SIMI VALLEY, CALIF. — Griffin Living has opened the doors on Varenita of Simi Valley, an assisted living and memory care community in Simi Valley, approximately 40 miles northwest of Los Angeles. The 97,000-square-foot building, located in the Griffin Plaza shopping center at the corner of Tapo Canyon Road and Cochran Street, includes 75 assisted living units and 27 memory care units. The location of Varenita of Simi Valley represents a pioneering design in senior living development, since residents are within walking distance of amenities like Aldi supermarket, CVS pharmacy and a variety of retail shops, services and restaurants. Griffin believes placing residents at the heart of a vibrant community center allows them to maintain independence as they age. “Our residents may not be able to go into the world as easily as they once did, so at Varenita, we bring the world to them,” says Paul Griffin, CEO of Griffin Living. “Traditional senior living is modeled on the idea that older residents want peace and quiet,” continues Griffin. “It can have an unintended effect of isolating them.”
Development
SEYMOUR, IND. — Developer TWG is underway on construction of Seymour Lofts, a $10.8 million affordable housing community in Seymour, about 50 miles north of Louisville, Ky. The property’s 50 units will be targeted for families who make an annual salary between $30,000 and $40,000. Project partners include Midwest Support Foundation, Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority, The Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis and the City of Seymour. Amenities will include a playground and clubhouse. Construction began in December, but a timeline for completion was not released.
MIAMI — Fifield Cos. has broken ground on Avida Aventura, a 266-unit apartment project in Miami. The construction timeline and development costs were not disclosed. The eight-story property will offer studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom floorplans ranging from 470 to 1,400 square feet. Each unit will include a balcony. Community amenities will include a 20,000-square-foot rooftop entertaining deck with a heated pool, shaded cabanas, dining areas, grills, sauna and a spa; dog spa; fitness center; two resident lounges with dining and coworking and hosting areas; and a dedicated coworking space. Located at 19401 W. Dixie Highway, the development is situated near the new Aventura Brightline rail station and Aventura Mall. The property is also 16.7 miles from downtown Miami and 14.8 miles from Fort Lauderdale. Fifield Cos. has partnered with CrowdStreet, Sencorp and Bank OZK for the project. MSA Architects designed the building, ID & Design International is handling interior design and Current Builders is the general contractor.
SAN ANTONIO — Madison Realty Capital, a private equity real estate firm based in New York City, has provided a $53 million construction loan for The Josephine, a 261-unit multifamily project that will be located just outside of downtown San Antonio. The Josephine will feature studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom units that will be furnished with stainless steel appliances and quartz countertops. Amenities will include a pool, fitness center and outdoor activity areas. About half the residences will be designated as affordable housing, although information on specific income restrictions was not disclosed. The borrower is locally based developer LYND Co.
CHICAGO — SPINS, a data provider and advocate for the health and wellness industry, has preleased 47,883 square feet of space at 311 W. Huron, a new office development in Chicago’s River North. The developer, North Wells Capital, plans to break ground in April. SPINS will serve as the anchor tenant of the 15-story building upon completion in late 2023. The 153,611-square-foot building will be part of Verso, a three-phase development. Jeffrey Skender, Ari Klein, Scott Shelbourne and Marcus Berglund of Cushman & Wakefield represented SPINS. Melissa Rubenstein, Annie Nicolau and Anna Panici of JLL represented ownership. SPINS currently occupies space at 222 W. Hubbard, which is also owned by North Wells Capital.
Sterling Real Estate Partners Plans Apartment Conversion at 114-Room Hotel in Scottsdale, Arizona
by Amy Works
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. — Sterling Real Estate Partners has purchased Suites on Scottsdale, a hotel property in Scottsdale, for an undisclosed price in an off-market transaction. The company plans to convert the 114-key extended-stay hotel, which was built in 1996, into an 85-unit apartment community. The conversion will consist of modifying the existing structure to conform to Scottsdale’s building codes, including new balconies for every unit, enhanced curb appeal and select rooms combined to improve unit mix. New resident amenities will include a large conference room with workspace-style offices; indoor/outdoor fitness center; yoga studio; movie theater; dog park with pet washing station; resort-style pool; automated package locker delivery system; and smart access system.
BEDFORD, PA. — Organic Snack Co., the maker of Kate’s Real Food, has purchased 82 acres in Bedford, located in the southern-central part of the state, with plans to open a new warehouse and distribution center. At full build-out, the facility will span about 750,000 square feet. The investment represents a total capital commitment of $75 million and is expected to add about 500 jobs to the local economy. Dollar Bank provided predevelopment and acquisition financing for the land.
LINDEN, N.J. — Accurate Builders & Developers has begun leasing Citizen Linden, a 234-unit apartment complex in Northern New Jersey. Designed by Thomas J. Brennan Architects, the transit-served property includes 4,500 square feet of retail space and a 292-space parking garage. Units are available in studio, one- and two-bedroom formats, with rents starting at roughly $1,800 per month. The amenity package consists of a lobby lounge, demonstration kitchen, fitness center, multiple coworking spaces and conference rooms, landscaped courtyards with picnic areas, a dog park and an outdoor bar and TV area.
TAMPA, FLA. — JLL Capital Markets has secured a $72.5 million construction loan for the development of Altura Bayshore, a 73-unit high-rise condominium project in Tampa. Steve Klein, Brian Gaswirth, Reid Carleton and Drew Jennewein of JLL worked on behalf of the developer and borrower, Naples, Fla.-based The Ronto Group, to secure the loan from MSD Partners LP. Slated to be complete by 2024, Altura Bayshore will stand 22 stories high. Community amenities will include a sky deck and pool, fitness center, club and entertainment room, guest suites, multiple sports courts, a synthetic turf putting green, dog park and barbecue grills. Unit features will include private elevator foyers, designer-selected finishes throughout, open terraces and energy-efficient sliding glass windows and doors. Located at 2910 W. Barcelona St. directly off Bayshore Boulevard, the property is situated near SOHO District, Hyde Park Village and the Downtown Tampa Arts District. The property is also located 8.2 miles from the Tampa International Airport.
CONYERS, GA. — Chicago-based Dayton Street Partners has broken ground on a 212,232-square-foot speculative distribution center in Conyers. Construction is slated for completion by July. The distribution center will feature 32-foot clear heights, 41 trailer and 203 auto stalls with separate access for cars and trucks and a 185-foot truck court. Located at 2020 East Park Road, the property is situated 28.6 miles east of downtown Atlanta and 31.3 miles from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International airport. Dayton Street most recently completed the development of DSP Rock Hill, a 188,000-square-foot distribution center near Atlanta’s airport. Brookfield acquired the asset in December 2021.