Mobile area primed for future growth
Mobile Aeroplex at Brookley establishes surrounding area as prime position for sustained growth in the commercial real estate industry.
Mobile, Alabama, and its surrounding region are experiencing unprecedented growth due to a low cost of doing business, diverse commerce base, intermodal transportation options, and quality lifestyle. Businesses and corporations are flocking to the area, bringing with them an increased workforce and a plethora of new economic opportunities.
One specific area of note is the positive trend in the market surrounding Brookley field. Economic activity is thriving in this area, and an influx of significant commercial real estate development is expected within the next few years. With the advent of numerous new businesses and the resulting inflow of employees and their families, this is a natural site for the emergence of convenience stores, gas stations, hotels, restaurants, and much more in the near future.
Most of the area growth is spearheaded by the recent expansion of Mobile Aeroplex at Brookley. Spread over 1,650 acres in southwest Mobile, the Aeroplex is now the largest industrial and transportation complex in the region, combining rail, road, and water along with a state-of-the-art airport. Currently, more than 75 companies employing some 3,600 people are housed in the complex, including Airbus U.S. Manufacturing Facility, Airbus Engineering, FedEx, Signature Air Support, Safran USA, Continental Motors, VT MAE, MAAS Aviation, among many others—and it’s growing daily.
Late last year, Airbus announced its largest single deal to build aircraft for Indigo Partners, whose airline portfolio includes Frontier, JetSMART, Volaris, and Wizz Air. The contract includes 430 aircraft and is valued at $49.5 billion. Airbus was also selected by Delta Air Lines to manufacture as many as 200 jetliners, with delivery of the first 100 beginning in 2020.
Airbus and Bombardier also announced an agreement to form a partnership to build Bombardier’s C Series passenger jets. This deal could result in the addition of a second aircraft assembly line at Mobile Aeroplex, creating a proposed 400 to 500 more direct jobs in the area, and would represent an investment of hundreds of millions of dollars. Reports also estimate that establishing “the necessary C Series facilities” would create 1,900 direct jobs, 1,000 indirect jobs, and 3,000 induced jobs during construction.
In December, the Mobile County Commission approved its share of incentive packages for Safran USA and Continental Motors. This process will move forward plans for Safran—a new tenant at Brookley—to open a new manufacturing operation. The company plans to invest $1 million in starting the operation and will hire approximately 20 employees. Continental Motors is planning a $60 million investment to build an entirely new facility to house its existing operations at the Aeroplex.
Furthermore, this thriving industrial park has the potential of becoming Mobile’s new international airport—a proposal to move Mobile Regional Airport from west Mobile to Brookley field is gaining steam. This move would completely change the landscape of the area by placing the airport at the center of our region’s economic activity. With the recent support of Congressman Bradley Byrne and many other local community leaders, a feasibility study could be underway soon. “If we undergo a feasibility study and the study shows that Brookley is a viable airport for commercial activity, then there is no reason why we should not entertain that,” said Chris Curry, Executive Director of the Mobile Airport Authority, which oversees the Mobile Downtown Airport, Mobile Regional, and the Aeroplex at Brookley Field.
The Mobile Aeroplex at Brookley is already home to many of the world’s leading aerospace suppliers, and major transportation companies, and it continues to expand every day. It is serving as a major catalyst for surrounding area growth and investment in the region. But people living and working here currently have limited options for eating, shopping, and other needed services. Because of this, we will undoubtedly see an increase in the demand for commercial amenities and new developments such as retail and restaurants.
The time is right for commercial growth in the area surrounding Mobile Aeroplex at Brookley. Anyone with interest in getting in on the front end of a burgeoning market should pay close attention to this space. The growth is starting small, but it will certainly progress quickly over the next few years. I look forward to being a part of the historical evolution of Mobile!
Ochsner Health System Announces Plans to Lease Former Louisiana Heart Hospital Property
Today, Ochsner Health System announced its plans to lease the former Louisiana Heart Hospital property in Lacombe, Louisiana. Stirling Properties acquired the 25-acre site earlier this month.
An official ceremony was held with Honorable Pat Brister, St. Tammany Parish President; Warner Thomas, President & CEO of Ochsner Health System; Patti Ellish, CEO of St. Tammany Parish Hospital; Bill Davis, CEO of Slidell Market SMH-Ochsner Partnership; Townsend Underhill, Sr. VP of Development for Stirling Properties; and St. Tammany Parish Council members and dignitaries.
Working together with each of its partners, St. Tammany Parish Hospital and Slidell Memorial Hospital, Ochsner plans to repurpose the building to open a Post-Acute Care Hospital to include long-term acute care, skilled nursing, and inpatient rehabilitation services in one convenient St. Tammany location. This effort will also result in job growth and expanded administrative services in the region by opening a dedicated North Shore Service Center.
“We are excited that this facility will once again be opened and provide much-needed medical services for our residents as well as jobs for our local healthcare workforce,” said President Brister. “We appreciate Ochsner’s commitment to St. Tammany Parish, and we look forward to another leading-edge healthcare facility, providing high-quality medical care.”
Townsend Underhill participated in the announcement to underscore Stirling Properties’ focus and commitment to St. Tammany Parish and the entire Gulf South region.
Stirling Properties has invested more than $350 million in St. Tammany and currently owns and operates 4 million square feet of commercial property, with assets throughout the parish—generating significant economic development opportunities, revenue, and job growth for the area and residents. Major projects in the parish include Northpark Corporate Center I & II in Covington, Premier Centre in Mandeville, Stirling Slidell in Slidell, River Chase in Covington, and Fremaux Town Center in Slidell, just to name a few.
In addition to growing its development and brokerage services, Stirling Properties is focused on acquisition and investment projects. The recently closed Louisiana Heart Hospital facility provided the company a chance to invest in a vital property and help to return it to commerce.
“This acquisition also provided us another opportunity to grow and diversify our portfolio as part of Stirling Properties’ overall growth strategy into new commercial real estate sectors within our existing footprint,” said Underhill. “Need and demand in the medical industry are growing, and so are our service lines to meet these local needs.”
Stirling Properties is thankful for its continued partnerships with Ochsner. The two companies have previously worked together on the recently announced $80 million medical clinic and micro hospital at The Grove in Baton Rouge as well as the recently completed and soon to open state-of-the-art Emergency Department and Imaging Center in LaPlace.
Stirling Properties looks forward to announcing future projects in the medical industry—and continuing to serve the commercial real estate needs of the Gulf South region.
Announcing New Ochsner Medical Facility at The Grove
Last Thursday, June 8, Stirling Properties participated in the announcement of Ochsner Health System’s new medical facility at The Grove in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
The project includes a new five-story, 155,000-square-foot medical office building, and a 30,000-square-foot ambulatory surgery center. The new clinic will be located along the I-10 Bluebonnet/Siegen corridor on approximately 25 acres of property as part of the High Grove development planned near the Mall of Louisiana and fronting Interstate 10. Anticipated completion is scheduled for early 2019.
Stirling Properties will be responsible for over $15 million of infrastructure improvements, as well as the completion of the 11-mile BREC multi-use trail through the site. On behalf of Ochsner, Stirling has also handled pre-development efforts, including site selection, due diligence, economic feasibility, and state and local permitting coordination.
Scheduled infrastructure improvements include new roadways and a bridge across Wards Creek that will connect Grove Blvd. to the I-10 frontage road and ease traffic congestion. A new sewer lift station will be installed to serve the Ochsner facility, as well as replace an existing one that services several hundred homes in the neighboring Morning Glen and Audubon Terrace neighborhoods. A new underground drainage system will be built to accommodate water runoff from surrounding property in addition to the Ochsner site, which will result in improved drainage condition in future storm events.
During the construction phase, these new projects will bring nearly 1,630 construction jobs in addition to over 450 permanent jobs that will be relocated from the existing Summa clinic.
Additional project announcements are forthcoming.
What’s Going On at River Chase in Covington?
Stirling Properties Announces Exciting New Updates and Developments
The first phase of the Offices at River Chase, the Northshore’s premier office campus, has completed construction. Located at the southwest corner of Brewster Road and Stirling Boulevard, Phase I includes a Class-A, two-story, 45,000-square-foot office building located on 3.5 acres. It is accessible from both the LA-21 and Brewster Road interchanges on Interstate 12, and within walking distance to a host of amenities, including restaurants, a movie theater, and residential living options. The highly-renowned architectural firm, Wakefield, Beasley, and Associates, designed the base building, and Mandeville-based Greenleaf Lawson Architects served as the interior architect for the project. Tenant build-outs are now underway, and Duplantis Design Group, PC, will move into their new, 6,000-square-foot office space in mid-May. For more information on the Offices at River Chase and leasing opportunities, contact Ryan Murphy at rmurphy@stirlingprop.com or (985) 246-3771. 
Located across the street from the office building, Walk-On’s Bistreaux & Bar commenced construction on its new restaurant last November. Set on 1.82 acres on the northwest corner of Stirling Boulevard and Brewster Road next to Sam’s Club, this marks the 1st Northshore location for the highly-anticipated sports restaurant and bar. It will occupy roughly 9,600 square feet and is expected to open late this summer, just in time for football season. The Covington location will include a rooftop bar, The Upper Deck, an element unique to the design by Greenleaf Lawson Architects. The Upper Deck will feature group seating and additional space for catching a game. 
Rooms-To-Go has opened its new 36,000-square-foot retail showroom located next to Zoe’s Kitchen on Stirling Boulevard. The impressive store is highly visible to Interstate 12 traffic. A Grand Opening celebration was held on Saturday, April 22nd. The furniture retailer relocated from its previous site on Highway 190 in Covington.
Construction on Springs at River Chase is complete, and all buildings are open. This project is a joint venture with Continental Properties. The new 296-unit luxury apartment community is located at the southwest corner of Interstate 12 and Brewster Road. The property features floor plans ranging from studio to three-bedroom apartments. Community amenities include a clubhouse, resort-style pool, 24-hour fitness center, dog park, attached and detached garages, car care center, and a pet spa. Occupancy remains high for the multi-family community. For more information and leasing on Springs at River Chase, contact Jan Rayburn with Continental Properties at (985) 327-1350.
Construction is underway for the newest addition to River Chase, the development of the Preserve at River Chase, a single-family luxury residential community, adjacent to the Springs at River Chase apartments. The Preserve development is a joint venture with Southern Lifestyle Development, which is renowned for its highly-acclaimed River Ranch residential community in Lafayette, Louisiana, amongst many other communities. Phase I of the Preserve will include the completion of 76 detached town and country homes. Infrastructure work has commenced and is expected to be complete in November, at which point the residential lots will be available for sale. Construction on the homes is expected to begin early 2018. 
River Chase is the Northshore’s premier master-planned development located amidst 253 acres on the southeast corner of Interstate 12 and LA Highway 21 in Covington, Louisiana. The mixed-use center includes approximately 945,000 square feet of retail and restaurant options, as well as a Holiday Inn Express, Regal Cinema, luxury residential apartment units, and a Class-A office building. Additional residential and office developments are coming soon. Stirling Properties developed River Chase and currently manages and leases the property. River Chase is a Louisiana Economic Development (LED) Certified Site. For more information, please visit www.stirlingprop.com. For retail leasing and sales, contact Rhonda Sharkawy at (504) 620-8145 or rsharkawy@stirlingprop.com. For office leasing and sales, contact Ryan Murphy at (985) 246-3771 or rmurphy@stirlingprop.com.
Helping To Grow The Lafitte Greenway!
Stirling Properties’ Charles Barclay Is a Champion for New Orleans’s Newest Green Space
Mookie Square
The Lafitte Greenway is a 2.6-mile bicycle and pedestrian trail and green corridor that connects neighborhoods from Armstrong Park to City Park in New Orleans. The $9.1 million project broke ground in early 2014 and opened in November of 2015. The Lafitte Greenway significantly transformed one of the most historic areas of New Orleans into a multi-use transportation corridor and linear park.
The Greenway includes a 12-foot asphalt path for cyclists and pedestrians, new recreation fields, green space, and landscaping improvements including approximately 500 shade trees, native plant meadows, bioswales and stormwater retention features. The path is fully lit with LED energy-efficient trail lighting and includes curb extensions, signalized high visibility crosswalks, ADA-compliant curb ramps at sidewalk corners, environmental remediation, a crushed stone walking path, and a bicycle and pedestrian roundabout. Many new retail, restaurant, and entertainment options are also popping up along the Lafitte Corridor.
The Lafitte Greenway runs alongside Mid-City Market, one of Stirling Properties’ premier developments in the Mid-City neighborhood of New Orleans. The center was designed to incorporate extensive pedestrian features and to complement the adjacent Greenway, melding the retail center to the culturally rich urban neighborhood. Stirling Properties has remained a proud and active supporter of the Greenway ever since!
Charles Barclay, Stirling Properties Asset Manager, is currently a member of the Executive Board of Friends of Lafitte Greenway, whose mission seeks to revitalize the Lafitte Corridor. Friends of Lafitte Greenway has been the driving engine behind the construction of the bicycle and pedestrian trail, stretching from the edge of the French Quarter to Bayou St. John. “I have become a real champion of the Greenway and think it’s an excellent addition to the city, as it is beneficial to everyone that lives, works, and plays in the area,” said Barclay.
Photo by GeorgeLong.com
Now that the bike path is complete, Friends of Lafitte Greenway plans to launch several new initiatives and projects throughout the Greenway that will include art installations, healthy living events, guided tours, community gardens, and much more. The organization and its members are working diligently to build, program, and promote the linear park as a great public space.
According to the UNO Transportation Institute, in 2016, the Greenway’s first full year open, an average of 746 people per day used the Greenway in the Jefferson Davis section alone. While this is an impressive number of visitors, there are still so many in the surrounding areas and neighborhoods who do not know of the Lafitte Greenway. “We invite everyone to come out and explore the Greenway and all the events and activities it has to offer. We have everything from yoga to youth educational programs, not to mention the beautiful green space. You can also get involved through various volunteer opportunities,” said Barclay.
Friends of Lafitte Greenway is hosting a FREE, family-friendly event, Hike The Lafitte Greenway, on Saturday, March 25th from 9:30am-2:00pm. The public is invited to participate in a 3-mile guided hike (complete with live music and block party) to learn more about the Greenway. We hope to see you there!
Exit 16 and Rock N Roll Sushi Join Tenant Lineup at Fremaux Town Center in Slidell, Louisiana
Stirling Properties and CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. are pleased to announce and welcome new tenants to Phase II of Fremaux Town Center in Slidell, Louisiana.
Exit 16 women’s clothing boutique has leased 2,223 square feet of space and opened for business last weekend. This marks the 2nd retail location for the Mississippi-based company.
Rock N Roll Sushi will occupy 2,040 square feet of space and is also expected to open early next year. This is the 2nd Louisiana location for the sushi restaurant franchise.
Ryan Pécot, Stirling Properties’ Senior Retail Leasing & Development Executive, handled both transactions.
Previously announced, Albasha Greek & Lebanese Restaurant is still on track to open mid-November, and Smoothie King, Pacific Dental Services and Chipotle Mexican Grill are expected to open in the first quarter of 2017.
Fremaux Town Center, anchored by Dillard’s, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Kohl’s and Best Buy, is a roughly 350-acre regional mixed-use development located at the southwest corner of Interstate 10 and Fremaux Avenue in Slidell, Louisiana. The center includes approximately 635,000 square feet of retail and restaurant options, as well as Springs at Fremaux Town Center’s 296 luxury residential apartment units, and Springhill Suites by Marriott now under construction. Additional phases are coming soon with added retail and office park.
Tenants include Albasha Greek & Lebanese Restaurant (coming late 2016), Allure Spa, Aveda, Bath & Body Works, Bellagio Nail Spa, Best Buy, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse, Books-A-Million, Buckle, Capital One, Carter’s, Charlotte Russe, Cheddar’s, Chico’s, Chipotle Mexican Grill (coming early 2017), Claire’s, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Dillard’s, dressbarn, Felipe’s Mexican Taqueria, Five Below, Five Guys Burgers & Fries, Forever 21 Red, Francesca’s, GNC, Goodyear, Great American Cookie Company, Journeys, Kirkland’s, Kohl’s, LA Fitness, Lane Bryant, LensCrafters, LOFT, Longhorn Steakhouse, Luxe 83, Marble Slab, Massage Envy, Mattress Direct, Michaels, Off Broadway Shoe Warehouse, Pacific Dental Services (coming early 2017), Panera Bread, Payless Shoes, PetSmart, Pier 1 Imports, Rack Room Shoes, Red Robin, rue21, Smoothie King (coming early 2017), Sports Clips, Springhill Suites by Marriott (coming 2017), Starbucks, Tesla (charging stations), T.J.Maxx, Torrid, Ulta Beauty, Verizon Wireless, Versona, Victoria’s Secret, Which Wich and Zales.
Fremaux Town Center is currently 97% leased, and jointly owned by affiliates of CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. and Stirling Properties, LLC. Stirling and CBL manage and lease the property.
For leasing information, contact Ryan Pécot at 337.572.0246 / rpecot@stirlingprop.com or Tim Gilmore at 423.490.8358 / Tim.Gilmore@cblproperties.com.
