NORFOLK, VA. — Affiliates of Harbor Group International, in partnership with The Garrett Cos. and Telis Group, have received a $351 million loan for the refinancing of an eight-property multifamily portfolio across four states. ACRE, a vertically integrated real estate fund manager, provided the financing. Totaling 1,573 units, the portfolio is located in Arizona, Colorado, Indiana and Minnesota, with properties in the Denver, Colorado Springs, Phoenix, Indianapolis and Minneapolis metropolitan areas. The communities included in the portfolio were developed between 2024 and 2026 and are part of a larger, 11-property portfolio that was refinanced by the borrowers in January 2025. Aaron Appel, Jonathan Schwartz, Keith Kurland, Adam Schwartz, Dustin Stolly, Sean Rimer, Michael Ianno, Nicholas Gillhooley, Craig West, Kevin Walsh and Holden Barry of Walker & Dunlop Capital Markets secured the loan on behalf of the borrowers. “This refinancing represents another important milestone for the portfolio and highlights the collaborative approach among all parties involved,” says Eric Garrett, CEO of The Garrett Cos. “We continue to see strong operating performance across the assets and remain confident in the long-term fundamentals supporting these markets.” Headquartered in Norfolk, Va., Harbor Group International is a privately owned global real estate investment and management …
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BOSTON AND NEW YORK CITY — A joint venture between Bain Capital and 11North Partners has acquired five open-air retail centers for approximately $300 million. The properties total roughly 757,000 square feet and are located in Carlsbad, Calif.; Falls Church, Va.; Altamonte Springs, Fla.; and Sugar Land, Texas. The seller was not disclosed. Anchor tenants of the portfolio include Harris Teeter, Trader Joe’s, Walmart, Costco and Equinox, with sales from those anchor stores exceeding $900 per square foot. The portfolio, which was more than 93 percent occupied at the time of sale, also features a mix of food, fitness, medical, service and other necessity-based tenants. “Open-air, grocery-anchored retail continues to demonstrate some of the most compelling risk-adjusted fundamentals in the real estate landscape,” says Brian Harper, founder and managing partner of New York City-based 11North. “These assets align squarely with our strategy of building a portfolio of institutional-quality, open-air centers, anchored by best-in-class necessity and lifestyle tenants that serve as cornerstones of their communities,” adds Martha Kelley, a managing director at Boston-based Bain. The acquisition follows Bain and 11North’s recent capital raise of $1.6 billion that is dedicated to investing in open-air retail throughout the co-owned, 11North platform. Together with …
AVONDALE, ARIZ. — Prime Data Centers, a Dallas-based developer and operator of hyperscale and purpose-built data centers, has broken ground on the first three facilities at PHX01, a five-building data center campus in Avondale. The 66.5-acre park sits roughly 19 miles west of Phoenix via I-10. Each data center at PHX01 will span 267,000 square feet and offer 48 megawatts (MW) of critical IT load capacity. The 1.3 million-square-foot campus will offer 240MW of total critical power upon completion. “Breaking ground on PHX01’s first three buildings is a defining moment for Prime’s partnership with Avondale and for the greater Phoenix region,” says Michael Wall, executive vice president of product delivery at Prime Data Centers. “This first phase represents the beginning of a long-term investment in Avondale, and the infrastructure we are putting in place today is built to scale alongside the demands of our customers for years to come.” An undisclosed hyperscale user has committed to leasing the first three buildings for which construction is underway at PHX01. Prime Data Centers is marketing Buildings 4 and 5 to single or multi-tenant hyperscale users. “This more than $3 billion investment by Prime with its customers investing an average 2X more represents a …
Portman Acquires 73-Story Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel in Downtown Atlanta from Marriott
by John Nelson
ATLANTA — Portman has acquired the Westin Peachtree Plaza, a 73-story, cylindrically shaped hotel in downtown Atlanta. Marriott International Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) sold the 1,073-room, full-service hotel but will continue to operate it under Portman’s ownership. “Marriott International has maintained a strong, long-standing relationship with Portman, and we are confident in their ability to realize the full potential of the iconic Westin Peachtree Plaza in the years ahead,” says Cameron Read, CFO for the United States and Canada at Marriott International. “We look forward to continuing to work closely with Portman through our ongoing management of the hotel.” Portman, a real estate development, investment and management firm based in Atlanta, purchased the hotel via its Portman Hospitality Fund I LP. The sales price was not disclosed. The acquisition was a full-circle moment for Portman as Westin Peachtree Plaza was delivered in 1976 by John C. Portman Jr., founder of the Portman company and a world-renowned architect best known for designing high-end, futuristic hospitality properties. His work includes designing the Atlanta and New York Marriott Marquis hotels; Renaissance Center, Detroit; Hyatt Regency San Francisco; Portman Ritz-Carlton Shanghai; and the Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites Los Angeles, among others. “Hospitality is in Portman’s …
ARLINGTON, VA. AND CHICAGO — Multifamily owners and operators AvalonBay Communities (NYSE: AVB) and Equity Residential (NYSE: EQR) have announced a definitive, all-stock merger agreement. The new combined company will have a total enterprise value of $69 billion, with a market capitalization of $52 billion. Following the merger, the combined company’s portfolio will comprise more than 180,000 apartments. Together, AvalonBay and Equity Residential currently have 10,800 apartments under construction, totaling $4.4 billion in estimated value. Annual cash flow for the new company is estimated at $2 billion. The merger has been unanimously approved by the AvalonBay board of directors and Equity Residential board of trustees. Under the agreement, AvalonBay shareholders will receive roughly 2.8 shares of Equity Residential common stock for each owned share of AvalonBay common stock. Equity Residential shares closed at $66.28 on May 20, up from $65.97 a year prior. AvalonBay shares closed at $186.69 on May 20, down from $194.17 a year prior. According to the companies, the merger will enhance resident experience and expand margins across the multifamily portfolio by scaling operations. “This combination creates a new and fundamentally stronger company with differentiated capabilities that will drive structurally superior cash flow generation, earnings and dividend …
FAIRFAX, VA. — Insight Property Group has broken ground on the redevelopment of the Hunters Branch office property in Fairfax within Northern Virginia. Brian Crivella, Brian Gould, Patrick McGlohn, Bill Gribbin, Yalda Ghamarian, Hunter Wood, Patrick Cunningham and Natalie Hershey of Berkadia arranged equity and construction financing for the $174.6 million project. The lenders, CIBC and Citizens Bank, jointly provided a $107.7 million nonrecourse construction loan. In March, Insight sold a portion of the Hunters Branch property, consisting of two vacant office buildings totaling 400,000 square feet, to Toll Brothers for $17 million. The national homebuilder will develop 76 stacked townhomes on the parcel. Insight will develop the balance of the site into a 452-unit apartment community while preserving 656 parking spaces in the existing garage. Resident amenities will include a fitness center, clubroom, coworking library, private dining space, a pool, outdoor grilling areas, a pet spa and dog park, along with expanded outdoor recreation space tied to the adjacent Hunters Branch Park. The project site is situated a quarter-mile from the Vienna Metro Station. Acquired for $28.9 million in a direct REO (Real Estate-Owned) transaction in November 2024, the original office property was not zoned at the time and …
Naftali, Access Real Estate Secure $374M Refinancing for Waterfront Multifamily Community in Brooklyn
by Abby Cox
NEW YORK CITY — Locally based developer Naftali Group, along with Access Real Estate, the real estate investment arm of Access Industries, has secured $374 million in refinancing for Phase I of Williamsburg Wharf, an 850-unit multifamily project under development in Brooklyn. Upon completion, Williamsburg Wharf will comprise five 22-story luxury towers consisting of 850 residences, with a mix of condos and rental homes. The property will span approximately 1 million square feet. Aaron Appel, Keith Kurland, Jonathan Schwartz, Adam Schwartz, Dustin Stolly, Sean Reimer, Ari Hirt and Stanley Cayre of Walker & Dunlop arranged the financing through Barings to refinance Two, Three and Four Williamsburg Wharf. Since opening last summer, more than 90 percent of the roughly 500 apartments are leased. One Williamsburg Wharf, the project’s condominium component, has also welcomed residents. “Williamsburg Wharf offers truly unprecedented waterfront living in New York City, and we’re thrilled to see our vision come to life and how quickly renters and buyers have embraced it,” says Miki Naftali, CEO and chairman of Naftali Group. “We remain incredibly optimistic about the long-term future of this development and our role in the continued evolution of the Williamsburg waterfront.” Each building offers private entrances and …
BRANFORD, CONN. AND LOS ANGELES — Sachem Capital Corp. (NYSE: SACH), a Connecticut-based real estate finance company, and Los Angeles-based Industrial Realty Group (IRG) have entered into a definitive contribution agreement to form a new industrial REIT with a market value of $3.4 billion. The deal is expected to close by the end of the year. Under the terms of the agreement, IRG will contribute 98 industrial properties from its portfolio of 200 assets to Sachem. Once complete, the newly formed company will operate as IRG Realty Trust Inc. (IRGT) and is expected to have an industrial portfolio with a gross real estate asset value of $2.9 billion. In addition, the new company will carry Sachem’s approximately $470 million (as of March 31, 2026) in direct and indirect mortgage loans, investments in developmental and owned real estate and other assets. The transaction values Sachem’s common shares at $2 per share, representing a 90 percent premium to the company’s 30‑day volume weighted average price. Upon closing, IRGT Inc. will focus on mission‑critical industrial infrastructure that supports manufacturing and distribution users. Assets that are not being contributed will continue to be owned and operated by IRG’s existing private business. “This accretive transaction …
Torburn, Jamestown Announce Next Steps for Mixed-Use Redevelopment of Sarasota Square Mall in Florida
by Abby Cox
SARASOTA, FLA. — Torburn Partners, a real estate development and investment firm based in Chicago, and leasing and placemaking partner Jamestown are moving forward with Sarasota Square, a mixed-use redevelopment of the former Sarasota Square Mall. The mixed-use development spans nearly 100 acres at the corner of South Tamiami Trail and Beneva Road in Sarasota. Sarasota Square Mall originally opened in September 1977 and closed in December 2024. Phase I of the project, which is expected to be delivered in the first quarter of 2027, will introduce approximately 90,000 square feet of daily-needs tenants, such as Whole Foods Market, HomeSense, Charles Schwab, CAVA, Joe & the Juice and Chipotle Mexican Grill. Most recently, Warby Parker signed a 2,040-square-foot lease, bringing the first phase to 88 percent preleased. Additional leasing and development announcements will be shared as the project progresses. Jamestown, an Atlanta-based development and management firm that specializes in placemaking for retail and mixed-use environments, has begun leasing negotiations for Phase II. “With Phase II, we’re targeting operators that deliver a sense of discovery and a unique point of view,” says Adam Schwegman, head of retail leasing at Jamestown. “The early response from prospective tenants has been incredibly strong, reinforcing …
DENVER — Walker & Dunlop has arranged $130 million in financing to fund the mixed-use redevelopment of a former Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital campus in Denver. GM Development, a locally based urban infill development firm, is the borrower. Chris Rumul, Jason Silva, Cole Parker and Mike Valucci of Walker & Dunlop arranged the financing through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) 221(d)(4) loan program. This marks the largest HUD 221(d)(4) loan in the company’s history. (The 221(d)(4) loan product is HUD’s construction-to-permanent financing program that funds the construction or heavy renovation of apartment communities with five or more units.) Situated in the historic Hale neighborhood of Denver, the project will transform a historic 10-story building and eight-level parking garage. The project’s capital stack includes historic tax credits. Upon completion, the redevelopment will feature 493 multifamily units, with roughly 8 percent of units designated as income-restricted. Additionally, the development will include more than 50,000 square feet of retail and medical office space. The 8.2-acre site is located roughly three miles from downtown Denver and is adjacent to the 9+CO master-planned district. GM Development acquired the property in 2022. “We’re excited to transform this historic site into a vibrant …