Stirling Properties’ Beth Cristina Elected as President of Louisiana Realtors
Stirling Properties is pleased to announce that Beth Cristina, Senior Broker Associate in our New Orleans office, has been elected to serve as President of Louisiana Realtors.
Louisiana Realtors represents its membership on important real estate-related issues to state and federal government, while providing legal assistance, professional development opportunities, discounts, and other unique services for its membership of over 10,000 realtors statewide.
Beth was installed alongside 7 Louisiana Realtors officers and 11 local board presidents. In addition to her many duties and responsibilities as President of Louisiana Realtors, she will also serve as a director of the National Association of Realtors (NAR) during her term.
Beth has previously served as Secretary Treasurer, Director at Large, Vice Chair of the Strategic Planning Committee, Vice President of Region 4. She was also recently recognized for outstanding commercial achievement as a National Commercial Award recipient by the Commercial Real Estate Division of NAR and received the 2010 Realtor of the Year award from Louisiana Realtors.
Stirling Properties’ Peter Aamodt Completes New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute
Stirling Properties is pleased to announce that Peter Aamodt, Vice President of Development, is one of 41 business, civic and community leaders to complete the 2014 New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute (NORLI).
NORLI is a nine-month program designed to enhance personal leadership skills and examine issues central to the advancement of the Greater New Orleans region. “The opportunity to discuss and debate the many issues and challenges that face the Greater New Orleans Region with a diverse group of business and community leaders was tremendous,” stated Peter Aamodt, “It was an invaluable experience.”
Through a competitive application process, the class brings together business, civic, and community leaders representing all races, genders, industries, and communities in the region with a mission to promote regional collaboration by providing a forum for the exchange of diverse viewpoints and a network of relationships.
Forbes: New Orleans #1 for “Brainpower” in the USA
Another ranking was recently announced that reinforces the growing trend of New Orleans being one of the leading places for young people to locate. It is one of the most exciting transformations I have ever seen and one of the most encouraging signs for our future.
Forbes has ranked Greater New Orleans tied for first in America for growth in college grads from 2007 – 2012, earning the title #1 “Brainpower City” in the USA. The New Orleans metro gained 44,000 grads from 2007 to 2012, a 20.3% increase, nearly double the national average of 10.9%. The author of the article, Joel Kotkin, explains that Greater New Orleans is the leader of a broader national trend: “Unable to afford to settle long-term in traditional “brain centers,” educated people are increasingly looking for places that have strong economies but also many of the cultural and natural amenities associated with the traditional meccas for the educated.”
The Top 10 “Brainpower Cities” in the USA are:
1. New Orleans metro
1. San Antonio (tie)
3. Austin
4. Nashville
5. Louisville
6. Houston
7. Denver
8. Salt Lake City
9. Jacksonville
10. Raleigh
You can read the entire article here.
Stirling Properties Celebrates Grand Opening of Full-Service Walgreens Drug Store on New Orleans Westbank
Earlier today Stirling Properties celebrated the opening of the new full-service Walgreens drugstore in Terrytown on the Westbank of New Orleans. The celebration was commemorated with a ceremonial cutting of the ribbon by Jefferson Parish Councilman Ricky Templet, Walgreens Representative Bill Hagoort and Stirling Properties Vice President of Development, Peter Aamodt. The Walgreens is located at the intersection of Terry Parkway and Carol Sue Avenue on the site of the former A&P Grocery/Eckerd Drug anchored shopping center.
“This project represents a cooperative effort between Stirling Properties and Jefferson Parish to bring back a distressed commercial property to prominence once again as a viable retail corner that will serve the people of Terrytown”, said Peter Aamodt, Vice President of Development for Stirling Properties.
The larger 17,384 square foot store has a drive thru window and full service pharmacy and will serve as a catalyst for future development to help revitalize an aging retail corridor. Stirling provided pre-development services, including lease negotiation, permitting, financing, design, as well as construction and project management.
As a preferred developer for the Walgreens Company in the Gulf South, Stirling Properties has had a long-standing relationship with the retailer. Last year Stirling completed a full renovation of the former Ed Brauner American Legion Post #307 to a 13,000 square-foot Walgreens Marquee store. Another approved Walgreens site, currently in the early stages of development, is at the intersection of Veterans Memorial Boulevard and Power Boulevard in Metairie, La.
For more information, contact Peter Aamodt, Vice President of Development for Stirling Properties, at paamodt@stirlingprop.com or by calling (504) 523-4481.
JCH Development and Stirling Properties Celebrate Groundbreaking of Magnolia Marketplace
Earlier today JCH Development, Stirling Properties, Mayor Mitch Landrieu, elected officials and other dignitaries commemorated the groundbreaking of Magnolia Marketplace, a 106,000 square-foot shopping center located in New Orleans, LA at the intersection of South Claiborne Avenue and Toledano Street.
“We are proud to bring a dynamic new retail development to an underserved portion of Central City. This development will bring a formerly vacant and blighted piece of property in the City of New Orleans back to commerce”, stated Tara Hernandez, President of JCH Development.
“Magnolia Marketplace is further proof that New Orleans is on a retail roll,” said Mayor Mitch Landrieu. “This project represents economic growth, jobs and opportunities and more retail options for an underserved community. Projects like this are why people are looking at New Orleans as a model for economic revival and urban renewal.”
Tenants scheduled to open in spring 2015 are Ross Dress For Less, T.J.Maxx, Michaels, PetSmart, Shoe Carnival, ULTA Beauty and Raising Cane’s. The project is 100% pre-leased. Previously announced was the 6,000 square foot initial phase of Magnolia Marketplace development located at the intersection of South Claiborne Avenue and Fourth Street. Capital One Bank is currently open in that building. T-Mobile and Subway are slated to open in early 2014.
“This project embodies the strength of the New Orleans recovery and represents yet another important step in bringing retail back to the city,” stated Townsend Underhill, Senior Vice President of Development. “We are excited to be moving forward with Magnolia Marketplace, another project that signifies Stirling’s commitment to the City of New Orleans.”
Stirling’s recent projects in New Orleans include Mid-City Market, a 108,000 square-foot Winn-Dixie anchored shopping center located at North Carrollton Avenue and Bienville Street, as well as the full renovation of the former American Legion building located on Magazine Street into a new 13,000 square foot Walgreens Marquee Store. Since 2011, Stirling Properties has invested over $120 million in the City New Orleans.
JCH Development’s most recent project is the conversion of the former Blue Plate manufacturing facility into the Blue Plate Artist Lofts, 72 residential lofts, on South Jefferson Davis Pkwy.
For more information, contact Townsend Underhill at tunderhill@stirlingprop.com or 985-898-2022, or for leasing information contact Rhonda Sharkawy at rsharkawy@stirlingprop.com or 504-523-4481.
New Orleans: A City of Possibility
A recent email from Michael Hecht, CEO of GNO Inc., highlighted another positive ranking for New Orleans. The city was named as one of the Top 20 “Cities of Possibility” in the World in Good magazine’s new “Good City Index”. To create this list of global “cities they are betting on,” the magazine looked at a combination of factors:
- “Hub for Progress”
- Civic Engagement
- Transportation
- “Local Vibes”
- Green Space
- Diversity
- Signature Movements
- Work/Life Balance
Driven by “a spirit of self-determination that has been a powerful driving force over the past eight years,” New Orleans shares the global recognition with:
- Mexico City
- Singapore
- Budapest
- Nairobi
- Seoul
- Johannesburg
- Istanbul
- Beirut
- Rio De Janeiro
- Buenos Aires
- Montreal
- Paris
- Perth
- Tel Aviv
- Santiago
- Kuala Lumpur
- Accra
- Atlanta
- Wellington (NZ)
Certainly, this is an impressive list of global cities to be ranked amongst. It is yet another testament to how far we have come. While much work remains, it is truly an exciting time to be a part of the NEW New Orleans.
