CINCINNATI — Kroger has opened its Culinary Innovation Center in downtown Cincinnati. Construction began on the 12,000-square-foot test kitchen and education center in March 2017. The facility will be used for accelerating product development, producing new recipes for Prep + Pared Meal Kits, exploring new restaurant concepts, hosting food tastings and focus groups and increasing associates’ culinary knowledge, according to Daniel Hammer, Kroger’s vice president of culinary development and new business.
MADISON, WIS. — McShane Construction Co. has opened a new office in Madison. The company will occupy space on the fifth floor of a property located at 25 W. Main St. A native of Madison, Alison Gorham will lead the office and business development efforts in the Wisconsin market. “Our expansion into Madison was prompted by our growing presence in the area and the consistent construction growth within the region,” says Jeff Raday, president of McShane. Rosemont, Illinois-based McShane operates additional offices in Phoenix, Ariz.; Auburn, Ala.; and Irvine, Calif.
DELAND, FLA. — Hunt Capital Partners has provided $13.4 million in low-income housing tax credits (LIHTC) for the development of The Pines, a 100-unit affordable housing community in DeLand, roughly 50 miles north of Orlando. Hunt Capital Partners structured the funding through its multi-investor fund, Hunt Capital Partners Tax Credit Fund 27, on behalf of the project developer, Roundstone Development LLC. The Pines will offer a mix of one- to four-bedroom units, all set aside for households earning up to 40 and 60 percent of the area median income (AMI). Five units will have a preference for “Special Needs Households,” or households consisting of families considered to be homeless, survivors of domestic violence, persons with disabilities or youth aging out of foster care. Community amenities will include onsite management, a clubhouse with a community kitchen, business center, library, fitness center, laundry room, swimming pool and a playground. The development cost for the project is $18.6 million. Bradley Construction Co. Inc. is the general contractor for the project, Brian Rumsey is the architect and Sunchase American Ltd. is the property manager. Construction on The Pines began in December and is slated for completion in January 2019.
WORCESTER, MASS. — WinnCompanies has started construction on an $11.2 million rehabilitation of the Wellington Community, an 180-unit elderly and low-income housing community in Worcester. The renovation project will upgrade the interior and exterior of the property’s 11 buildings, 10 of which are historic, and will extend its affordability provision for 30 years. Improvements will include restoration of masonry exteriors, replacement of roofs, installation of historically-sensitive doors and windows, updated handicap accessibility accommodations, life-safety improvements and energy-efficiency changes to mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems. Residential apartments will receive mechanical system upgrades and the installation of new cabinetry, appliances and fixtures in the kitchens and bathrooms. Additionally, common amenity space and laundry rooms will be overhauled.
RIDGEFIELD, CONN. — Formation Development Group has selected Congress Building Corp. as construction manager for Atria Ridgefield, an 86-unit assisted living and memory care community in Ridgefield, located between New York City and Hartford. The 82,000-square-foot community is the sixth partnership between Formation and operator Atria Senior Living. The architect is PRDG of Dallas. Faulkner Design Group, also of Dallas, is the interior designer. The civil engineer is CCA of Brookfield, Conn. Site work commenced in November 2017. A completion timeline was not disclosed. Congress has completed over 8,000 beds and 4.5 million square feet of healthcare and long-term care construction throughout the eastern United States.
WAKE FOREST, N.C. — Charlotte-based Moseley Real Estate Advisors is underway on 981 Crossing, a 20,494-square-foot retail development in Wake Forest, roughly 18 miles northeast of Raleigh. The project is located off of Capital Boulevard, at the Target entrance. The center will house tenants such as Starbucks Coffee, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Kay Jewelers, Firehouse Subs, Mattress Warehouse and Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers. John Lambert of Moseley Real Estate Advisors is handling leasing for the remaining 2,000-square-foot parcel. The center is slated for completion in June, with tenants expected to open in September.
SULLIVAN COUNTY, N.Y. — SG Blocks has been commissioned to design and construct a workforce housing development in Sullivan County. The four-building, 183,000-square-foot property will be designated for low- to middle-income households. The housing development will target employees for a newly built $1.2 billion destination resort that includes an 18-story hotel, casino and entertainment complex with approximately 100,000 square feet of casino floor, an entertainment village, golf course and waterpark.
CHICAGO — Hilco Redevelopment Partners, a unit of Hilco Global, has acquired the Crawford Power Generating Station site in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood for an undisclosed price. NRG Energy sold the site, which had previously operated as a coal-fired power plant beginning in the late 1920s before being decommissioned in 2012. Hilco plans to demolish the facility and replace it with up to 1 million square feet of warehouse space as part of a $100 million project, according to the Chicago Tribune. Remediation work is slated to begin soon and may take anywhere from 14 to 24 months, depending on site conditions.
ST. CLOUD, MINN. — Novak Construction has completed the remodeling of a 180,000-square-foot retail store occupied by Sam’s Club in St. Cloud in central Minnesota. The property is located at 207 County Road 120. The interior now features a new grocery wing with deli, bakery, produce, meat and dairy departments. The remodeling also features new offices, a training room, pharmacy and Subway sandwich shop. The project also included the installation of new electrical, mechanical, refrigeration systems, flooring, wall finishes and landscaping. Paul Bergin, John Rudd, Sean Raby, Kelsey Green and Dave Baniewicz led the project team for Novak.
PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS — First Advisors Inc. has broken ground on The Reserve at Pinewood Village, an apartment project that will be located along State Highway 365 in Port Arthur, about 90 miles east of Houston. The first phase of the project, which is slated for a late fall completion, will deliver 190 units. Construction of all units is scheduled for completion by summer 2019. Amenities will include a clubhouse, fitness center, pool, dog park and nature trails. Houston-based Davis-Penn Mortgage Co. provided construction and permanent financing for the project.