Around the Region: Feb. 23, 2015

A summary of recent transactions and personnel news within Greater Boston’s real estate community.

— Amsterdam Falafelshop is slated to open its second Greater Boston location at 642 Beacon St. near Kenmore Square this March. Local entrepreneurs and business partners Matt D’Alessio and Laurence Wintersteen will own and operate the shop. Amsterdam Falafelshop is known for its “top-it-yourself falafel sandwiches,” and has an existing location in Somerville, four locations in Washington, D.C. and…

Exclusive: PNC's Rohr on why he thinks Hill District prime for next burst of development

Two years since Jim Rohr stepped down as CEO of PNC Financial Services Group Inc. and almost one since he retired as chairman, the career banker is busier than ever.

Known for his dual roles of growing PNC (NYSE:PNC) from a Pennsylvania bank to one of the nation’s largest financial institutions and for helping to shepherd downtown Pittsburgh from eyesore to shining example, Rohr reflected on opportunities on the city’s plate and shared what he’s been up to.

What areas of Pittsburgh hold the most…

AK Steel to build $36M research center

AK Steel will create a new 120,000-square-foot, $36 million research and innovation center in Middletown.

The West Chester-based steel maker on Monday afternoon announced the project, which will be built on a 15-acre site located along Interstate 75.

The new center will replace the company’s existing research facility located at another site within Middletown.

“Construction of this new Research and Innovation Center underscores AK Steel’s strong commitment to the future of steelmaking in America…

Looking for Miami office space? RealMassive wants to help

A fast-growing startup devoted to commercial real estate listings launched Monday in Miami.

Austin, Texas-based RealMassive is an open marketing and data platform for buyers and sellers of office, industrial and retail real estate. The service is now available in 25 cities.

“We are thrilled to provide CRE professionals and tenants seeking commercial space in Miami with access to RealMassive,” CEO Joshua McClure said in a news release. “Our expansion into this southern cultural and business epicenter…

Emptiness: Phoenix office vacancy among worst in US

Phoenix ended 2014 with the one of the highest office vacancy rates in the U.S.

The Valley’s office vacancy rate was 21.9 percent at the year-end, according to the Cushman & Wakefield commercial real estate firm.

Only Las Vegas (25.7 percent), Colorado Springs (22.6 percent) and Cincinnati (22.4 percent) had higher vacancy rates. The national average was 14.5 percent, according to Cushman.

The tightest office markets were in Brooklyn (4.2 percent), the south end of Midtown Manhattan (7.1 percent)…