center. The Home2 Suites portion features fully equipped kitchens, modular furniture, complimentary Internet, community spaces, pet-friendly rooms and trademark Home2 Suites amenities such as Home2 MKT for grab-and-go items and Spin2 Cycle, a combined laundry and fitness area. The property will also feature a heated indoor saline pool and outdoor patio with a grill area.
NEW YORK CITY — InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has opened Holiday Inn Brooklyn Nevins Station at 300 Schermerhorn St. in downtown Brooklyn. The 81,000-square-foot hotel was developed by K.K. and Sanjeev Mehta. Designed by Gene Kaufman Architect, the 15-story property features 246 guest rooms, including a 400-square-foot Presidential Suite and a 250-square-foot Junior Suite. On-site amenities include entertainment and meeting facilities; a 1,200-square-foot outdoor terrace; 4,000 square feet of dining, bar and lounge options; an indoor pool; and fitness center.
SAN CARLOS, CALIF. — R.D. Olson Development has broken ground on the 204-room Residence Inn by Marriott Silicon Valley in San Carlos. The hotel will be located at 595 Industrial Road. Residence Inn by Marriott Silicon Valley is situated immediately adjacent to the 101 Freeway, within two miles of Oracle’s headquarters. The area is home to 16 Fortune 500 companies, including Apple, Intel, Facebook and Google. The hotel will offer 1,500 square feet of meeting and pre-function space, a fitness center, full-service business center, pool, spa, and an outdoor patio with fire pits and a sports court. Deacon Corp. will build the hotel, which DLR Group will design.
BOISE, IDAHO — EdR and Boise State University have broken ground on a nearly $40 million Honors College and first-year residence hall. The 236,000-square-foot development is scheduled for completion in fall 2017. The honors-dedicated living-learning center and freshman housing community will feature 235 two- and four-person, private and semi-private suite-style units. A number of apartment-style units will also be included to provide alternatives for upper-division students in the Honors College. The five-story building will feature classrooms, study lounges, honors offices and dining facilities along with Internet capabilities and Wi-Fi access. EdR has financed the nearly $40 million development through its on-campus equity plan, which uses the company’s equity and financial stability to fund projects on university land. In their agreement, EdR provides financing, oversees development and construction, and is responsible for maintenance and management while Boise State provides residence life services.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — SunTrust Banks Inc. has closed $32.3 million in financing to fund Phase III of the Town Hall Education Arts Recreation Campus (THEARC), a cultural, educational and social services center located in southeast Washington, D.C. THEARC is run by Building Bridges Across the River (BBAR), a nonprofit established by W.C. Smith for the purpose of building and managing the facility, including THEARC Theater and THEARC Farm. In addition to BBAR, THEARC houses nine nonprofit partners and provides dance, art and music classes, medical and dental care, afterschool activities, performances, education and social services to underserved communities in D.C.’s Wards 7 and 8. Phase III of THEARC will add approximately 92,000 square feet to the existing 110,000-square-foot development. The new addition will be home to an expanded clinic run by Children’s National Medical Center, Appletree Institute for Education Innovation Inc. (classroom, training and administrative space), the Bishop Walker School for Boys and The Phillips Collection. The new building will also include a black box theater. The project will be completed in 2017. The deal was led by SunTrust Community Capital and included $32.3 million in New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) allocations. Three community development entities (CDEs) each contributed $10 …
