Destination Control Improves Tenant Comfort and Security

Destination control systems can further optimize system performance with artificial intelligence that is capable of learning and forecasting the traffic flows of a building. When the traffic intensity alters, the control system measures the changed traffic patterns and switches its optimization routines accordingly.

Enhance Tenant Experiences
Any time elevator efficiency increases, customer experience is enhanced; however, the unique benefits of destination control systems increase passenger comfort from floor selection to destination arrival.

Carbon Fiber Rope is the Next Big Leap in High-Rise Building Design

A new high-rise elevator technology was announced today that is set to break industry limits and enable future elevator travel heights of 1 kilometer – twice the distance currently feasible. The KONE UltraRope™ is a completely new hoisting technology that eliminates the disadvantages of conventional steel rope and opens up a world of possibilities in high-rise building design – an important consideration as urbanization brings increasing numbers of people to cities.…

Destination Dispatch Breathes New Life into Historic Houston High-Rise

Once the tallest point of the Houston skyline, the city’s iconic building at 712 Main Street has recently been upgraded with key services and technology to complement its classic 1920s Art Deco style to attract new business, increase marketability and tenants, save energy and help revitalize downtown Houston.

Schindler, a leading global elevator and escalator provider, has installed its innovative PORT (Personal Occupant Requirement Terminal) destination-dispatch technology on the nine passenger elevators in the historic 36-story multi-tenant office building’s East tower, helping to move building occupants faster and more efficiently.…

High-Rise Hotels That Get IT

High-def flat screens embedded into bathroom mirrors. Electronic doorbell systems that feature guest presence detection and tray removal tracking. Energy management systems that set lighting and temperature levels based on whether guests are in the room, out of the room, or checked out.

All of these technologies are being incorporated into upscale high-rise hotels, according to Jeremy Rock, president of RockIT Group in Anaheim, CA. These amenities bring added comfort and satisfaction to guests, and can offer productivity advantages for hotel staff members as well.

The 5 Rings of High-Rise Residential Security

Tenants living in residential high-rises have different security expectations based on a wide variety of factors, says Daun St. Amand, vice president at RTKL Associates. “They ebb and flow relative to several things.”

Security levels and expectations vary based on the type of residential high-rise: market-rate apartment buildings vs. high-end branded environments. Particularly in the luxury range, security is critical (and often a selling point) for tenants…

Behavior Detection in High-Rise Security

Commercial real estate companies have a long history of utilizing security systems and services to protect their buildings.

But for security programs to be able to protect a high-rise facility from manmade threats, they must be able to deter, detect, and prevent potential threat elements from carrying out acts of violence.

By its very nature – and by definition – security must be proactive. Surveillance cameras, access control systems, security guards, and biometrics sometimes aren’t enough.…

Texas’s Tallest Residential Tower Solves Hot Water Delivery Problem

The Austonian is Austin, Texas’s premiere luxury residence. Located in the heart of Austin’s eclectic culture, it offers 360° views and unparalleled amenities to its residents, and has received a Four Star rating from Austin Energy Green Building. At more than 680 feet tall, The Austonian is the tallest residential tower West of the Mississippi River.

Shortly after opening, in 2010, homeowners noticed a plumbing problem. In some cases, 2-3 minutes were needed for warm water to reach the fixtures.

Thermal Energy Storage: A Peak Performer

Facilities across the globe are using thermal energy storage to air-condition spaces, from one of the tallest buildings in the world (the T&C Tower in Taiwan) to the first U.S. commercial skyscraper to achieve LEED Platinum certification (Bank of America Tower in New York).

Restroom Trends Cater to Cleaning & Conservation

If I were to write an article on restroom trends in high-rise properties in the mid-1990s or 2000s, the emphasis would likely have been on luxury. The “functional look” of commercial restrooms, commonly found in the 1980s and earlier, was no longer en vogue. It had been replaced with marble, granite, and high-end restroom fixture designs.

U.S. Steel Tower in Pittsburgh Offers Electric Vehicle Charging Service

Central Parking Systems, now provides EV (electric vehicle) charging services from Car Charging Group at U.S. Steel Tower in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

U.S. Steel Tower, at 600 Grant Street, is a 64-story Class “A” office building in the Central Business District of Pittsburgh. The property provides access to various service providers, restaurants, and retailers including PNC Bank, Au Bon Pain, and Starbucks. EV charging services are now available in the building’s 720-parking space garage.…

Fine-Tune Your High-Rise’s Control Systems to Achieve Maximum Efficiency

Many high-rise buildings with advanced systems and controls use more energy than their less-advanced peers due in equal part to design oversights, installation variances, inefficient operating methods, and even maintenance issues.

That’s pretty discouraging considering that a fair amount of capital has been deployed in these buildings when trying to achieve exactly the opposite effect. But there’s hope for these technological marvels of inefficiency. Retro-commissioning (RCx) provides a cost-effective opportunity for energy savings in these buildings through a systematic process of investigation, with implementation of corrective energy-efficiency improvements to address the issues.…

ENERGY STAR Focuses on Multifamily High-Rises

Until August 2011, residential high-rises didn’t really fit in when it came to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR program.

“Multifamily high-rises lie at the intersection of commercial and residential,” explains Ted Leopkey, program manager for ENERGY STAR’s Multifamily High-Rise (MFHR) program. “In 2004, when EPA started investigating how to leverage the ENERGY STAR in the high-rise sector, we didn’t have a model of national whole building energy use in our commercial program to allow Portfolio Manager to compare a multifamily high-rise to other buildings like it. And our residential program requirements applied only to single-family homes and low-rise multifamily units.”

Increase Your High-Rise Building’s Value With Efficient Lighting

While high-rise buildings have unique energy-efficiency challenges relative to occupancy and ownership, there is significant evidence that energy reduction not only saves money for building owners and operators, but also increases property value.

According to the Institute for Market Transformation, lower energy costs translate to higher returns. Energy-efficient properties have higher occupancy levels, lease-up rates, and sale prices than less efficient properties. Tenants and real estate investors are demanding energy efficiency, sometimes paying a premium to lease or own space where energy costs are lower.…

Benching Shatters “One-Size-Fits-All” Concept

Today’s workplace is drastically different from the workplaces of just five or 10 years ago. Thanks to the ubiquitous nature of technology, an increasing number of workers have the flexibility to work remotely, which frees up an office’s dedicated workspace. Additionally, the economy has put an increased strain on businesses of all sizes.

Business leaders are constantly looking for ways to curb real estate costs and adapt spaces to changing business conditions and needs.…

Smoke-Free: How One New York City High-Rise Kicked the Habit

Looking for a way no-cost way to reduce operating costs in a residential high-rise without sacrificing tenant comfort or satisfaction? Try implementing a smoke-free policy.

Studies now show that smoke-free policies could save residential landlords millions (if not billions) of dollars per year in cleaning costs alone.

Media Facades are Multi-Faceted 21st-Century Communicators

Media facades have become a firm feature of the 21st century metropolis, increasingly bathing gray cities in an imposing play of light and color. What once began with lurid neon advertising hoardings in New York’s Times Square has grown beyond its initial purpose as a pure advertising medium to present itself today as a conveyor of artistic and social messages, transforming buildings into giant screens. There are now even architecture practices specializing in “mediatecture”.

Fire Hazards Associated with Dubai’s Aluminum Clad High-Rises

The rapid development of scores of spectacular high-rise buildings in Dubai between 1994 and 2009 was unsurprisingly not without some growing pains. 1994 saw the start of the Burj Al Arab, the lemon-wedge-shaped building on whose heli-deck we see international sports stars hitting tennis and golf balls, which I think makes a fitting start to the period. However it was not until some years later that H.H.…

Façade Access: Ups & Downs, Ins & Outs

The technology and equipment used in exterior maintenance is continually evolving, as more buildings become architectural statements and landmarks with intricate details. Several design factors should be considered when incorporating safe and efficient façade access systems into the design of the world’s tallest buildings or integrating them with existing buildings.

Reduce Injury Risk with Cleaning Chemical Safety Program

When used properly, both conventional and Green cleaning chemicals are relatively safe. Unfortunately, however, these products are not always properly handled, and accidents do happen.

chemical-cleaning-warningThis is one reason why the U.S. Department of Labor continues to list cleaning and custodial work as one of the most dangerous jobs in the country, mainly because of the many accidents involving chemicals that occur each year.

Tipping Point Year for Sustainability and the Cleaning Industry

Stephen Ashkin, President of The Ashkin Group and CEO of Sustainability Dashboard Tools, LLC, believes 2013 will be a “tipping point” year for the professional cleaning industry as cleaning professionals become more involved in reducing clients’ operating costs by becoming more sustainable.

“Building owners will increasingly turn to their suppliers, including cleaning contractors, to help reduce [resource] consumption,” says Ashkin. “This helps to protect the environment and promote sustainability, while at the same time improving the bottom line.”

According to Ashkin, in some cases these savings can amount to as much as 25 cents per square foot, a significant sum for a large facility.…

Test Your Green Certification IQ

Most cleaning professionals have heard the expression “Green certified” when selecting environmentally preferable cleaning chemicals. However, do we all know exactly what Green certified means?

To help us better understand the certification process and its history, Enviro-Solutions, manufacturers of environmentally preferable cleaning products, has prepared the following Green Certification IQ test.

To take the quiz, answer the following questions as best you can, then check your answers below to find out how well you did.…

Reduce Injury Risk with Cleaning Chemical Safety Program

When used properly, both conventional and Green cleaning chemicals are relatively safe. Unfortunately, however, these products are not always properly handled, and accidents do happen.

chemical-cleaning-warningThis is one reason why the U.S. Department of Labor continues to list cleaning and custodial work as one of the most dangerous jobs in the country, mainly because of the many accidents involving chemicals that occur each year.

Tipping Point Year for Sustainability and the Cleaning Industry

Stephen Ashkin, President of The Ashkin Group and CEO of Sustainability Dashboard Tools, LLC, believes 2013 will be a “tipping point” year for the professional cleaning industry as cleaning professionals become more involved in reducing clients’ operating costs by becoming more sustainable.

“Building owners will increasingly turn to their suppliers, including cleaning contractors, to help reduce [resource] consumption,” says Ashkin. “This helps to protect the environment and promote sustainability, while at the same time improving the bottom line.”

According to Ashkin, in some cases these savings can amount to as much as 25 cents per square foot, a significant sum for a large facility.…

Test Your Green Certification IQ

Most cleaning professionals have heard the expression “Green certified” when selecting environmentally preferable cleaning chemicals. However, do we all know exactly what Green certified means?

To help us better understand the certification process and its history, Enviro-Solutions, manufacturers of environmentally preferable cleaning products, has prepared the following Green Certification IQ test.

To take the quiz, answer the following questions as best you can, then check your answers below to find out how well you did.…

Brooklyn Residential Complex Upgrades Building Management System

A massive residential development known as Spring Creek Towers in Brooklyn, New York has completed a $2-million smart building retrofit. The project will help facility personnel more effectively manage energy use, and increase safety and security across the development’s 46 apartment towers and multiple parking garages, retail centers and other amenities.

Opened in 1974, the housing development was originally known as Starret City, before being renamed in 2002. It contains 5,881 apartment units in buildings ranging from 11-stories to 20-stories and is said to be the largest federally assisted rental property in the United States.

Switch Automation Opens Seattle Office

Switch Automation’s CEO Deb Noller announced today the opening of the company’s second West Coast office, in Seattle, to serve clients in the Pacific Northwest. The office will be headed up by Peter Rake, Chief Operations Officer.

Noller said, “We have seen building owners in Seattle realize the time and cost-saving benefits of the Switch platform, designed to monitor building portfolios. Our engaging and interactive user interface, scalability of solutions, tools for importing real-time operations data, ease of data handling for multiple formats from dozens of sources, and the robustness of working with the Microsoft Azure cloud platform have really struck a chord with company executives who are currently struggling with large amounts of building data kept in multiple systems or even in spreadsheets.”

New Fire Alarm and Emergency Communications for High-Rise Facilities

Silent Knight by Honeywell has expanded its Farenhyt line of combined fire alarm and emergency communication systems (ECS) with the new IFP-2000ECS, which offers higher capacity and more power to protect larger facilities and multiple buildings with one system. A growing number of diverse facilities continue to drive demand upwards for more reliable, cost-effective ECS solutions.

Navigating New York Incentives for Multifamily Energy Efficiency Projects

Several incentive programs are available for multifamily housing projects in New York State. Understanding your options, selecting the best program for your project, and navigating the process can be a bit confusing if it is unfamiliar territory. However, the reward is worth the effort. Here are three of the most beneficial and most utilized programs available statewide.

New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) Multifamily Performance Program (MPP)

NYSERDA MPP applies to both existing and new construction projects, providing financial incentives to owners for buildings in both the affordable and market-rate sectors and technical assistance through the NYSERDA Partner Network.…

Manhattan Law Firm to Occupy Three Floors at 1350 Broadway

Law firm Tarter Krinsky & Drogin LLP has signed an expansion lease at W&H Properties’ 1350 Broadway that will increase the firm’s occupancy by 35 percent, announces Anthony Malkin, president of Malkin Holdings L.L.C., which supervises the W&H Properties portfolio.

With the expansion, Tarter Krinsky & Drogin will occupy 37,609 square feet on three floors. The firm moved into 1350 Broadway in 2007.

“Tarter Krinksy & Drogin has been a tenant at 1350 Broadway during a period in which we have transformed the property in a $53-million, top-to-bottom upgrade program,” says Mr. Malkin. “This expansion demonstrates that we’ve delivered on our promises and ensured the highest levels of tenant satisfaction.”

117 Year Old 24-Story High-Rise Sold in Off Market Transaction

Northwood Investors has purchased 100 Broadway, a 24-story office building located on the southeast corner of Broadway and Pine Street in downtown Manhattan, right in the heart of Lower Manhattan. The seller was Madison Capital and the purchase price was $150 million.

Brookfield Financial served as the sole advisor to Northwood Investors on this off-market transaction. The Brookfield Financial team, led by Managing Partner Chris Wilson, was also responsible for bringing Northwood together with the sellers.

$32 Million Rehab Planned for Chicago’s 2101 South Michigan Apartments

The AFL-CIO Housing Investment Trust (HIT) is spending $32 million of pension capital funding towards the major rehabilitation of 2101 South Michigan, a 26-story residential tower on Chicago’s Near South Side. Rehabilitation work on the aging property will improve the quality of life for residents and generate approximately 245 union construction jobs.

Built in 1971 with financial assistance from the Federal Housing Administration’s grant program for affordable housing, the property is currently in need of major upgrades that will help the 250-unit building become more energy efficient.…

Chicago’s 300 South Wacker Drives Sells for $112.5 Million

An affiliate of Harbor Group International, LLC (“HGI”) has completed the sale of 300 South Wacker Drive, a 35-story, 512,436 building in downtown Chicago, for $112.5 million. The buyer was Beacon Capital Partners, of Boston. HGI purchased the property in August of 2006 for $91.5 million.

The company continues to own nearly 2 million square feet of Class A office property in downtown Chicago. HGI’s other downtown Chicago assets include One South Wacker, a 40-story, 1,195,000 square foot office building at the corner or Madison Street and Wacker Drive; and 2 North LaSalle, a 715,000 square foot downtown office tower.

ComEd Offering Chicago Building Owners Rebates on Full Spectrum LED Lighting

To accelerate the adoption of high quality, energy efficient LED lighting; ComEd is offering substantial rebates on Soraa’s gallium-nitride on gallium-nitride (GaN on GaN™), full visible spectrum LED MR16 lamps. With the rebates, Chicago businesses now have another incentive to install Soraa’s MR16 LED lamps, well known as the best LED MR16 retrofit lamp available, delivering the highest light output, color rendering, whiteness, and beam of any comparable product.…

‘Unbuilt San Francisco’ Exhibit Explores What Might Have Been

If San Franciscans like to describe their city as “49 square miles surrounded by reality,” the visionary ideas that were too grandiose for even San Franciscans to consider remain some of the most fantastic designs for any city in the world. Imagine the Ferry Building surrounded by office towers, a grand casino on Alcatraz, the city wrapped in freeways and a subdivision covering flattened hills north of the Golden Gate Bridge.

AIA San Francisco, Center for Architecture + Design, Environmental Design Archives at UC Berkeley, California Historical Society, SPUR and the San Francisco Public Library are presenting “Unbuilt San Francisco,” a collaborative exhibition on view August – November, 2013.

88,134 Square Foot Lease at 1455 Market Street High-Rise in San Francisco

Hudson Pacific Properties has signed a new lease at its 22-story high-rise at 1455 Market Street with Uber Technologies, Inc., a leading provider of affordable luxury transportation through an efficient technology-centered approach.

The new ten-year 88,134 square-foot lease encompasses the entire fourth floor of 1455 Market and backfills space currently occupied by the property’s largest tenant that was scheduled to expire in 2017. Commencement of the lease with Uber is scheduled for first quarter 2014.

KONE Buys Empire Elevator in San Francisco

KONE has acquired the San Francisco-based business of Empire Elevator Co., Inc., an independent elevator company. Empire has operated in the attractive Bay Area market since 1978 under the capable leadership of President Bruce Moore, who will join the combined KONE team in a key role.

Empire and KONE will be combining their elevator operations under the KONE name during the next few months.

“The Empire and KONE operations will fit well together and we are thrilled to be adding great new customers in the very important San Francisco market,” said Larry Wash, KONE Executive Vice President for the Americas.…

Switch Automation Opens Seattle Office

Switch Automation’s CEO Deb Noller announced today the opening of the company’s second West Coast office, in Seattle, to serve clients in the Pacific Northwest. The office will be headed up by Peter Rake, Chief Operations Officer.

Noller said, “We have seen building owners in Seattle realize the time and cost-saving benefits of the Switch platform, designed to monitor building portfolios. Our engaging and interactive user interface, scalability of solutions, tools for importing real-time operations data, ease of data handling for multiple formats from dozens of sources, and the robustness of working with the Microsoft Azure cloud platform have really struck a chord with company executives who are currently struggling with large amounts of building data kept in multiple systems or even in spreadsheets.”

Seattle’s 47-Story Wells Fargo Center Acquired by Ivanhoé Cambridge

Ivanhoé Cambridge continues to deploy its growth strategy in the United States with the acquisition of a 100% interest in the Wells Fargo Center, a 47-story, Class A, office tower with 983,600 square-feet of leasable space. The company’s investment of approximately $390 million brings Ivanhoé Cambridge’s share of leasable Class A space in Seattle’s financial district to nearly 8%.

“This acquisition, an excellent investment opportunity brought to our attention through our partner, Callahan Capital Properties, contributes to our strategy aimed at building a national platform…

41-Story Apartment Tower in Downtown Seattle Breaks Ground

This week construction began on a 41-story residential project located at 2030 8th Avenue in downtown Seattle. GID Development’s 355-unit luxury apartment tower features panoramic views of Seattle’s downtown skyline, Lake Union, Puget Sound and Elliot Bay.

“Seattle is a priority market for us due to its strong employment growth, highly educated workforce and remarkable urban lifestyle,” said James Linsley, President of GID Development Group. “The location of this project at the intersection of South Lake Union and downtown Seattle’s office and retail core, combined with the superior level of amenities and finishes makes this a unique and highly desirable development opportunity.”

24-Story Landmark Square in Longbeach Sold for $136 Million

Brookfield Office Properties Inc. has sold the Landmark Square office building on Ocean Blvd. in downtown Long Beach, CA for approximately $136 million or $306 per square foot, resulting in net proceeds of approximately $61 million to the company.

The buyer was John Hancock, the U.S. division of Manulife Financial Corporation, one of the largest life insurance companies in the world.

Museum Exhibit Displays L.A. Developments that Were Never Built

‘Never Built: Los Angeles’ is a new show at the A+D Architecture and Design Museum that examines over a century of ambitious projects that never materialized in the city of Los Angeles.

Never Built: Los Angeles explores the “what if” Los Angeles. A thorough compendium of projects that only saw the drawing board, the exhibition asks: Why is Los Angeles a hotbed of great architects, yet so lacking in urban innovation?

Hines Sells 30-Story Office Building One Wilshire in Los Angeles

Hines Real Estate Investment Trust, Inc. (Hines REIT) has sold three office buildings, one in Los Angeles and two in El Segundo for a total price of $550,000,000.

The first property is One Wilshire, a 30-story, Class A office building located in downtown Los Angeles. It contains 663,000 square feet of telecom and office space, and it was acquired by Hines REIT in 2007. The property is 93 percent leased to companies including Verizon Communications, CRG West, Quest Communications, CoreSite, Crowell Weedon and Musick Peeler.

Boston’s 120 Kingston Street Developer to Present Case Study

Boston’s NAIOP Developing Leaders are hosting an event on September 17th featuring Forest City Enterprises executives, who will discuss the design and construction of their $130-million high-rise residential project at 120 Kingston Street.

According to the event announcement, real estate developers are constantly weighing decisions related to design and construction. These decisions are often evaluated using a number of metrics: schedule, aesthetics, cost, maintenance and property management, market expectations, a desire to differentiate, and a need to meet the design criteria of the Boston Redevelopment Authority and other city agencies.

Marc Langone Joins Lerch Bates as Project Manager

Lerch Bates, an international consulting firm for vertical transportation, façade access and materials management, announced Marc Langone has joined the company as project manager for its New England Region. Langone brings to Lerch Bates more than 10 years of valued experience in elevator service and modernization sales, supervision and project management.

Langone is assigned to Lerch Bates’ Boston office where he manages vertical transportation system studies, performs vertical maintenance evaluations and designs vertical transportation systems.

Boston REIT Buys Three High-Rises, Arizona’s Tallest Residential Building

A Boston-based REIT, Winthrop Realty Trust, has entered into a binding purchase agreement to acquire four recently constructed class A luxury apartment buildings for an aggregate purchase price of $246 million, including the tallest residential building in Arizona. The four properties, including three high-rises, were all built to condominium specifications prior to a lender foreclosure.

44 Monroe, located in Phoenix, Arizona, is a 34-story residential building comprised of 184 units originally built for sale as condominiums with 1,377 square feet of ground level retail space.

Jones Lang LaSalle Acquires Knaus Partners

In a strategic move to aggressively expand its industry-leading third-party property management expertise, Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) has acquired Means Knaus Partners (MKP), a Houston-based property management company. The transaction will boost JLL’s portfolio of office space under management by approximately 16 million square feet with properties located primarily in Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Orlando and Tampa.

Founded as a private real estate investment and management company in 1998 by industry veterans Steve Means and Doug Knaus, MKP manages 80 prime metropolitan office assets throughout the United States. Doug Knaus, MKP CEO, will join Jones Lang LaSalle as an International Director, and Robert Nowak, MKP COO, will join JLL as a Managing Director, along with nearly 100 MKP employees.

Boston REIT Buys Three High-Rises, Arizona’s Tallest Residential Building

A Boston-based REIT, Winthrop Realty Trust, has entered into a binding purchase agreement to acquire four recently constructed class A luxury apartment buildings for an aggregate purchase price of $246 million, including the tallest residential building in Arizona. The four properties, including three high-rises, were all built to condominium specifications prior to a lender foreclosure.

44 Monroe, located in Phoenix, Arizona, is a 34-story residential building comprised of 184 units originally built for sale as condominiums with 1,377 square feet of ground level retail space.

Window Film Cuts High-Rise Hotel’s HVAC Costs by Nearly One-Quarter

Through its line of performance films, Eastman Chemical Company has partnered with the Hyatt Regency Houston and Green Generation Solutions (GGS), an energy-efficiency and sustainability engineering firm, to measure the true energy-savings impact of EnerLogic 35 low-e window film.

The 924,000-square foot Hyatt Regency Houston sought to address temperature complaints from guests, as well as its high energy expenditures that totaled $1.6 million annually. The high utility bills were diverting resources the hotel uses to offer best-in-class service and amenities to guests.

CBRE Selected To Market Downtown Dallas Office Tower

CBRE has been selected by Berkeley First City, L.P., an affiliate of Berkeley Investments to replace Jones Lang LaSalle as the exclusive marketing advisor for 1700 Pacific, an iconic office tower located in Dallas’ revitalized Central Business District. The 49-story office building has nearly 1.4 million rentable square feet, an underground parking garage and an off-site garage connected to the building via air-conditioned sky bridges.

Developer Aquires Land to Construct ‘One Dallas’ Mixed-Use High-Rise

Stoneleigh Companies, LLC, development partner of SC One Dallas LLC, has qcquired a site in Uptown Dallas for the future development of One Dallas, a to-be-built high-rise mixed use tower at the NE corner of McKinney and Routh Streets in Dallas, TX. One Dallas will include up to 30,000 square feet of premium restaurant/retail space and 200 units of Class A+ apartments in a 20-story tower.…

Dallas Skyline Turns Pink in Honor of Mary Kay’s 50th Anniversary

Who says a 50th anniversary has to be a golden celebration? To honor Mary Kay Inc.’s 50th anniversary, and the arrival of nearly 50,000 independent sales force members for the company’s annual convention, landmarks throughout Dallas are twinkling with pink lights.

The city’s pink glow pays tribute to Mary Kay Ash, the visionary founder of Mary Kay and the inspiration behind the company’s 50th anniversary celebration entitled, “One Woman CanTM.” From a small Dallas storefront in 1963 to a cosmetic powerhouse with 3 million independent sales force members worldwide, Mary Kay’s mission remains the same 50 years later – to enrich women’s lives.

U.S. Steel Tower in Pittsburgh Offers Electric Vehicle Charging Service

Central Parking Systems, now provides EV (electric vehicle) charging services from Car Charging Group at U.S. Steel Tower in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

U.S. Steel Tower, at 600 Grant Street, is a 64-story Class “A” office building in the Central Business District of Pittsburgh. The property provides access to various service providers, restaurants, and retailers including PNC Bank, Au Bon Pain, and Starbucks. EV charging services are now available in the building’s 720-parking space garage.…

Forest City Sells Liberty Center Complex in Pittsburgh to Starwood Capital

Forest City Enterprises has completed the sale of Liberty Center complex in Pittsburgh to a subsidiary of Starwood Capital Group, a leading global private investment firm. Liberty Center includes the 27-story Federated Investors office tower and the 616-room Westin Convention Center Hotel.

The gross selling price was $135 million, and the transaction generated net cash proceeds, at Forest City’s share, of approximately $30 million. Prior to the transaction, the property was owned in a 50/50 partnership by Forest City and Jos. L. Muscarelle, Inc. of Maywood, New Jersey.

The Tower at PNC Plaza in Pittsburgh to Install Thermal Break Elements

Builders at The Tower at PNC Plaza, the new headquarters of PNC Financial Services Group in Pittsburgh, will be installing an innovative thermal break solution as a key component in the design of the 32-story building, billed as the “world’s greenest” office tower. The product they selected, Isokorb thermal break solution, was manufactured by the UK-based company, Schöck.

According to Erleen Hatfield, PE, LEED AP, AIA, Partner, Buro Happold, “To provide fully integrated engineering service for The Tower at PNC Plaza, it was incumbent on the team’s structural engineers to understand and embrace the high-performance goals of the project.…

Pair of Luxury High-Rise Apartment Buildings Break Ground in Miami

Construction is underway at ShoreCrest Club Apartments on the Bay, Miami’s first new-to-market luxury rental apartment development located at 7950 North East Bayshore Court in the bourgeoning UpperEast Side neighborhood. The two 20-story towers featuring 467 residential units have an anticipated delivery date in early 2015. The project is a joint venture between ECI Group, Adler Development and Canyon Capital Realty Advisors LLC.

Located just west of Miami Beach on the 79th Street causeway, ShoreCrest Club will be one of Miami’s only luxury rental apartment buildings directly on the water. With a central Upper East Side location, north of the Downtown/Brickell market and south of the Aventura/Sunny Isles market,ShoreCrest Club will fill a void of luxury rental product in the mainland Miami communities.

Law Firm Enters Florida with Full-Floor Office Lease at 600 Brickell

The global law firm Jones Day marks its entrance into Florida with a new full-floor office lease totalling 21,363 square feet at 600 Brickell, at Brickell World Plaza, which represents positive absorption of office space for the Miami market.

Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) completed the transaction on behalf of Foram Group, the developer of the 40-story premier office tower in the Brickell Financial District.

Jones Day is a global law firm with more than 2,400 lawyers and 40 offices around the world. This is Jones Day’s first office in Florida, which will enable the law firm to better serve clients in transactional and litigation matters throughout the state, as well as clients doing business with Latin America.

34-Story Luxury Condo Tower Under Construction in Miami’s Brickell Neighborhood

Nine at Mary Brickell Village, a new luxury condominium located in the heart of Mary Brickell Village at 999 Southwest 1st Ave., will include 390 elegantly appointed residential units and rise 34 stories to overlook the neighborhood’s culinary, nightlife and retail scene. Slated for completion in May 2014, Nine at Mary Brickell Village will be brought to life by industry powerhouses Starwood Capital Group and LYND, with sales led by Fortune International.…

Parmenter Names JLL Exclusive Leasing Agent for Atlanta’s Buckhead Tower

As part of ongoing capital improvements and the new branding for Buckhead Tower at Lenox Square, owner Parmenter Realty Partners has selected Jones Lang LaSalle as the exclusive leasing agent for the Class A, 20-story, 348,152-square-foot office tower located in the Buckhead submarket of Atlanta. Buckhead Tower at Lenox Square has one of largest blocks of space available in Buckhead, with up to 60,000 square feet of contiguous space.…

Hines Becomes New Manager of 999 Peachtree in Atlanta

Hines has been retained by Franklin Street Properties Corp. (FSP) to manage 999 Peachtree, a 28-story, 621,000-square-foot office building. The property is 94.6 percent leased and is located in Atlanta’s Midtown submarket at the intersection of 10th and Peachtree streets.

“Hines has enjoyed continuing to expand its relationship with Franklin Street Properties, managing buildings for FSP and its affiliates in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Houston and Kansas City. We look forward to achieving our owner’s asset objectives through our property management expertise,” said General Property Manager Lynn Lewis, who will oversee Hines’ onsite management staff.

Atlanta Midtown Mile Office High-Rise Sold for $157.9 Million

Massachusetts-based Franklin Street Properties has acquired a 28-story, multi-tenant office building on Peachtree Street in Atlanta for a purchase price of $157,900,000. Containing approximately 621,007 rentable square feet of space and a parking garage, 999 Peachtree Street is located in the midtown submarket, at the center of Atlanta’s celebrated Midtown Mile located along the one-mile stretch of Peachtree Street from North Avenue to 15th Street. It was completed in 1987 and is approximately 95% leased.