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February 2, 2008

EVENING ROSE TOWN CENTER BREAKS GROUND AND STAKES COMMITMENT TO BE GREENEST IN FLORIDA

K2 Urbancorp's mixed-use commercial center would be the first Traditional Neighborhood Development in Florida built to the U.S. Green Building Council's "LEED NC" standards

As seen at MiamiHerald.com

Contact:
John Wark (850) 321.6490
David Wamsley (850) 528.4410

TALLAHASSEE - Five prominent Tallahassee businesses joined in groundbreaking ceremonies Saturday for what promises to be one of Floridas most exciting new green developments -- the Evening Rose Town Center.

The 120,000-square-foot Town Center compliments K2s adjoining 132-home Evening Rose residential community and will complete the developers vision to create one of the states first completely "green" Traditional Neighborhood Developments.

Like all of the homes being built by K2 Urbancorp at Evening Rose, the Town Center will be built to strict environmental and energy efficiency standards independently verified by third parties and certified by the U.S. Green Building Council.

The first businesses to sign leases with the $80 million new-urbanism inspired development -- located near the intersection of Capital Circle Northeast and Mahan Drive - are expected to open their doors by late summer.

The five businesses are: Another Broken Egg Cafe, one of the citys most popular breakfast and brunch spots; Mad About Food, considered a hidden culinary gem by regulars; The Child Care Center, a unique facility that pairs a new curriculum tailored by famed local educator and early child care expert Dr. Pamela C. Phelps with a program developed and managed by Childrens Home Society of Florida, one of the states oldest and most respected not-for-profit institutions; FSU Credit Union, a financial institution with deep roots in Tallahassee; and the Town Market, a new 9,000-square-foot urban market complete with groceries and daily staples, fresh meats, seafood, locally-sourced produce and an indoor-outdoor bistro.

"The Capital Circle Northeast-Mahan Drive intersection is one of the most sought after commercial real estate districts in the capital region," noted K2 Urbancorp CEO David Wamsley. "In addition to the strong, current demographics, the area is planning to add up to 5,000 new homes over the next five to ten years-this is where the growth is going to occur."

These five "best of breed" businesses will set the tone, Wamsley added, for what is expected to become "Tallahassees premier upscale retail destination."

City Commissioner Debbie Lightsey participated in the groundbreaking and hailed K2 Urbancorp for possessing what she termed "a vision and commitment as distinctive and powerful as the citys own" when it comes to carrying through on energy efficient, environmentally sound projects.

"I challenged the partners at K2 to raise the bar within the development community in Tallahassee," said Lightsey, "and quite frankly they not only met our expectations but continue to demonstrate leadership at a statewide level."

Childrens Home Society of Floridas Child Care Center is typical of tenants who sought early on to secure a place in the Town Center, said John McNeill of Proctor and Long, the commercial real estate broker for the Town Center. "People who saw how innovative and environmentally important this new development would be got on board early because they wanted to be a part of something special-a place like no other in Tallahassee."

"Evening Rose will be Tallahassees version of what Winter Park is to Orlando, or Seaside is to Destin," added McNeill. "These places are rare and they always generate a premium in the marketplace they serve and tremendous sales revenue for the retailers fortunate enough to locate there."

"This is the only developer I know of in Tallahassee, or the region, who is this committed to rigorous green building and this passionate about good place-making," said David Overstreet, North Central Division Executive Director for the Childrens Home Society.

"We knew we wanted to be here and do this very early on, while the Town Center was still on the drawing boards in fact. Now were really glad we got in early."

K2 Urbancorp is a leading advocate of new urbanism and one of the states most innovative developers and homebuilders. Its also one of the leading builders of green homes in the southeast.

At Evening Rose, all of the homes being built by K2 Urbancorp are constructed to the exacting standards of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Most K2 homes qualify for the USGBCs "LEED for Homes" certification - a designation that only a very small percentage of homes nationwide are expected to achieve.

The most recent K2 Urbancorp-built home at Evening Rose holds the distinction of becoming the first in the state to receive a coveted silver "LEED for Homes" designation. The Town Center will seek "LEED NC (new construction)" certification from the USGBC.

Energy and environmentally savvy commercial investors are increasingly starting to demand that their new buildings meet the rigorous new green building standards. Such buildings can cost up to 30 percent less to operate, save energy, and reduce pollution. K2 Urbancorp is proud to stand at the forefront of this important trend.

K2 Urbancorp was founded by David B. Wamsley, Fincher W. Smith and Timothy A. Jamieson in 2002. Known for its award-winning, historically inspired homes, K2 Urbancorp is currently the City of Tallahassees leading partner in the creation of mixed-income, mixed-use projects and the first to create a Traditional Neighborhood Development within the city, Evening Rose. K2 Urbancorp is widely recognized as an innovative leader in the green building movement in Florida. The company is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council, Congress of New Urbanism, Urban Land Institute, New Town Builders Association, International Council of Shopping Centers, and the Florida Homebuilders Association. K2 Urbancorp is committed to contributing to the creation of a greener, more sustainable future for our communities and our children through smarter growth and building practices. www.k2urbancorp.com

Another Broken Egg Café rightly boasts that it offers a totally "egg-ceptonal" experience when it comes to breakfast or lunch, offering upscale taste at affordable prices with casual elegance set amid a charming French country atmosphere. People across the south have fallen in love with this unique, growing restaurant chain, which has rapidly built an exceptionally loyal following at its 10 locations in Louisiana, Alabama and Florida. www.anotherbrokenegg.com

The Childrens Home Society of Florida (CHS) recently marked 105 years of nurturing children and strengthening families. For more than 40 years CHS's North Central Division, a United Way Agency, has served the Big Bend Area with programs to protect children through preserving and strengthening families. During the past year, more than 3,500 children and families received services from one or more of its programs. www.chfsl.org

Mad About Food is aptly described by a blogger who responded to a call from the Tallahassee Democrat to reveal the citys secret gems: "Since I'm hungry right now, the "hidden gem" I'll add to the list is Mad About Food. It's a tiny deli inside of a pharmacy off of Riggins and Mahan. The people are incredibly nice and the food is awesome. Check it out!"

Florida State University Credit Union, the "champions choice," specializes in maximizing members' financial well-being and not in earning a profit for stockholders. FSU Credit Union is associated with one of Tallahassees largest employers, providing financial products and services for individuals and businesses throughout the FSU community. www.fsucu.org

The Town Market at Evening Rose will house Mad About Food, an indoor-outdoor bistro, and a state-of-the-art, green-built 9,000-square-foot food market that is spacious yet eschews the "big box" approach, giving shoppers more of what they want in a truly innovative, contemporary market -- from groceries and daily staples to wines, cheeses, fresh meats, seafood, and locally-sourced produce.

The U.S. Green Building Council is a non-profit organization committed to expanding sustainable building practices. Member organizations work to build environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy places to live and work. www.usgbc.org