Stirling Properties and CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. to Commence Construction on Ambassador Town Center in Lafayette, Louisiana
Development over 90% Leased Prior to Construction Start
Stirling Properties and CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. (NYSE: CBL) announced today a joint venture to develop Ambassador Town Center in Lafayette, Louisiana. The approximately 58-acre site is located at the corner of Ambassador Caffery Parkway and Kaliste Saloom Road. The retail center will be built in one phase and will be approximately 425,000 square feet with major retailers including Costco Wholesale, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Field & Stream, Marshalls, HomeGoods, Nordstrom Rack, Off Broadway Shoes, Chuy’s, Panera Bread and Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers. The majority of the retailers committed to the project are either first-time locations within Lafayette or Louisiana, or both. Construction is set to begin this month, with a projected opening of March 2016.
“Stirling Properties is excited about our partnership with CBL to develop Ambassador Town Center and believes that this joint venture brings the best possible team together to build this project,” said Stirling Properties’ Senior Vice President of Development Townsend Underhill. “We know this site to be an excellent location for a retail development in this market and we are happy to continue our long and successful development history in the City of Lafayette.”
“Ambassador Town Center is well-located and is well leased with an outstanding retail line-up,” said Michael Lebovitz, CBL’s Executive Vice President – Development and Administration. “We are pleased to partner with Stirling Properties on this project and are looking forward to announcing additional retailers as the development progresses.”
Ambassador Town Center is expected to create approximately 2,200 construction jobs, 1,000 permanent jobs and generate nearly $9 million annually in sales taxes for the City of Lafayette.
“This project is a sign of Lafayette’s strong economy and our willingness to work with the private sector for needed infrastructure in our community,” stated Joey Durel, Lafayette City-Parish President. “Retailers like those that have committed will be a regional draw for Lafayette, and the public infrastructure that will be built with this project, providing a route parallel to Ambassador Caffery, is necessary for one of the fastest growing areas in the state of Louisiana. Companies make decisions on where to locate based on long-term projections. This decision says that they have confidence in the future of our area.”
Public infrastructure improvements are being funded through a payment in lieu of tax arrangement (PILOT), which includes a new connection between Frem Boustany Road and Kaliste Saloom Road and multiple improvements to the existing road system. Under the arrangement, The Industrial Development Board for Lafayette Parish has agreed to allocate a significant portion of the property taxes that will be created by the development of this project, for a period of up to 12 years, to build the public infrastructure.
For leasing information, please contact: Ryan Pecot, 337.572.0246 or rpecot@stirlingprop.com, or Rodney Gordon, 423.553.8704 or rodney_gordon@cblproperties.com.
Stirling Properties Expands Presence in Mobile, Alabama by Acquiring John Toomey & Company, Inc.
COVINGTON, LOUISIANA (MAY 13, 2014) – Stirling Properties announces the acquisition of John Toomey & Company, Inc., a commercial real estate company based in Mobile, Alabama. The acquisition of John Toomey & Company, Inc. further strengthens Stirling Properties’ presence in the Gulf South and is a critical step in Stirling’s long-term strategic growth plans.
Toomey’s current portfolio of 1.8 million square feet will be integrated into Stirling Properties’ portfolio bringing the total to 15.5 million square feet. John Toomey and his team will join Stirling Properties, with Mr. Toomey to serve as Broker/New Business Development Coordinator for the Mobile Area.
Marty Mayer, President and CEO of Stirling Properties, said, “The incredible resurgence of the Gulf Coast as the country’s Third Coast has provided growth and opportunities all along the Gulf South. We feel as though Mobile is a key component in this resurgence. To increase our regional presence, we are excited to collaborate with a company that has over 20 years’ experience and deep roots in Mobile.”
The founder of John Toomey & Company, Inc., John Toomey, believes that aligning with Stirling Properties will provide a higher caliber of service to existing and future clients. “Stirling Properties is a very strategic and forward-thinking company. The resources they offer our brokers and property owners will enable us to take our client services to a new level. I am so proud of my team and find it very gratifying that our work was noticed and appreciated by Stirling Properties.”
“This alignment reinforces Stirling Properties’ commitment to personally invest in the markets we serve and provides a strong foundation for continued growth in all facets of our company that include the development, management, brokerage and acquisition of commercial properties throughout Alabama and the Gulf South”,” stated Will Barrois, Stirling Properties Vice President/Regional Manager of Alabama and Florida.
For commercial real estate needs in Alabama, contact Stirling Properties at their Mobile office located at 182 St. Francis Street, Suite 101, or call (251) 706-6457.
Stirling Properties Welcomes Jeff Barnes, CCIM to its Mobile, AL Team
Stirling Properties is pleased to announce the addition of Jeff Barnes, CCIM to the Commercial Brokerage Division as Sales and Leasing Executive. Mr. Barnes will work from the company’s Mobile, Alabama office located at 182 St. Francis Street, Suite 101.
Mr. Barnes brings with him over 25 years of experience in Commercial Real Estate. Prior to joining Stirling Properties, Mr. Barnes was with Coldwell Banker Commercial Reehl Properties in Fairhope, Alabama. Previously, he served as director of marketing for Atlanta-based Carter & Associates, leasing and marketing all Carter-managed commercial properties in Birmingham.
Mr. Barnes earned his CCIM designation in 1998 and has served on the Board of Directors for the Alabama Chapter of CCIM. Other affiliations include the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP), past NAIOP – Alabama President, and past Trustee of the Alabama Center for Real Estate (ACRE). Currently he is a member of the Alabama Chapter of CCIM/Gulf Coast District, the Baldwin County Commercial and Industrial Exchange (BCIE), the Baldwin County Association of Realtors, and the Mobile County Association of Realtors.
Mr. Barnes can be reached at 251-706-8686 or via email at jbarnes@stirlingprop.com.
Stirling Properties Expands Gulf South Presence with New Office in Mobile, Alabama
COVINGTON, LOUISIANA (OCTOBER 15, 2013) – Stirling Properties is pleased to announce the opening of a new office in downtown Mobile, Alabama at 182 St. Francis Street, Suite 101. As the company’s first location in Alabama, the office joins 11 other offices located in Louisiana and Mississippi to further strengthen Stirling Properties’ presence in the Gulf South.
“This office will not only serve the surging market and growing economy of Mobile, but also anchor the eastern side of the Interstate 10 corridor for Stirling Properties,” stated Marty Mayer, President and CEO of Stirling Properties.
Will Barrois is Stirling’s Vice President and Regional Manager of Alabama/Florida. Mr. Barrois will expand Stirling’s market presence by pursuing acquisitions of retail, office and multi-family properties, seeking new third party property management and brokerage assignments, exploring development and redevelopment opportunities, and building a top-tiered commercial brokerage team to serve Alabama and Florida.
“We are proud to be part of the growing commercial real estate market in the Gulf South. The future of Mobile is bright and the area is poised for tremendous growth,” said Will Barrois. “We’re looking forward to serving our clients throughout Alabama and Florida from our new Mobile office.”
For your commercial real estate needs in Alabama or Florida, contact Stirling Properties at the new Mobile office located at 182 St. Francis Street, Suite 101, Mobile, Alabama or call (251) 706-6457.
Louisiana Tops Nation for Most Engaged Workers
There is not only a very interesting, but very important article about a Gallup study which was recently published.
Louisiana ranked #1 in the nation for states whose workers were most engaged in their jobs – meaning they are inolved in and enthusiastic about their work. Not only is this a feel-good story, but it also has significant underlying implications for new businesses looking to locate here. Worker satisfaction, engagement, and quality of life tied to the cost of living makes our state a very desirable place to do business. When you add this accolade to the many others that have come out lately, we are definitely a place of the future .
From a personal point of view, I know that our team at Stirling is actively engaged and contributing at the highest levels on all fronts.
Forbes ranks New Orleans #3 for Information Technology Jobs
In a recent Forbes article, “The Cities Winning the Battle for Information Jobs,” author and researcher Joel Kotkin ranks Greater New Orleans as #3 in the USA, behind only technology heavyweights Silicon Valley and San Francisco. In the article, he states “Perhaps the most dramatic player is third-place New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, where information employment is up 28% since 2009”. The information sector in metro New Orleans “is very broad-based, including companies in digital effects, videogames, software development as well as a burgeoning film and television industry,” writes Kotkin. “The recent decision by General Electric to place its new technology center and its 300 new technology jobs in New Orleans is another sign of the Crescent City’s emergence as a viable information hub.” Additionally, when you consider the recent announcement of IBM in Baton Rouge, it is even more impressive for our super region in general.
Based on the employment growth in the IT sector over the long-term (2001-2012), mid-term (2007-2012) and the last two years, as well as momentum, the Top Ten Tech metros are:
- Silicon Valley
- San Francisco
- New Orleans
- Bostom
- Austin
- Atlanta
- San Antonia
- Raleigh
- Phoenix
- Nashville
You can read the entire article, including more detail on the methodology, here.
