Commercial
A Commercial Real Estate Conundrum: How to Tier Markets?
The commercial real estate industry has long ranked cities and regions into tiers for the purpose of market analysis, based on their investment potential or growth characteristics. However, the lack of a uniform approach and differences in variables – including the rise of certain industries in specific markets, changing rates of growth, and strengths in…
Merritt Properties Expands North Carolina Footprint, Acquires 74 Acres in Wake Forest for Industrial Park
Merritt Properties, a full-service commercial real estate developer with over 16 million square feet of space throughout Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia, has announced the acquisition of a 74-acre tract of land for the speculative development of a 452,500-square-foot light industrial business park in Wake Forest, North Carolina. Located along Ligon Mill Road, Merritt Capital Business…
2020 Commercial Real Estate Sentiment Survey Forecasts Moderate Growth
Transwestern Commercial Services and Devencore released the results of their 2020 Commercial Real Estate Sentiment Survey, summarizing the firms’ outlook for U.S. and Canadian real estate markets. Brokers and analysts across 43 North American offices shared insight on the office/medical office and industrial sectors. “While political turmoil, upcoming elections and an elevated construction pipeline in…
Distribution / Warehouse
A M King Completes Expansion for Cheney Brothers, Inc. in Statesville, NC
A M King, a fully integrated Design-Build firm, has completed a large-scale expansion project for Cheney Brothers, Inc.’s distribution center located on a 30-acre site within the Statesville (N.C.) Business Park. The 169,338-square-foot cold storage addition, which brings the total building size to 265,000 square feet, allows Cheney Brothers to expand its refrigeration capabilities in…
Industrial Demand to Remain Level as Economy Steadies
According to the NAIOP Industrial Space Demand Forecast, First Quarter 2019 the forecast for net industrial space demand will remain steady in 2019 at approximately 57 million square feet per quarter for 2019. Dr. Hany Guirguis of Manhattan College and Dr. Joshua Harris of New York University report that industrial demand will be off to…
Self-Storage New Construction on the Rise in 2017
New construction of self-storage facilities is on the rise, with approximately 900 facilities expected to be constructed in 2017 – a 50% increase on the 600 new projects constructed last year, according to the latest research from CBRE. Dallas is expected to see the most new construction this year, with an estimated 49 projects and…
Government Facilities
Corvias Renovates 480 on-Base Houses at North Carolina Military Base
Corvias, a partner to the U.S. military for the construction and management of on-base housing, nears completion of renovating 480 homes at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. Renovations are expected to be completed this summer. “We are in the final stretch of renovations with just 10 homes remaining,” said John G. Picerne, Founder and CEO…
Turning Old in to New In Durham, NC
The new Durham County Administration Building will be the central location for Durham County’s management and administrative functions. Once home to the Durham County Judicial Building (constructed in 1978) the newly renovated structure will house nine county departments, community meeting spaces, a fitness center, TV studio, and two-ground floor retail tenants. The design had to…
Update on State Government Complex Buildings Impacted by Raleigh Fire
Several State Government Complex buildings were impacted by the five-alarm fire in downtown Raleigh on the night of March 16. Affected buildings are expected to resume normal operations on Monday, March 20. The Department of Administration’s Facility Management Division today conducted walk-through inspections of each state government building in the vicinity of the fire to…
Health Care
Ameresco Begins Phase Two of Energy Savings Project at the Medical University of South Carolina
–Ameresco, Inc. (NYSE:AMRC), a leading energy efficiency and renewable energy company, today announced that it has begun phase two of a comprehensive energy savings project at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), one of the nation’s top academic health science centers and the largest medical school in South Carolina. MUSC financed this project under an energy savings performance contract (ESPC) and…
New Medical Office Building Completed by Mashburn Construction in Irmo, S.C.
Columbia, S.C.— Mashburn Construction is pleased to announce the completion of Irmo Wellness Center, a two-story medical office building in Irmo, S.C. This is the second building that Mashburn has constructed for South Carolina Internal Medicine. The 43,480-square-foot building was constructed using 66 tilt-up concrete panels, allowing for a more aggressive schedule and a most cost-effective…
Robins & Morton Projects Recognized for Excellence in Construction
Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) announced Robins & Morton as the 2019 National Excellence in Construction Pyramid Award winner for two projects at the 29th Annual Excellence in Construction Gala on March 27 in Long Beach, California. Robins & Morton’s Pyramid Award winners include: AdventHealth Carrollwood: Healthcare, $25 million to $100 million category. Located in…
Hotels / Hospitality
Blending Business, Friendship & Family: Creative Builders and Saskatoon Lodge Partnership
Will McCauley and the team at Creative Builders have gone back and forth with Greenville, S.C.’s Saskatoon Lodge Restaurant and Event Center team, trading places as vendors, customers, and coworkers. Creative Builders played a large role in constructing the restaurant’s new venue on Halton Road — and they also did the upfit renovation that turned…
Sustainability in Hotels Explores Growing Emphasis On Green Building Practices in the Hospitality Industry
A new report from the Urban Land Institute (ULI) suggests that sustainable building practices, including those involving energy and water conservation as well as waste reduction, are increasingly being incorporated throughout the hotel sector to add value and provide a competitive edge to properties. Sustainability in Hotels: Opportunities and Trends Shaping the Future of Hospitality assesses the state…
Robins & Morton Projects Recognized for Excellence in Construction
Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) announced Robins & Morton as the 2019 National Excellence in Construction Pyramid Award winner for two projects at the 29th Annual Excellence in Construction Gala on March 27 in Long Beach, California. Robins & Morton’s Pyramid Award winners include: AdventHealth Carrollwood: Healthcare, $25 million to $100 million category. Located in…
Industrial
Metals Company To Expand in Shelby, NC
Ames Copper Group, a joint venture of Prime Materials Recovery, Inc. (PMR) and the Cunext Group, will create 46 jobs in Cleveland County, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company will invest at least $26.3 million with the expansion of its copper manufacturing facility located in Shelby. “This is good news for Cleveland…
Braskem Selects Charleston for Global Export Hub
Braskem, the largest polyolefins producer in the Americas and leading producer of biopolymers in the world, today announced the selection of Charleston, South Carolina as home to the company’s new Global Export Hub to serve Braskem’s international customers. The new Global Export Hub facility will provide packaging, warehousing and export shipping services to support Braskem’s U.S. polypropylene…
A Commercial Real Estate Conundrum: How to Tier Markets?
The commercial real estate industry has long ranked cities and regions into tiers for the purpose of market analysis, based on their investment potential or growth characteristics. However, the lack of a uniform approach and differences in variables – including the rise of certain industries in specific markets, changing rates of growth, and strengths in…
Mission Critical / Data Centers
Lowe’s Chooses NC for Technology Hub
Home improvement retailer Lowe’s is locating a new $153-million global technology center in Charlotte, North Carolina, creating more than 1,600 jobs. “We’re excited to stand up our new global technology center here in North Carolina to continue to drive our company’s growth,” said Marvin R. Ellison, president and chief executive officer of the company based…
Google Plans South Carolina Data Center Expansion
Google recently announced plans to make significant capital investments thought out the U.S., including at its data center in South Carolina. Google CEO Sundar Pichai wrote on his blog that the technology company was planing to invest over $13 billion in new facilities and expansions. “Today we’re announcing over $13 billion in investments throughout 2019…
Multi-Family Residential
Sherman to Build Clemson Dockside Mixed-Use, Student Housing Development
CLEMSON, S.C. (June 1, 2020) – Clemson Dockside, LP announced today that it has selected Sherman Construction as the general contractor for the multifamily student housing development located at 894 Tiger Boulevard in Clemson, S.C. The project is set to break ground this summer. The mixed-use development will feature 200 apartment homes, 755 parking spaces…
Graycliff Capital Announces Waterleaf at Battery Creek in Port Royal, S.C.
Greenville (S.C.)-based Graycliff Capital Partners, LLC (Graycliff Capital), a leading developer/owner in the multi-family sector,is pleased to announce its newest multi-family development in the Lowcountry, Waterleaf at Battery Creek – Luxury Apartment Homes. Located at 669 Parris Island Gateway near picturesque Beaufort, S.C., Waterleaf at Battery Creek is a 212-unit, Class-A coastal residential community offering…
Graycliff Capital Adds to Residential Holdings in Western N.C with Acquisition of Reserve at Asheville
Greenville, S.C.-based Graycliff Capital Partners, LLC (Graycliff Capital), a leading developer/owner in the multi-family sector,has acquired Reserve at Asheville, a well-maintained, 380-unit apartment community in Asheville, N.C. Situated along Highway 63, a major Asheville thoroughfare, the Reserve at Asheville has averaged 94.7 percent occupancy over the past two years. The property is located at 11…
Office Buildings
Preparing for Office Re-Entry: A Case Study
Since the beginning of our work-from-home experience, the workplace design team at Progressive AE has been focused on building a plan for our eventual office re-entry. Mitigating risk and keeping staff safe have been foundational to our efforts. To help guide our work, we made the decision early on to follow federal and state-issued guidelines,…
NAIOP Releases Commercial Real Estate Industry Sentiment Index
The NAIOP CRE Sentiment Index, based on a survey of real estate practitioners, has dropped below 50 for the first time since its inception; however, because the survey was conducted March 11-25, 2020 as the nation was rapidly reacting to the COVID-19 pandemic, the long-term outlook is better understood as a snapshot of industry sentiment…
A Commercial Real Estate Conundrum: How to Tier Markets?
The commercial real estate industry has long ranked cities and regions into tiers for the purpose of market analysis, based on their investment potential or growth characteristics. However, the lack of a uniform approach and differences in variables – including the rise of certain industries in specific markets, changing rates of growth, and strengths in…
Power / Energy
Duke Energy Foundation Invests $200,000 in EDPNC
The Duke Energy Foundation has invested $200,000 to support the work of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina in 2020, a year when both organizations are prioritizing helping the state recover from COVID-19. “Duke Energy’s investment in our work couldn’t be more timely, more needed, or more appreciated,” said Christopher Chung, chief executive officer…
Duke Energy Rolls out ‘Hire North Carolina’ Program for Major Construction Projects
In an effort to promote economic development and support North Carolina communities, Duke Energy is implementing the new program – “Hire North Carolina” – to maximize the use of locally owned and diverse contractors for utility projects in the state. “We want to continue to support job creation and investment with suppliers, vendors and contractors…
Deloitte Study: Navigating the Energy Transition from Disruption to Growth
Energy and industrial companies expected to remain committed to energy transition despite COVID-19 Key takeaways: Despite current economic challenges, energy and industrial leaders are expected to remain committed to their long-term plans to reduce fossil fuel reliance. Eighty-nine percent of executives surveyed across energy and industrial sectors reported already having or developing a strategy to reduce…
Retail / Shopping Centers
CBL Properties Announces Redevelopment at Coastal Grand in Myrtle Beach, SC
CBL Properties (NYSE:CBL) today announced redevelopment plans at Coastal Grand in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. As part of the project, DICK’S Sporting Goods will relocate to a new building near Dillard’s, which will include the addition of Golf Galaxy. Flip N Fly will then open a 53,000-square-foot family entertainment venue in the former DICK’S Sporting…
U.S. Green Building Council Report Reveals Prominence of LEED Certification Among Major Retailers Pursuing ESG Goals
Today, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) released a new report, LEED in Motion: Retail, showing the prevalence of LEED certification in retail spaces around the world. LEED is used in more than 12,500 retail locations globally, allowing major brands like TD Bank, Starbucks, 7-Eleven and more to demonstrate achievement of ESG goals to their investors, customers…
Carvana to Invest More than $30 Million in Concord, NC
Carvana, a leading e-commerce platform for buying and selling used cars, will locate a new inspection and reconditioning facility in Cabarrus County, creating more than 400 jobs. The company will invest more than $30 million in Concord over the coming years. “The online marketplace only works for buyers and sellers when hardworking people are moving…
Roads, Bridges and Highways
Construction Partners, Inc. to Participate in the Baird 2020 Global Consumer, Technology & Services Conference
Construction Partners, Inc. (NASDAQ: ROAD) (the “Company”), a vertically integrated civil infrastructure company specializing in the construction and maintenance of roadways across five southeastern states, today announced that it will participate in the Baird 2020 Global Consumer, Technology & Services Conference, to be held on June 2 and 3, 2020. Charles E. Owens, the Company’s President and Chief Executive…
How SCAPA is Recruiting Road Construction Workers
Deemed an essential service, the asphalt paving industry continues to work to maintain South Carolina’s roads during the COVID-19 crisis. Ashley Batson is executive director of the SC Asphalt Pavement Association (SCAPA), a non-profit trade association representing the asphalt pavement producers in South Carolina, as well as the suppliers to the industry. Batson details the various…
Balfour Beatty Awarded $167 Million Contract by North Carolina Department of Transportation to Construct U.S. 70 Havelock Bypass
Balfour Beatty has been awarded a $167 million contract by the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) to construct the U.S. 70 Havelock Bypass located in Carteret and Craven counties. The Havelock Bypass, located at U.S. 70 from North of Pine Grove to North of Carteret County Line, will consist of a four-lane, median-divided highway…
Schools (K-12 and Higher Education)
Clemson University Dedicates Andy Quattlebaum Outdoor Education Center: Use of Cross-Laminated Timber Draws National Attention
As one of two facilities in the country to use southern yellow pine cross-laminated timber, the 16,500-square-foot Andy Quattlebaum Outdoor Education Center at the Snow Family Outdoor Fitness and Wellness Complex will serve as a national model for recreation and leisure space, bringing attention to not only Clemson University but also the state of South…
Furman University Receives Sustainable Business Award
Furman University has received a Sustainable Business Award from the U.S. Green Building Council Carolinas. The announcement was made Dec. 5 during the USGBC Carolinas: Green Gala & Sustainable Business Awards, which was held at the Mint Museum in Charlotte, North Carolina. The award recognizes excellence in high-performance design, environmental stewardship and community impact, and…
Creating a Safe Campus: The Power of Environmental Design
For years, American citizens with a deep and abiding concern for the future of education in our country have been on high alert in the wake of constant threats to school safety. McMillan Pazdan Smith recognizes that comprehensive, integrated, and systematic solutions must be sought after to address the multi-faceted set of problems that continue to lead to violent…
Transportation / Ports
AGC Names VP of Congressional Relations for Infrastructure Advancement
Associated General Contractors of America hires Infrastructure-focused former House and Senate Staffer, Murphie Barrett, as its New Vice President of Congressional Relations for Infrastructure Advancement Murphie Barrett, a former congressional staffer who played key roles in crafting several recent infrastructure laws, has joined the Associated General Contractors of America as its new vice president of…
Granite Awarded $15 Million Airfield Improvement Project in North Carolina
Granite (NYSE:GVA) announced today that GWWH, the joint venture team comprised of Granite, Webcor Construction LP, Weeks Marine, Inc., and Healy Tibbitts Builders, Inc. has been awarded a $15 million design build contract by the United States Coast Guard (USCG) for the Recapitalize Airfield Pavements and Airfield Lighting Project in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. Granite’s…
U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao Announces $1.4 Million in Infrastructure Grants to One Airport in North Carolina
U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao today announced that theFederal Aviation Administration(FAA) will award $477 million in airport infrastructure grants, the third allotment of the total $3.18 billion inAirport Improvement Program(AIP) funding for airports across the United States. This significant investment in airport improvements in North Carolina will fund construction and rehabilitation projects…
More Markets
Duke Energy Foundation Invests $200,000 in EDPNC
The Duke Energy Foundation has invested $200,000 to support the work of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina in 2020, a year when both organizations are prioritizing helping the state recover from COVID-19. “Duke Energy’s investment in our work couldn’t be more timely, more needed, or more appreciated,” said Christopher Chung, chief executive officer…
AIA Expresses Support for Moving Forward Act
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is pledging support for the vertical infrastructure investments in the Moving Forward Act (H.R. 2), which is expected to receive a vote from the House of Representatives next week. As part of the proposed $1.5 trillion investment, the Moving Forward Act prioritizes $100 billion for facility upgrades at high-poverty schools,…
Duke Energy Rolls out ‘Hire North Carolina’ Program for Major Construction Projects
In an effort to promote economic development and support North Carolina communities, Duke Energy is implementing the new program – “Hire North Carolina” – to maximize the use of locally owned and diverse contractors for utility projects in the state. “We want to continue to support job creation and investment with suppliers, vendors and contractors…
Sherman to Build Clemson Dockside Mixed-Use, Student Housing Development
CLEMSON, S.C. (June 1, 2020) – Clemson Dockside, LP announced today that it has selected Sherman Construction as the general contractor for the multifamily student housing development located at 894 Tiger Boulevard in Clemson, S.C. The project is set to break ground this summer. The mixed-use development will feature 200 apartment homes, 755 parking spaces…
