Northeast Market Reports

Boston Office Market: Can 2015 Top a Blockbuster 2014?

by Jaime Lackey March 11, 2015

By all measures, 2014 was the strongest year in recent memory for the Boston office market. With an approximate 1.8 million square feet of positive net absorption, nearly 5 million square feet of tenant demand, and continued development around the city, Boston remained one the country’s strongest markets. It’s not news that proximity to parking, public transportation, restaurants, bars and other amenities keeps employees happy. But Boston’s escalating prices mean cost-conscious companies must evaluate their downtown options — which means they have begun trading other items of importance, such as locational cachet, space configuration, look, feel and ultimately building type, for access to amenities. As a result, if 2013 was the year of the Seaport, then 2014 was the year of Downtown Crossing (DTX). With the renovation of 10 Summer Street and Havas’ 120,000-square-foot move to the Millennium redevelopment complete, other companies have followed suit. The third and fourth quarters brought more than 250,000 square feet of deals to 500 Washington Street. Carbonite and Sonos took 52,000 square feet and 170,000 square feet, respectively, in the third quarter, while Safari Books Online took 30,000 square feet in the fourth. Prominent national non-profit Year Up also consolidated its headquarters near DTX …

March 11, 2015

Market Reports Massachusetts Northeast Northeast Market Reports Retail

New Construction & Increasing Vacancy in Eastern Massachusetts Retail Market

by Jaime Lackey March 4, 2015

While it was unfortunate to see retail vacancy in Eastern Massachusetts on the upswing during 2014, it was more than offset by new retail construction as major development resurfaced. At year-end, total retail inventory was 191.6 million square feet, an increase from the prior year of approximately 2.1 million square feet. Vacant retail space in the region was up more than 1.3 million square feet, due to major contractions and liquidations such as Building 19, Dots, and Shaw’s Supermarkets. Net absorption ended the year ahead by 712,500 square feet. The 10 towns with the greatest retail supply remain in place from a year ago with one exception: thanks to new Walmart Supercenter and Sam’s Club locations, Fall River replaced Peabody. The top retail hub is Boston, followed by Cambridge, Natick, Brockton and Framingham. Among communities with at least 500,000 square feet of retail space, five towns broke into the top 10 with lowest vacancy rates: Foxboro, Hingham, Hudson, Danvers, and Everett. Abington remained at the top with a 1.2 percent vacancy rate. Foxborough made the biggest leap — up from 58th last year — as the result of Patriot Place filling significant vacancy, and Ocean State Job Lot opening in …

March 4, 2015

Delaware Market Reports Northeast Northeast Market Reports Office

Several Office Redevelopment Projects Underway in New Castle County

by Jaime Lackey February 25, 2015

The New Castle County office market includes roughly 16 million square feet of total inventory with nearly 3 million square feet of that vacant. Vacancy in Class A space has improved somewhat as tenants take advantage of market conditions but these moves have not had much impact on overall vacancy rate. Jackson Cross Partners reports 2014 absorption of 80,000 square feet; although positive, this indicates we have years of recovery before a healthy overall vacancy rate is reached. We are seeing a number of projects that will have some impact on reducing inventory and improving vacancy rates as marginal office space is redeveloped for various non-office uses. These projects include: • A group of local investors purchased 1001 Jefferson Street in the city of Wilmington, which contains 170,000 square feet of office space on approximately 1.4 acres in May 2014, following a failed auction process. The building was recently demolished and the site is now being improved for surface parking, at least temporarily. Although a new office project is not being ruled out down the road, the site is being marketed for other uses, including residential and retail. • 1300 Market Street, also in the City of Wilmington, containing 62,000 …

February 25, 2015

Market Reports Multifamily Northeast Northeast Market Reports Pennsylvania

Debt and Equity Options Fuel Greater Philadelphia’s Multifamily Market

by Jaime Lackey February 11, 2015

How long will the scorching hot multifamily market hold up? The transactional markets continue to be bolstered by low interest rates, as well as an insatiable appetite from both private and institutional equity. I don’t believe the multifamily market will cool off in 2015. Our HFF multifamily team in Philadelphia will soon be shattering price per unit records in both the suburbs and in Center City Philadelphia. Interestingly enough, half of our transactions will be purchased by new buyers, meaning buyers new to our market, new start-up companies, or established funds that are new to the multifamily arena. As is typically the case, attractive debt and abundant equity are fueling the fire. With respect to multifamily debt, it has been encouraging to see some true competition back in the market. We enter 2015 with an extremely robust debt environment wherein the agencies are being forced to compete with regional banks, life companies and CMBS options. Back in October, HFF brokered the sale of Yardley Crossing in Bucks County. This 196-unit, Class B asset, built in the early 1970s, was priced slightly below a 6 percent cap rate and roughly $170,000 per unit, but still commanded 25 tours and 15 offers. …

February 11, 2015

Market Reports Multifamily New Jersey Northeast Northeast Market Reports

Hudson County’s Multifamily Market Remains Golden for Investors

by Jaime Lackey February 4, 2015

Abundant financing, unrelenting demand in an undersupplied industry and low rates are driving Northern New Jersey’s multifamily investment market toward pre-recession levels. Nowhere is this more evident than in the urban commuter hub of Hudson County. Known as an integral part of New Jersey’s Gold Coast, Hudson County serves as one of the most active investment and rental markets in the region thanks to its proximity to Manhattan and high concentration of multifamily properties. Long-term owners in the area increasingly are aware of the market conditions, and trading has started to approach unprecedented levels. A prime example was the recent $21 million sale of a four-property Hudson County multifamily portfolio, with units located throughout Jersey City and Hoboken. The deal marks one of the most highly bid sales in Hudson County this year, with more than 20 competitive offers submitted for the portfolio consisting of 159 apartments and six commercial units. Following three rounds of bidding, the seller, which had owned the property for more than 40 years, accepted the highest non-contingent offer. All of the properties were fully occupied at the time of sale, and the largest — a mid-rise elevator building on Magnolia Avenue in Jersey City — …

February 4, 2015

Market Reports New Jersey Northeast Northeast Market Reports Retail

“Flight To Quality” Captures Northern New Jersey Retail Market

by Jaime Lackey January 28, 2015

The central theme of the Northern New Jersey retail market heading toward 2015 can be captured in three words: flight to quality. Strong tenant demand, driven by the region’s diverse inventory of well-located existing and new high-end supply, is translating to tightening vacancies and upward pressure on rents. As more young professionals choose to live in urban centers and densely populated communities along transit lines, downtown retail, in particular, is benefiting from the momentum. Millennials are starting families and are creating the need for larger living spaces and full-service, family-focused neighborhood amenities. As such, many national and regional concepts that traditionally have targeted regional malls are now entering these markets. Daycare centers, schools, grocery stores and fitness centers also are actively targeting quality downtown locations. In response, developers and owners are adding new supply and renovating existing properties to accommodate this new generation of tenants in the space-constrained Northern New Jersey region. Mixed-use projects containing retail, residential, office and/or hospitality components in infill locations continue to gain traction. Along the Hudson Waterfront and downtown, mixed-use projects illustrating this trend include Shuster Development’s project at 360 Ninth Street in the Hamilton Park neighborhood of Jersey City, which will add approximately 29,000 …

January 28, 2015

Connecticut Market Reports Multifamily Northeast Northeast Market Reports

Construction Activity and Rents on the Rise in Connecticut Apartment Market

by Jaime Lackey January 21, 2015

Apartment rents and multifamily asset values are rising while vacancy remains low in Connecticut’s New Haven and Fairfield counties. Young professionals and commuters are moving out of suburban areas to reside in downtown locations so they can take advantage of transit-oriented, live-work-play environments. Costly single-family housing is another factor contributing to new residents seeking rentals rather than buying homes. There is a strong demand for apartments, which keeps vacancy low and prompts new development in the region, so much so that delivery of multifamily housing units this year will more than double those built in 2013. Demand however, outweighs the new supply and the current, record-low vacancy levels will be unaffected. Average prices for apartment assets in New Haven and Fairfield counties rose 3 percent over the last year to $169,000 per unit as the overall quality of listings improved. While the region experiences strong rent growth and higher yields than the likes of New York City and Boston, more foreign investors and institutional buyers continue to emerge with sights set on multifamily assets; and in particular, top-tier assets with more than 250 units in primary markets. Properties near Metro North commuter rail stations and employment centers will generate elevated …

January 21, 2015

Connecticut Market Reports Northeast Northeast Market Reports Retail

Retail Development Branches Out in Connecticut

by Jaime Lackey January 15, 2015

Large-scale new retail development in Connecticut has historically been relegated to super-regional markets or traditional retail nodes — north of Fairfield County, for the most part. It’s really a simple formula: strong national and regional retailers typically want to be surrounded by dynamic retail synergy, and if there’s a great enough demand for a specific market, developers jump on the opportunity to capitalize. It’s happened in Manchester/South Windsor, it’s happened in Milford and its happened in Danbury. From time to time we see pockets of development in less traditional markets but overall, developers stick to “less risky” markets where demand is imminent and the municipalities are of the pro-development variety. Recently, though, larger-scale developments in smaller towns are starting to appear more frequently and retailers and brokers seem to be slowly embracing the emerging trend. Are we running out of developable land in the super regional markets? I don’t think this is the case. I think developers are recognizing that well-placed, large-scale retail projects in smaller towns are garnering significant interest from national brands of all sizes. Developers have had success getting the ever-important anchors to these sites, and that is more than half the battle. -Smaller-format retailers follow in …

January 15, 2015

Market Reports New Jersey Northeast Northeast Market Reports Office

The New Jersey Office Market Landscape: When Shifts Equal Surges and Lags

by Jaime Lackey December 17, 2014

Cassidy Turley recently released its Third Quarter Office Market Snapshot for Northern and Central New Jersey. We detailed the absorption rates, asking rents and availability in both Central and Northern New Jersey and found the Grow NJ tax incentives and the movement of midsize companies played significant roles in shaping the market. Although not shocking revelations, these factors help explain surges and lags and why some markets are still feeling the crunch of previous quarters, even though employment rates have increased. Shifts in the Newark submarket, particularly Prudential vacating large portion of 3 Gateway Center and moving into its own office tower, created an uptick in availability. The resulting availability at the Gateway complex was a large factor in the 86,084 square feet of negative absorption recorded during the third quarter throughout Northern New Jersey. However, the impact was lessened as the owner of 3 Gateway recently announced Prudential has signed a lease to maintain a 160,000-square-foot presence in the building based on significant internal growth. Interestingly, in many submarkets, the development of a new office building indicates a thriving economy. However, Newark’s economic recovery has been slow. Panasonic’s recent move to a new headquarters and the development of new …

December 17, 2014

Market Reports Massachusetts Multifamily Northeast Northeast Market Reports

Increase in Supply and Rents Follow Rising Demand in Boston Apartment Market

by Jaime Lackey December 3, 2014

The Boston apartment market ranked among the nation’s top cities for revenue growth throughout much of 2013 and 2014. Apartment developers took note of the region’s strong revenue performances and construction levels ramped up, reaching over 7,000 units during the past four quarters. Construction has remained elevated and supply volumes have increased, but not outpacing demand of more than 8,000 units per year. The new luxury apartments provide a lifestyle that is very attractive and, in many cases, comparable to condominium living for would-be buyers who are now renting when faced with few options for buying the limited supply of new condominiums. Luxury apartments offer an excellent alternative and a lifestyle experience that is more akin to condo living than what previous rental buildings offered. Boston has needed new rental inventory for some time now, given that 60 percent of the existing apartment inventory was built prior to 1980. Many of the new luxury buildings feature condo-style finishes, state-of-the-art amenities and services, windows that open, high ceilings, and updated systems. These new buildings also offer a greater variety of floor plans that better address the needs of millennials and professionals who are flocking to downtown Boston for jobs and social …

December 3, 2014

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