Why Manchester, England, native-turned-real-estate-investor is high on Pittsburgh (and just bought Stone Quarry Crossing)

Fabian Friedland, principal of Brooklyn-based Crow Hill Development LLC, is quick to compare Pittsburgh to his native city of Manchester, England.

“There’s a massive connection with my hometown and Pittsburgh,” said Friedland, a former software developer who has spent the last 20 years working in real estate development and investment.

He notes the common industrial roots of both cities, their post-industrial conversions, the strong sports connections and the fierce civic pride.

“Everybody in…

Texas rig count falling by the hundreds as OPEC cuts U.S. forecast

More than 200 drilling rigs were taken out of service in Texas in the past two weeks as crude oil prices hovered between $45 to $50 a barrel, according to Baker Hughes.

Looking back a year ago, when crude oil selling at $100 a barrel Texas had 845 rigs going compared to 654 operating now.

This is just one way to gauge what’s going on in the oil patch. Then consider that the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries projected a reduction in U.S. crude oil production of 130,000 barrels per day…

Lockheed Martin's Orlando unit awarded $82M Army contract

Lockheed Martin Corp.’s Missiles & Fire Control unit was awarded an $82 million performance-based logistics contract from the U.S. Army for Apache helicopter sensors.

The contract is the third of three one-year options that support the initial $111 million contract awarded in 2012. The total four-year contract value was $375 million.

“The partnership between the Army Aviation & Missile Command Logistics Center and Lockheed Martin has built a comprehensive logistics solution that consistently meets…

Modern H-E-B opens its sliding doors near Galleria

San Antonio-based grocer H-E-B Grocery Co. LP opened its sleek, new store in Tanglewood near the Galleria.

The 90,000-square-foot grocery store off San Felipe and Fountainview features a 250-foot wall of live plants, an architectural metal canopy at the entrance and a casual restaurant called Table 57, which was created with the help of famed Houston chef Randy Evans, according to Culture Map.

Evans was the former Haven chef, and he is acting as a consultant for the menu at H-E-B’s new location…

Residents to sue Tavistock Group, Voxx to stop new development

A group of residents who have been fighting to halt a planned Lake Nona industrial development now plan to take their battle to court.

Property owners in Beacon Park, a residential development off Boggy Creek Road and J. Lawson Boulevard, released a statement on Feb. 6 saying they have a “very strong class-action case” against a group that includes Lake Nona developer Tavistock Group and Voxx International Corp. (Nasdaq: VOXX), the automobile electronics equipment maker that plans to break ground…