When it comes to grading commercial office space, there is no doubt that location is still king — and other factors such as price, architecture, functionality and amenities all take a back seat to the property’s location. Since we assign buildings letter grades (A and B), let’s take a look at what these letter combinations mean and the relationship of quality to location. In these scenarios, the first letter describes the building’s class (A or B) and the second letter represents the desirability of its location (A or B). The A/A designation refers to Class A buildings in Class A locations. It’s no surprise that this is the first category of office space absorbed when a market heats up and leasing volume intensifies. During this stage of the cycle, rental rates to inch upward, and more importantly, lease renewal terms tighten as landlords sense a shift toward the middle. For Memphis, Tenn., the total vacancy for Class A space in the East Memphis submarket decreased from 2.9 percent during third quarter 2014 to 2 percent in fourth quarter 2014. Almost 24,000 square feet of Class A office space in the East submarket was leased during fourth quarter 2014, and this …
By the numbers, 2014 was a pretty good year for the Memphis retail market. With over seven million square feet of rentable retail space, the overall vacancy rate decreased roughly one percent since the end of 2013 while rental rates were relatively flat. Not bad. Not great either. It is important to note, however, that Memphis retail is not classified into A, B and C properties like their office and industrial counterparts, so we don’t often get an accurate snapshot of the market’s product availability. The truth is that Memphis is simply running out of space – desirable Class A space, that is. Because of this lack of available product, new construction is once again on the rise, as is redevelopment of existing structures within the city’s urban core. The good news doesn’t stop there. The willingness of local government entities to support development progress has proven to be instrumental to some very key wins for the Memphis MSA. This January, Tanger Outlets, a major player in the outlet mall industry, confirmed that it would partner with Poag Shopping Centers to develop a 310,000-square-foot outlet center in Southaven, Mississippi. Southaven and DeSoto County officials approved a $15 million tax increment …
Memphis has acquired many nicknames since its establishment in 1819: Blues City, Birthplace of Rock ‘N Roll, and Bluff City just to name a few. However, one name that has managed to work its way to the top of the list in recent years is America’s Distribution Center. Metropolitan Memphis, located in the southeast corner of Tennessee, northwest Mississippi and eastern Arkansas, contains approximately 4,598 square miles and is inhabited by approximately 1.3 million people. As one of the few MSAs to include three states, the Memphis region plays an integral role as the cornerstone of the Mid-South area. With a central location and rich transportation infrastructure, Memphis transformed into the regional and national distribution and logistics hub. Memphis’ transportation infrastructure is comprised of the four Rs: runway, rail, river, and road. Memphis International Airport was named the largest air-cargo airport in the United States for 18 consecutive years. It is now tied for first in the world with Hong Kong International Airport. Memphis is one of only three cities in the US that has five of the seven Class I railroads: Union Pacific/Southern Pacific, Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF), CSX Corp., Norfolk Southern and Canadian National Railroad (CN). The …
Nashville has quickly become one of the most active Southeast markets for multifamily, both in terms of development and sales. Driven by tremendous job growth, strong population increases, a pro-business climate and an educated workforce, Nashville’s remarkable multifamily growth is not overstated. From 2014 to 2017, more than 12,300 units are projected to enter the market, with another 9,000 that are planned or proposed. Concerns have arisen that Nashville’s supply will outpace the demand in the medium term. However, job growth indicators, sales activity and lease-up velocity indicate the contrary. Nashville’s economy has surpassed the $100 billion mark with a 5.1 percent unemployment rate and a 4.2 percent GMP growth rate that is double that of the rest of the nation. Notable recent expansions include General Motors (1,800 jobs), Under Armour (1,500 jobs), Magna International (357 jobs), and FedEx (347 jobs) — all of which were announced in the second half of 2014. In addition, Bridgestone America has announced that it will consolidate its operations in Nashville adding 600 jobs. These expansions combined with immense foreign direct investment continue to fuel the area’s growth. According to IBM’s 2014 Global Location Trends Report, Tennessee ranks first in the nation in terms …
Jack Daniels, FedEx and Gibson Guitar are a few international brands that already call Tennessee home, and the list has expanded over the past two years, as major brands have chosen to grow their operations in Middle Tennessee. Recent industrial relocations including Under Armour, Beretta and Hankook Tire are a few notable companies that chose Nashville over other major markets in the U.S. In addition, existing companies such as General Motors, FedEx and Nissan continue to expand their footprint in the region, creating more jobs and building larger facilities. All of this activity has created the demand for more site-ready properties that can accommodate build-to-suit projects and be delivered quickly. Nashville’s continued evolution as the South’s leading auto manufacturing hub, as well as its favorable central location, has bode well for the industrial market over the last few years. Favorable Fundamentals Nashville’s industrial market vacancy rate of 7.1 percent at the end of fourth-quarter 2014 is the lowest it has been since the fourth quarter of 2008, and the 2014 total net absorption has reached more than 2.25 million square feet, the highest absorption since 2006. This year is projected to be a banner year for new construction with multiple …
Nashville is now an established growth leader regionally and nationally. The city was a national trailblazer as the U.S. economy recovered from the Great Recession. That head start positioned Nashville to take advantage of broader growth trends and stay ahead of the pack as the remainder of the region and country started to grow again. Moody’s Analytics places Nashville firmly in an expansion phase, with fourth quarter employment growth 330 basis points ahead of the prior year, in-migration driving single-family housing permits up 13 percent last year and accelerating wage growth. Quoting Moody’s, “With the commercial real estate market tightening quickly, the pace of hiring will soon be contingent on how quickly new offices can be built or renovated. Yet there is still a good chance office-using employment could beat expectations, especially after 2016.” Class A buildings continue to dominate growth. Overall absorption for 2014 totaled 666,639 square feet, while Class A absorption was 689,009 square feet. Absorption exceeded construction by over 200,000 square feet, and Class A vacancy dropped from 5 percent at the beginning of the year to 3.5 percent at year-end. Vacancy that low inhibits movement, as is obvious in Brentwood with only 45,000 square feet vacant, …
The Nashville retail market continues to gain momentum. With approximately 338,773 square feet of retail construction underway, Nashville remains in a growth and expansion phase, with nationally recognized retail that offers unique options for tourists and locals. In 2014, approximately 53 restaurants opened, most notably Chauhan Ale and Masala House, Sinema, Prima, Acme Feed & Seed, Adele’s, City Winery, Two Ten Jack, Moto Cucina + Enoteca, Epice and Party Foul. Most of these landed in hot neighborhoods — The Gulch, East Nashville, 12th South, SoBro and Germantown. Nationally and locally we’re seeing demand for grocery-anchored retail. Demand has outstripped supply by a long shot. Major grocers own much of their real estate, and Publix followed suit in 2014, acquiring some centers it anchors, leaving fewer investor opportunities that will drive pricing and also move some investors into opportunities anchored by regional or independent grocers, or shadow-anchored assets. We actually expect non-retail projects to change the dynamic in Nashville in 2015. Within the Downtown loop, retail was non-existent, but with 1,000 new hotel rooms, 2,493 residential units and several new office projects under construction, bringing 5,000 more workers downtown, retail will follow. The $232.6 million Highwoods development for Bridgestone’s U.S. headquarters …
As 2015 begins, the Raleigh-Durham market continues to see heavy investment and development interest in the multifamily sector. Strong fundamentals, including an influx of young professionals lured by healthy job growth, an emergent live-work-play atmosphere and an economy that has continued to outpace its national counterpart, justify the area’s reign as one of the most attractive non-gateway markets in the country. The healthy, long-term fundamentals are challenged by an apartment construction pipeline that is among the nation’s most active, but so far the market is performing remarkably well. Construction starts in the area have exploded during the last two years, and there are now 8,835 units under construction throughout the Triangle area, with an additional 4,919 units proposed, according to Real Data. Whether demand can keep up with supply has been a widely debated topic among real estate analysts. The high number of units delivered represents an increase in supply of 9.3 percent over the past 24 months. Strong demand has shielded the region from notable occupancy declines. In the first half of 2014, 2,453 units were absorbed and 2,642 new units were completed, providing a differential of only 189 units, according to Real Data. Average vacancy ticked up to …
In a city known for its fast-shifting real estate cycles and ever-changing demographics, it’s becoming clear that change is the only real constant in Miami. Examples are everywhere — from the construction cranes dotting the skyline and trendy neighborhoods emerging throughout the region, to a fresh crop of international investors and the launch of entirely new industries. The makeup of our people is also evolving. A report by the Miami Downtown Development Authority (DDA) found that the city’s urban core has experienced 100 percent population growth since 2000 as its population becomes younger and more educated. Residents ages 25 to 44 make up 46 percent of the population and 58 percent of residents over the age of 25 have a college degree. It’s easy to overlook the impact these trends are having on commercial real estate in favor of Miami’s headline-grabbing residential market, but the demographic shifts taking place are also impacting the office market as employers cultivate a workforce increasingly dominated by Millennials drawn to growth-oriented jobs. This change has been in the making for years as Miami’s public and private sectors invest in creating new business opportunities for young professionals across industries less prone to economic swings, such …
The Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill (Research Triangle) region has entered a period of vibrant market expansion. Overall Class A vacancy has fallen below 10 percent for the first time since the building boom of 2001, with rates as low as 2.2 percent in some of the region’s most desirable submarkets, where severe shortages have absorption extending into long-stagnant Class B product. Despite this auspicious environment for new construction, developers are still exercising substantial caution, underscoring the depth of the last downturn and its long-lasting impact on both the development and lending communities. However, recent successful Class A deliveries by REITs like Raleigh-based Highwoods Properties and Indianapolis-based Duke Realty signal a shift toward a more pronounced supply cycle, with lower pre-lease thresholds, and a Class A market that is clearly transitioning from a recovery cycle to a period of low supply. As the market picks up steam, here are three trends that we see emerging in the Raleigh-Durham office market, and the implications for the MSA going forward. The Rise of Live-Work-Play In the last decade, no trend has had a greater impact than the rise of the live-work-play model, a phrase that encapsulates many meanings, but always embodies the high value placed …