NELSONVILLE, OHIO — The transformation of the former Nelsonville High School Complex into an affordable housing property is about one-third complete. The $9.6 million redevelopment project undertaken by The Woda Group Inc. saved the historic school from demolition. Located at 189 Fayette St., about 60 miles southeast of Columbus, the complex consists of two adjoining buildings built in 1907 and 1924. The new apartment homes will include 33 one- and two-bedroom units, and feature open concept kitchens, energy-saving appliances and individual heating and cooling. Some apartments will retain original chalkboards and classrooms for closet space. The project is slated for completion this fall.
NEW YORK CITY — Englewood Construction’s retail group has begun construction on a 40,000-square-foot American Girl Place store located at 75 Rockefeller Plaza in New York City. American Girl will move to the new space this fall from its current location at 609 Fifth Ave. The 75 Rockefeller Plaza store will be the 12th project Englewood has completed for American Girl since 2008. Cincinnati-based architecture firm FRCH Design Worldwide designed the new American Girl store, which will span two floors with direct entrances from both 51st and 52nd streets.
MARYLAND HEIGHTS, MO. — Homewood Suites by Hilton St. Louis Westport has opened in Maryland Heights, a suburb of St. Louis. Developed and owned by Lodging Hospitality Management, the hotel consists of 121 suites. Amenities include complimentary breakfast, Wi-Fi, a grocery shopping service, outdoor patio, fitness center, indoor pool and putting green. The hotel is located at 2434 Old Dorsett Road and offers convenient access to Lambert-St. Louis International Airport.
EMERYVILLE, CALIF. — The 175-room Hyatt Place Emeryville/San Francisco hotel has opened in East Bay. The hotel is located at 5700 Bay St. in Emeryville. The new Hyatt has been a part of Emeryville’s ongoing downtown expansion and restoration initiative. It serves as the flagship hotel in Bay Street Emeryville, a three-block-long development. The retail mega-center features 65 stores, 10 restaurants, a movie theater and 400 residential units. Ensemble Real Estate Investments led the hotel’s development.
CHATTANOOGA, TENN. — Atlanta-based Branch Properties and DeFoor Development plan to develop The Village of Waterside, a 162,000-square-foot shopping center in Chattanooga’s Hamilton Mill neighborhood. The property, which will be anchored by Publix and REI, will be situated on 22.8 acres at the intersection of Shallowford and Gunbarrel roads. This will be the first Chattanooga store for REI, an outdoor gear and apparel retailer. Branch and DeFoor expect to deliver The Village of Waterside in late summer 2018.
ORLANDO, FLA. — Foundry Commercial has formed a joint venture with PGIM Real Estate to develop Princeton Oaks, a 510,000-square-foot, Class A industrial project in Orlando. The property, which is expected to add 300 new jobs to the area, will be situated on 60 acres near the intersection of John Young Parkway and Princeton Street. Foundry Commercial and PGIM expect to deliver Princeton Oaks in December.
BURLINGTON, VT. — Rouse Properties has formed a joint venture with Devonwood Investors LLC, owner of Burlington Town Center, to redevelop the retail property into a mixed-use development with apartments, retail, restaurants and offices. The joint venture is expected to close on the property in the next few weeks and will then begin construction on the project, which is expected to cost $225 million. HFF’s Porter Terry arranged the redevelopment financing. The project has received zoning approval from the Burlington Development Review Board. Groundbreaking is expected in mid-2017, with the project completed in phases over three years.
MIAMI — Regency Centers Corp. plans to develop Pinecrest Place, a $16.4 million retail center situated off U.S. Highway 1 (South Dixie Highway) in Miami. Whole Foods Market will anchor the 70,000-square-foot center with a 46,000-square-foot store. The shopping center will be located adjacent to a 173,000-square-foot Target. Regency Centers plans to deliver Pinecrest Place in the second quarter of 2018. Regency has developed 225 shopping centers since 2000, representing an investment at completion of more than $3.5 billion.
NEW YORK CITY — Chef Pino Luongo is opening an Italian restaurant in SoHo at 160 Prince St., a space which housed Milady’s neighborhood bar from the 1930s until 2014. Eastern Consolidated brokered the 15-year, 1,850-square-foot ground-floor lease at the corner of Prince and Thompson streets. James Famularo represented the landlord, while Jeff Geoghegan and Greg Goldberg represented the tenant. Luongo has owned and operated restaurants for more than 30 years. Luongo opened Il Cantinori in the East Village in 1983, followed by Coco Pazzo on the Upper East Side in 1990, Tuscan Square in Rockefeller Center in 1997, Centolire in 2001 and Morso in 2011.
HOUSTON — DCT Industrial Trust plans to develop a 222,000-square-foot, Class A distribution facility for logistics firm DHL Supply Chain USA near Port Houston. The publicly traded REIT recently purchased a 13.2-acre site located next to two DCT-owned industrial properties along State Highway 225, both of which are occupied by DHL, for the development. Angler Construction will begin building the facility during the second quarter.