Pedestrians in downtown Helena may notice some of the empty retail space.

Though the empty window fronts downtown may cause people to question, empty commercial space is not exclusive to downtown.

Its not just the downtown. People walk downtown and they see some vacant storefronts, but its not representative of what is coming out of the town, Randall Green, broker and owner of Green & Green Realty Associates, said.

Its no secret that there are several spots in Helena that have commercial space available for rent, such as the Capital Hill Mall, which holds only a handful of open stores.

Green said he thinks part of the problem is that such a large portion of Helenas economy relies on government employment.

The state, Green said, rents about 700,000 square feet of office space in Helena. And while the stability of government employment is good for some aspects of the economy, it isnt expanding into more rental space.

Green also said the financial climate right now is ideal for construction and redevelopment of space. As companies move out of their old spaces into new buildings, its common that no one comes in to fill the old space.

Green pointed to some of the properties that Green and Green is responsible for, including an old health club where the property is sitting vacant, and old fast food places on Prospect Avenue that are vacant.

Helenas economy, in my opinion is floating on a very slow current right now, Green said.

Tracy Reich, director of the Helena Business Improvement District, said thats not the case downtown. She said the downtown economy is healthy and that turnover in retail space is expected to happen anywhere.

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Helenas empty commercial space: Common or concerning?

The Riverfront Village housing and retail development, shown here in this rendering, is not yet safe to live in, according to city officials. Students who were supposed to move in Friday will be temporarily rehoused until construction on the complex is finished.

College students planning to start the new semester in the new Riverfront Village retail and residential development will have to wait longer than expected.

Although originally signed leases indicated a move-in date of today, some residents were informed within the past week that this would no longer be the case.

City officials have said no certificate of occupancy has been issued for the $42 million, 452-bed development thats still taking shape on a 7.6-acre site at the end of Greensboro Avenue on the banks of the Black Warrior River.

This means that the structures cannot be used by the public because they are not yet safe.

Buildings still under construction can apply for a temporary certificate of occupancy while work is still going on, said City Hall spokeswoman Deidre Stalnaker, (but) it has to be at a certain stage with all life safety codes being addressed and in place.

This includes an egress and ingress plan to keep tenants and construction workers separated, for example. As of now, that is not possible at Riverfront Village.

Until we reach that point and feel safe about the situation, no certificate of occupancy will be issued, Stalnaker said. Safety is our first and foremost priority.

John McConnell, director of the citys Department of Planning and Development Services, said City Hall has prepared a statement for parents or other concerned residents who call to ask about the future of Riverfront Village.

It is the mission of the chief building official and fire marshal to make sure we provide resilient and safe buildings in our community and to protect life, health and property through the adopted building and fire codes, the statement said. The Riverfront Village Development is currently not at a point during construction in which a certificate of occupancy (CO) can be issued.

Link:
Construction delays prevent move-ins at new complex

Oleta Partners Launches First Phase of Construction at Biscayne Landing, the largest Mixed-Used Real Estate Development in North Miami

North Miami, Florida (PRWEB) - Oleta Partners, the developers of Biscayne Landing, the premier mixed-use real estate development located at 151st Street and Biscayne Boulevard in the City of North Miami, Florida, announced today that the first phase of construction at the 180+ acre site is underway.

Over the course of the project, Oleta Partners will convert the currently underutilized site at Biscayne Landing into a development of more than 4,000 residences, parks, and retail with more than 800,000 square feet of retail space, with a town center to serve thousands of residents and visitors from surrounding areas.

Thirty-seven acres of the project will be devoted to recreation, community and open space, including two parks and a 10,000 square foot modern meeting and social community center.

We are extremely excited to move ahead on the Biscayne Landing project, stated Michael Tillman, Vice President of Oleta Partners. Biscayne Landing will positively impact the future of the City of North Miami, its residents, and nearby communities by creating hundreds of jobs and generating millions of dollars in annual sales and tax revenues.

As part of the beginning phase of construction, Oleta Partners selected DC Equipment, a firm located in the City of North Miami with more than 16 years of experience in the construction industry, as the designated contractor to begin the first of many construction activities, including preparations for the spine road on Biscayne Boulevard and 143rd Street.

We are very honored to have been selected to work on Biscayne Landing, a project that is of monumental importance to our city, said Ricardo Rodriguez, President of DC Equipment. We look forward to working with Oleta Partners in making the Biscayne Landing project a reality.

At the onset of the project, Oleta Partners established a Local Preference Office (LPO) to provide job placement opportunities to North Miami residents with contractors working at Biscayne Landing, identify and assist qualified local vendors interested in participating in the project, and offer vocational education and outreach assistance with an occupational training component to enable greater resident participation.

The DC Equipment contract is expected to create several new jobs for local City of North Miami residents and represents the first of several hundred new construction jobs that will become available to City of North Miami residents over the next ten years.

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Oleta Partners Launches First Phase Of Construction At Biscayne Landing, The Largest Mixed-Used Real Estate ...

Commercial property giant Bruntwood and The University of Manchester have submitted plans for the second phase of the 50m redevelopment of Manchester Business School.

The plans include the development of a 40,500 sq ft retail and leisure facility over 14 units for a mix of retail, food and leisure occupiers and forms part of the development of Manchesters Oxford Road Corridor.

Phase two also includes the removal of a link bridge across Oxford Road to improve views and light levels in the area, while public space will also be improved.

Around 200,000 sq ft of MBS facilities will be refurbished as part of the plans to improve teaching and administrative accommodation, a new learning library and enterprise zone.

Phase one includes the construction of a new hotel and enhanced Manchester Business School Executive Education Centre, which is due to start later this year.

Toby Sproll, head of retail and leisure at Bruntwood, said: The creation of a vibrant retail and leisure offer as part of the wider redevelopment of Manchester Business School is vital. Not only is there strong demand for a great retail mix from the Universitys students, staff, workers and local residents, the site is a key strategic location in the Oxford Road Corridor.

At the moment, there is very little retail or leisure provision between the city centre and Whitworth Park. These plans, however, create a new focal point that will provide fantastic amenities to the underserved catchment, attracting customers from first thing in the morning until well into the evening. We are confident demand for this location will see it become a thriving new destination in Manchester.

Diana Hampson, director of estates and facilities at The University of Manchester, added: We share a long-term vision with Bruntwood to deliver not just exemplary facilities for the Manchester Business School and the University, but to create a landmark development in the Oxford Road Corridor.

"We are delighted, therefore, to be submitting this planning application, which will see the implementation of the next stage of the vision. With the other developments proposed or under way in the Corridor, such as the Oxford Road Station, the areas future is set to be very positive.

This development forms part of the Universitys 10-year, 1bn Campus Masterplan to create some of the most modern campus facilities in the world.

Originally posted here:
Plans lodged for second phase of Manchester Business School development

Written by Daniel Offner Wednesday, 13 August 2014 00:00

Last week, Farmingdale village officials approved a special use permit to allow for mixed use development at 155 Main St., currently home to the nostalgic toy and hobby shop, The Land of Oohs and Oz.

According to Farmingdale Mayor Ralph Ekstrand, the project will entail the demolition of an old dilapidated building behind the retail storefront, renovations to the 6,153 square-feet of retail space and construction of 14 studio apartments on the back lot.

But, in order to erect a new residential building, the village requires that sufficient parking be provided for its tenants. At the meeting on Aug. 4, property owner Samuel Glass, agreed to provide 17 parking spaces for residents on the ground level, using the top two floors for the one-bedroom apartments. Once construction is complete, Glass plans to lease the one bedroom studios at current market value.

He will not be changing the size of the building, Ekstrand said, stressing that the construction will look very similar to the offices at 399 Conklin St., which he referred to as a building on stilts.

While Glass would agree to provide parking for potential tenants, he would opt to waive 14 of the 15 required commercial parking spaces, paying the village $5,000 for one parking spot.

Link:
Sam Glass Gets Green Light

The owners of downtown Dallas long-vacant West End Marketplace are considering a plan to revive the building as a mixed-use project.

The 240,000-square-foot shopping center and movie complex has been closed since 2006.

Recent proposals to convert the huge building in Dallas West End historic district into a hotel or office space havent gotten off the ground.

Now the owners have hired The Retail Connection to market the eight-story building.

They have been engaged by us to find retail tenants, said Bill Nabors of ECOM Real Estate, which represents the owners of the West End Marketplace. There is a lot of stuff going on but nothing we are ready to announce.

We are looking at everything right now, Nabors said.

The West End Marketplace opened in 1986 as Dallas first festival marketplace retail center.

The vacant warehouse building with wood-beam construction was converted into shops, eateries and entertainment venues.

An interior atrium was built and a 10-screen cinema occupied part of the building.

A Planet Hollywood nightclub and restaurant was on the ground floor.

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Owners of West End Marketplace plan reboot of building

Need further proof that the Arts District is the coolest place to be? Well then, chew on this: Caf Gratitude is setting up shop inside the upcoming Yards retail space at the One Santa Fe residences.

The organic and vegan restaurant, which already has locations in both Larchmont Village and Venice, will be opening a restaurant at the Yards' mixed-use space, which is also going to be home to Malin + Goetz, New York's artisan Van Leeuwen Ice Cream, a community arts center, and the Manhattan Beach-based GROW Market.

Caf Gratitude is starting construction now and hopes to open by early 2015. Like the other locations, they'll be doing breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as their awesome cleanse programs. (We tried one earlier this year and loved it.)

"As an LA-native, it's been thrilling to see how the area has developed in recent years, and we are humbled by the opportunity to join such a dynamic community," says Lisa Bonbright, CEO of the Caf Gratitude in SoCal.

The Arts District location will be serving brews from their neighbors at Stumptown Coffee. The space is sure to be a stunner, as it's been designed by Wendy Haworth, who also curated the gorgeous, bright, and airy space at Gracias Madre.

Rent at the residences at One Santa Fe is hardly what it used to be in the Arts District, with studios ranging from $1,860-$2,010. So, it looks like they are in the right space for an affluent, upwardly mobile clientele.

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Caf Gratitude Opening In Downtown's Arts District

CULLMAN The quest to build the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame in Cullman has taken a major step forward with the launching of a major fundraising campaign.

Provided that the fundraising effort falls into place, hall of fame board of directors chairman Sammy Lee said a grand opening for the facility could happen in late 2016.

Lee said three major contributors for the campaign to gain construction funds have already been secured. The campaign is reaching across the nation and internationally. In addition to a positive start on fundraising, he also revealed the board is planning to include a retail space of 3,000 or more square feet in the facility.

The intent is to court a major retailer that is involved in fishing and hunting supplies, Lee said. You can pretty well guess who those retailers are. If were successful with that, we feel like the hall of fame will maximize its marketing through one of these retailers in their national advertising campaigns.

The site for the hall of fame is located along County Road 222 on land the City of Cullman owns. Included in the plan is a proposal by city officials to attach a civic center to the hall of fame for conventions and additional tourism opportunities.

In the last two weeks, a major development has stirred renewed excitement for the hall of fame project as the Alabama Department of Transportation signed off on the final papers to clear the way for actual work to begin on constructing an interchange from Interstate 65 directly into CR 222. Local officials are excited by the prospect for additional economic growth in Good Hope and Cullman along the corridor. The hall of fames directors have also reported the interchange was an important factor in their decision to choose Cullman.

We have two major announcements concerning the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame, which will be made in Cullman when the board meets there in October, Lee said. One of the announcements will make people say, Ah, that makes sense. The other will cause people to say, Wow.

While declining to elaborate further on the October announcements, Lee said the development that is expected near the hall of fame is already generating interests in the retail and hotel sectors.

I know those involved in local economic development are excited about the potential, and were excited about the opportunities Cullman holds for the hall of fame, Lee said. We remain committed to this attraction being both fun and educational for visitors. We believe it will be a world-class attraction. Bass fishing is worldwide and having the hall of fame in Cullman will be a tremendous plus for everyone.

In a recent interview, Cullman Economic Development Agency director Peggy Smith said the interchange is already opening doors for Good Hope and the entire area on the development front.

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Fundraising under way for Bass Fishing Hall of Fame; retail space planned

City Hall is looking for a team to add more than 100,000 square feet of retail space along the citys Riverwalk and generate enough money to help pay off the $99 million federal loan being used to extend the scenic walkway along the Chicago River.

The group of developers, builders, property managers and maybe even advertising pros would oversee not only the six-block section of the Riverwalk thats under construction along the south side of the river between State and Lake streets, but also the existing portion between Michigan Avenue and Lake Shore Drive.

The details are found in recently released, 343-page city bid documents that ask would-be Riverwalk firms to offer their plans by Sept. 30.

Construction of this new amenity is expected to be substantially completed in 2016, the documents state. The new build-out will permit a continuous riverside pedestrian trail from Lake Street . . . all the way to Lake Shore Drive and the Lakefront Trail System, including Navy Pier to the east.

The developer would help the city cover some of its loan payments with money from the stores, restaurants, concessions, entertainment facilities and recreational boat docking. In addition, the city likely would try to repay the rest with fees from tour boats, event sponsorships, naming rights and advertising along adjacent streets, according to the bid documents.

The city is open to various ways to split up the pie with the management group, including incentive payments, a long-term lease with an upfront payment or an alternative structure that meets the citys requirements for a long-term partnership.

To sell the idea to potential developers, Mayor Rahm Emanuels administration touts Chicagos large regional population, growing tourism base, the Riverwalks prime location and ongoing development in the area.

With over 100,000 square feet of commercial development opportunity, the Chicago Riverwalk is a great example of how successfully creating land will capture future value, the documents state. The Chicago Riverwalk is a transformative place-making opportunity to activate the historically significant Chicago River year-round for both residents and tourists.

Considering the sometimes brutal winters that feature brisk, chilly winds along the river, the year-round component may be a tough sell, something the city concedes. In climates with weather uncertainty, some architectural designs that are becoming popular include tenting, retractable roofing, patio enclosures and adaptable awnings, according to the bid documents.

Shannon Breymaier, an Emanuel spokeswoman, said the city seeks a year-round destination that reflects the spirit of the city, and this potentially could also include some enclosed spaces.

Continue reading here:
City Hall looking for team to manage Riverwalk

Published: Thursday, 8/7/2014 - Updated: 3 hours ago

NATALIE TRUSSO CAFARELLO BLADE STAFF WRITER

Small retail plazas are or soon will be popping up on major roads in Sylvania and Sylvania Township.

Next year, a new mini-plaza is planned at Timberstone Center on Sylvania Avenue at King Road in the city. The center has a Kroger as an anchor tenant.

Joe Swolsky, a broker for Essex Realty in Perrysburg, said a 10,000-square-foot building will be built by a partnership of several private investors. The mini-plaza would be built near Kroger gas station and close to the Sylvania Avenue. It would house retail stores, such as a hair or nail salon.

We put up a sign to see who was interested and weve had an unbelievable amount of tenants interested in that space, he said.

He said the mini-plaza at 7545 Sylvania Ave. would accommodate four small businesses, but said no tenants have been signed.

Soon, residents on the western edge of the township will have a new small grocery.

At 8675 W. Central Ave., near Shetland Road, owners have displayed the sign that the Sylvania Market is coming soon. Township officials received a liquor permit request for the space that was submitted by Hisham Zrien, owner of Table Forty-4 in downtown Toledo. Township Administrator John Zeitler said the space once housed a consignment shop and motorcycle shop.

The empty building is on about 3 acres zoned as commercial and is mainly undeveloped. On the site, next to the building is a sign by Justin Lorenzen, of Toledos Lorenzen Realty, which says his client wants to develop the land for retail use.

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Retail bubbling in Sylvania area