Johnson, Canyon-Johnson Urban Fund make first Nashville investment

Todd Mansfield, chairman and CEO of Charlotte, N.C.-based Crosland LLC, announced recently that Canyon-Johnson Urban Fund, the nation’s largest real estate investment fund focused on urban revitalization in America, has invested with Crosland in Terrazzo, a $65 million mixed-use development under construction in The Gulch, an arts redevelopment district in downtown Nashville.

It is Canyon-Johnson’s first participation with Crosland and its first investment in the Nashville market.

Headquartered in Los Angeles, Canyon-Johnson is a joint venture between Canyon Capital Realty Advisors and basketball-legend-turned-business-tycoon Earvin “Magic” Johnson, CEO of Magic Johnson Enterprises.

Johnson and the fund’s managing partner Bobby Turner were in Nashville today to mark the firm’s foray into Nashville’s urban development scene.

Crosland and Canyon-Johnson principals and Nashville Mayor Karl Dean made the announcement at a midday gathering of city and business leaders in front of the Terrazzo building site.

Construction began in March on the 14-story glass and limestone Terrazzo building, which is the first LEED pre-certified “green” residential high rise in the Southeast.

IFMA Airport Facilities Council recognizes Knoxville airport

The Airport Facilities Council of the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) recently announced the winners of the first-ever Airport Facilities Management Excellence Awards.

Winning airports were formally recognized at the council’s business meeting on Oct. 24 at IFMA’s World Workplace 2007 Conference & Expo in New Orleans, La.

Airport facility personnel often work behind the scenes to improve passenger comfort by ensuring that everyday activities such as airfield operation and airport renovation and maintenance go smoothly and efficiently.

In an effort to recognize their hard work and advance excellence in airport facilities, the council sought to recognize worthy facility management teams.

Tennessee’s Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority earned an honorable mention in the 1 Million to 5 Million Annual Passengers Served Category.

Formed in 2003, the Airport Facilities Council seeks to address the challenges of managing airports in a global economy, with a focus on benchmarking, security practices, business development and emergency/disaster planning. For more information about IFMA’s Airport Facilities Council, visit www.ifma-airp.org.

For more information about World Workplace, visit www.worldworkplace.org .

Skanska announces partnership with U.S. HealthRealty

Skanska USA Building Inc. announced recently it has formed a partnership with U.S. HealthRealty LLC to develop healthcare real estate in the U.S.

The new entity will be called Skanska HealthRealty and will offer pre-development and development services, capital financing, and owner and asset management. This added service is designed to serve healthcare clients’ growth strategies.

Skanska HealthRealty will be based out of Skanska’s Nashville, Tenn., office under the leadership of Skanska Co-COO Joey Hatch and area general manager Gary Cooper, and U.S. HealthRealty principals Chris Yontz and Nick Paul.

Prior to the formation of U.S. HealthRealty, Paul served as the director of Real Estate for Nashville-based HealthTrust Inc. In this role, he was responsible for the planning, financing and development of every medical office project associated with the company’s 135 hospital facilities.

Yontz was the founder and president of Security Medical LLC, a healthcare development and equipment finance company. While with Security Medical, Yontz developed numerous outpatient facilities including diagnostic imaging centers, ambulatory surgery centers and medical office buildings.