Construction Begins on Gables Station Development
NP International, which acquired the 4.3-acre site in November 2016 from Berkowitz Development for $60.25 million, has hired UK-headquartered Balfour Betty to build the transit-oriented project that is scheduled for delivery in the fourth quarter of 2020 and is designed to achieve LEED-certified Silver designation.
CORAL GABLES, FL—Construction has begun on a major 1.3-million-square-foot mixed-use development on US 1 in the heart of Downtown Coral Gables.
The Gables Station development, located on a nearly five-acre parcel spanning from Ponce de Leon Boulevard to Le Jeune/Grand Avenue will feature residential, retail and hotel space and is being developed by NP International.
NP International, which acquired the 4.3-acre site in November 2016 from Berkowitz Development for $60.25 million, has hired UK-headquartered Balfour Betty to build the transit-oriented project that is scheduled for delivery in the fourth quarter of 2020 and is designed to achieve LEED-certified Silver designation. Berkowitz, according to published reports, had acquired the property in 2015 and had hoped to develop big-box retail at the property.
Balfour Betty has Florida office locations in Fort Lauderdale and Orlando.
The completed project will feature three towers and will include 120,000 square feet of retail space, 500 residential units, including 66 furnished extended-stay hotel units and a 1,000-car parking garage. The project is expected to employ approximately 500 workers.
The development site is adjacent to the Miami Metrorail, which provides access to the Miami International Airport, Brickell, Downtown Miami, Coconut Grove and Dadeland. The project will be directly connected to the Underline Park, a 10-mile, linear park and urban trail designed to transform the land below Miami’s Metrorail. The development will also be connected to Downtown Coral Gables by the city’s free trolley system.
“NP International develops meaningful projects in close proximity to public transportation systems in urban locations that maximize value for their communities,” says Scott Skidelsky, president for Balfour Beatty’s buildings operations in Florida. “We’ve had the privilege of being NP International’s construction partner on world-class projects in the past and we’re honored for the opportunity to once again be their partner in delivering a project as unique as Gables Station.”
NP International has offices in Coral Gables, Wayzata, MN and in Costa Rica.
The Gables Station project’s two residential buildings will include a combined 450 units. Facing the Underline Park on the ground level, one of the residential buildings will include 19,000 square feet of retail, while the second will include 18,000 square feet of retail space. There will be five floors of parking in each residential building as well as u-shaped pool decks that will overlook US-1. Gable Station’s third building will be home to the limited-service, extended-stay lodging offering with 68,000 square feet of retail space that will be geared for lifestyle and wellness-oriented tenants.
Earlier this month, another major project being built by Balfour Betty broke ground in Boston—the 4.7-mile Green Line Extension (GLX) project. Balfour Beatty is a joint venture member of the GLX Constructors team responsible for the design and construction of the $1.08-billion rail project. The joint venture includes Fluor Enterprises, The Middlesex Corp. and Herzog Contracting Corp.
The GLX project represents the Metropolitan Boston Transportation Authority’s largest construction contract to date. The project will add seven new stations through the cities of Somerville and Medford and 4.7-miles to the commuter rail line. Balfour Beatty is responsible for all track, systems and tie-in to the existing line. In addition, the team is designing and building station platform canopies, additional elevators at select stations and an enhanced vehicle maintenance facility in Somerville.
The completed project will incorporate public artwork and new community connectivity paths throughout the area. It also includes a fleet of 24 new train cars, which will start operating on the line as early as 2019.
The GLX Constructors team is currently completing design work for the extension with heavy construction work scheduled for later this year. The Green Line Extension is expected to open for revenue service in 2021.