Stirling Properties Welcomes Chip Brown and Jay O’Brien to Its Commercial Brokerage Team in Mobile, AL
Stirling Properties welcomes Chip Brown and Jay O’Brien to its Commercial Brokerage Team. Brown and O’Brien will work out of the company’s Mobile, Alabama, office located at 1 St. Louis Street, Suite 4100.
Chip Brown joins the team as a commercial real estate advisor. He is a REALTOR® and entrepreneur and the former president of his family-owned commercial real estate company, E.H. Brown and Associates, located in Mobile.
Brown is a veteran of the Alabama Army National Guard and a former Advisor in Afghanistan for NATO and US Forces Afghanistan. A lifelong resident of South Alabama, he serves as a State Representative for South Mobile County and sits on the Urban & Rural Development Committee, Economic Development & Tourism Committee, Insurance Committee, House Rules Committee and Mobile County Legislation Committee.
He is a former Chairman of the board for the Make A Wish Foundation of Alabama and for several years has volunteered his time serving as a youth baseball, football, soccer and basketball coach. Brown is a graduate of Troy State University, The Defense Department Information School and has a master’s degree from National University.
Jay O’Brien, CCIM, serves as a senior advisor, specializing in land brokerage, site selection, tenant representation and property management. With more than 23 years of experience, he has been involved in the development, acquisition and disposition of over 10,000,000 square feet of retail, multifamily and industrial properties throughout Alabama, Mississippi and the Florida Panhandle. He holds the prestigious Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) designation, commercial real estate’s global standard for professional achievement.
A lifelong resident of Mobile, O’Brien is an entrepreneur, local business owner and the president of his family-owned real estate company, J. L. O’Brien & Associates, Inc., in Mobile. He is a member of the National Association of Realtors, State Board of Realtors and the Mobile Board of Realtors. He is also a former State Board Member and Officer with the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) of Alabama. O’Brien graduated from Auburn University with a degree in Building Science.
Chip Brown can be reached at cbrown@stirlingprop.com / (251) 581-5173. Jay O’Brien, CCIM, can be reached at jobrien@stirlingprop.com / (251) 379-1420.
Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux at Hammond Square Opens July 19th
Stirling Properties announces Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux will celebrate the grand opening of its newest location at Hammond Square in Hammond, Louisiana, on July 19th, 2021. An official ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by the Tangipahoa Chamber of Commerce will be held at 10am.
The highly anticipated restaurant will be located on C.M. Fagan Drive, next to PetSmart and Five Below, in the Hammond Square shopping center. Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux local franchisee DBMC Restaurants acquired 1.35 acres of property to build and operate the roughly 8,025-square-foot restaurant as part of a redevelopment project on the northeast side of the shopping center. DBMC Restaurants is a veteran restaurant group that currently operates three restaurant brands across six states and is one of the largest franchisees of Walk-On’s.
Rhonda Sharkawy, Stirling Properties’ Senior Retail Leasing & Development Advisor, is the exclusive commercial advisor for Hammond Square and worked with the property owners and restaurant group to secure the new location.
The popular sports-themed restaurant started in Baton Rouge by two former LSU basketball walk-ons has thrived over the years and expanded with more than 100 locations open or in development across 15 states. Currently, there are 19 Walk-On’s restaurants operating in Louisiana.
Hammond Square marks the 3rd location for the Northshore region, with existing restaurants at Stirling Properties’ River Chase development in Covington and Fremaux Town Center in Slidell.
Hammond Square is Tangipahoa Parish’s premier shopping destination, located on approximately 100 acres at the northwest corner of Interstate 12 and US Highway 51 Business (SW Railroad Avenue) in Hammond, Louisiana. It is the 2nd largest open-air center in Louisiana, encompassing over 852,000-square-feet of more than 40 national and local retailers, shops and restaurants, including Dillard’s, Target, The Home Depot, JCPenney, Academy Sports+Outdoors and AMC Theatres. Stirling Properties redeveloped Hammond Square and currently manages and leases the center.
For more information on Hammond Square, visit www.hammondsquare.com or facebook.com/hammondsquare. For leasing and sales information, contact Rhonda Sharkawy at (504) 620-8145 or rsharkawy@stirlingprop.com.
Stirling Properties Develops New Ochsner Kidney Care Clinics Across GNO Area
Through a joint venture of Ochsner Health and National Renal Care (NRC), Stirling Properties is developing four Ochsner Kidney Care clinics across the greater New Orleans area. The clinics are new-to-market for Southeast Louisiana and expand healthcare service offerings for Ochsner Health and its patients. The facilities vary in size from 6,000-11,000 square feet, providing comprehensive, coordinated kidney care and dialysis services.
The first location, Ochsner Kidney Care – Jefferson Highway, is now open to Ochsner patients. Located at 320 Maine Street, the stand-alone facility is a ground-up development and occupies 10,898 square feet of space adjacent to Ochsner Rehabilitation Hospital. This is the first joint venture of its kind in the region.
Three additional clinics are under construction and are expected to open between June and December of 2021:
- Ochsner Kidney Care – Algiers (4001 General De Gaulle Dr., New Orleans)
- Ochsner Kidney Care – Marrero (1201-1219 Barataria Blvd., Marrero)
- Ochsner Kidney Care – Metairie (4300 W. Esplanade Ave., Metairie)
Stirling Properties is serving as the developer on the projects as part of the company’s further expansion of healthcare real estate services. “Stirling Properties is proud and thankful to continue our partnership with Ochsner Health System. Our extensive commercial background and translatable skillset allow us to bring value to our healthcare clients and projects. As the demand for new medical services increases, so are our service lines to meet those local needs,” said Townsend Underhill, President of Development for Stirling Properties.
RED is serving as the architect on the projects. MAPP is the General Contractor, and Duplantis Design Group is the Civil Engineer.
Ochsner and NRC formed Ochsner Kidney Care, which will deliver a holistic approach as part of a new standard of care for people living with kidney disease. The new Ochsner Kidney Care centers, under the direction of the Ochsner Nephrology team, will provide comprehensive kidney care and long-term disease management for improved quality of life.
Stirling Properties and Ochsner Health System have previously worked together on the newly constructed $100+ million Ochsner Medical Complex – High Grove development in Baton Rouge, Ochsner Rehabilitation Hospital in Jefferson, the state-of-the-art Emergency Department and Imaging Center in LaPlace, Louisiana, and Ochsner Northshore Medical Complex (former Louisiana Heart Hospital) in Lacombe, St. Tammany Cancer Center in Covington, and countless other projects across Lousiana.
President’s Message: The Collision of Physical and Digital Retail
For quite some time now, you have undoubtedly seen the exaggerated headlines about the death of brick-and-mortar retail. How ecommerce—led by Amazon—would put physical stores out of business. How ironic is it now that these digitally native retailers are aggressively moving into the brick-and-mortar world?
In fact, Amazon is very bullish on opening new physical stores in all its various formats (Amazon Grocery, Whole Foods, Amazon Four Star, Amazon Books, etc.). And conversely, while Amazon is adding new stores, traditional brick-and-mortar retailers are determinedly expanding and beefing up their ecommerce platforms as well. Why? Because it provides multiple avenues and touchpoints to engage with and satisfy the demands of the consumer. It’s like two trains coming from different directions colliding in the same retail space.
We’ve already seen many physical changes occurring in brick-and-mortar retail stores as a result. Retailers and retail property owners are shifting away from the one-size-fits-all model and curating more personalized and experiential environments, a change that has been occurring for quite some time. Consumer safety features, BOPIS (buy online, pickup in-store), curbside pickup and expedited pickup zones for fast-casual restaurant establishments have all become the norm, even consumers’ expectations.
Retail real estate has certainly evolved over the years, but those who believed that brick-and-mortar stores were dying failed to understand consumers’ behaviors and preferences. Sure, specific retail formats and retailer stores have or will die, but overall, brick-and-mortar retail is healthy and here to stay. The onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic further accelerated trends that were already beginning to occur and even proved that some types of retail are actually essential to consumers. The COVID crises also confirmed that retail centers are more than just for shopping. They offer healthcare services, wellness clinics, fitness, entertainment, community gathering places and social connectivity—all things digitally-native brands are now trying to capitalize on.
Moving forward, retail centers will only play a more critical role in everyday living and bringing communities together, and retailers must recognize and adapt to their role in this transformation. So, what can we expect to see for the future of retail?
- Rapid expansion of those retailers that have emerged as the winners. Grocery stores (value, ethnic and specialty) are performing exceptionally well and remain attractive tenants in retail centers. Off-price players, fitness, healthcare and digitally native brands will grow substantially.
- Constant and substantial physical changes to retail centers. Retailers will continue to alter store sizes and formats to adapt to consumer demands, such as convenience and safety (some may be larger, some smaller), more convenient front-of-store operations for customer pickup and quick product collection.
- Enhanced online ordering systems, technology integration and expedited pickup zones for fast-casual restaurants.
- Activation of common areas and outdoor spaces for restaurant and dining uses, entertainment, community events, and social gathering places.
- Emerging new retail and food concepts (e.g., food kitchens).
- Creative ways for retailers to use data mining and tech advancements to better engage with and attract customers into the physical store.
- Continual incorporation of brick-and-mortar in the supply chain as more stores are utilized as distribution and fulfillment spaces.
Brick-and-mortar retail is definitely not dead, but it will continue to evolve and transform at a rapid pace—and the collision of physical and digital uses of retail space will drive most of this transformation.
Understanding the implications of these changes and being ready and able to adapt will be critical for retail owners and operators. And, for those able to do so, there will be many opportunities in the future.
As the physical and digital retail worlds continue to collide, retailers and property owners will be forced to get on board or get crushed!
Canal Place Welcomes PJ’s Coffee
O’Connor Capital Partners Signs Deal with PJ’s Coffee for 2021 Opening.
O’Connor Capital Partners today announced that PJ’s Coffee would open a new location this year at Canal Place, New Orleans’ premier luxury retail destination.
PJ’s Coffee will open their Canal Place location this Summer in a 527-square-foot space on the first level of the center fronting Iberville Street.
“We are very excited to welcome local favorite, PJ’s Coffee, to Canal Place,” said Winter Warren, Marketing Director of Canal Place. “Both institutions have a long-standing heritage of serving New Orleans residents and visitors, and we are thrilled to now have PJ’s Coffee as part of the Canal Place family.”
Stirling Properties’ commercial advisors Carly Plotkin and Lauren Ryan serve as the leasing agents for the property and worked with the team at O’Connor Capital Partners to secure the location for PJ’s Coffee at Canal Place.
“Our goal is to target best-in-class local and regional tenants to complement the strong national tenancy already present at Canal Place—and there is no better brand to represent the local culture than PJ’s Coffee, a New Orleans original,” said Plotkin. “Stirling Properties is proud to continue our partnership with O’Connor Capital Partners, and we look forward to welcoming even more great retailers to the tenant mix at Canal Place soon.”
PJ’s Coffee delivers a unique coffee experience by sourcing the top 1% of Arabica beans from over 14 origins around the world. Their Southern hospitality, superior roasting techniques, and passion for making coffee are what make PJ’s Coffee so special. PJ’s Coffee at Canal Place will serve a wide variety of hot, iced and frozen coffee beverages, as well as organic tea and fresh breakfast pastries, including its new beignet program.
“PJ’s Coffee of New Orleans is excited to open at Canal Place as we extend our reach within our community. Providing New Orleans food, beverage and hospitality at the most preeminent shopping venue in the city is something we are absolutely looking forward to,” said David Mesa, Chief Development Officer.
Canal Place is Downtown New Orleans’ premier destination for luxury fashion and beauty brands, boutique clothing stores, home goods and much more. Canal Place is home to the notable WITH LOVE FROM nola moss wall, one of New Orleans’ most Instagrammable spots. Additionally, the lush landscaping and modern renovations have begun to evolve the experience that distinguishes shopping at Canal Place from the rest of the city.
About Canal Place
Situated on the edge of the historic French Quarter, Canal Place is home to many notable, exclusive designer boutiques. An on-site, four-star hotel, The Westin New Orleans, and a convenient covered parking facility add to Canal Place’s unique offerings. Anchored by Saks Fifth Avenue, this world-class shopping center boasts a superb mix of stores including Louis Vuitton, Tory Burch, MCM, Anne Fontaine, Brooks Brothers, Tiffany & Co., lululemon, and vineyard vines, to name a few. For more information, visit www.canalplacestyle.com. Connect with Canal Place on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@canalplacestyle).
About O’Connor Capital Partners
Founded in 1983, O’Connor Capital Partners www.oconnorcp.com is an institutional real estate investment, management, and development firm based in New York City and run by CEO Bill O’Connor. The firm pursues acquisitions, developments and residential conversions on behalf of its institutional funds, separate accounts, and own account. O’Connor primarily targets retail and residential opportunities throughout the United States and Mexico. Since inception, O’Connor has acquired or developed over $30 billion of property, including over 55 million square feet of retail space and over 30,000 residential units globally.
About Stirling Properties
Stirling Properties is one of the most diversified full-service commercial real estate companies in the country. Regionally focused and nationally acclaimed, we specialize in Advisory Services, Commercial Brokerage, Development & Redevelopment, Asset & Property Management and Investments over a wide array of property types across the Gulf South. Connect with Stirling Properties on the web at www.stirlingproperties.com, “like” us on facebook.com/stirlingproperties, follow us @StirlingProp on twitter.com/StirlingProp or subscribe to our Stirling Insights blog.
About PJ’s Coffee of New Orleans
PJ’s Coffee of New Orleans was founded in 1978 by Phyllis Jordan, a pioneer in the coffee industry that demonstrated that better beans, superior roasting techniques, and pure passion for the art of coffeemaking mattered. In 2008, the company was purchased by New Orleans natives and brothers, Paul, Steven, and Scott Ballard. PJ’s Coffee serves a wide variety of hot, iced and frozen coffee beverages using only the top 1% of Arabica beans, as well as organic tea and fresh breakfast pastries. PJ’s Original Cold Brew™ Ice Coffee is brewed daily using a special cold-drip process that protects the flavor and strength of the beans, while producing a coffee that is 2/3 less acidic – a process and technique pioneered by our founder and used for more than 30 years at all PJ’s locations. Bags of whole bean coffee, single serve cups of PJ’s Coffee and PJ’s Iced Coffee Concentrate are available for sale in-store and online. With over 126 operating stores, including four international locations, PJ’s Coffee continues to expand across the U.S. and abroad and is slated to open 45 more stores throughout 2021.
Stirling Properties Executives Awarded CCIM Designation
Stirling Properties announces three of the company’s executives have been awarded the Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) designation, commercial real estate’s global standard for professional achievement. The CCIM designation is conferred by the CCIM Institute, one of the largest commercial real estate networks in the world.
Congratulation to the following new CCIM designees:
Mac Bauer, Development Director
Bradley Cook, Advisor
Ryan Murphy, Senior Advisor
Brad Stillwagon, Asset Manager with Stirling Properties, was also acknowledged by the local Louisiana CCIM Chapter for his contributions and work on candidate guidance.
A CCIM is a recognized expert in the disciplines of commercial and investment real estate. Designations are awarded to commercial real estate leaders who have a proven record of success in the field and have demonstrated a mastery of financial, market, and investment analysis for commercial real estate. CCIM designees come from a variety of professional backgrounds including asset management, brokerage, banking, development, property management, law and accounting.
Earning a CCIM designation places the recipient among the most distinguished professionals in the industry. Today, fewer than 10 percent of commercial real estate professional currently hold the designation of CCIM, making them the go-to experts in their respective markets.
CCIM Institute is a global community of 13,000 members in 30 countries that educates and connects the world’s leading experts.
This Thanksgiving, we’re grateful for the blessings, opportunities, and good […]
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