Market Reports

1000-Coit-Road-Plano

Development of data centers is surging across the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) metroplex, and the party is really just getting started. According to research from JLL, DFW is the fourth-largest data center market in the country in terms of supply with approximately 3.7 million square feet of inventory providing 505 critical megawatts of power. DFW’s development pipeline spans more than 1.1 million square feet of new projects totaling about 215 critical megawatts that are either planned or already under construction. Data centers typically produce about 150 watts of power per square foot. A facility’s total power intake minus the portion needed to cool the equipment represents its critical megawattage — its true capacity for storing and processing data. A number of state-level factors have contributed to DFW’s rapid ascension up the national data center ladder. Texas possesses a great deal of fiber optic connectivity, which gives users fast, reliable transmission of data and helps reduce costs. In addition, the state has its own power grid, as well as an abundant, cheap supply of natural gas to fuel power costs, which are typically the most expensive operating item for data centers. An arid climate, ample available land and friendly development  policies have …

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Columbus is a city on the rise. While that’s not exactly a new development, the fact that the arc of commercial development continues to bend up in Ohio’s capital city is noteworthy — and the pace of growth is impressive, to say the least. Columbus is the gateway market for the state of Ohio, with an impressive civic and economic resume. The counties making up the greater Columbus region have not only added approximately 160,000 jobs since 2010, they have brought in more than $8 billion in capital investments during that time. Columbus is home to The Ohio State University (OSU), one of the largest and most influential public universities in the nation; a long and expanding list of headquarters of national brands and businesses; and Columbus boasts a combination of arts, culture and commercial creativity that has led some to refer to it as the “Austin of the Midwest.” Downtown’s Arena District, home to the city’s professional hockey team the Columbus Blue Jackets, is the standard bearer for large-scale urban infill projects. The new Grandview Yard development brought additional mixed-use horsepower to the city. Retail expansions Easton Town Center is the major retail destination in Columbus, located in the …

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During the first half of 2018, the Eastern Pennsylvania industrial market has been anything but quiet. Fueled by occupier demand and the institutional capital community’s perpetual appetite for industrial product, there has been unprecedented activity on the transactional front, which is up significantly year-over-year. From a pure volume perspective, the market is on a trajectory to make this the most active year on record. Unlike prior years where product starved capital markets would see less than a dozen quality trades in Pennsylvania, this year has proven to be more plentiful, with year-over-year sales volumes almost doubled for one-off offerings. Meanwhile, the mega transactions continue with pending portfolio and company sales like DCT to Prologis and GPT to Blackstone. Connected Markets While activity in specific submarkets ebbs and flows, the synergy between them is greater than ever before. In fact, the trend towards considering the Eastern Pennsylvania industrial market as a whole continues to gain traction. Whereas in the past, a tenant or investor may have been interested in evaluating a particular geographic region, today the various submarkets are providing equally viable options for those seeking to expand and new occupiers looking to open facilities. One exception to the rule is …

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While there has been a strong demand for investment properties in Richmond, there remains a limited availability of both freestanding facilities and portfolio deals. In recent investment activity, the Byrd Corporate Park in eastern Henrico County sold to a joint venture between Dreyfuss Investments and Wells Holding Group for $31.3 million after previously transferring in 2011 for $26.3 million. The 10-building flex complex spans 475,783 square feet and was 80 percent leased at the time for sale. The three-building Interport Business Center, also located in eastern Henrico, sold at the end of 2017 to MDH Partners, adding to its Richmond International Airport area holdings. Containing 620,296 square feet total, the complex sold for $29 million and is now fully leased. Leasing Buoys Occupancy Local expansion has remained strong, a trend consistent with the Richmond market, and regional and national companies with an existing presence in the area have also announced expansions. The metro area has also seen the introduction of new manufacturers with large industrial footprints, further evidencing the benefits of the area’s location and infrastructure. At the mid-year mark, the Richmond area’s industrial market has continued to strengthen, closing with an overall occupancy rate of 94 percent in the …

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The-Elizabeth-at-Presidio-Austin

Despite being located 80 miles apart, the Austin and San Antonio metros might as well be on different planets when comparing growth and multifamily operations during the current business cycle. While both multifamily markets have been in growth mode since the Great Recession, Austin has outpaced San Antonio with a rapid rate of expansion during this time. Austin’s job growth has risen steadily at an average annual pace near 4 percent since 2010. In addition, strong migration to the metro has contributed to the 20,000-plus households that have been created annually during this span. In comparison, San Antonio’s total employment has risen by an average of 2.7 percent annually for the past eight years, though the rate has dipped below 2 percent over the past four quarters. The pace of migration remains healthy, but the rate of household formation has been slower in the Alamo City. These differences in job growth, migration and household formation have impacted each metro’s apartment market differently. Development Disparities Developers have targeted Austin over the past few years, and the market has received significant supply additions. The metro has consistently ranked in the top 10 markets across the country for new deliveries over the past …

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The Columbus office market continues to be diverse and thriving as the city becomes an economic hub in the Midwest. With a population that has grown to over 2.1 million people, and the eighth largest millennial population, Columbus has developed varied markets including concentrations in automotive, data centers, fashion/apparel, finance/insurance, food, healthcare, logistics, manufacturing, R&D, beauty, retail/e-commerce and technology. Columbus boasts 14 Fortune 1000 headquarters and five Fortune 500 companies, including Cardinal Health, Nationwide Insurance, American Electric Power, L Brands and Big Lots.  Columbus also hosts a multitude of other large businesses, which are drivers in the market, such as The Ohio State University, JPMorgan Chase and Huntington Bancshares. Having such large employers in the central Ohio region has helped draw other small businesses and given rise to a thriving start-up community, which is supported by Rev1 Ventures (a technology incubator), several community supported incubators and venture capital. A successful Columbus start-up, Cover My Meds, recently sold for $1.3 billion, and the city of Columbus hopes that this is the first of many similar success stories. With its recent sale, Cover My Meds is now planning a new 400,000-square-foot corporate headquarters in Columbus. Another notable project in Columbus is Facebook’s …

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Bolstered by New York City’s growing and diversified economy, Manhattan’s office market continued to hum along during the second quarter, if at a slower pace than earlier in 2018. Technology, advertising, media and information (TAMI) companies are looking at in-demand submarkets such as Chelsea and Midtown South, where the bulk of new development is underway. Some financial firms are contemplating a move to the Hudson Yards neighborhood, where more than 9 million square feet of space is scheduled for completion in the next several quarters.The wave of efficiently operated properties is a magnet for the demands of forward-looking tenants and the city’s growing millennial workforce. Vacancy rates were below 11 percent across all submarkets in the second quarter, and new product scheduled to come on line during the next several quarters will help accommodate demand from creative industries and other sectors of the local economy.  The supply-constrained United Nations-Turtle Bay submarket posted the borough’s lowest vacancy rate, 4.4 percent, while the famed Plaza District posted a 10.2 vacancy rate—a sign of Manhattan’s changing office landscape. Asking rents gained 40 basis points year-over-year overall to $64.86-per-square-foot. On the development front, the highlight of the second quarter was the debut of 3 …

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The industrial sector continues to experience seemingly limitless success, and New Jersey is one of the nation’s leading markets. Amid record-setting asking rents, vacancy rates and leasing velocity, it would be tempting for property owners, tenants and investors to become complacent while reaping the rewards of a sophisticated global supply chain, impressive gross domestic product and strong investment returns. But challenges remain, and real estate professionals should consider them when making decisions. To continue to thrive in the industrial space, it behooves major players to explore solutions to some of the key matters facing the region. Limited Space for Development As a general rule, companies are insisting that warehouses be built within a one- or two-day drive of the customer, and from Central New Jersey, companies can reach 130 million consumers within a day’s drive. Therefore, it is no surprise that 75 percent of the industrial leases signed during the past two years for greater than 200,000 square feet occurred in Middlesex County, primarily along the New Jersey Turnpike. However, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find sites for construction. On top of that, when sites are identified, they often come with greater capital needs driven by redevelopment and brownfield issues. …

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At mid-year 2018, Orlando’s economic engine is performing like a well-oiled machine, fueled by brisk business expansion, healthy in-migration, accelerating job growth and steady population gains. In fact, Orlando ranked No. 3 in the nation for population growth during the period between 2010 and 2017. Office market fundamentals remain solid with steady demand for high-quality, Class A space largely outstripping available supply, particularly in high-demand areas. Job creation continues to fuel economic growth in Orlando with a rise in non-farm employment of 46,840 over the trailing 12 months ending in May. There has been a sustained decline in the unemployment rate as well, which stood at 3 percent in May. Spec, Mixed-Use Projects Development activity has been restrained over the last several years. However, a handful of key office projects have recently broken ground in high-demand areas. The most exciting development activity is occurring in the urban core, where a number of projects are moving forward. Speculative Class A office construction is once again rising with the $100 million Church Street Plaza going vertical after a slight construction delay. SunTrust Banks Inc. recently announced plans to relocate its Orlando headquarters from the SunTrust Center building into 90,000 square feet at …

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The-Domain-Austin-Texas

A mere 80 miles separates Austin and San Antonio, the anchors of the growing Interstate 35 corridor. The two cities have some fundamental cultural differences but share certain economic drivers that have produced healthy retail real estate markets in both metros, albeit with varied results. The most basic economic drivers common to both metro areas are population and employment growth. Like other Texas cities, the Austin and San Antonio metro areas continue to experience a steady stream of new residents and jobs. Although San Antonio often takes a backseat to Austin in various rankings, the Alamo City topped this year’s national list for largest raw numeric growth in population among all U.S. cities of 50,000 or more, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Austin landed at No. 12 in this category. However, Forbes ranks Austin second among America’s Best Cities for Jobs while San Antonio lags at No. 13. Joined at the Hip Because both cities and the small towns that surround them are growing at phenomenal paces, central Texas is starting to be identified in terms of Austin and San Antonio, not Austin vs. San Antonio. And although this concept has been talked about for years, retail development along …

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