Michael Darby of Monument Realty's next venture: the restaurant biz

Come summer, Arlington’s Clarendon neighborhood will be home to Oz, an Australian restaurant and bar from an Aussie well known to D.C.’s business community: Michael Darby, co-founder and principal of Monument Realty.

Darby and his wife, former Miss D.C. Ashley Darby, have taken over the former La Tagliatella space for Oz, a 5,100-square-foot bar and restaurant named after Michael Darby’s homeland. The restaurant, 2950 Clarendon Blvd., is expected to open in mid- to late-August.

Oz will feature…

After Goodman acquisition, Daikin expands its HVAC technology into Houston residential projects

When Daikin Industries Ltd. acquired Houston-based Goodman Global Group Inc. in 2012, the Japanese air conditioning giant had a tiny presence in the United States.

Since its $3.7 billion acquisition however, Daikin — one of the largest HVAC manufacturers in the world— has aggressively pushed its heating and cooling systems into the American market, starting in Houston. Daikin North America, along with its Goodman and Amana brands, hopes to become the No. 1 residential, commercial and industrial…

Under Armour makes bold Portland expansion, will lease former YMCA

Under Armour is bringing more of the fight to Nike’s backyard.

The company on Monday confirmed it plans to grow its footwear and innovation operations in Portland. The confirmation followed Business Journal inquiries last week about the sale of a nearly 70,000-square-foot former YMCA immediately south of downtown.

“As Under Armour continues its global expansion, Portland has emerged as a strategic hub for the brand, specifically in footwear and innovation,” the company said in a statement. “We…

Marijuana dispensaries, recreational shops struggle to find homes in rental market

If you run a medical marijuana dispensary or recreational pot store in Washington state, chances are you’ve had a hard time trying to find a place to set up shop.

Challenges in finding a home include landlords not wanting to deal with a business that is still federally illegal, landlords proposing rent hikes and state restrictions on where the dispensaries can move in based on what other businesses are in the neighborhood.

With the recent passage last week of the Cannabis Patient Protection Act,…

I-Drive Olive Garden seeks big-money landlord

A trophy restaurant property on Orlando’s International Drive is on the market, seeking a landlord with deep pockets.

The 10,386-square-foot building on 3.61 acres at 8984 International Drive in southwest Orlando is being marketed on LoopNet.com for $12.2 million at a capitalization rate — cap rate — of 4.25 percent. The listing agents are The Boulder Group and Lee & Associates, the listing showed.

Olive Garden has a 20-year lease on the property and generates a net operating income for a…