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byline: Paula C. Squires

Apple Hospitality REIT buys new Hampton Inn & Suites in Phoenix for $44 million

Richmond-based Apple Hospitality Inc. said Thursday that it has acquired the newly constructed 210-room Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton Phoenix Downtown for a about  $44 million, or $210,000 per room.


“The new Hampton Inn & Suites Phoenix Downtown is a great addition to our portfolio of select-service hotels,” Nelson Knight, executive vice president and chief investment officer of Apple Hospitality, said in a statement.  “The hotel is sure to benefit from its prime location … Our attractive [per room] purchase price for this hotel is another example of the benefits we achieve from our ability to enter into a fixed-price contract with the developer prior to construction.”


The Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton located at 77 East Polk St. is adjacent to Arizona State University’s Downtown Phoenix campus and is less than a mile from the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix and Northern Arizona University’s Phoenix Biomedical Campus. The hotel is also close to many corporate offices and attractions including the Phoenix Convention Center, Symphony Hall, Talking Stick Resort Arena and Chase Field.


Following this acquisition, Apple Hospitality said its portfolio includes 242 hotels with more than 30,700 guest rooms throughout 34 states.

Joe May’s family foundation donates $5 million to Virginia Tech’s College of Engineering

 

 

Former legislator Joe T. May and his family are giving Virginia Tech’s College of Engineering $5 million.

The May Family Foundation gift will be used to create a multi-year program that aims to increase the number of first-generation engineering students who enroll and graduate from Virginia Tech.

May, chairman and chief technology officer of Loudoun County-based Electronic Instrumentation and Technology (EIT), earned an electrical engineering degree from the school in 1962. “A couple of people in small ways were very helpful in getting me on track and allowed me to end up getting an engineering degree from Virginia Tech, and frankly ending up with a career that’s been very satisfying to me and I think helpful in general,” May said in a statement.  

That’s one of the reasons May, his wife, Bobby, and two daughters, one of whom is a Virginia Tech alumna, made the gift, which the university announced Tuesday morning during a state of the college speech by Julie M. Ross, Tech’s dean of engineering.

“As we move forward in our collective visioning of the College of Engineering, we know we must continue to make attending Virginia Tech engineering more accessible,” Ross said in a statement. “The May family’s gift will expand our ability to recruit and retain first-generation students to engineering. To address society’s greatest challenges we need to attract the best students from all backgrounds and areas of the commonwealth.”

The May's had previously endowed two electrical engineering scholarships in memory of their son Philip A. May ('89).

The May gift comes at a time when Ross, who began her tenure at Tech last July, has increased the focus on “inclusive excellence” — her term for supporting all students to succeed in meeting the standards of Virginia Tech engineering.

“I think the timing is excellent because Dean Ross comes with a lot of new ideas and a receptive mind, and we’re presenting what we hope and think are some new, good ideas and it appears to have every chance of synergy,” May said. 

 

Starting this year, the May Family Foundation Pathway for 1st Generation Students will begin its first round of student selections. Virginia Tech will recruit 60 promising first-generation students from Virginia (starting in the ninth grade).  

Once selected, the students will connect with the College of Engineering through four programming sessions. The first session would come after their freshman year of high school, when the students will be invited to spend two weeks on Tech’s campus. They will receive an introduction to engineering disciplines through lab tours and learn about college preparation and planning.

During the second session, the same cohort of students will return to Virginia Tech for a second summer camp the summer before the 11th grade. The focus of this session will include mentoring the rising 10th-grade students and SAT preparation.

For the third session, students will return before their senior year of high school for the program’s final summer camp. This session will include mentoring rising 10th– and 11th-grade students, as well as providing instructions on college applications, scholarships searches, and scholarship applications.

Additionally, this camp would offer a session for parents of first-generation students, which will help prepare them for the college application process.

Students in their senior year of high school would be invited to participate in fall visitation. There, they will have the opportunity to submit their applications and find out their admission status.

For the fourth and final session, matriculating students will participate in a five-week engineering boot camp that reinforces foundational courses, such as chemistry and math. During the academic year, they would live in a dorm that brings together female and male first-year engineering students in a residential environment and provides encouragement and support in their pursuit of engineering careers. According to Tech, the graduation rate for first-generation students who participate in such residential programs is about 85 percent, significantly higher than the 60 percent graduation rate for those who have a traditional dorm experience.

Over the duration of a five-year pilot program, the project is expected to provide 300 students with the gateway to pursue engineering degrees.

May is a former legislator who served in the Virginia House of Delegates as the representative of Clarke and part of Loudoun counties from 1994-2014. Through the years, he has been recognized with many honors including the Lifetime Achievement Award in Industry, the Governor's Legislative Leadership Award in Technology, the Greater Washington Area “Engineer of the Year, and the Virginia Biotechnology Legislator of the Year.

 

 

Works begins on second phase of affordable housing community in Fredericksburg


S. L. Nusbaum Realty Co. has started work on the second phase of Valor Apartment Homes, a $15 million affordable housing community in Fredericksburg.

The Norfolk-based commercial real estate firm said Tuesday that completion of the project would bring the total number of units to 248. The 128-unit first phase was finished early last year.

The site is located on Fall Hill Avenue, directly across from a Wegman’s supermarket and within walking distance to Central Park.

In addition to apartments, the community also will offer 78 townhomes for sale. They are being developed by Stanley Martin Homes.

Phase II will offer one-, two- and three-bedroom floor plans with granite countertops in the kitchens and baths and washers and dryers. Valor amenities include a clubhouse, fitness center and pool.  The community has also been designed with energy-efficient features, to help lower residents’ ongoing utility expenses.

Leasing for the second  phase is scheduled to begin in spring 2019.

TS3 Architects designed the community. Bowman Consulting and Morgan Keller Construction of Frederick, Md., is the general contractor.

S.L. Nusbaum Realty Co. worked with Virginia Housing Development Authority (VHDA), Wells Fargo, and TowneBank to secure financing for the project.

Nusbaum manages about 23,000 apartment units and has developed more than 50 communities throughout the mid-Atlantic.

Subdivision land adjacent to proposed megasite in Chesterfield County sells for $1.4 million

A local homebuilder has purchased the land for a 99-lot subdivision adjacent to a controversial proposed megasite near Chester.

Commonwealth Commercial Partners, based in Henrico County, said Monday that brokers Ryan Fanelli and Sam Worley represented Stoney Glen LLC in the sale of a 99-lot subdivision at 15310 Wellspring Road. According to Commonwealth Commercial, Richmond-based NK Homes, which has built homes in the counties of New Kent, Hanover and Henrico, purchased the 63-acre property for $1.4 million. The list price for the land at Commonwealth's website was $2.2 million. The land was described as what would be Phase Two of the Wellspring development, with active new home sales in the Phase One development averaging $382,000.

The Wellspring subdivision is adjacent to a 1,675-acre site near Branders Bridge Road that the Chesterfield County Economic Development Authority wants to buy to create a megasite that might attract a large industrial user.

The plan has met stiff opposition from the community and some Republican state lawmakers, including state Sen. Amanda Chase, who represents Chesterfield County.  Currently, the large tract is zoned residential. For the megasite proposal to move forward, the land would have to be rezoned to industrial.

Beacon Health Options leases 26,740 square feet in Chesapeake

Beacon Health Options has leased 26,740 square feet at 1400 Crossways Blvd. in Chesapeake. Mark Schumacher with Cushman & Wakefield in Boston, Mass., and Christine M. Kaempfe with Thalhimer in Virginia Beach handled the lease negotiations on behalf of the tenant.

In other transactions for Thalhimer in Hampton Roads:

Health Net Federal Services LLC renewed a 21,100-square-foot lease at 241 Enterprise Drive in Newport News.  Bobby Phillips handled the lease negotiations.

McElroy Metal Mill Inc. renewed its lease of 16,000 square feet at 3052 Yadkin Road in Chesapeake. Tom Dana handled the lease negotiations.

Prologix Distribution Service renewed a 10,000-square-foot lease at 520 Woodlake Circle, Chesapeake. Tony Weiss handled the lease negotiations.

Arconic to relocate headquarters from New York City to Fairfax County

Arconic Inc., a Fortune 500 metals manufacturer, said Monday that it plans to relocate its global headquarters from New York City to Fairfax County.

The move would bring about 50 jobs to the county. No decision has been made yet on an exact location, according to the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA). The announcement came during a gathering of officials, including Gov. Ralph Northam at the Tower Club at Tysons.

“We are pleased to establish Arconic’s global headquarters in Fairfax County, Virginia — an area that is home to several aerospace and defense customers, a world-class talent base, and which offers a favorable quality of life for employees and a high level of connectivity to our key locations,” Arconic CEO Chip Blankenship, said in a statement.

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with the FCEDA to secure the project for Virginia. Gov. Ralph Northam approved a $750,000 grant from the Commonwealth’s Opportunity Fund to assist the county with the project.

Northam noted in his comments that Arconic already has multiple locations in Virginia.  The company, with more than 60 facilities in the U.S., currently has offices in Hampton, Harrisonburg and Martinsville.

Arconic was created in November 2016 when Alcoa split into two public companies. Alcoa’s bauxite and aluminum products were spun off into Alcoa Corp. Alcoa Inc. became Arconic, which creates aluminum products used in the aerospace, automotive and construction industries.

On the same day it was announcing relocation plans, Arconic’s share price dropped by nearly 21 percent to $17.81 by the close of the stock market. The drop followed the release of the company’s first-quarter earnings, which slashed its 2018 forecast for profit. Arconic said it expects increased operation costs, with aluminum prices expected to  remain high this year as a result of sanctions on Russian supplies and a 10 percent duty on Russian imports. President Donald Trump has imposed sanctions on Rusal, Russia's biggest aluminum producer, and some other companies, in response to Moscow's alleged interference in the 2016 U.S. election.

In terms of corporate announcements, April was a busy month for Northern Virginia. Arconic is the third corporate announcement in as many weeks with Gerber Products  announcing plans in mid April to relocate its U. S. headquarters from New Jersey to Arlington. On April 16, Appian, a fast-growing vendor of business process management software, said it was moving from Reston to the former Gannett Co. headquarters building at Tysons in a headquarters expansion that will retain 600 existing jobs in Virginia and create 600 new jobs over the next five years.

What’s new?

A Ferris wheel overlooking Norfolk’s waterfront. A 31-story-high observation deck with sweeping views of Washington, D. C.  A water park on the Eastern Shore.

These are some of the attractions in Virginia scheduled to open in time for the summer tourism season. Whether it’s a new outdoor attraction, like the 12-story SkyStar wheel towering over downtown Norfolk’s Waterside District, or a 70-room boutique hotel in Farmville, people are on the lookout for new adventures and places to stay. 

So, grab your sun hat while you review a short list of “what’s new to love in Virginia.” That’s the name of a publication from the Virginia Tourism Corp. that contains a more expansive breakdown, by region, of the state’s attractions. 

Arlington – The Observation Deck at CEB Tower 
The deck is atop the Central Place office building in Rosslyn that’s soon to be the home of CEB Inc. The steel and glass building at 1201 Wilson Blvd. offers the highest public point in the Washington, D.C., area with an outdoor cantilevered terrace. At 31 stories up, the 12,000-square-foot space provides panoramic views of the District, Virginia and Maryland skylines. There are plans for beverage and dining service.

Farmville – The Hotel Weyanoke
Scheduled to open in late April, this 70-room boutique hotel at 202 High St. is across from Longwood University. A project by Williamsburg-based Cornerstone Hospitality, the property offers dining at two eateries — an Italian restaurant and a wood-fired pizza restaurant. Plus, there’s a coffee shop and a tapas menu at the rooftop bar.

Eastern Shore   
There are several new developments here. The Northampton Hotel in Cape Charles, which dates back to 1938 and fell into disrepair, has been renovated and is expected to open May 1. It has added a tearoom and small restaurant. Maui Jack’s Waterpark on Chincoteague Island is expected to open on Memorial Day with a lazy river, slides, cabanas for rent and a beach bar and restaurant. The island also has a new brewery, Black Narrows Brewing. Started by a local couple, it’s located in a renovated oyster-shucking house.

New hotel openings:

  • Hotel Madison, Harrisonburg, 230 rooms, May 18
  • Homewood Suites, 168 rooms, Arlington, opened in mid-February
  • Northampton Hotel, five rooms, Cape Charles, May 1.
  • The Blackburn Inn,  49 rooms, Staunton, late April 
  • The Bristol Hotel, 65 rooms, Bristol, spring 
  • The Cavalier, 85 rooms, Virginia Beach, reopened March 7.
  • The Draftsman, 150 rooms, Charlottesville, spring
  • The Hotel Weyanoke, 70 rooms, Farmville, late April
  • The Western Front, 30 rooms, St. Paul, opened Feb. 12. 
  • The Virginian Hotel, 150 rooms, Lynchburg, early May

AKF expands with acquisition of Henrico County-based Bold Rock Engineering Group


New York-based AKF, which provides mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection engineering among other services, continues to expand in the Southeastern U.S. with the acquisition of Henrico County-based Bold Rock Engineering Group.


The terms of the deal for Bold Rock, which has operated in the Richmond region for nearly 40 years, were not disclosed.


AKF said in a press release that Bold Rock’s work in higher education, workplace, hospitality, and healthcare clients complements AKF’s portfolio in these and other areas.
Bold Rock’s projects include the redevelopment of Main Street Station, Richmond’s historic railroad station; the expansion and renovation of Washington Dulles International Airport's international arrivals building; Loudon County’s metro rail station parking; and the new Regattas dining hall at Christopher Newport University in Newport News.


“Having collaborated with Bold Rock on successful projects,” DeFeo continued, “we felt this was an excellent opportunity to grow the AKF family by acquiring a firm with a shared vision and culture of engineering leadership,” CEO Dino DeFeo said in a statement.


AKF’s said its presence in Richmond also will allow the firm to provide additional support to existing clients, such as VCU Health, James Madison University, Inova Health and Children’s National Medical Center.
“This is a natural progression for AKF. We’ve experienced great success with the launch of our Baltimore office, and our new office in Richmond enhances our growing operations in the Southeast,” said DeFeo.


With the addition of its Richmond office, AKF now has more than 500 team members and ten offices worldwide.

Kimpton Lorien Hotel & Spa in Alexandria completes a $2.5 million renovation

Kimpton Lorien Hotel & Spa in Old Town Alexandria has completed a $2.5 million redesign. The refresh included the hotel’s 107 guest rooms, outdoor terraces, hallway corridors, public areas, and 5,600 square feet of meeting space.

Design firms MONOGRAM at BBGM led the guest room, corridor and suite design concepts, and David Hill Design refreshed the living room and event space décor.

At the end of 2016, the hotel’s adjacent restaurant, BRABO, expanded its bar to double in size, and it also was included in the property’s redesign.

Xenia Hotels and Resorts, a real estate investment trust that invests primarily in full-service and lifestyle hotels, owns the Lorien Hotel & Spa, located at 1600 King St.

Shamin Hotels acquires Doubletree by Hilton in Williamsburg

Shamin Hotels has acquired its 55th hotel, the Doubletree by Hilton in Williamsburg. The Chester-based hotel owner and operator said it purchased the property for an undisclosed price on April 25.

“We are excited to add this beautiful conference property to our portfolio and look forward to becoming a part of the Williamsburg business community,” Shamin’s CEO Neil Amin said in a statement.

The Doubletree Hotel by Hilton at 50 Kingsmill Rd. has 295 rooms and suites, 47,000 square feet of meeting space, 31 meeting rooms and a ballroom that can accommodate up to 1,000 guests. According to Shamin Hotels, it is the closest full-service hotel to the Busch Gardens theme park and numerous corporations, which makes the proeprty appealing business travelers, conferences and leisure travel.

Shamin Hotels in Chesterfield County owns, operates, and develops hotels under the Hilton, Marriott, Hyatt and InterContinental brands.  With 7,326 rooms in 55 properties across five states, Shamin Hotels says it is largest hotel owner and operator in Virginia, with more than 2,500 employees.  Forty-six of its hotels are located in the state.