The Central Florida market continues to be a bright ray in the Sunshine State with 68 million plus tourists in 2016, and over $10 billion currently invested in major projects either recently completed or underway. Area theme parks, such as Disney World, Universal Studios and Sea World, continue investments in new rides and attractions, drawing even more visitors to Orlando, and setting record attendance numbers on an annual basis. Tourism isn’t the whole story in Central Florida, though. Notable projects in the urban core include the University of Central Florida’s downtown campus at Creative Village for 10,000 students, the 650,000-square foot Orlando Magic mixed-use entertainment complex adjacent to the Amway Center, and the new $450 million second phase expansion to the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. All of these new urban core projects are creating a true live-work-play dynamic in downtown Orlando. The suburban market is also seeing significant activity. For example, the Health & Wellness cluster at Lake Nona; the $3.1 billion redevelopment at Orlando International Airport; the $43 million improvement of the Orlando Sanford International Airport; and the $1 billion West Orange County mixed-use community all showcase that new investment is not centered in one part …
Orlando’s retail market is experiencing renewed vigor. Construction cranes are rising in key areas due to increasingly high demand, and low vacancies are fueling rental rate growth, which has been somewhat stagnant over the last several years. There is also demand for larger vacated boxes as a result of the downsizing and bankruptcies of retailers. Spaces once occupied by Sears, Sports Authority and hhgregg, for example, are being filled by retailers entering or expanding their presence in the market, such as Luckys Market, Earth Fare, Orchard Supply, Ollie’s, 24 Hour Fitness and At Home. The activity is both resulting in and benefitting from exciting new developments and infrastructure improvements in the market. Development, Infrastructure Current development activity in Orlando is in direct response to considerable consumer demand, with many major retail projects recently completed or under construction. Lake Nona Landings, a 53-acre development in Tavistock’s master-planned Lake Nona community, opened in early 2017 with the area’s first Walmart Supercenter and Sam’s Club, and will serve as an anchor for the growing Narcoossee corridor south of State Road 417. Horizons West/Four Corners is a thriving residential area encompassing parts of western Orange and north Osceola counties where retail, restaurant and multifamily …
The multifamily market in South Florida is gaining strength but not sales velocity due to converging market and demographic forces. Sales topped $400 million for the third year in a row in 2016, largely because the average price per unit jumped 13 percent to $185,300 per unit. The vacancy rate fell below 4 percent at the end of last year, and rents climbed almost 4 percent on all types of units to an effective rate of $1,351 per month. It’s clear the current upcycle will continue beyond the usual period as immense demand from investors is causing an incredible scarcity of Class A product, and the lifestyle preferences of millennials are intersecting with the luxury condo boom. Opportunities, Challenges In 2005 and 2006, adequate inventory kept the multifamily market in balance. Today, buyers are plentiful, capital is available and interest rates are affordable. What we don’t have is product, a phenomenon not exclusive to Miami and Fort Lauderdale. Why? Sellers have few options. They’re thinking, “If I sell at a premium and I want to stay in a similar market, I’m going to pay a premium. So, what’s the point of selling?” Therefore, owners are putting properties on the market …
PEMBROKE PINES, FLA. — Rockpoint Group has purchased the 365-unit Town City Center apartment complex in the Miami suburb of Pembroke Pines for $87 million. The Class A community is located at 10700 S.W. City Center Blvd. in Broward County’s master-planned Pembroke Pines City Center development. The seller was The Related Group. Town City Center was built in 2016. It is situated on 11 acres near upscale shopping centers, golf courses, restaurants and nightlife, with Miami and Fort Lauderdale just 20 miles away. Pembroke Pines City Center is also expected to deliver a new retail concept adjacent to the property’s waterfront site. The garden-style community offers studio to three-bedroom apartments, as well as two-bedroom townhouses with attached garage entry. In-unit features include patios and porches, washers and dryers, porcelain tiling, stainless steel appliances, and designer vanities. The pet-friendly complex also boasts a two-level fitness studio, pool deck, cabanas, private waterside dock, private screening room and tennis courts. VStarr Interiors designed Town City Center. Greg Engler, Roberto Pesant and Chris Conklin of Walker & Dunlop’s investment sales team represented both the buyer and seller. “This transaction exemplifies strong investor demand for well-located, stabilized core assets across the South Florida multifamily market,” …
Looking ahead to the rest of 2017, we can expect to see continued improvement of Miami’s office market based on strong market fundamentals and employment growth. Key trends to watch in 2017 that will help drive and shape the market, include: • Steady, modest growth in office rents • Declining available office supply • New transit-oriented mixed-use developments that include office space in both Miami’s downtown urban core and other connected walkable neighborhoods such as Coconut Grove, Coral Gables and Wynwood • Tenants adopting new office design standards • Increased moves between submarkets and new-to-market companies positively impacting net absorption Office demand will continue to be fueled by vibrant population growth of young professionals and Miami’s appeal as a growing, global and entrepreneurial city. Miami-Dade County’s population has grown 8 percent in the past five years, making it the seventh-largest county in the United States. In 2016, more than 20,000 jobs were added in the county, predominately in the construction, real estate, professional services and financial services industries. This economic growth has fueled expansion activity in the office market and should hold steady in 2017. Miami’s focus on cultivating innovation and entrepreneurship has also positively impacted the office market. In …
There are two major trends affecting retailers across South Florida: the reduction of affluent foreign tourists in the market and the internet, which is forcing retailers to shift their concepts at an accelerating pace. Both factors have led to a slight decline in market conditions, specifically a deceleration of growth rates, but not significantly enough to cause great concern or to feel South Florida has become a “falling market.” Instead, much like origami, one must shape retail concepts to adapt to the new online reality. The American dollar is still very strong against Latin American and most foreign currency. This has created a downward spiral for hotel occupancy and retail sales in South Florida’s tourist driven areas such as South Beach and Lincoln Road. Miami-Dade County hotel occupancy was down 0.6 percent year-over-year to 83.5 percent in February/March 2017. This tourism decline has also created a shift in foreign investing. While large foreign investors are still active in the market, there has been a noticeable exit of smaller foreign investors. This has created an unusual twist in the South Florida market as now domestic (primarily from the Northeast) and Canadian investors are actively looking and purchasing retail opportunities given they …
PEMBROKE PINES. FLA. — An affiliate of Harbor Group International LLC has acquired the 700-unit Montage at City Center in Pembroke Pines, a suburb of Miami, for $158.5 million. Montage at City Center contains 12 mid-rise buildings and 28 townhome buildings. The community offers a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom units. The property is currently 95 percent leased with an average market rent of $1.55 per square foot. Montage at City Center was built in two phases between 2014 and 2015. Unit interiors feature formica countertops, espresso cabinetry, stainless steel appliances and hard-surface flooring. Property amenities include a LEED Gold-certified clubhouse, two resort-style pools, a fitness center, business center, game room and demonstration kitchen. Private garages and storage units are also available for rent. The multifamily complex is located adjacent to Pembroke Pines City Center, a 47-acre mixed-use project that will feature retail, office and residential components. Terra Group is developing the project. Phase I will deliver 200,000 square feet of retail anchored by a 45,600-square-foot Publix. Phase II will add 450 apartments and 100,000 square feet of office. The City of Pembroke Pines is also building a $60 million civic and cultural center, which includes a new city …
ORLANDO, FLA. — Darden Restaurants has agreed to purchase Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen for $780 million in an all-cash transaction. Cheddar’s was founded in 1979 in Arlington, Texas, and now has 165 locations, including 140 owned and 25 franchised, across 28 states with average annual restaurant volumes of $4.4 million. “We are excited about the opportunity to be a part of Darden,” says Ian Baines, CEO and president of Cheddar’s. “Our operating philosophy and values are similar. Additionally, Darden’s expertise will enable us to further capitalize on our growth potential.” Baines will remain as president of Cheddar’s. He will report to Gene Lee, Darden’s president and CEO. The transaction is expected to be complete in Darden’s fiscal 2017 fourth quarter. It is subject to customary closing conditions. “Cheddar’s is a great fit in the Darden portfolio because it complements our existing brands,” says Lee. “This addition will also enable Darden to further strengthen two of our most important competitive advantages: our significant scale and our extensive data and insights.” Orlando, Fla.-based Darden Restaurants Inc. owns and operates more than 1,500 restaurants. Darden’s portfolio currently includes Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Yard House, The Capital Grille, Seasons 52, Bahama Breeze and Eddie V’s.
While Florida as a whole was able to bounce back from the Great Recession relatively quickly, one market that had been lagging behind in that recovery was Jacksonville. However, a surge of new development and strong population growth has kicked Jacksonville’s retail market back into high gear. Occupancy rates have gone up year-over-year to 91.1 percent and the retail sector currently has 748,000 square feet of new space under construction, according to JLL’s 2016 Florida Retail Report. While this infusion of new space may have a small squeeze on asking rates — currently at $13.24 per square foot — the outlook for Jacksonville’s retail market remains strong. The St. John’s Town Center has had a transformative effect on the Northeast Florida market over the past decade. The shopping center saw huge success when it first opened its doors in 2005 and was relatively immune to the effects of the downturn. As the economy started to trend upward, the St. Johns area saw even greater shopper traffic and with that came expansion; in fact most of the 748,000 square feet of retail space currently under construction is in the St. Johns area. As St. John’s continues to fuel Jacksonville’s retail market, …
Jacksonville’s industrial market continues to improve as encouraging fundamentals are in place that are prompting developers to commit to building spec warehouse again. The lack of new construction over the last eight years, the expected reduction in regulations and taxes by the new administration in Washington and the commitment to upgrades in the local infrastructure will drive growth in our market. A 5.3 percent vacancy rate for warehouses and distribution space is also a major factor. With 126 million square feet of existing warehouse space spread over 860 square miles, our market has room to grow. Recent announcements of major expansions coming to Jacksonville include Amazon, General Electric and UPS. Amazon will occupy 2.5 million square feet in North Jacksonville and will have the largest impact on employment in the history of the city. General Electric is leasing 500,000 square feet in Hillwood’s Cecil Commerce Center. Situated on Jacksonville’s Westside adjacent to Pattillo’s Westside Industrial Park, UPS is adding 260,000 square feet to its existing 560,000-square-foot facility. When completed in the fall of 2019, the 820,000-square-foot facility will be able to process more than 80,000 packages per hour. Jacksonville is a tier-two market nationally and typically has a few large-scale …