The Charlotte industrial market has continued to weather the global economic storm with relative stability. Experts in the market believe this is by design and is not just good fortune. A disciplined development community that did not over-build the city is the foundation for the stability. The market size for institutional grade industrial product in Charlotte is approximately 30 million square feet. The entire market is well more than 100 million square feet, which comprises user-occupied and manufacturing product that institutional investors are not trading day-to-day. With 3.3 million square feet available, the institutional market stands at 11 percent vacant. Given the gloomy economic news that we have all grown accustomed to hearing, an 11 percent vacancy rate is not particularly unhealthy. The key statistic is this: in a 30 million-square-foot market, only 250,000 square feet is being constructed, representing less than 1 percent of the market. In addition, only 1.7 million square feet of product is in the planning stages, with no assurances that it will go vertical in the near future. If all 1.7 million square feet of product were to be built — which won’t happen — it would represent a 5.7 percent increase in inventory. There …
Southeast Market Reports
To most people, the word Baltimore conjures up images of the city’s vibrant downtown and historic areas, including Fells Point, the Inner Harbor, Federal Hill and Canton. In recent years, a number of significant multifamily developments have contributed to the rejuvenation of these trademark neighborhoods, bringing new households to areas previously dominated by daytime office workers and tourists. Recently completed multifamily projects in Baltimore include The Eden, Elm Street Development’s 270-unit project in Fells Point and The Zenith, Legacy Harrison’s 191-unit tower near Camden Yards. These properties have all leased briskly since opening in mid-2007. Across the Inner Harbor, Mark Sapperstein’s 250-unit project at the McHenry Row mixed-use development promises to be a major catalyst for the Locust Point neighborhood. Baltimore has experienced an unprecedented amount of development activity during the last 5 years, as nearly 3,000 new multifamily units were recently delivered inside the city’s boundaries. The Baltimore region is also home to the Baltimore-Washington Corridor, which runs along Interstate 95 in Howard and Anne Arundel counties, another hot spot that stands to see an even greater volume of construction and investment during the next 20 years. Among the major catalysts for the Baltimore-Washington Corridor’s rapid growth during the …
The Memphis apartment market is expected to record mixed performance this year, due to a spike in new inventory and decelerating employment growth. On the demand side, weakness in the housing market is keeping many individuals within the renter pool, boosting retention rates and supporting a modest uptick in tenant demand. Foreclosure activity rose 15 percent in the first quarter, when compared to the same period one year earlier, and is expected to continue this year as more adjustable-rate mortgages reset. Subsequently, apartment demand for Class B and Class C properties should pick up in this year, causing vacancy for the metro’s affordable rentals to improve. On the supply side, development activity is accelerating after 5 years of below-average additions to stock. By year-end, developers are expected to boost inventory by 1.1 percent, or nearly double the 5-year average, pushing vacancy higher while moderating rent gains. Builders have brought approximately 175 new apartment units to the Memphis market during the past 12 months, representing a modest 0.2 percent increase in inventory. One year ago, deliveries had totaled approximately 210 units. Development activity is picking up, as builders have roughly 1,100 units underway in the metro area. As for significant developments, …
Submitted by Barry Wolfe, VP Investments and Michael Zimmerman, senior associate with the Fort Lauderdale, Florida, office of Marcus & Millichap Real Estate Investment Services. Posted Online 5-28-08. What area is your expertise? Broward County (Fort Lauderdale)/Miami-Dade County (Miami), Florida What trends do you see presently in retail development in your area? The housing market downturn and credit market shake up have caused retail development in South Florida to slow. Developers are having difficulty getting as much leverage as they had grown accustomed and lenders are now requiring either total or partial recourse. Another reason for the decrease in construction is simply that there is not a lot of available land for new development. What we are seeing in the pipeline is discount retail centers, such as Super Wal-Mart and Super Target, adding locations throughout both counties. What type of retail product is doing well in your area? Class A assets, such as grocery anchored (and in particular Publix-anchored centers) are always viable whereas un-anchored Class B/C shopping centers are struggling with vacancies, in part due to increasing expense pass-throughs. What retailers are new to your area? One of the largest new South Florida retailers is Ikea, which recently opened …
Submitted by Alex Zylberglait CCIM, SIOR and Ryan Shaw, associate vice president and associate with the Miami office of Marcus & Millichap Real Estate Investment Services. Posted Online 05-07-08. What area is your expertise? Our primary focus of business is office properties in Miami-Dade County, Florida. What trends do you see presently in office development in your area? Office developments over the past few years have been limited to mostly office condominiums and build to suit. The office condo market was short lived and non-existent at this point. Unfinished condo projects are currently going back to for rent product and therefore adding nominal supply back to the market. The majority of office development for Dade is focused in the downtown Miami and Airport West submarkets. Downtown has seen three projects break ground for approximately 1.77 million square feet of Class A space. The airport area is targeted for many of the import and export companies that see much of the business go through the Miami International Airport as cargo planes transport much of the imports that come into the Port of Miami. Broward county is a little bit different in respect to they have had little new development in the …
A barrage of national and local coverage has detailed the nation’s housing woes and economic uncertainty – which are clearly having an impact on Atlanta’s multifamily for-sale market. Average absorption rates slowed in all Atlanta submarkets during the first quarter to less than one sale per month, and many projects are struggling to make up for lost contracts as buyers cut their losses, get cold feet or discover they are unable to secure financing or sell their existing homes. The good news is that the necessary steps are underway to correct the supply-demand imbalance. Projects with standing inventory are increasingly employing new strategies to gain traction by enticing buyers with reduced prices and increased incentives; being more open to negotiation on price; and attracting the broker community by providing a portion of commission for properties under construction at the end of the recission period, rather than all at closing. More proposed developments in the pre-construction phase are going on hold until the market recovers, being converted to rentals or cancelled altogether. For example, The Related Group has placed its One Cityplace project on hold; John Weiland announced that plans for One Museum Place are on hold until at least next …
Submitted by Ron Anderson, VP of Research and Technology, NAI Avant LLC in Columbia, S.C. Posted 02-22-08. What area is your expertise? Columbia, S.C. What trends do you see presently in retail development in your area? Currently, there are several active types of development: Wal-Mart and Target anchored community centers ranging from 200,000 to 300,000 square feet Unanchored retail strips from 6,000 to 20,000 square feet Auto dealerships relocated from in town to suburban locations Additional home improvement locations Bank locations Fast food locations What type of retail product is doing well in your area? All retail seems to be quite strong at this point Who are the active retail developers in your area? Active retail developers are Fletcher Bright, WRS, Edens & Avant, Kahn Development, and Owen Development. Please name one or two significant retail developments in your area. What impact will these projects have on the market? • Village at Sandhill is a 1 million-square-foot lifestyle center in Northeast Richland County. It is being developed by Kahn Development of Columbia. This project has introduced the lifestyle center to the region and created a retail anchor in Columbia’s fastest growing suburb. • The Shoppes at White Knoll is a …
What area is your expertise? Industrial properties in Miami-Dade County (Miami) and Broward County (Fort Lauderdale). What trends do you see presently in industrial development in your area? Industrial development in South Florida is at a slow down and absorption is creeping along. Given the land constraints of the Atlantic Ocean and Florida Everglades, build-to-suits are also harder to find in Broward and Dade counties. What type of industrial product is doing well in your area? Multi-bay and multi-tenant warehouses are in high demand because they continue to absorb space for a variety of tenants from 500 square feet to 5,000 square feet. Many businesses that can function without their storefront locations are downsizing and moving their business to warehouses where they do not have to pay the high retail rental rates. Big box industrial warehouses over 65,000 square feet are also doing well. There is less demand for space over 10,000 square feet and under 65,000 square feet, as tenants desiring this size space are feeling more of the effects of the current economic downturn. Please name one or two significant industrial developments in your area. What impact will these projects have on the market? In Broward County, two …
What area is your expertise? Atlanta industrial What trends do you see presently in industrial development in your area? Spec developments has slowed given uncertain economic conditions. Spec space to be delivered this year is 4.9 million square feet, down about half from this time last year. Almost all new development is bulk warehouse of 400,000+ square feet. What type of industrial product is doing well in your area? The bulk market has been active. Distribution is stable. Who are the active industrial developers in your area? DCT Industrial, First Industrial Realty Trust, Duke Realty Corp., Majestic Realty Co., IDI, Raco, Panattoni Development Co., John W. Rooker and Associates, Robert Pattillo Properties, McDonald Development, Jadow Realty and M.D. Hodges. Please name one or two significant industrial developments in your area. What impact will these projects have on the market? IDI’s newly planned Meridian 75 Logistics Center is a 200 acre park along Interstate 75 near Macon. The park will accommodate 3 million square feet when completed and Majestics Airport Center III where the developer has started 4 buildings including a 600,000-square-foot bulk warehouse. Where is the majority of development taking place? Why is this area doing well? Northeast and Airport …
Since 1995, container volume at the port has increased by approximately 400% and now exceeds 2.3 billion TEU s (20-foot equivalent units). With this growth, national developers have entered the market and started large speculative construction projects totaling more than 4.5 million square feet. However, the market is still relatively small at 23 million square feet. While the port s growth will ultimately create strong demand, there are some questions concerning building size and near-term absorption and overbuilding that will be addressed in the next year. Many of the speculative buildings exceed 500,000 square feet. The Savannah industrial market s vacancy is certainly healthy at 5.4%, but the current state of spec development will probably drive it higher in the short term. Additionally, the amount of vacant space may stall rent growth and keep it in the $3.30 to $4 per square foot range over the next year. At Duke, we were fortunate enough to acquire a fully leased, 5.1 million-square-foot portfolio from local developer Wrenn Blalock, we are also exploring additional land opportunities to maintain our position as a leading developer in Savannah. Our Savannah portfolio includes Portside at Grange Road and Crossroads Business Center, where we will acquire …