NEW YORK CITY — Locally based investment firm Lightstone has received a $165.5 million Freddie Mac loan for the refinancing of a 430-unit apartment community located at 365 Bond St. in the Gowanus neighborhood of Brooklyn. Built in 2016, the property features studio, one- and two-bedroom units, 40,000 square feet of amenity space and 30,000 square feet of open green space. Peter Rotchford, Michael Shmuely, Nicco Lupo, Jeffrey Julien, Rob Hinckley, Steven Rutman, Jonathan Hageman and Hall Oster of JLL originated the five-year, fixed-rate loan on behalf of Lightstone.
Loans
NEW YORK CITY — A joint venture between California-based Sabal Investment Holdings and global real estate companies Bsafal Inc. and Argo Real Estate has provided $64.5 million in financing for the 353-room LaGuardia Plaza Hotel in Queens. The borrower, Pennsylvania-based Synergy Hospitality Management, will use the proceeds to refinance existing debt and fund renovations to the guestrooms, common areas and amenity spaces. Moving forward, the hotel will be operated under the DoubleTree by Hilton brand. New Jersey-based intermediary Cronheim Mortgage arranged the loan.
NEW YORK CITY — Dwight Mortgage Trust, the affiliate REIT of locally based lender Dwight Capital, has provided a $41.2 million bridge loan for Amnia, a 73-unit apartment building in downtown Brooklyn. The newly constructed, 13-story building offers studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom units, with 22 apartments reserved as affordable housing. Amenities include a fitness center, game room, courtyard with a dog run and a rooftop lounge. Pinchas Vogel of Landstone Capital Group arranged the debt. The borrower, Bruklyn Builders Inc., will use the proceeds to retire construction debt and fund other costs of lease-up and stabilization.
Gantry Arranges $91M Construction Loan for 386,336 SF Gillespie Field iPark Industrial Development in El Cajon, California
by Amy Works
EL CAJON, CALIF. — Gantry has secured a $91 million construction loan for the development of Gillespie Field iPark, a speculative industrial building at 1756 Weld Blvd. in El Cajon, an eastern suburb of San Diego. George Mitsanas, Peter Hillakas, Drit Shoemaker and Austin Ridge of Gantry arranged the financing for the borrower, Chesnut Properties. 3650 REIT, an institutional debt fund, provided the construction loan with terms including two extension options and nonrecourse covenants. Slated for completion in second-quarter 2025, the 386,336-square-foot facility will feature 30-foot to 32-foot clear heights, ESFR sprinklers with K-25 heads, 64 loading docks, four grade-level doors and rare excess land providing 115 additional truck trailer stalls. The building is designed to achieve net zero emissions from its rooftop solar array and will offer charging stations for electric vehicle semi-trucks. Gillespie Field iPark is 44 percent pre-leased to an aerospace manufacturer and negotiations are underway for the remaining units.
CREI Holdings Receives $41M Refinancing for Affordable Seniors Housing Community in Sweetwater, Florida
by John Nelson
SWEETWATER, FLA. — Development firm CREI Holdings has received a $41 million loan for the refinancing of Li’l Abner II apartments in Sweetwater, a South Florida city just west of Miami. Marc Suarez led the Lument team that provided the funds. The project was completed in April 2023. Designed by Burgos Lanza Architects and Planners, an architectural firm based in Coral Gables, Fla., the eight-story building is situated adjacent to its 87-unit sibling, Li’l Abner I. Li’l Abner II consists of 244 one- and two-bedroom units dedicated to affordable and workforce housing. Among these, 40 percent cater to low-income seniors, while the remainder is allocated to residents earning up to 120 percent of the area’s median income (AMI). The building is near full occupancy, according to CREI Holdings.
Landmark Properties Recapitalizes 1,364-Bed Student Housing Community Near University of Georgia
by John Nelson
ATHENS, GA. — Landmark Properties has recapitalized The Mark Athens, a 1,364-bed student housing property located at 130 Hickory St. near the University of Georgia campus. The property was developed in two phases, with the first phase completed in 2017 and the second phase completed in 2022. The community offers studio through six-bedroom apartments, alongside 67,000 square feet of retail space and 46,734 square feet of offices, with locally based Landmark occupying over 90 percent of the office space. The Mark also features 55,000 square feet of shared amenity space, including a rooftop pool and sundeck with views of the university’s campus, Sanford Stadium and downtown Athens; study spaces; a fitness center; golf simulator; racquetball court; and an indoor basketball court. Details of the refinancing were not disclosed.
EAST CANTON, OHIO — BWE has arranged a $1.1 million loan for the construction of HOPE Senior Village in East Canton, about 30 miles southeast of Akron. Bob Morton of BWE structured the USDA RHS 538 GRRHP loan, which features a 40-year, fixed-rate term and a 40-year amortization schedule. The development will consist of eight buildings, each containing five one- and two-bedroom units. Of the 40 units, seven are designated for residents earning up to 30 percent of the area median income (AMI), 17 are reserved for those earning up to 50 percent AMI and 16 are designated for residents earning up to 60 percent AMI. The project received additional financing through the use of 9 percent Low-Income Housing Tax Credits.
SAN RAMON, CALIF. — PSRS has arranged $3.7 million in bridge financing of Pointe West Plaza, a retail property located in San Ramon, east of the Bay Area. Jonny Soleimani and Matthew Farzinpour of PSRS secured the financing for the undisclosed borrower. Built in 1990, the property is a 16,921-square-foot, multi-tenant retail center. Current tenants include a billiards venue, salon, bistro and Chinese restaurant. The property also features underground and surface parking, totaling 82 spaces. A debt fund provided the 12-month loan, which features no prepayment penalty.
Urban Standard Capital Provides $8M Construction Financing for Apartment Development in Durham
by John Nelson
DURHAM, N.C. — Urban Standard Capital has provided an $8 million loan to finance the construction of 555 Abranova, an apartment development in Durham, near the city’s downtown and Research Triangle Park. Abranova Real Estate is the borrower and developer. Upon completion, the property will feature 48,000 square feet of residential space across 37 units, with 5,000 square feet and 1,500 square feet of coworking and retail space, respectively. Other amenities will include a gym, yoga studio, outdoor terrace with grills and a communal lounge. Residents will also have access to the basketball court, dog park and walking paths within the developer’s adjacent townhome project. Site work has been completed at 555 Abranova, and completion is expected for either the fourth quarter of this year or the first quarter of 2025.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS — JLL has arranged a loan of an undisclosed amount for the refinancing of The Jones, a 224-unit apartment complex in Arlington. The Jones, which was built in 1977 and offers studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom units, is currently undergoing a capital improvement program. Kris Lowe and Kristi Leonard of JLL arranged the floating-rate loan through New York City-based Benefit Street Partners on behalf of the borrower, locally based investment firm WindMass Capital.