Real Estate Wire/Green Trends News Wire

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (April 30, 2015) – LandSouth Construction, a Jacksonville, Fla. based general contractor specializing in multifamily, senior housing and mixed use developments, will be building Oyster Park Apartments, a $28.5 million modern, urban, mixed use multifamily community in Mt. Pleasant, S.C. Construction is scheduled to begin next month with completion slated for October, 2016. Dewberry Capital, headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., is the developer of the community that will feature 269 residences in seven buildings with a multi-level private parking garage. The architects are McMillan, Pazdan, Smith of Greenville S.C. “Just across the river from historic Charleston, Oyster Park will truly offer an upscale, urban lifestyle including apartment homes above store fronts and within walk to shopping, restaurants and other retail,” said LandSouth’s Vice President of Operations Joe Passkiewicz. LandSouth Construction is currently working on projects throughout the Southeast in...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI) officially launched PEER, its rating system designed to measure and improve sustainable power system performance. Modeled after the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) LEED green building rating system, PEER, or Performance Excellence in Electricity Renewal, evaluates power generation, transmission and distribution systems through the lens of the customer, focusing on efficiency, quality, reliability, resiliency and the environment. GBCI will serve as the independent, third party, global certification and credentialing body for PEER. "Buildings don’t exist in a vacuum, so integration with other industries, such as energy and power, is crucial if we are to create a more sustainable built environment. PEER will be a transformative tool for power systems regulation, design and operation,” said Rick Fedrizzi, CEO & founding chair, USGBC, and CEO, GBCI. “It is a great complement to the array of rating systems already...

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., April 30, 2015 – Today Mayor Alvin Brown announced the selection of Jacksonville as one of only 10 cities in the nation to participate in the National Park Service’s (NPS) Urban Agenda Initiative. Included in the Urban Agenda is the placement of an Urban Fellow in each city.  The initiative’s goal is to create and deploy a coherent system of parks, programs and partnerships within an urban landscape that will positively impact and enhance the city’s economic vitality, historic preservation, natural and cultural resources, outdoor recreation, youth and education opportunities, urban design and sustainability. The other cities selected are Boston, Detroit, New York City, Philadelphia, Richmond (CA), Richmond (VA), St. Louis, Tucson and Washington, D.C. The Urban Fellow will work with local government to identify recreation and preservation priorities and assist with developing plans to reach those goals. Additionally, existing NPS programs, including the River...

More online retailers say they plan to explore the brick-and-mortar channel this year, according to a survey of 1,000 online retail professionals conducted by eBay.  About 75 percent of the respondents said they have a positive outlook for retail sales in 2015. Roughly 72 percent said they anticipate that online revenue will increase by 17 percent. But sales in brick-and-mortar stores will also be part of that growth. Some 14 percent of the respondents said they intend to make their initial investment in the in-store experience this year.  An additional 12 percent say they will pursue global brick-and-mortar expansion this year, and a further 11 percent will open pop-up shops to drive sales. Several online brands, including BaubleBar, Bonobos, JustFab and Warby Parker have invested in brick-and-mortar operations in recent years. Perhaps this is no wonder. In-store conversion rates continue to be four times higher than online-only conversion rates, according to an ICSC re...

Washington, D.C.  – The GBCI Board of Directors announced that GBCI, formerly known as the Green Building Certification Institute, has changed its name to Green Business Certification Inc. It will continue to be referred to as GBCI. “GBCI is a dynamic brand that has been synonymous with LEED and green building since it was founded in 2008,” said Rick Fedrizzi, CEO, GBCI. “GBCI’s name change is a true reflection of our direction and vision for the organization, which is to extend its core competencies of certification and credentialing services to organizations that want to advance green business and sustainability practices. Third-party validation has become a highly regarded value across the globe and GBCI is well-positioned to fulfill that need.” GBCI is the only group to administer project certifications and professional credentials and certificates within the framework of the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Green Building Rating System. GBCI also exclusively provides cer...

BridgeInvest Residential, a Miami-based lender focused on financing residential investment properties in Florida, recently closed a $3.0 million senior loan cross-collateralized by two waterfront units at the Trump Palace condominium in Sunny Isles Beach.  The high-leverage loan represented over 75% of the original purchase price of the units, allowing the borrower to recoup most of their equity in the properties and execute on another condo purchase. Each unit is a 3-bedroom, 3.5-bathroom condo with over 2,000 square feet featuring expansive water views from multiple balconies. Both units are used as investment properties and currently cash flowing. The properties’ prime location combined with the in-place cash flow made this an attractive investment for the newly-formed lender. Born out of one of South Florida’s largest private commercial lending businesses, BridgeInvest Residential was able to leverage its team’s professionalism and quality of execution to structure and fu...

JEKYLL ISLAND, Ga. -- Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT) today announced the opening of The Westin Jekyll Island , a 200-room, convention-class, beachfront hotel on Georgia's acclaimed barrier island. It is one of six new Westin hotels opening in North America this year and follows the brand’s 200th opening worldwide in 2014. “The Westin Jekyll Island is a terrific new addition to the Westin brand’s growing portfolio and provides a restful retreat for travelers on one of the most beautiful barrier islands in the United States,” said Bob Jacobs , Vice President of Brand Management for Sheraton and Westin. “This spectacular new Westin hotel showcases all of the brand’s services and amenities designed to inspire wellbeing within close proximity of the area’s premier convention facility, as well as a variety of attractions.” The Westin Jekyll Island is the cornerstone of Jekyll Island's Beach Village project, which includes an oceanfront promenade, villag...