German automaker BMW has broken ground on its new $1bn production plant in San Luis Potosí, Mexico. The new facility will build the BMW 3 Series Sedan, starting in 2019, and balance out production capacity at BMW Group Plant Rosslyn in South Africa, which will build the new BMW X3 instead of the BMW 3 Series in the future.The project will comprise a body shop, a paint shop and an assembly plant. BMW said that the new plant will feature an innovative production system and comprehensive sustainability standards.Once operational, the facility will have a production capacity of up to 150,000 units annually, creating at least 1,500 new jobs in the region.The plant will operate using 100% CO2-free power, as it will have a solar-powered network on the site.According to BMW, the plant will have the lowest water consumption per vehicle manufactured in the production network. This will be the company’s first paint shop to produce zero process wastewater, as the water needed for the painting process is reconditioned and recycled.
Plenary Properties Merced (PPM) has been selected by The University of California, Merced, as the winning bidder for its next phase of the $1.14bn campus development.PPM will design and construct the new facilities as a single, fast-track project and ensure major building systems operate effectively over the 39-year term of the contract.The new facilities will be constructed in a 219-acre site that currently supports the existing campus and its 6,700 students. The four-year project is expected to almost double the physical capacity of the campus by 2020.The project will support Merced’s environmental sustainability objectives, as the campus has been recognized as one of the greenest in the country by the US Green Building Council.Furthermore, the developer will be responsible for raising the required private financing as part of the public-private partnership.Construction is set to commence in September 2016 with the project’s first phase scheduled for delivery in 2018. The remaining facilities are scheduled to be completed in 2020. The project is expected to create over 10,000 construction jobs in the region.
WinnCompanies business unit WinnDevelopment and GDD Properties have started construction on a $200M project to redevelop the Sibley Building in downtown Rochester, New York.The project will start with the $100M phase, which includes the construction of 96 modern luxury apartment homes on the 9th–12th floors. The first phase will also include the addition of retail space on the Main Street and office space in the mid-rise, the construction of active senior living apartment homes, and a complete rehabilitation of the entire façade and windows of the building.Construction work on the top floor of the Sibley building — once home to the Tea Room of the Sibley Department Store — is in progress. Upon completion, the floor will become the headquarters of the High Tech Rochester’s Finger Lakes Business Accelerator Cooperative. WinnCompanies’ CEO Gilbert Winn said: “We are thrilled to take this leap forward in a project that will restore energy and economic development to the region’s most beloved building.“With Class A office space and luxury apartments, the new Sibley Building is transforming into the innovative center for office, retail, and housing while maintaining its historic character.”
Purdue Research Foundation has partnered with Browning Investments for the $1.2bn project to transform the west end of the Purdue University in Indiana, USA.The project, known as the Purdue Innovation District, involves the development of nearly 450 acres.Browning will be responsible for a comprehensive master planning that will include student and non-student housing, a lab, research and other collaboration spaces.It will also include office, discovery and entrepreneurial spaces, retail and public spaces, aerospace industry-focused research, and advanced manufacturing and light industrial space.The development will complement other initiatives already taking place on the west side of the campus.Purdue Innovation District director Jeff Kanable said that Indianapolis-based Browning was chosen because of its expertise in long-term development projects.Kanable added: "Browning has a strong history in funding, creating, and executing comprehensive plans for major long-term projects. We are confident in their leadership in the development of the Purdue Innovation District as well as the Research Park Aerospace District."The project is expected to commence late 2016 or early 2017 and is slated to take place over a 15-20 year period.
Nationwide Children’s Hospital has unveiled details of the second phase of its master facilities plan to expand the hospital existing campus in Ohio, USA.The centrepiece of the $730m project will include the construction of a new eight-storey behavioral health pavilion on the main hospital campus. The building, estimated to cost $158M, will eventually accommodate up to 66 inpatient beds. The facility is anticipated to break ground by the end of 2017, and open in 2020. The project will also involve the construction of a $28M parking garage, expected to be complete in mid-2020.Phase II will also include a 20,600sq m Livingston ambulatory building, a 20,400sq m research building, a Near East office building with 800 parking stalls, a data centre, and a central energy plant.In addition, the Livingston Park will be upgraded, the existing childcare centre will be renovated and 51 inpatient beds and five additional operating rooms will be added to the main hospital.The second phase of the hospital master facilities plan is slated to be complete in 2022.
US-based steel producer Nucor has announced an equal stake joint venture with Japan-based JFE Steel to construct and operate a steel plant in central Mexico.The $270M plant will have capacity to produce 400,000t of galvanized sheet steel annually.Currently the firms are working to obtain the necessary conditions to move to completion, including regulatory approvals. Nucor’s chairman CEO and president John Ferriola said: "JFE Steel is a natural partner for us. They are a premier supplier of high-quality products to the automotive industry and share our focus on long-term growth."This joint venture builds on our efforts to increase our production of differentiated and value-added products. Continued growth in Mexico's automotive production presents an opportunity for Nucor to increase our sales to this important market."The plant is expected to commence operations in the second half of 2019.
Brookfield Multiplex has won a $290M contract from joint venture partners Frasers Property Australia and Sekisui House Australia to construct the fifth stage of the $2bn master-planned Central Park precinct.This stage, known as DUO, is a mixed residential, commercial and hotel development on the corner of Broadway and Abercrombie Streets in Chippendale. It will feature two 18-storey towers sitting on a combined five-level basement car park.Designed by Foster + Partners, the project’s residential element will include 313 apartments, of which most of the units will be located within the eastern tower.Residents will have access to an indoor pool, jacuzzi, cardio room, yoga and recreation room, rooftop terrace and BBQ and a lounge and dining room.The neighbouring western tower will feature a 297-room hotel, 5,500 sq m of commercial space, a large childcare centre and hotel.The project will create about 800 jobs during peak construction and is scheduled to be completed in April 2018.
US-based automotive supplier Flex-N-Gate is set to construct a new $95M manufacturing facility in Detroit, Michigan.The new plant, to be built on a 30-acre site located on Detroit’s eastside in the I-94 Industrial Park, will supply parts to Ford Motor Company.The project has received two important approvals last week: the Michigan Strategic Fund board approved a $3.5M Business Development Program grant to incentivise the supplier to expand its Michigan operations, and the Economic Development Corporation of the City of Detroit (EDC) approved the sale of 30-acres in the industrial park to Flex-N-Gate.Flex-N-Gate owner Shahid Khan said: “Building a new plant from the ground up within the Detroit city limits will be a milestone moment for Flex-N-Gate, made possible thanks to our partnership and collaboration with Ford, the City of Detroit and the State of Michigan.”“Their collective support and vision to convert a neglected urban area into a manufacturing centre that will create hundreds of new, sustainable and well-paying jobs here in Detroit has been nothing short of spectacular. We are grateful and looking forward to seeing this project become a reality.”The project will create up to 650 new jobs in Detroit over the next three years, with the possibility of adding up to 750 total jobs at its full capacity.
AECOM subsidiary Tishman Construction has been selected to provide preconstruction and construction management services for Brookfield’s One Manhattan West office development in New York.The $2.1bn project will feature a 71-storey office building with a gross area of 195,000sq m.One Manhattan West will anchor the Northeastern corner of Brookfield’s 650,000sq m Manhattan West development, which is being built around a two-acre tree-lined park.Designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, the building is targeting LEED-Gold certification. AECOM chairman and CEO Michael Burke said: “We are proud to help create an iconic tower that will be a key part of making the Far West Side the city’s newest vibrant neighbourhood.“Brookfield’s Manhattan West is a transformative mixed-use project that will bring much-needed residential and office space to New York City — and we are excited to play a role in making it a reality.”
Bayhealth Medical Center has started construction on a new healthcare campus in southern Delaware.The campus , located just off Route 1, offers easy patient access and features a LEAN Led design focused on efficiency and improving the overall patient experience. The project will feature a six-storey hospital with an expanded emergency department, additional operating rooms, allprivate patient rooms, and a cafeteria with outdoor seating. It will also include a 6,500sq m outpatient centre with additional services. Bayhealth president and CEO Terry Murphy said: “A project like this doesn’t happen overnight; it takes research, imagination, determination, and knowhow.“It also takes the will to change the status quo and create something new. We view the health campus project as a $275 to $300M re-investment in the health of our community.” The new healthcare campus is scheduled to open in 2019.
Balfour Beatty Investments has secured financing for the Enterprise Data Centre (EDC) Borden expansion project in Ontario, Canada.The CAD322M ($245.2M) contract has been awarded by the Canadian government to Uptime Infrastructure Partners, a consortium that includes Forum Equity Partners, Walsh Contractors and Balfour Beatty .The consortium will provide the design, construct, finance and facilities management services for a new 10,000sq m data centre located on the Canadian Forces Base. Balfour Beatty Investments and Forum Equity Partners will finance the project, while Walsh Canada will provide construction services.Balfour Beatty Investments Canada senior vice president Chris Arthur said: “This project represents a meaningful win for our organization since this is the first of a potential pipeline of P3 projects for the Canadian Department of National Defence, and a demonstration of continued growth of our business in this key market.“We look forward to working with such a respected group of partners who have a well-established presence in the data centre sector.”Construction is expected to start in June 2016 and the first of four phases of the new facility will be completed in late 2017.
Professional baseball team Texas Rangers has unveiled plans for a new $1bn stadium.The proposed ballpark will include a retractable roof for climate control and a shelter for fans during the hot summer season. It is also expected to have similar design concepts as the ones featured in the construction of the Globe Life Park.The Arlington City Council will consider designating a venue project and authorising a master agreement for a public-private partnership with the Texas Rangers this evening.The new proposed master agreement could see the Rangers' partnership with Arlington extend until January 1, 2054.The project’s construction cost would be shared equally between the Texas Rangers and the City of Arlington. Texas Rangers co-chairman Ray Davis said: "The Rangers and Arlington have enjoyed a great partnership for 45 years, and we are excited about the possibility of calling this city home for many years to come."A baseball park is a very special place and the Rangers are committed to providing the best possible experience for our fans. "The construction of a new facility with a retractable roof and so many other amenities would allow us to enhance that experience in a manner that is not presently possible."The park is expected to be complete by April 2021.
US-based Blackbaud has unveiled plans to construct a new global headquarters on Daniel Island in Berkeley, South Carolina.The $150M project, to be built by Holder Properties, will include a 33,000sq m eco-friendly campus and is expected to create 300 additional jobs over the next five years.Construction work on the project will commence in late 2016 and is anticipated to be complete in two phases. Phase one of the new campus is expected to be complete by 2018.South Carolina governor Nikki Haley said: “Since 1989, Blackbaud has been a terrific member of the South Carolina family, and this new expansion speaks to the company’s commitment to our state and its people.“The 300 new jobs created by this initiative are a milestone, not only for our Lowcountry community, but also for our state as a whole.”
Construction has started on the $750M Greenleigh at Crossroads mixed-use development in Baltimore, Maryland.Greenleigh at Crossroads, part of Baltimore Crossroads development, will feature 1,000 single-family units and townhomes, 500 multifamily homes, three mid-rise Class A commercial office buildings covering 28,000sq m, 12,000sq m of single-storey office space, 11,000sq m of retail and a 120-room SpringHill Suites by Marriott hotel.The project will be delivered by St. John Properties, Somerset Construction Co. and Elm Street Development.St. John Properties has started construction on one of the office buildings, and is set to commence construction on the hotel in late 2016.Elm Street Development will soon commence construction of the single-family homes and townhomes, with models anticipated to be ready in early 2017.Somerset Construction is set to start work on The Berkleigh, a 317-unit luxury apartment community, in late 2016.
United Technologies has started construction on a new $115M technology centre in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.The new UTC Center for Intelligent Buildings will serve as the global corporate headquarters for UTC Climate, Controls & Security, a unit of United Technologies.The 21,000sq m facility will feature the latest United Technologies products, along with integrated systems and interactive displays from brands such as Carrier, Otis, Automated Logic, Chubb, Edwards, Kidde and Lenel.In addition, the building will also serve as a high-tech, modern workspace for UTC employees and members of the Otis Americas regional headquarters team.UTC Climate, Controls & Security president Bob McDonough said: "Today, we move one step closer to delivering a first-of-its-kind destination for both the global building community and our neighbours right here in Palm Beach County."This center will serve as a living showcase, demonstrating the latest building technology and pioneering new concepts that will help our customers meet their needs efficiently, sustainably and intelligently."
Brooklyn Brewery is expanding its operations by constructing a new brewery, headquarters and rooftop restaurant and beer garden at the Brooklyn Navy Yard’s Building 77 in New York.Brooklyn Brewery, which opened its first brewery 20 years ago in Williamsburg, will lease a total of 700sq m of the building, which is now undergoing an $185M refurbishment. The revamp of Building 77 will transform 9,300sq m of storage space into a manufacturing, tech and design hub. Brooklyn Brewery’s CEO Eric Ottaway said that in addition to the Navy Yard site, the company is hoping to build a large brewery in Staten Island to handle production that is now done in Utica, New York. The brewery will maintain its brewing operations in its original site in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, until its leases expire in 2025.Ottaway added that the company is hoping to extend that lease beyond 2025 and maintain a presence in Williamsburg.Brooklyn Brewery will produce 50,000 barrels annually and will employ 124 people, with the long-term goal of creating an additional 100 jobs. Upon completion in early 2017, the development will create a total of 3,000 jobs.
US-based developer Edens has secured an approval from the Boston Redevelopment Authority Board to develop a $200M mixed-use project in Boston.The 6,500sq m development, located near to Edens’ South Bay Center in Boston’s Dorchester neighbourhood, will feature 1,050sq m of restaurants and shops, a 12-screen AMC Theatre with IMAX, a flagship Wahlburger’s, a 130-room hotel, and two parking garages. The developer will also collaborate with Mill Creek Residential to develop 475 multi-family units, which will be in a mix of studios and three-bedroom apartments.During construction, Edens also plans to revamp the 4,000sq m South Bay Center.<iframe src="https://timetric.com/c/UUWD56W/chart/" style="width:500px;height:350px;border:0;" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>
The University of Maryland has unveiled plans to redevelop several existing businesses into a mixed-use development.The $110M project will feature 300 luxury apartments and will also serve and enhance the amenities available to a community of more than 50,000 students and university staff.It involves collaboration between Bozzuto, Willard Retail, and the University of Maryland College Park Foundation, the entity that will acquire the property in early 2017. Bozzuto president and CEO Toby Bozzuto said: "We are grateful to have been selected to develop this wonderful project with the University of Maryland College Park Foundation, the University of Maryland, the City of College Park, Prince George's County, and Willard Retail."The combination of our previous experience developing Monroe Street Market with Catholic University and the strength of our partners will create a community to complement the university's ongoing redevelopment efforts in downtown College Park. This is a rare opportunity to develop a project with transformative potential and we are proud of our stake in this extraordinary collaboration."
Bryn Mawr Hospital has broken ground on the $200M patient pavilion in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.The project will include an 18,500 sq m patient pavilion, two new medical/surgical telemetry units, a new intensive care unit, 12 new operating rooms, and renovated maternity and delivery rooms. The building will be erected in the centre of the campus, taking the place of the Clothier Building and Medical Office Building South. Bryn Mawr Hospital president Andrea Gilbert said: “The campus master plan and modernisation project builds upon Bryn Mawr Hospital's long-standing history of providing exceptional, leading-edge health care in our community.“This investment is evidence of Main Line Health and Bryn Mawr Hospital's continuing promise to deliver personalized, advanced care in a comfortable, contemporary setting.“A treasured community teaching hospital for more than a century, the next iteration of Bryn Mawr Hospital envisions a physical space that matches the patient-centered, quality-driven care that remains core to our mission.”
US-based Jacobs Engineering Group has won a contract to deliver engineering services for the expansion of Mitsubishi’s polyester film plant in Greenville County, South Carolina. Mitsubishi Polyester Film, a subsidiary of Japan-based Mitsubishi Plastics, offers a range of polyester films for the industrial, packaging, imaging and electrical markets.Pursuant to the contract, Jacobs will provide engineering services for the $100m project, which includes the installation of a polyester film production line that is expected to combine high level technology with production efficiency.Jacobs’ senior vice president specialty chemicals Andrew Berryman said: “We are excited Mitsubishi chose Jacobs to invest in its existing facility. Our team is committed to delivering a safe, innovative project to support Mitsubishi’s customers and markets around the world.”The project is set to be complete by late 2017.