New builder takes over 31-home Station Court as design firms expand

Homebuilding, interior design retail, and consumer goods packaging recorded new operational milestones this week as Thomas J. Ackermann Company took over construction of the 31-home Station Court community in Cincinnati, America's Floor Source opened a 3,220-square-foot showroom at the Indiana Design Center in Carmel, and custom packaging supplier PackMojo introduced fitted candle boxes for the 2026 holiday season.

Thomas J. Ackermann Company Restarts 31-Home Station Court Project in College Hill

In Cincinnati's College Hill neighborhood, Thomas J. Ackermann Company has been brought in to take over construction at Station Court, a planned 31-home single-family development near Hamilton Avenue and North Bend Road where only 2 homes have been completed since the project broke ground in 2023 and 29 houses remain to be built, according to Hoodline. Initial plans outlined in 2021 by developer Traditions Group envisioned two- to three-bedroom residences with 2.5 baths and roughly 2,000 square feet as the final phase of a mixed-use development.

College Hill Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation (CHCURC) CEO Emmanuel Karikari stated that bringing in a builder with T.J. Ackermann's familiarity with the neighborhood is a meaningful step forward. Thomas J. Ackermann Company previously built homes at Gershom Grove in College Hill for a 2016 showcase following the 2014 College Hill Citi-Rama at Witherby Meadows.

America's Floor Source Opens 3,220-Square-Foot Studio at Indiana Design Center

In Carmel, Indiana, America's Floor Source opened AFS The Studio in October inside Suite 118 at 200 S. Range Line Road within the Indiana Design Center, as reported by Hoodline. Staffed by 4 design consultants and supported by a 160,000-square-foot Indianapolis-area warehouse, the 3,220-square-foot showroom carries hardwood, luxury vinyl, tile, stone, carpet, rugs, and countertops, with hours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. A public grand-opening celebration is scheduled for 5 to 7 p.m. on Nov. 12 alongside the Design Center's Winter Gallery event.

Developed through a partnership between the Carmel Redevelopment Commission and Pedcor Companies with construction running from May 2007 to summer 2010, the Indiana Design Center anchors Carmel's Arts and Design District with 82,000 square feet of showroom space across two levels and a 109-space public parking garage. The opening follows McCool's Flooring's launch of a showroom of more than 10,000 square feet at 146th Street and Carey Road after 25 years on West Carmel Drive for the retailer founded in 1967 by Virgil and Carole McCool.

PackMojo Launches Custom Candle Packaging With Fitted Inserts

For retail brands preparing for the 2026 holiday season, Hong Kong-based PackMojo Limited — co-founded by CEO Wendy Chan and COO Vincent Choi — announced on Nov. 4 the launch of custom printed candle boxes with fitted EVA foam, PU foam, corrugated board, or 300 to 400gsm paperboard inserts across more than 40 packaging types, according to Castro Valley Forum. Folding cartons start at 100 units and rigid boxes with fitted inserts start at 300 units, scaling up to 500,000 units, with FSC-certified materials under license code FSC-C198591 available from 300 units and production taking 12 to 16 business days plus shipping after artwork confirmation, while reimbursable sample kits ship in 7 to 10 business days.