Construction Maison

By Katherine Shaver The Washington Post From the rooftop terrace of their new townhouse, Keisuke and Idalia Yabe take in their suburban Maryland neighborhood : a staid, 1970s- era office park of glass office buildings and concrete parking garages . The Yabes say they have found the advantages of urban living in a shorter commute and the ability to walk to shopping centers and a park. They also have what feels like the best of suburbia -- mature trees, plentiful parking , Bethesda's sought-after schools and a more affordable mortgage. From the Washington and New York suburbs to North Carolina's Research Triangle Park , traditional corporate campuses that have struggled since the Great Recession are trying to transform from sterile worksites into vibrant mini-towns. In addition to housing, they're adding restaurants, grocery stores, playgrounds and outdoor concert spaces -- anything to draw people in and make them want to stay. Although it might sound strange at first, th...

Natalie Marra benefited from the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA), a provision in the District that provides strong protection for tenants to avoid a forced move. (Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post) Four years ago, when her apartment building at 1921 Kalorama Road NW in Washington was up for sale, Natalie Marra, a resident for more than 30 years, was determined to stay in the home she loves. “It took almost two years of tough negotiating, but there was a core group of seven of us in the tenant association that worked with a lawyer to make sure our rights were protected,” Marra says. “We negotiated the right to live in our apartments under rent control for the rest of our lives. Believe me, none of us ever plan to move now. Why would we? We have great renovated apartments and low rent.” Marra and her neighbors benefited from the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA), a provision in the District that provides strong protection for tenants to avoid a forced move. Elder...

Trammell Crow and Cumberland Development’s Harborview project will be positioned on the lakefront next to the inner harbor and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Cleveland’s central business district (CBD) continues to make headlines as events like the Republican National Convention , the 2016 and 2017 NBA Championships and the 2016 World Series earned national attention . Within the office market, trends such as “flight to quality” and  office-to-residential conversions, which are driven by a hot apartment market , have reduced surplus supply and lowered vacancies. This has shaped metrics positively , and has put Cleveland in a position of strength for the upcoming years. The news of the year has been the purchase of Key Tower by Millennia Cos., a local real estate developer known mostly for multifamily. The company moved its headquarters from a property in Valley View to two entire floors spanning approximately 40 ,000 square feet in Cleveland’s signature office tower . Douglas Lea...

Developers of an upcoming Gilbert multifamily project say it will be the first apartment community to offer remote, mobile- device enabled technology to residents, making the apartments “smart homes.” Cisterra LLC is developing Vistara at SanTan Village, which will offer remote control locks , temperature and lighting to its residents who will be able to control these home features with a smart phone. The community, which is expected to be finished this May, is a 366- unit apartment community . Every unit will be equipped with a basic smart home technology package . With the basic package, residents will be able to control their thermostat, light switches and locks with a smart phone or tablet. Residents can expand their smart home offerings to include video cameras , CCTV cameras and entertainment packages. They’ll be able to access everything through a smart phone app . Lock and leave has been a growing trend with luxury multifamily developments , especially among millennials who...

We offer our predictions on communities that will rank among the city's most desirable in 2026. Plus a look at developers who are working to make those visions a reality. February 18, 2016 (page 7 of 7) 8 developers with insight who are rethinking our urban neighborhoods   BY DEBRA SMIT G reat neighborhoods — with ample green space , commerce and good housing stock — empower their residents to grow and prosper. Developers are key when it comes to weaving together the physical threads of a community, particularly in urban neighborhoods frayed by years of blight and decay. These are among the developers who are working to revitalize some of the city’s most challenged neighborhoods, striving to be restorers of streets in which to dwell. All have one eye, certainly, on the bottom line. Still, they are well aware of expectations that they give measured consideration to quality of life in the neighborhoods in which they build.   Wi...

The commercial real estate landscape in Fort Worth is thriving despite some blips in retail due to the changing behavior of shoppers and growing competition. But a bright spot in the Fort Worth retail market is the opening of several new upscale stores in the Clearfork development, including a Tesla auto showroom . Experts offered some insight and predictions on the local commercial real estate market , painting a largely rosy picture of the current landscape at a Business for Breakfast Series session on Aug. 23 sponsored by the Fort Worth Business Press . One of the biggest challenges is the retail industry and it’s a national as well as local situation arising from being “over-stored,” said Steve Coslik, chairman and CEO of the Woodmont Co., the Fort Worth- based property management company that manages about 20 million square feet of retail shopping centers , enclosed shopping malls and outlet centers in 22 states. “Retailers are going through a terrifying challenge righ...

An architect's rendering of a Willow Springs Apartments building . (Photo: Courtesy) LAS CRUCES - A new, 200- unit apartment complex is springing up on the city’s East Mesa and could be leasing the first units in about six months. Willow Springs Apartments will be located off of Bixler Avenue, north of US 70 and behind the now-closed Cattleman’s Steak House on Bataan Memorial West . The property is being developed by Dillon Mountain Enterprises , LLC. which is owned by Paul Curry and his son, Jared Curry. The Currys acquired the property in 2006 from a church which had plans to build on the site but opted to purchase a building in town instead. Construction on the 14.12-acre property will require the Currys to pave more than 1,000 feet of Bixler Avenue, one of the city’s oldest platted but undeveloped rights-of-way. The completion of Bixler will open up adjoining properties to development, Jared said. “We had the property for 11 years,” Jared said. “ Ten years ago our original t...