Southeast Market Reports

Nation’s No. 1 Data Center Market in Northern Virginia Isn’t Done with Boom Cycle

by Alex Tostado February 11, 2019

The Northern Virginia data center market continues to outpace the rest of the country’s leading data center markets by more than double. By the close of the first half of 2018, Northern Virginia had 317 megawatts (MW) under construction with Phoenix a distant second at 136.5 MW. (In real estate terms, industry standard is approximately 150 watts per square foot.) What drives Northern Virginia as the leader today is an unparalleled business ecosystem that has grown over the past 20 years from the original edge data center to today’s premier data center market. The market is a prototype for which subsequent data centers strive to achieve. Ideal Data Center Landscape Very few enterprises build their own on-premise data centers. Northern Virginia got its start as a leader in this space by going into colocation data centers. The companies that pioneered the movement, like Equinix, DFT and Exodus Communications, have brought Northern Virginia to where it is today. But, it’s more than that. It takes a confluence of legislative support, fiber, power, development, deployment of new IT technologies and other partnerships to allow the Northern Virginia market to flourish into the tech superpower it is today. Northern Virginia has also been …

February 11, 2019

District of Columbia Market Reports Multifamily Southeast Market Reports

D.C.’s Multifamily Market Sees Strong Demand for its Healthy Development Pipeline

by Alex Tostado February 4, 2019

Washington, D.C.’s multifamily market has enjoyed success in recent years, and 2018 has been no exception. The regional economy continues to function at an extremely healthy level, adding 77,100 new jobs in the trailing 12 months ending July 2018, much more than the annual average of 41,000 since 2010. The region has outgrown its previous dependence on the federal government, which contracted by 4,800 jobs over the same period, further highlighting the strength of the region’s private sector. This sustained economic upside is only further enhanced by the looming possibility of Amazon’s HQ2, Apple and other large tech contracts. The strong job growth has been matched by a steady increase in population, which has grown 10.44 percent since 2010, to roughly 6.25 million people. To accommodate such growth, the supply pipeline has been equally as robust, delivering nearly 13,000 units per year for the past five years. In addition to all the recent deliveries, absorption has remained steady and strong, with the market absorbing a net positive of 7,570 units over the trailing 12 months. Furthermore, Class A rents have still managed to grow 1.4 percent over the past year, while overall market rent growth has grown an even higher …

February 4, 2019

District of Columbia Market Reports Office Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Amenities, Transit Push D.C.’s Central Business District to New Heights

by John Nelson January 28, 2019

Investors have renewed their interest in office properties in the Washington, D.C. central business district (CBD) based on increasing tenant demand. The market is putting a higher value on the built-in amenities that exist in the CBD, like dining and entertaining options, transportation accessibility and architecturally timeless buildings. We can always tell the center of gravity of a city by where the brokerage shops locate. In D.C., CBRE’s latest move to the CBD from the East End puts all of the agency brokerage shops within feet of each other. With a healthy stock of historically significant, well-built office properties with value-add potential, the CBD is primed to continue its office renaissance. Transportation Infrastructure While the existing public transportation infrastructure in the CBD is an important factor driving businesses back to the submarket, shaving 20 to 30 minutes from commute times — whether by car, bus or train — is decidedly attractive to today’s employers. Combined with the variety of established dining, entertainment and hospitality options in the CBD, transportation is vital to attracting high-profile employers. The city’s law firms in particular have taken note. Over 20 notable practices have relocated their offices to the CBD in the last year alone. …

January 28, 2019

Louisiana Market Reports Multifamily Southeast Southeast Market Reports

New Orleans Adds Another Chapter to its 300-Year History Book of Multifamily Growth

by John Nelson January 21, 2019

How many cities can boast a multifamily history that goes back 300 years? New Orleans can, as it is celebrating its Tricentennial. New Orleans is home to the first apartment building in the United States. Historians have noted the “oldest continuously rented” multifamily development in the country is the Pontalba Apartments. Built in 1849 by the wealthy Baroness Michaela Pontalba, the iconic apartment’s crown molding, sconces, iron railings and balconies are now synonymous with New Orleans architecture. The Pontalba Apartments occupies prime real estate at the east and west side of the historic Jackson Square in the French Quarter. And yes, there is a waiting list to lease a unit. Today the city that sits on the bend of the Mississippi River has a limited amount of land, which keeps the equilibrium between supply and demand in sync. Thus new development is confined to urban infill locations, adaptive reuse projects or the few submarkets with available land — primarily located to the north of Lake Pontchartrain. Households that have income levels necessary to support the rents required for new properties are fueling market-rate development. The NOLA metro market has an inventory of approximately 54,000 units situated in nine distinct submarkets. …

January 21, 2019

Industrial Louisiana Market Reports Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Adaptive Reuse in Core New Orleans Pushes Industrial Activity Westward

by John Nelson January 14, 2019

When real estate professionals think of the New Orleans industrial market, oil companies, the Port of New Orleans (recently rebranded Port NOLA) and distribution companies come to mind. That thought is currently undergoing an evolution. The historically industrial areas of New Orleans are being absorbed seemingly daily by an insurgence of retail and entertainment-based business. As traditional retail in American shopping and strip malls is on the decline, developers are rushing to buy warehouses for physical entertainment and non-traditional uses. Port NOLA used to be home strictly to cargo ships and tankers, but is now expanding to fill the need of cruise ships. Norwegian, Carnival and the newly announced Viking Cruise lines all now use it as a docking port. The $2 billion port master plan encompasses the growth needs of the cruise ships, as well as the recently announced deepening of the Mississippi River’s main channel to 50 feet. However, Tchoupitoulas Street warehouses that once served the port are being turned into cross-training gyms and breweries. High-profile industrial properties are in huge demand. Drive Shack, a competitor of popular Topgolf, is developing a $29 million venue at the old Times-Picayune newspaper site owned by Howard Investors LLC, which is …

January 14, 2019

Georgia Market Reports Multifamily Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Metro Atlanta’s Multifamily Market Poised for Growth Despite Construction Costs

by John Nelson January 7, 2019

Driven by continued job and population growth, metro Atlanta’s multifamily market remains strong. Rarely a week goes by without an announcement of another corporate relocation or expansion somewhere throughout the metro area. This, in addition to an increasing population seeking the region’s quality of life, relative affordability and dynamic economy, has sustained the current cycle of development in the multifamily market. Investors appear to share this conclusion and have made Atlanta a top destination for acquisitions over the past several years. Despite some potential challenges on the horizon, namely rising construction costs, metro Atlanta’s apartment market is poised to continue its expansion over the near term. Market Fundamentals While new supply has outpaced absorption, most data providers still show metro Atlanta’s overall occupancy rate above 94 percent. Many market observers estimate that the multifamily market is on the cusp of, or has just moved past, its short-term peak of deliveries. Spiraling land and construction costs, coupled with the current labor shortage being felt across the economy, are acting governors of future supply expansion. These increases in costs are also translating into much higher required rents, which are testing the size of the renter pool capable of affording them. Despite concerns …

January 7, 2019

Georgia Market Reports Office Property Type Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Office Redevelopments, Leasing Key to Downtown Atlanta’s Re-emergence

by John Nelson December 31, 2018

The vitality of Downtown Atlanta is exciting. In response to a wave of revitalization efforts and substantial investment from corporations, universities and the public sector, the submarket’s fundamentals are rapidly strengthening. As tenants have reprioritized their desires for office locations to include access to public transportation, walkable retail and proximity to cultural attractions and an educated workforce, Downtown has gained tremendous traction in demand and re-emerged as an affordable and authentic urban work setting. Model Project: 100 Peachtree While new development activity is primarily focused on housing, much of the bustle in Downtown Atlanta’s office market is focused on redevelopment, renovations and repositioning. For instance, our team is transforming 100 Peachtree, a 32-story office tower, into a modern, transportation-oriented workplace destination with upgraded amenities, enhanced connectivity with Woodruff Park and new community activations. 100 Peachtree’s timeless Meisian design functionality provides a workplace for tenants ranging from traditional corporate headquarters to tech startups. Changes at 100 Peachtree reflect a broader story about shifting expectations for workplace environments. Employees increasingly desire to work at a “go-to” office building with access to transit in an amenity-rich setting. Office amenities have evolved from providing convenience like a café or sundry shop to blurring the …

December 31, 2018

Georgia Market Reports Property Type Retail Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Retailers Attracted to Atlanta’s Mixed-Use Projects, Infill Locations

by John Nelson December 24, 2018

If we had to sum up the 2018 Atlanta retail environment with a single word, it would be “change.” Atlanta’s builders have turned away from the traditional suburban models in favor of modern mixed-use developments featuring high-end office and residential units on the upper floors, along with street-level retail shops. Many planners see such projects as a means of creating more walkable, safe and vibrant neighborhoods. Retailers are drawn to intown opportunities such as Modera by Mill Creek’s mixed-use apartment communities (existing locations in Midtown, Sandy Springs and Vinings, with Reynoldstown coming soon), or Revel, a planned $900 million, 118-acre mixed-use and entertainment destination being developed by North American Properties in Duluth in Gwinnett County. With a limited supply of real estate inventory for shops and restaurants and the continued demand from new concepts entering or growing in the Atlanta metro market, the competition for space has grown fierce. For example, Franklin Street’s client City Barbeque waited 18 months for a premier location to become available for its new eatery in Johns Creek. The restaurant group made a lease agreement offer within three days of the prior tenant going dark to secure the spot before other bidders could jump in. …

December 24, 2018

Georgia Industrial Market Reports Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Historically Low Vacancy, Port Growth Drive Savannah’s Industrial Development

by John Nelson December 17, 2018

Though Savannah by all standards is a small industrial market, you would never know it from the activity in the area. At 57 million square feet, the port city is poised to add an astounding 9.75 million square feet of inventory by mid-2019. The force behind all of this growth is attributed to one key factor: The Georgia Ports Authority (GPA). The GPA is an economic giant in Georgia supporting one of every 11 jobs in the state and accounting for 8 percent of its GDP. Home to the largest single-container terminal in North America, GPA moved more than 4.2 million TEUs (20-foot equivalent units) in fiscal year 2018, an 8 percent increase over 2017 and an all-time record for the port. With both CSX and Norfolk Southern on terminal, GPA also handled a record 435,000 rail lifts in FY 2018, which was a 16.1 percent increase over 2017. As the fastest growing port in the country, one might be concerned about congestion becoming an issue for the port, but reinvestment remains a top priority. The GPA recently opened its second inland port to move more containers toward population centers via CSX rail. It doesn’t hurt either that Savannah, geographically …

December 17, 2018

Market Reports North Carolina Office Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Tech, Co-Working Shine in Raleigh-Durham’s Downtown Submarkets

by John Nelson December 9, 2018

The question today for office tenants and investors is not why Raleigh-Durham, but why not. The Raleigh-Durham market is defined by continued job growth and a thriving technology sector. The Triangle is enjoying significant rent growth, strong absorption and major construction that now has a Downtown Raleigh and a Downtown Durham. Raleigh-Durham’s overall growth continues and was recently ranked No. 1 in the Southeast in projected population growth, posting a 10.3 percent growth rate from 2017 to 2022. This figure is nearly double the 5.5 percent average growth rate for Southeastern cities. Job growth is the primary driver of the region’s expanding presence with over 30,000 jobs added in 2018 through the first half of the year, already surpassing the 24,000 jobs added in all of 2017. Over the last year, we have seen Infosys (2,000), Credit Suisse (1,200), LabCorp (400) and Ipreo (250) announce major job additions to the area. Most recently, Amazon announced 1,500 jobs that will be required for its new fulfillment center. The tech sector is a major contributor to those jobs, and there is a lot of talk about a well-known e-commerce giant and a major technology giant bringing a significant presence to our market. …

December 9, 2018

Newer Posts

Older Posts