By David DiRienzo, director — business development, at Talonvest Capital, Inc. This is part two of a two-part series discussing the key drivers behind transaction volume and the steps owners can take to ensure they are well positioned going forward. As highlighted in part one, despite substantial changes in the market over the past few years, the capital markets continue to offer quality financing solutions for real estate owners. Part two of this article series delves into two key drivers of current financing activity: elective refinancing to optimize the capital stack and the initiation of new business plans. Given the plethora of value-add projects in the pipeline and the interest in undertaking new business plans as equity capital returns to the market, these financing strategies are taking on greater importance than in past years. Interestingly, elective refinancing and starting a new business plan are two scenarios where the borrower’s actions are optional because an impending maturity is not a consideration. For this reason, it is important that borrowers understand the nuances behind these strategies as well as the approach that a capital expert might take. Elective Refinancing to Maximize Investment Performance While loan maturities trigger many refinancings, owners run into a …
Development
CHICAGO — Ryan Cos. US Inc. has formed a joint venture with Namdar Realty Group and Mason Asset Management to close on the land and start construction of the final phase of Pullman Crossings industrial park in Chicago. The final phase is a 160,000-square-foot speculative facility. Pullman Crossings is a 50-acre industrial park within Pullman Park, a 180-acre mixed-use project being developed by Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives. The new building will feature outdoor eating areas, exterior bike racks, ESFR fire protection and a clear height of 32 feet in the warehouse. Ryan is developing and building the facility with construction financing provided by Bankers Trust. Completion is slated for August 2025.
CHICAGO — A joint venture between McShane Construction Co. and Ashlaur Construction has completed The Foglia Residences in Chicago. Brinshore Development and The Chicago Lighthouse developed the 76-unit affordable housing building for residents who are blind, visually impaired, disabled and veterans. The development marks the first Low-Income Housing Tax Credit building in the nation for the blind community, according to McShane. Situated on a site adjacent to The Chicago Lighthouse’s center in the Illinois Medical District, the podium-style building features nine stories with three levels of parking, six levels of units and first-floor retail space. Units are offered in studio, one- and two-bedroom floor plans. Income restrictions were not provided. Amenities include a fitness center, community room, fourth-floor rooftop terrace, dog run and playground. The common areas offer contrasting colors, lit braille unit signage, handrails, braille wallpaper, braille numbering on mailboxes, contrasting flooring in front of unit doors and elevators with audible signals. LBBA was the architect.
LAREDO, TEXAS — A partnership between Maryland-based investment manager Realterm and regional owner-operator Titan Development will develop a 440,300-square-foot industrial project in the Rio Grande Valley city of Laredo. The cross-dock facility will be situated on a 26-acre site and will be divisible for two tenants. Building features will include 30-foot clear heights, 185-foot truck court depths and 264 trailer parking stalls. Construction is expected to last about 12 months.
HALTOM CITY, TEXAS — Multifamily developer JPI has broken ground on Jefferson Drove, a 343-unit mixed-income housing project that will be located north of Fort Worth in Haltom City. About 50 percent of the units will be reserved for households earning 80 percent or less of the area median income, and the remainder will be rented at market rates. Amenities will include a pool, fitness center and a coworking lounge. Preleasing for the first residences is scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2026.
EAST HANOVER, N.J. — Ares Commercial Real Estate has provided a $135 million construction loan for High Point on 10, a 584,000-square-foot industrial project that will be located in East Hanover, about 25 miles west of New York City. The development will have 380,000 square feet of build-to-suit cold storage space that is preleased to operator RealCold. Jordan Roeschlaub, Jonathan Firestone and Nick Scribani of Newmark arranged the debt on behalf of the developer, a partnership between Related Fund Management, Onyx Equities and Russo Development. An expected completion date was not announced.
NORWOOD, MASS. — Hobbs Brook Real Estate has topped out a 320,000-square-foot office and life sciences project in Norwood, a southern suburb of Boston, that is a build-to-suit for commercial property insurance company FM Global. The project replaces a 1950s-era building with a four-story office, lab and research and development building and adds a new 930-space parking garage and outdoor amenity spaces. Payette is the project architect, and Shawmut Design & Construction is the general contractor. Completion is slated for 2026. Construction began earlier this year.
PARSIPPANY, N.J. — Cushman & Wakefield has arranged construction debt and joint venture equity for an industrial redevelopment project in the Northern New Jersey community of Parsippany. The amounts were not disclosed, but the project, which will convert an existing office property, carries a total price tag of $40 million. John Alascio, T.J. Sullivan, Chuck Kohaut, Chris Lentz, Jason Blankfein and Ethan Sokolow of Cushman & Wakefield worked on behalf of the sponsor, Altman Logistics Properties, to secure construction debt from Truist Bank and joint venture equity from a European investor.
JBG Smith Launches Leasing for 420-Unit Zoe Apartments at National Landing in Northern Virginia
by John Nelson
ARLINGTON, VA. — JBG Smith has launched leasing at The Zoe, a 420-unit luxury apartment building situated within the National Landing district in Northern Virginia. The 19-story tower, which features 10,000 square feet of street-level retail space, is located at 2051 S. Bell St. in Arlington. Designed by STUDIOS, The Zoe will feature a mix of studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments, as well as a rooftop amenity space, fitness center, concierge services, coworking space, conference rooms, pet spa with a grooming station, bike parking and electric vehicle charging stations. Monthly rental rates at The Zoe will range from $2,020 to $6,750, according to Apartments.com. SK+I served as the architect of record for The Zoe. JBG Smith is targeting LEED Gold certification for the property. Headlined by the Amazon HQ2, National Landing features restaurants, shops, the Water Park, the Crystal City Metro station and a planned pedestrian bridge linking National Landing to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. JBG Smith delivered two other apartment developments at National Landing earlier this year totaling 808 units — The Grace and Reva. The Bethesda, Md.-based developer is also underway on an adjacent 25-story apartment tower to The Zoe called Valen, which will begin leasing in …
ANN ARBOR, MICH. — LV Collective has partnered with Harrison Street to build Rambler, a 1,009-bed luxury student housing development across the street from the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor. The 484,587-square-foot project will feature 273 units across a variety of floor plans ranging from studios to six-bedroom residences. The ground floor of Rambler Ann Arbor will include a lobby with an integrated café named Daydreamer. The study mezzanine will offer spaces for coworking and private study rooms. Residents will also enjoy outdoor terraces, a clubroom and gameday lounge, rooftop pool, hot tub, fitness facility, yoga studio, flex studio, red light sauna and resident lounge. Site work began in October, and completion is slated for fall 2027. The project is pursuing LEED Gold certification and will also include a payment of $7.2 million to the city’s affordable housing fund. Kennedy Wilson and Forum Investment Group provided construction financing. “With the University of Michigan’s rising enrollment and Ann Arbor’s status as a premier college town, creating high-quality living spaces that match this growth and enhance students’ overall experience is essential,” says Thomas Whitesell, head of the debt investment group at Kennedy Wilson. The development team includes Turner Construction Co., …