{ Full Article Here } WASHINGTON, DC—April housing starts rose 20.2% nationwide from an upwardly revised March tally, according to Census Bureau data released Tuesday. New construction in the multifamily sector outshone single-family starts, with apartment builds up 27.2% from the previous month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 402,000 units, compared to a 16.7% increase for single-family. The …

{ Full Article Here } Volkswagen’s announced expansion of its Chattanooga plant last July was among the top 10 business deals of 2014, according to Site Selection magazine. In its annual Best to Invest rankings, the business publication rated the $600 million expansion of the Chattanooga VW plant No. 10 among the biggest business deals announced during 2014. Volkswagen plans …

{ full article here } A German company that handles and manages the auto parts used in Volkswagen’s Chattanooga assembly plant plans to hire 300 more employees by the end of next year. Schnellecke Logistics USA, the company’s American subsidiary which already employs about 350 workers in the city, is ramping up for the sport utility vehicle VW plans to …

One of Birmingham’s most iconic buildings will be part of a $45 million project that will bring two Marriott hotels and a gourmet restaurant downtown. The Empire Building at 1928 1st Ave. will become Empire Hotel, a luxury hotel with a restaurant, 117 bedrooms, a gym, lounge, meeting space and rooftop bar. The adjoining former Alagasco headquarters building will become a …

The Huntsville area led the state in new job creation in 2014. According to AL.com, there nearly 3,500 new jobs and $300 million in capital investments alone. Remington Arms was the biggest announcement, with 2,000 positions, while Science and Engineering Services (450),Verizon (300) and West Corp. (300) were among the other major announcements. The area has already started 2015 off …

{ Full Article Here } As apartment rents continue to trend higher, real estate economists are worried income growth isn’t keeping up. After all, an increase in rent means residents are forced to allocate a higher percentage of their income to housing if their paychecks don’t also increase proportionately. Investors, especially in Class B and C assets, are worried that …

{ Full Article Here } The Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel will get its tax break. The Chattanooga Health, Education and Housing Facilities Board has just approved the much-discussed property tax freeze for the historic hotel, as it seeks to convert 97 rooms into 350-square-foot studio apartments to be rented below market rate. Under the tax agreement, the Choo Choo’s property taxes on …

{ full article here } Koch Foods plans to remain a major part of the Gadsden economy, following an announcement that it will expand its current facility and bring new jobs to the area. The company in October said it would add 80 jobs, and on Tuesday revealed it will add 70 more in addition to the previously announced expansion, …

{ Full Article Here } A Chinese auto parts company aiming to supply interiors for Volkswagen’s new sport utility vehicle has plans to open a plant in the Chattanooga area and create 330 jobs. Yanfeng USA officials are eyeing the area for a building in which it would set up a multimillion-dollar operation, said Kerri Szalony, director of human resources …

{ Full Article Here } WASHINGTON, DC—Not only has an improving economy boosted the apartment sector as household formation has rebounded to pre-recession levels. It turns out that the sector has helped improve the economy. Research commissioned by the National Multifamily Housing Council and the National Apartment Association shows that the apartment industry and its 36 million residents contributed $1.3 …