Commercial Construction & Renovation

A local development group wants to return the old Howard Johnson's Motor Lodge on Grand Avenue to its former use as a hotel, featuring the original mid-century modern vibe. Read The Des Moines Register story here

Building activity across eight counties in central Ohio is up 23% compared with a year ago, with nearly $4.25 billion in new construction underway, according to Dodge Data & Analytics. Major developments include a $300 million stadium for the Columbus Crew, a $250 million preliminary phase of the Scioto Peninsula redevelopment and a $65 million campus for White Castle System. Read The Business Journals story here

Construction begins next year on an estimated $375 million project to redirect Sterling Highway and to build Alaska's largest bridge, which will cross Juneau Creek Canyon, according to the state Department of Transportation. The federal government will contribute 90% of the cost. Read the The Associated Press story here

The Clift Royal Sonesta's general manager is the first to admit the Union Square hotel had become a fading gem. Read The Business Journals story here

Choice Hotels International and developer Koucar Management have broken ground on the first Cambria hotel in Detroit. Completion is anticipated for next year. Read the Commercial Property Executive story here

The idea to build Alamogordo's newest hotel came from a plumbing subcontractor of Total Management Systems. Read The Business Journals story here

The hotel is located at 2715 Old Milton Parkway, near the Avalon mixed-use project. Epelboim Development Group owns the property and IHG will manage it. Read The Business Journals story here

Construction is underway on a 19-story mixed-use development in Chicago's historic Fulton Market District. Thor Equities in New York and QuadReal in Vancouver, British Columbia, are partnering on the work, which occupies a city block and provides more than 450,000 square feet of office space, public amenities and retail space. Read the GlobeSt story here

Major investments are being made in three Orlando shopping centers that will get major makeovers. Simon Property's Orlando Vineland Premium Outlets expects renovations to be finished in 2020, Brixmor Property is putting $32 million into upgrades at Pointe Orlando and Orlando Fashion Square will get a $1 billion facelift by Unicorp National Developments Inc. and Maury L. Carter & Associates Inc. Read The Business Journals story here

For years, Native Americans who revere a towering waterfall in the misty hills east of Seattle have opposed construction of a subdivision, hotel and convention center on surrounding land they hold sacred. Read the Los Angeles Times story here