GAINESVILLE, GA. — Cottrell, a locally based trailer manufacturer, will build a second manufacturing facility in Gainesville valued at $125 million. The 500,000-square-foot facility will serve as the Cottrell’s North Campus, adjacent to its existing South Campus in Hall County. Cottrell, which specializes in manufacturing trailers that haul cars (or auto haulers), opened its first facility in 1973 at 2125 Candler Road in Gainesville. The company expects land development and facility construction to take 24 to 30 months to complete and plans to break ground during the third quarter of 2021. Certain aspects of production will be transferred to the new North Campus facility when complete, while the existing buildings of the South Campus will be used to support future business growth. Cottrell currently employs more than 1,000 people at its Gainesville facility, and it is looking to hire more after the second facility is built. Kristi Brigman of Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) represented the Global Commerce Division on this project in partnership with the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce, the City of Gainesville and Jackson EMC.
TALLAHASSEE, FLA. — Olympia Hotel Management and Charleston-based developer Mountain Shore Properties have opened Hyatt House Tallahassee Capitol – University in Tallahassee. The 120-room hotel is located at 1100 Railroad Ave. in the city’s Railroad Square Art District. The five-story, 80,000-square-foot property features a large patio with outdoor bar service, an outdoor pool, fitness room, and an 846-square-foot meeting space. Additionally, 6,000 square feet of retail space is situated adjacent to the extended-stay hotel. Olympia Hotel Management is a Portland, Maine-based real estate firm focused on independent hotel management.
DOTHAN, ALA. — Bellwether Enterprise Real Estate Capital LLC has provided an $11.6 million HUD 221(d)(4) loan for the rehabilitation of an affordable housing community in Dothan. The 50-unit public housing property, Capstone at Kinsey Cove, is located at 1121 Kinsey Road. Jon Killough of Bellwether Enterprise’s Alabama office originated the loan on behalf of the borrower, an affiliate of The Banyan Foundation. The financing is part of HUD’s Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program, which allows housing authorities to access private capital to meet capital needs while also protecting long-term affordability. Capstone at Kinsey Cove includes a one-story office building and a one-story maintenance structure. Community amenities include a community room, business and computer lab, central laundry facility, playground, picnic area, off-street surface parking and onsite management. In addition to the HUD loan, the transaction’s capital stack includes 4 percent Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) syndicated by Raymond James Tax Credit Funds and subordinate loans provided by the Housing Authority of the City of Dothan. The rehabilitation total development cost will be $158,000 per unit. Upon rehabilitation, units will receive dishwashers, microwaves and vinyl plank flooring. The estimated completion date of the renovations is July 2022.
PIKESVILLE, MD. — MD Energy Advisors has provided a $3 million commercial property-assessed clean energy (CPACE) loan to Garver Development Group to fund renovations to the former Port City Press printing facility in Baltimore County. The 177,000-square-foot property is located at 1323 Greenwood Road in Pikesville. Garver Development acquired the facility in 2020. The former owner, a Pennsylvania-based entity doing business as 1323 Greenwood LLC, closed the plant in early 2018 and the site has remained vacant. CPACE is a financing structure in which building owners borrow money for energy efficiency, renewable energy, or other projects and make repayments via an assessment on their property tax bill, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. CPACE loans are non-recourse debt products on a 20- to 25-year term and amortization schedule and feature a fixed interest rate routinely under 6 percent. Garver Development plans to convert approximately two-thirds of the building into a use that will support self-storage under the Self Storage Plus brand, as well as storage options for cars and small recreational vehicles. The balance of the space, representing approximately 32,000 square feet, will be transformed into an area that can be used for various light industrial and warehouse applications. …
CAMBRIDGE, MASS. — The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has submitted plans for a 690-bed residence hall for graduate students at 269-301 Vassar St. on the university’s campus in Cambridge, according to reports by development tracking platform Bldup. The university will develop the project with American Campus Communities, according to reports, in order to “allow MIT the financial flexibility and resources necessary to expand bed capacity and expedite capital renewal improvements.” Further details on the development were not announced.
SANFORD, FLA. — Wendover Housing Partners, an Altamonte Springs, Fla.-based multifamily developer, has broken ground on Monroe Landings, a $16.3 million affordable housing community in Sanford. Wendover received $11.5 million in tax credit equity, $1.3 million from partner Orlando Housing Authority and a $2.8 million permanent loan from Neighborhood Lending Partners. Roger B. Kennedy Construction is overseeing the construction of the community. Located at 375 Oleander Ave. in Sanford, Monroe Landings will be a 60-unit, multifamily community with one-, two- and three-bedroom units. Community amenities will include a clubhouse with a gathering area and fireplace, resident computer center, pool, tot lot, gazebo with picnic tables, outdoor grills and a community gardening area. Rent is expected to start at $766 per month for one-bedroom units, $908 per month for two-bedroom units and $1,041 per month for three-bedroom units. Wendover expects to move residents in by the end of 2021 or beginning of 2022. In November 2013, HUD demolished an existing affordable housing community at the site after being deemed uninhabitable. Several hundred residents were displaced at the time the community was demolished. Wendover will offer the former residents the option to live at Monroe Landings when completed. The property will serve …
TACOMA, WASH. — NorthMarq has arranged $45 million in joint-venture equity between Trent Development and Bridge Investment Group for the development of Tacoma Plaza, an apartment community in Tacoma. Situated on 1.3 acres at 1502 Fawcett Ave., Tacoma Plaza will feature 368 apartments in a mix of studio, one- and two-bedroom units with private balconies and large windows. The community will offer two rooftop decks, two private courtyards and a dog spa. Completion is slated for 2023. Seattle-based Studio 19 Architects designed the project, while Gig Harbor-based Rush Commercial Construction is general contractor. Jake Leibsohn and Ron Peterson of NorthMarq secured the joint-venture equity.
WASHINGTON, D.C — Nuveen and joint venture partner Norges Bank Investment Management have completed the $18 million renovation of the Franklin Square office building at 1300 Eye St. NW in Washington, D.C. Will Stern, Eli Barnes, Lauryn Harris and Alston Offutt of Avison Young have been the leasing representatives for the 485,000-square-foot building for over 15 years. Washington, D.C.-based architecture firm Hickok Cole designed the renovation, which began in 2020. Some of the new features to the building involve the three-story glass entrance and include contemporary lighting and glass, soft-seating collaboration areas, new modern artwork, an in-lobby barista-operated café and lounge, additional modern security measures, new elevator cabs and elevator mechanical systems. Additional renovations include a 10,000-square-foot conference facility, six conference rooms, breakout areas, a catering kitchen, a 5,000-square-foot fitness facility, an onsite fitness trainer providing classes for building tenants and a bicycle room with bike maintenance stations, lockers, towel service and changing rooms. The building is LEED Gold-certified and features advanced air filtration via the building’s VAV HVAC system using MERV 15 air filters. An events/hospitality manager will be onsite to oversee the new facilities and help coordinate tenant events. The building also features a new mobile app that …
RICHMOND, VA. — T-Mobile U.S. Inc. has opened a 131,000-square-foot customer care center at White Oak Village, a mixed-use development in Richmond. Aston Capital converted a vacant, former Sam’s Club at White Oak Village into new Class A office space for T-Mobile. The Bellevue, Wash.-based mobile phone carrier is relocating approximately 500 employees from Richmond’s Short Pump area to the building with plans to eventually grow the staff to over 1,000. Charlotte-based Aston Capital acquired the White Oak Village building in February 2020 through an affiliate company, AC Richmond. The company then made renovations to the property, including a new exterior facade and renovated parking and landscaping. The firm also added employee amenities including exercise rooms, gaming room, onsite café and mother’s room. The $30 million project, which is adjacent to more than 900,000 square feet of retail, offices, restaurants and hotels at White Oak Village, was completed in October 2020. Since 2015, Aston Capital has repurposed over 500,000 square feet of former retail properties. Frampton Construction was the general contractor on the conversion and interior upfit, Timmons Group provided civil engineering services and McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture and JPC Architects were the architects on the project.
IRVING, TEXAS — CHRISTUS Health, a faith-based healthcare provider, will develop a new 400,000-square-foot corporate office building that will be located on a 4.2-acre parcel within Irving’s Las Colinas district. BOKA Powell is designing the building, which is expected to be complete in 2023 and will include outdoor patios, conference rooms and large areas for collaboration. Fidelis Healthcare Partners represented CHRISTUS Health in its site selection and pre-development planning. CHRISTUS Health, which is already headquartered in Irving, has a real estate footprint comprising almost 350 services and facilities, including more than 60 hospitals and long-term care facilities and 175 clinics and outpatient centers.