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Ready to Convene

Ready to Convene

December 12, 2019

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A new multi-use event venue at Brookfield Place in lower Manhattan opened 73,000 SF of stylish, flexible space. Convene’s purpose-driven design hosts large-format events in two premium spaces accommodating 500 people each. The venue also contains rooms tailored to smaller meetings and activities and offers production support and hospitality services. Convene at 225 Liberty Street transformed an anchor tenant space previously occupied by a Saks Fifth Avenue women’s store. DMA provided retail tenant delivery services to support Convene’s opening as part of ongoing work with Brookfield Place.

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Convene, Brookfield Open 73K-SF Event Venue Downtown

Pike & Rose Positives

Pike & Rose Positives

December 3, 2019

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A look at the Pike & Rose development in North Bethesda, Maryland calls out the living advantages of this new community, from varied residential options to dining, socializing and gathering spaces. DMA supported the opening of two phases of retail space within the neighborhood, part of a $500 million, mixed-use project.

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Ready to Really Live? Consider the Incomparable Pike & Rose Experience

Women Leaders in Green

Women Leaders in Green

December 4, 2019

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The Illinois Green Alliance hosts an annual Women in Green Building Leadership Luncheon celebrating women in the local green building community. DMA co-sponsored this year’s event, held at the Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza, and team members Jason Westrope and Heather Martin attended. A multi-generational panel of women leaders shared stories and insights related to this year’s theme, creating a culture of courage and encouragement.

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Illinois Green Alliance

Open House Chicago

Open House Chicago

October 19-20, 2019

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The Chicago Architecture Center’s annual Open House Chicago showcases significant sites across the city over a single fall weekend, offering visitors free behind-the-scenes tours led by informed volunteers. DMA’s Jason Westrope, Erik Haugsnes and Heather Martin were among those providing an inside look at the iconic 900 North Michigan building, one of 250-plus sites participating in this year’s event.

DMA supported recent renovations and enhancements at 900 North Michigan, including a new entry, updated common areas, lighting and illuminated signage. Among the facts shared on the tour:

The Canopy—an LED “canvas” of 20 million pixels on the ceiling of the 900 North Michigan Shops—is the largest horizontal digital art installation in North America.
Aster Hall, a 22,000-square-foot food hall operated by Hogsalt and served by a new express elevator, was named for the Aster flower, native to Chicago.

Ignite Glass Studios, another DMA project, also participated in Open House Chicago. The site featured glassblowing demonstrations and rooftop and gallery access.

District House Fully Sold

District House Fully Sold

October 2019

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A 28-unit luxury condominium development in Oak Park, Illinois, just west of Chicago, is now fully sold, and ground-floor retail is fully leased and open. The soon to be LEED-certified building’s exterior design includes extensive green roof areas and horizontal lines that reference the Prairie School style, part of the community’s architectural legacy. District House homes feature open floor plans, floor-to-ceiling windows, and private terraces.

Retail tenant Club Pilates began serving customers in November 2018. Fairgrounds Coffee & Tea opened on September 25, 2019. District House is the café’s fourth Chicago-area location and sixth in the nation.

DMA team members were involved in the project as investors. Ranquist Development Group and Campbell Coyle developed District House, and Northworks and Miller Hull served as architects.

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District House - Model Now Open

Creative Reuse in Chicago

Creative Reuse in Chicago

Blockclubchicago.org, August 13, 2019

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In Chicago’s West Humboldt Park neighborhood, three warehouses that once served as the home of a lighting and electrical equipment manufacturer are being transformed into a creative office campus. “Humboldt Lit” will make creative use of the historic buildings on a 6.5-acre site with more than 250,000 square feet of space. DMA is consulting with development partners on the project, expected to welcome tenants in June 2020. Design plans call for incorporating interior features like old industrial doors and creating a courtyard green space open to neighbors.

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$50 Million 'Creative Office Campus' Planned for Old Lighting Warehouses in West Humboldt Park

Rivers Pittsburgh Greenlights Hotel

Rivers Pittsburgh Greenlights Hotel

BusinessWire, June 18th, 2019

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Rivers Casino Pittsburgh is breaking ground on a $60 million project to develop a seven-story, four-star hotel. The Landing Hotel Pittsburgh will connect to the existing casino and offer 219 guest rooms and suites. The contemporary design features expansive riverfront and skyline views. DMA participated in the initial casino development and is supporting the hotel project. DMA team members also worked on the first location of The Landing Hotel, in Schenectady, New York.

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Rivers Casino Pittsburgh Greenlights $60 Million Hotel Project

Cycling for MS Research

Cycling for MS Research

WGNTV.com, June 17th, 2019

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A team created by four brothers more than three decades ago continues its tradition of fundraising for MS research on June 22-23, cycling for the first time without leader Johnny Koys. The team has grown over the years with friends, supporters and sponsors, among them, Starwood Retail Properties and Heitman. DMA’s Tim Feldballe joined the group after he was diagnosed with MS himself in December 2010. He is among 40 participants on this year’s team, raising more than $53,000 and counting. The two-day ride begins in St. Charles, Illinois. Support the team: Starwood Retail Properties Go Johnny Go.

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After oldest dies from MS, brothers continue to race against the disease

Chicago Hospitality

Chicago Hospitality

May 29th, 2019

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DMA’s Heather Martin co-organized and hosted an event for CREW Chicago that focused on lifestyle hospitality development trends in the Chicago hotel market. The one-on-one conversation featured Chicago’s leading hotel developer, John Rutledge, and Sophie Bidek, a partner with Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture (HPA). Rutledge is CEO of Oxford Capital Group, LLC and Oxford Hotels & Resorts, LLC.

The talk included details on the recently opened Hotel Essex and Essex on the Park luxury apartment building, developed by Oxford with HPA as architect. CREW Chicago works to positively impact the commercial real estate industry by advancing the power and success of women.

Limelight Shines for Illinois Green

Limelight Shines for Illinois Green

May 14th, 2019

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Illinois Green Alliance celebrated top achievements in green building and sustainability within Illinois at its 2019 Limelight event, held May 14 at Venue SIX10 in Chicago. This year’s Limelight drew more than 400 professionals and was one of the organization’s most successful fundraisers to date. Funds raised will support advocacy efforts and outreach initiatives designed to strengthen neighborhoods, reverse carbon pollution, and improve quality of life for all residents.

DMA’s Jason Westrope serves on the Board of Directors of the Illinois Green Alliance, a membership-driven nonprofit and local affiliate of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

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Illinois Green

On Topic: Building Trends

On Topic: Building Trends

April 18, 2019

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At a meeting of the Midwest chapter of AACEI, DMA Managing Principal Charles Porter gave a talk on building trends in the construction industry from the developer point of view. He shared DMA’s experiences working with regional mall owners to reconfigure and reuse vacant department store space, and he reviewed trends involving nontraditional users, such as entertainment venues, multifamily housing, grocery stores, and wellness, medical, and educational facilities. The presentation addressed important planning and cost considerations and the underlying challenges of repurposing assets given current economic realities and market forces.

AACE International serves members in the cost management community, including those working in project/program management, estimating, planning and scheduling and related fields.

Students Build Future Cities

Students Build Future Cities

January 19, 2019

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DMA’s Jason Westrope helped evaluate student entries as a special awards judge in the regional Future City Competition, held on a snowy Saturday at Chicago’s Whitney Young Magnet High School. Teams of middle school students interested in math, science, and engineering dedicated many hours to planning and preparing their projects for the event. Teams designed futuristic cities using Sim City software, built scale models with creative materials, wrote essays describing their cities and their solutions to the challenge of Powering our Future, and presented their ideas at the competition.

Many professional engineering and architecture societies were involved in the judging process, and the students delivered impressive presentations. The competition is part of a national program to introduce students to engineering.

READ MORE: Future City Chicago