In today’s construction daily news, we will look into the development of US-49 south that raises concerns among some residents of the neighboring hamlet. Meanwhile, on Monday, building began on Arlington’s 50-plus recreation center, which is scheduled to open either next winter or early in the year 2025. On the other hand, two city blocks will be completely redesigned as part of a new multi-use development, which will also bring 95 lofts to the downtown area. Furthermore, the developer of the $5.4 million industrial shell building that is now being constructed in Fort Wayne reached a significant construction milestone on Tuesday. Moreover, the Temple in Querétaro, Mexico begins its construction.
U.S. 49 south development worries adjacent residents
Original Source: U.S. 49 south construction causes concern among some in nearby community
A neighboring hamlet is worried about U.S. 49 south construction.
As highway structures disrupted traffic patterns in Brooklyn, several residents sought solutions.
“People are just getting confused with all the construction,” said retired educator Carol Lott.
To reduce car accidents on U.S. 49 south, the Mississippi Department of Transportation is installing medians.
However, Lott expressed anxiety for her family’s safety.
“I have two grandchildren, one who drives and one who rides the school bus in the afternoon, so they cross this roadway twice a day.”
MDOT advised drivers to pay attention and take their time through the sections, even though it may be perplexing.
MDOT district engineer Kelly Castleberry advised, “Just be cautious of your surroundings.” It’s a change, MDOT knows.
“Once the contractor gets out of the way and motorists begin to utilize that and all the crossovers on a regular basis, a new habit will be created and the influence won’t be seen at that time. You’ll get acclimated to it, which will reduce accidents.”
By summer’s end, Castleberry expects the intersections to be finished.
Need more WDAM 7 news? Subscribe here.
Construction begins on Arlington active adult center
Original Source: ‘I’m just happy that it’s happening’: Construction begins on Arlington active adult center
Arlington’s 50-plus recreation complex, expected to open next winter or early 2025, began construction Monday.
The “active adult center” will have a full-court gym, swimming pools, a walking track, event program space, and an outside patio. In a 2017 special bond election, voters approved $45 million in bond funding for the city.
Residents like Elva Roy, who lobbied for an active adult center before the referendum, have waited longer.
I’m glad it’s happening, but I won’t say “finally” because that’s negative. “It’ll be great for the residents and elderly,” Roy remarked.
25% of 65-year-olds are socially isolated, according to the CDC. Heart disease, stroke, and dementia are risks.
Roy stated, “We know that isolation and loneliness accounts for harmful health outcomes, and it’s similar to smoking 15 cigarettes a day.”
The facility will be Arlington’s first. Helen Moise, District 1 council member, said residents 50 and older have wanted a designated location for years.
“Arlington seniors came to us for a long time and said, ‘We need a place we can come together, where we can socialize, where we can engage in activities that promote physical and mental wellness, companionship, and education.’ Moise remarked, “With this new center, we can give all that.”
Early forecasts projected construction would commence by 2020, however concerns over shifting the center from its planned west side location and the COVID-19 epidemic delayed it.
Council members also suggested resuming the construction contracting process to accommodate Minority/Women-owned Businesses and Enterprises (MWBE).
The project’s construction manager-at-risk is Manhattan Construction Group, chosen by the city. The corporation promised to engage MWBE firms for at least 30% of the project’s subcontracts, setting the maximum cost at $55.3 million. With the city’s business diversity office, Manhattan and other firms organized a subcontract networking event.
In the interim, the city is surveying locals to name the facility until Jan. 11, 2023.
Two city blocks will be transformed into 95 Downtown lofts by a new multi-use project
Original Source: New Multi-use project will transform two city blocks and add 95 Downtown lofts
Robbo Hatcher designs a downtown Macon mixed-use project. The new four-story, 107,000+ square foot skyscraper will feature 95 luxury loft apartments, three retail shops, and nine “Executive Offices” in the former Neel’s department store and Blair’s Furniture buildings on Cherry Street and Third Street.
Neel’s Lofts, LLC bought the Neel’s and Blair’s buildings in downtown Macon’s Cherry-Third Street block in August 2020. The Hatcher family collaborated with Historic Macon Foundation to create a historic tax-credit initiative to save the buildings before buying them. The adaptive re-use project is too expensive because the building facades are younger than 1948. The Hatcher family worked with Historic Macon to find other possibilities, including designating the mid-century modern structures individually in the National Register of Historic Places for historic tax credits. The project will demolish the two non-contributing buildings and build a new one once Historic Macon analyzes and exhausts all historic tax credit financing alternatives.
NewTown Macon President and CEO Josh Rogers said, “This will activate one of the final large vacancies in NewTown’s target blocks. “This is great for downtown.”
The Dannenberg Lofts’ 2015 completion and leasing showed downtown Macon’s loft-style housing demand. Since then, about 650 urban core residential units have been created. NewTown Macon reports 100% occupancy and a downtown loft waiting list. A 2019 Zimmerman Volk feasibility assessment for NewTown Macon found that downtown Macon can absorb 200 lofts per year. Since 2019, the delivered supply has never reached 200, showing a pent-up demand for lofts. This project will match that demand for the first time in downtown’s loft development and supply much-needed housing for Middle Georgia’s rising population.
The Neel family is thrilled that the loft construction will bear their name in downtown Macon. Piedmont Construction Group is the Design-Build Construction Manager and Dunwody Beeland and Brannen Parks are the architects. Both organizations have conducted multi-use projects in Macon and have substantial experience. Robbo Hatcher will develop and Robins Financial Credit Union financed the project. NewTown Macon is an equity partner and the Urban Development Authority is providing PILOT funding.
“We do not take lightly the demolition of a building in downtown Macon,” said project developer and Macon resident Robbo Hatcher. I used to shop at Neel’s, but it’s been closed for 30 years and the building has been empty for about a decade. This initiative will revitalize a street that needs new energy.”
The developers want to hold a ceremony to honor the previous structures and celebrate the new development after Macon-Bibb Planning and Zoning Commission approval on January 9, 2023.
Fort Wayne shell building “topping out”
Original Source: ‘Topping out’ set for Fort Wayne shell building
Tuesday marks a major construction milestone for Fort Wayne’s $5.4 million industrial shell building developer. Greater Fort Wayne Inc. said HardHell Investments will put the final steel beam for the facility near Fort Wayne International Airport in a “topping out” ceremony.
Construction began in August. The 52,000-square-foot facility may extend to 117,000.
“The size of this building meets a demand in our area, and it’s a wonderful fit for developing firms that need flexibility,” HardHell Investments co-owner Jeff Harding wrote. We think this will be the first of many structures we create to improve Fort Wayne’s environment and skyline.
Greater Fort Wayne Inc. said Monday shell structures like the one being built will provide the community a competitive edge.
“Many site selectors and business leaders are wanting the speed to market that comes with a shell building, particularly a booming city like ours,” said GFW Chief Economic Development Officer Ellen Cutter. “This project keeps us ahead.”
Fort Wayne’s Airport District houses 4455 Airway Ave. After topping out, GFW will finish the building envelope.
Tuesday’s public topping off ceremony begins at 9:30 a.m.
Querétaro Temple Construction Starts
Original Source: Construction Begins on the Querétaro Mexico Temple
On January 7, general and local Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints leaders, local congregation members, and distinguished guests began construction of the Querétaro Mexico Temple.
Elder Adrián Ochoa, General Authority Seventy and Mexico Area Presidency second counselor, officiated over the groundbreaking ceremony. Elders Arnulfo Valenzuela and Benjamín De Hoyos and their wives were present.
Under a clear sky and warm winter sun, scores of people gathered in the huge space where the two-story, 2,500-square-meter temple will be built.
Santiago de Querétaro, 130 miles northwest of Mexico City, will host the 3.58-acre temple. Russell M. Nelson announced the Querétaro Temple at the April 2021 general conference.
“The Lord has blessed [the Bajío region] with expansion in industrial and economic activities, but… the Church has also developed in a vital way,” Elder Valenzuela said. Since the gospel was taught in these lands, many people have moved to the cities that would make up the temple district and joined the Church.
Elder Valenzuela echoed President Russell M. Nelson’s call to spend more time in the temple and learn how it teaches us to rise above this fallen world.
Elder De Hoyos said the Church builds temples worldwide “so that the blessings of the temple may be available to a greater number of our Heavenly Father’s children.”
“Everything we do in the Church goes to the work in the sacred temples,” he stressed.
Elder Ochoa told President Gordon B. Hinckley that when God builds a temple in a community, he wants to bless the Church and the residents. “God desires to bless this community and all the individuals who live in the cities that will make up the District of this temple,” Elder Ochoa said.
Elder Adrian Ochoa gave the dedicatory prayer and then turned the dirt with other special guests and Church members.
One of 23 temples in Mexico, the Querétaro Mexico Temple is the third under construction. Mexico has second-most temples behind the US.
Querétaro borders Hidalgo, Guanajuato, Michoacán, San Luis Potosí, and Mexico in central Mexico. El Bajío residents will use the temple. Querétaro has competitive cities and great economic growth.
The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by several special guests, including local congresswoman Dulce Imelda Ventura Rendón; Alejandro García, general director of the government of Querétaro; Adolfo Sotelo, coordinator of religious affairs for the municipality; Ellery Mariano López, director of the Mexican Institute of Ophthalmology IAP; Jackeline de los Ángeles Verdín, president of the Kristen AC Foundation board of trustees; Mariana Guerrero, director
Temples are precious to Latter-day Saints. Temples aren’t Church meetinghouses (chapels). Local meetinghouses host Sunday worship and other weekday activities for all. Temples are used for sacred rites like marriages, which link families forever, and proxy baptisms for deceased ancestors who were not baptized.
Summary of today’s construction news
Overall, we discussed the adjacent community’s worry over US-49 south construction. Brooklyn residents sought alternatives as highway structures disrupted traffic patterns.
Meanwhile, on Monday, Arlington’s new 50-plus leisure center began construction, with an estimated opening in winter 2024/25 or early 2025. The “active adult center” will include transportation to local attractions, a full-court gymnasium, swimming pools, a walking track, event program space, and an outdoor terrace.
On the other hand, a special bond referendum gave the city $45 million in 2017. Robbo Hatcher designed a multi-use structure in downtown Macon. A four-story, 107,000-square-foot tower with 95 luxury loft apartments, three retail shops, and nine “Executive Offices” will replace Neel’s department store and Blair’s Furniture on Cherry Street and Third Avenue.
Furthermore, on Tuesday, Fort Wayne developers of a $5.4 million industrial shell building hit a major milestone. Greater Fort Wayne Inc. said HardHell Investments will “top out” the factory near Fort Wayne International Airport when they install the last steel beam.
Finally, on January 7, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints authorities, local members, and distinguished guests began building the Querétaro Mexico Temple.
