Stirling and Kent Design Build Announce Groundbreaking of New Corporate Headquarters at River Chase
Stirling and Kent Design Build today joined St. Tammany Corporation to announce the commencement of construction for River Chase Office II, a cutting-edge Class A office building spanning over 50,000 square feet, which will serve as the new corporate headquarters for both Stirling and Kent Design Build. This strategic move to the River Chase development reflects the companies’ commitment to growth, innovation, and investment in St. Tammany Parish.
“Relocating our corporate headquarters is a significant milestone for Stirling. St. Tammany Parish is an ideal location for our corporate headquarters, allowing us excellent connectivity to the entire Gulf South Region,” said Townsend Underhill, President & CEO of Stirling. “We are enthusiastic about the opportunities this move presents for our company and our employees. The new building not only signifies our commitment to growth but also positions us for greater achievements in the years to come.”
Stirling and Kent Design Build’s new corporate headquarters, near the intersection of Interstate 12 and LA Highway 21, was designed by Southeastern Louisiana-based architecture firm Eskew Dumez Ripple (EDR). The state-of-the-art design represents an investment of more than $20 million and will include a rooftop terrace, a reservable boardroom for the tenants of the building, and a geothermal HVAC system. The array of advantages provided by this modern workplace facility will bolster the company’s commitment to serving clients and employees.
“St. Tammany Parish is our home, and as a lifelong resident of the Northshore, witnessing the ongoing development of the market area has been truly incredible,” said Kyle Kent, President & CEO of Kent Design Build. “As our company continues to expand, we are proud to continue to invest in our community and work more closely with our partners to deliver world-class projects to the Northshore, South Louisiana, and beyond.”
Both companies have a long history of investing and doing business in St. Tammany Parish. Stirling has had an office in the community for over 40 years, and Kent Design Build has been based in St. Tammany since its founding in 1996. Together, they employ over 200 people in St. Tammany.
“Stirling and Kent Design Build have been tremendous partners for St. Tammany Parish, and they have renewed their commitment to our community with this investment,” said St. Tammany Parish President Mike Cooper. “When great companies, like Stirling and Kent Design Build, invest in St. Tammany, it not only provides quality jobs for our citizens but also boosts our nation-leading economy.”
“St. Tammany Parish has long been the destination of choice for corporate headquarters and the highly skilled talent that powers their operations,” said Chris Masingill, CEO of St. Tammany Corporation. “These two premier St. Tammany-based companies represent a cross-section of two industry sectors, real estate and construction, that are critical to our local and regional economy, and their reinvestment into our community exemplify our message that businesses can start up, scale, and stay right here on the Northshore and become incredibly successful.”
Renderings of the new facility are below. For leasing information, contact Ryan Murphy at (985) 246-3771 or rmurphy@stirlingprop.com.
Stirling Properties Develops Three New Ochsner Health Facilities to Serve GNO Area
Projects helping to backfill former retail space & expand healthcare real estate services.
Stirling Properties, in partnership with Ochsner Health System, has developed three new Ochsner Health facilities to serve the greater New Orleans area. Located in Covington, Slidell and Metairie, the facilities will be completed and open to the public by the end of the year.
- A Pediatrics Center is located in River Chase Shopping Center at I-12 and E. Brewster Road in Covington. The 18,000-square-foot clinic opened on November 17th along Brewster Rd. immediately next to Target. In addition to a state-of-the-art Pediatrics clinic, this space also includes the Live Oak Pediatric Rehab Center, one of a kind in St. Tammany Parish. Rozas Ward is the Architect, and Donahue Favret is the General Contractor for the development.
- A Multi-use Clinic including pediatrics, behavioral health, women’s and primary care services is located in Oakridge Place Shopping Center at 800 Metairie Road in Metairie. The 12,450-square-foot clinic will replace two former retail spaces on the end cap of the shopping center. Construction is complete, and the clinic is expected to open on December 14th. The General Contractor is Ryan Gootee General Contractor, and Rozas Ward is the Architect on the project.
- A Physical Therapy and Training Clinic is rounding out construction in Plaza 190 Shopping Center located at 128 Gause Boulevard in Slidell. The 15,000-square-foot facility is expected to open in mid-December. The General Contractor is Clement Construction, and Grace Hebert Curtis serves as the Architect on the project.
Stirling Properties is serving as the developer, leasing agent and landlord in all three projects.
“Very similar to the last mile in retail, the healthcare delivery system is changing. It’s all about getting the product to the consumer in the shortest amount of time. That means connecting with them closer to where they live, in their neighborhoods and communities. In commercial real estate, there is substantial growth in the integration of healthcare in the retail setting. Clinics providing same-day urgent care, primary care, specialty care, and wellness services have boomed over the last few years,” said Townsend Underhill, President of Development with Stirling Properties.
Stirling Properties has tailored its business model to meet the increased demands for advisory and healthcare real estate services. The company assists its healthcare partners with development & redevelopment, site selection, master planning, brokerage & lease negotiation, entitlements, financing, design & construction management and asset & property management to provide a comprehensive, holistic approach.
Stirling Properties currently has over 2 million square feet of projects under development/redevelopment, totaling nearly $196 million—of which almost half is in the healthcare sector. Other notable healthcare projects include facilities management of St. Mary’s Medical Center in Shreveport; the acquisition and redevelopment of the former Louisiana Heart Hospital in Lacombe; the development of four Ochsner Kidney Care Clinics in the Greater New Orleans Area; the development of St. Tammany Cancer Center in Covington; and the development of Ochsner Medical Complex – The Grove in Baton Rouge, to name a few.
For more information on Stirling Properties’ healthcare real estate services, contact Mac Bauer, Development Director, at (504) 620-8131 / mbauer@stirlingprop.com.
Stirling Properties Breaks Ground on River Chase Self Storage in Covington, Louisiana
River Chase Self Storage Rendering
Stirling Properties commercial real estate company has broken ground on the development of River Chase Self Storage as part of the River Chase mixed-use development in Covington, Louisiana. This project marks the company’s latest ground-up self-storage facility development.
The 108,000-square-foot storage facility will be located on 2.7 acres off Brewster Road, next to Brewster Commons apartment community and just south of Sam’s Club. It will include a 3-story building with 594 climate-controlled units and three non-climate-controlled single-storage buildings with 44 drive-up units ideal for boat and RV storage. The facility will also feature 24-hour security and state-of-the-art amenities.
Construction has commenced on the project, with site work and foundation work already underway. The property is slated to be completed before the end of the year.
Stirling Properties is developing the facility and will handle Asset Management of it upon completion. The architect is locally owned Greenleaf Lawson and Kent Design Build is serving as the building general contractor for the project. The Civil Engineer is Duplantis Design Group and Richard Price Construction is handling the site work.
“We are excited to begin the development of River Chase Self Storage. This project marks Stirling Properties’ newest ground-up, climate-controlled storage facility development,” said Townsend Underhill, President of Development for Stirling Properties. “St. Tammany Parish is experiencing fantastic population growth, creating a high demand for this type of product and its strategic location along the I-12 corridor provides high visibility, easy access in a secure environment and convenience for customers.”
Stirling Properties has developed and operates approximately 1,750 self-storage units, including over 1,600 climate-controlled units throughout its portfolio.
Stirling Properties also developed, manages and leases the surrounding River Chase master-planned development located amidst 253 acres on the southeast corner of Interstate 12 and LA Highway 21 in Covington. Anchored by retailers Target, Sam’s Club, Belk and JCPenney, the mixed-use project includes approximately 945,000 square feet of retail and restaurant options, as well as a Holiday Inn Express hotel, Regal Cinema, over 600 luxury residential garden homes and apartment units, and a Class-A office building that serves as the headquarters of Beacon Offshore Energy. Additional residential and office developments are coming soon. 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.
Exciting Residential Improvements Coming to River Chase & Fremaux Town Center Multifamily Properties
Stirling Properties announces exciting new residential improvements planned for the Retreat at River Chase in Covington and Retreat at Fremaux Town Center in Slidell’s multifamily apartment communities. The $1 million upgrades will be spread across both properties with an emphasis on enhanced residential amenities and revitalized common spaces.
Retreat at River Chase in Covington, Louisiana
Construction work has begun on the installation of state-of-the-art seafood and grill stations. Large pavilions will be erected and equipped with grills, seafood boil space, and granite counter tops with built-in waste receptacles for discarded seafood shells. The space will also include lounge areas with fire pits and yard games. The pool area will be upgraded to include a more resort-style setting with furniture, landscaping and pull-down projection screens to watch sporting events. All amenities will be accessible for residents of the properties on a first come, first served basis.
Additionally, parcel pending lockers, also known as “smart” lockers, will be installed in central areas of the facilities to collect delivered packages and e-commerce orders for residents. A property manager will receive all deliveries, assign the packages to an individual lockbox that alerts tenants of the delivery and provides a digital access code for easy, convenient retrieval. The lockers are designed to eliminate clutter due to the overwhelming amount of daily delivered packages to residential properties and to provide an extra layer of security for parcels otherwise left unattended on doorsteps.
Work has already commenced on the projects, and anticipated completion is planned for the end of March.
Retreat at Fremaux Town Center in Slidell, Louisiana
Justin Landry, Vice President of Finance for Stirling Properties, noted that the demand for high-quality apartment properties continues to be strong, especially in high population growth areas such as St. Tammany Parish and the Northshore region of New Orleans. However, demographic shifts and technological advancements are affecting housing, and tenant expectations are becoming increasingly sophisticated in the multifamily residential market sector—they want luxury living, ample amenities, open and active public spaces, all at affordable prices.
“The Retreat at River Chase and Retreat at Fremaux Town Center are both strategically located in mixed-use developments that encompass the prevalent live, work, play environment that has grown in popularity, especially among the large millennial demographics,” said Landry. “These new residential amenities will enhance the community connectivity of our existing properties and make them much more attractive in the market as new multifamily options come online every day.”
The Retreat at River Chase (formerly Springs at River Chase) is a 296-unit luxury apartment community located within the 253-acre River Chase mixed-use development at Interstate 12 and LA Hwy. 21 in Covington, Louisiana. The Retreat at Fremaux Town Center (formerly Springs at Fremaux Town Center) is also a 296-unit multifamily community located within the Fremaux Town Center mixed-use project at Interstate 10 and Fremaux Avenue in Slidell, Louisiana. Stirling Properties’ residential portfolio includes 1800 multifamily units totaling more than 1.5 million square feet of properties throughout South Louisiana.
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.
Walk-On’s Coming to River Chase in Covington, Louisiana!
Stirling Properties, NAI Latter & Blum and Greenleaf Architects announce Walk-On’s Bistreaux & Bar is coming to River Chase mixed-use development in Covington, Louisiana. This will mark the 1st Northshore location for the highly anticipated sports restaurant and bar.
This week, the company closed on the purchase of 1.82 acres of property located on the northwest corner of Stirling Blvd. and Brewster Road next to Sam’s Club. Construction on the site will commence within the next couple of weeks. The restaurant will occupy roughly 9,600 square feet and is expected to open by the summer of 2017, according to Arkel Constructors who has been chosen as the General Contractor.
Stirling Properties’ Senior Retail Leasing & Development Executive, Rhonda Sharkawy, represented the property owners, and Beau Bourque with NAI Latter & Blum represented the tenant. Greenleaf Architects was selected to design the custom restaurant for the new Northshore location.
The popular restaurant started by two LSU students in Baton Rouge has thrived over the years, and expanded into multiple locations. The next stop for Walk-On’s is right here in St. Tammany Parish, and Greenleaf Architects is fortunate enough to work closely with Walk-On’s Enterprises in making this happen. As a firm full of LSU graduates who frequented the original location on Burbank Drive throughout college, this is truly an honor for Greenleaf Architects. The Covington location will include a rooftop bar, “The Upper Deck”, an element unique to the design by Greenleaf Architects. The Upper Deck will feature group seating and additional space for catching a game under the skyline of St. Tammany Parish.
“Stirling Properties is pleased to welcome Walk-On’s Bistreaux & Bar to River Chase,” said Townsend Underhill, Senior Vice President of Development at Stirling Properties. “They join a dynamic assortment of restaurants, retailers, hospitality, multi-family, and office users offering a one-of-a-kind, mixed-use destination for the entire region.”
“Among other attributes, low stress ingress & egress and complementary anchor/junior anchor tenants together with Stirling Properties’ and St. Tammany Parish’s commitments to developing a live/work/play environment that improves quality of life attracted Walk-On’s to River Chase. I look forward to seeing Greenleaf Architects’ exceptional design come to life,” said Beau Bourque, Sales & Leasing Associate with NAI Latter & Blum.
River Chase is a 253-acre premier mixed-use development located on the southeast corner of Interstate 12 and LA Highway 21 in Covington, Louisiana. The center includes retail, restaurants and entertainment options, as well as a Holiday Inn Express, Regal Cinema, 500+ luxury residential apartment units, and a 48,000-sqaure-foot class A office building currently under construction. Stirling Properties developed River Chase and currently manages and leases the property.
Anchored by Target, Belk, JCPenney, Best Buy, Marshalls, Ross Dress For Less and Sam’s Club, River Chase shopping center occupies 945,000 square feet, and is the largest open air retail center in Louisiana. Additional tenants include Carter’s, Cato, Charming Charlie, Chuck E. Cheese’s, Cost Plus World Market, Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, Family Cuts, Fidelity Homestead Savings Bank, Five Below, GameStop, Hibbett Sports, Holiday Inn Express, In Style Salon, John V Salon & Spa, Justice, Lane Bryant, Maurices, Men’s Wearhouse, Michaels, Nevada Bob’s Golf, Nutrishop, Oreck Vacuums, Pink & White Nails, Regal Cinemas, River Chase Cleaners, Rooms To Go (opening 2017), rue 21, Sephora, Shoe Carnival, The Children’s Place, ULTA Beauty, Verizon Wireless, Walk-On’s Bistreaux & Bar, Which Wich and Zoe’s Kitchen. Outparcel tenants include Chick-fil-A, LongHorn Steakhouse, Regions Bank, Taco Bell, Texaco and Wendy’s.
