Prominent Players
Konover Awarded Hoyts Contracts
Konover Construction Corporation (KCC) was named general contractor for two movie theaters
under development by Hoyts Cinema Corporation. KCC, based Farmington, Connecticut, began
construction in January on a 17,000-sq.ft. four-plex theater on River Road in Wilton,
Connecticut. The Wilton project is scheduled to be completed in June. Additionally, KCC
will construct a new cinema at the Providence Mall in Providence, Rhode Island. The new
Hoyts cinema planned for Providence is estimated to be one of the largest on the eastern
seaboard.
The contracts follow the successful completion of an earlier project between the two
companies. In 1999, KCC was named general contractor on the construction of a new Hoyts
Cinema at the redeveloped Simsbury Commons shopping center in Simsbury, Connecticut. The
Simsbury theater opened in December 1999.
For more information: Tom Russeau, vice president of business development, Konover
Construction Corporation, Inc., P.O. Box 4054, 16 Munson Road, Farmington, CT 06034;
860-284-7110; Web site: www.konoverconstruction.com.
Baker Will Design New Versace Stores
Cary Baker, president of Baker Design & Construction Management of Beverly Hills,
California, has been contracted to design several new concept stores for the owners of a
chain of Gianni Versace stores. Baker will also project manage the construction of these
stores, and he recently was commissioned to design the Gianni Versace store in Hollywood,
California, located at TrizecHahn’s new project next to Groman’s Chinese
Theater.
The first of the new concept stores will be labeled “Denum Denum.” It will be
positioned at the Desert Passage Shopping Mall located at the Aladdin Hotel and Casino,
now under construction in Las Vegas and scheduled to open in August. At 2,700 sq.ft., the
Desert Passage store will be the smaller of several upscale concepts being developed.
Denum Denum is planned to feature a selection of imported jeans and leisure wear as well
as high fashion designer accessories from Europe. Construction materials like limestone,
marble, maple and bamboo will enhance the contemporary Italian architecture of the store
design and state-of-the-art lighting will be used throughout the space.
For more information: Cary Baker, president, Baker Design & Construction Management,
270 North Canon Drive, #1397, Beverly Hills, CA 90210; 800-700-3506.
The Retail Initiative Appoints New CIO
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G. Lamont Blackstone was appointed chief investment
officer of The Retail Initiative, Inc. (TRI), a commercial real estate equity investment
fund targeting inner-city markets. Previously vice president of TRI, Blackstone retains
his responsibilities of sourcing, structuring, negotiating and executing equity
investments for the fund’s investors and assumes oversight of the risk exposure, deal
structuring and execution of the fund’s total portfolio. |
Since its launching in 1994, TRI has invested in the development of several inner-city
shopping center projects nationwide including New York City’s 55,000-sq.ft. Harlem
Pathmark Center; Lentil Plaza in Chicago, Illinois; West Cliff Plaza in Dallas, Texas and
Victory Square Shopping Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. TRI sponsors a $24-million
venture backed by investors including The Prudential Insurance Company of America, Bank of
America, City of Philadelphia Board of Pensions and Retirement, Deutsche Bank, General
Electric Capital Corp., J.P. Morgan & Co., Metropolitan Life Foundation, Washington
Mutual Bank, and Wells Fargo Bank.
Blackstone comments, “The escalating progress of inner-city retailing is largely a
phenomenon of the last half of the last decade. I’m glad to have been a part of one
of the first private sector initiatives to recognize and tap the potential of
America’s last bricks-and-mortar retail frontiers.”
For more information, contact G. Lamont Blackstone, CIO, The Retail Initiative, Inc., 733
Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017; 212-455-9883, Fax 212-949-5938.
Center Marketing Awarded Three Centers
Center Marketing, a consumer marketing company based in Anaheim, California, was hired to
provide consumer marketing, research and targeted advertising for three projects in
Southern California.
The company will oversee marketing for Kaleidoscope, a lifestyle and entertainment
shopping center located in South Orange County, California. The 221,000-sq.ft. open-air
center features a 10-screen, all-stadium-seating Edwards Theatre; Bristol Farms Market; El
Torito Grill; Zany Brainy; Crunch Fitness; Chin Chin Restaurant; Islands Fine Burger and
Drinks; and Burke Williams Day Spa.
Alden Management Group contracted Center Marketing to handle consumer marketing for two
community retail centers located in the Orange County area. The contract includes Lantern
Bay Village in Dana Point and Imperial Rose Plaza in Placentia.
Rose Morinello-Ritzer, Maxi award-winning founder and owner of Center Marketing Inc., will
oversee marketing of the three centers. Center Marketing specializes in the marketing of
open-air centers, has special expertise in community/neighborhood centers, and focuses on
generating measurable increases for clients. The company currently handles marketing for
more than 20 Southern California shopping centers for clients including CB Richard Ellis,
Coreland Carlson, Kimco Realty, Combined Properties and Shea Properties.
For information: Rose Morinello-Ritzer, Center Marketing, Inc., 120 Chaparral Court, Suite
140, Anaheim, CA 93808.
Renaissance Partners Chosen for Clearwater
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Renaissance Partners, a partnership of local real
estate developers George de Guardiola, Bruce A. Rendina, David Frisbie and Andrew Aiken,
was awarded the opportunity to redevelop downtown Clearwater, Florida. Selected by a
near-unanimous decision, the group will serve as master developer for approximately 39
acres of mostly public downtown property overlooking Clearwater Harbor. Clearwater officials agree that the West Palm Beach team, chosen from a field of four, proposed a workable plan that will breathe new life into the dormant city. In its preliminary plans, Renaissance Partners proposed creating new housing, shops and restaurants in new and renovated buildings along Cleveland street as well as connecting it to Clearwater’s waterfront, known as the Bluff. |
Renaissance Partners is a Florida-based real estate investment
company with several holdings and extensive development experience throughout the country.
The company led the development team that transformed West Palm Beach’s Clematis
Street into a center for entertainment, cultural, professional office and residential
activity.
George de Guardiola is widely known for creating the concept and master plan for Abacoa, a
Florida New Urbanism community. He and Rendina are presently developing Abacoa Town
Center, the mixed-use town center of the Abacoa community. Uses in the diverse center
include a university, shops, apartments, offices, a multi-plex cinema, baseball stadium,
hotel and conference center, all located within a five-minute walk from each other.
For more information: George de Guardiola, president, de Guardiola Development Ventures,
Inc., 561-655-1838.