ANN ARBOR, MICH. — KeyBank Real Estate Capital has provided a $15.7 million Fannie Mae loan for the refinancing of Manchester Flats Apartment Homes in Ann Arbor. The 173-unit multifamily property is comprised of nine buildings on six acres of land. The property was built in 1957 and renovated in 2013. Todd Linehan of KeyBank arranged the nonrecourse, fixed-rate loan with a 15-year term and 30-year amortization schedule.
DETROIT — Seven companies are committing $35 million to spur development and physical improvements in Detroit’s neighborhoods. The companies include AAM, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Chemical Bank, Fifth Third Bank, Flagstar Bank, Huntington Bank and Penske Corp. Each company’s $5 million contribution will fund physical improvements to Strategic Neighborhood Fund (SNF) areas and affordable housing citywide. Every investment will be guided by residents’ input through engagement by the city’s neighborhoods and planning departments. The $35 million commitment is the largest corporate donation to neighborhood development in Detroit history. The funds are expected to leverage another $70 million in private investment, for a total of $105 million of new investment.The funds will be used for park improvements, commercial development to fill vacant storefronts and lots, streetscape improvements, single-family home stabilization and affordable housing development. Over the next five years, these types of improvements will be implemented in the following SNF areas: Grand River Northwest, Jefferson Chalmers, Russell Woods/Nardin Park, Campau/Banglatown, Warrendale/Cody-Rouge, Gratiot/Seven Mile, and East Warren/Cadieux.
WARREN, MICH. — SunTrust Banks Inc. has originated a $16.3 million bridge loan for the acquisition of Hoover Square in Warren, a suburb of Detroit. The 342-unit multifamily property, built in 1965, features one- and two-bedroom units. The asset is 90 percent occupied. Evan Hom of SunTrust originated the two-year, floating-rate loan on behalf of the Michigan-based borrower.
BLOOMFIELD HILLS, MICH. — The Sherwin-Williams Co. (NYSE: SHW) has agreed to a sale-leaseback transaction with net lease REIT Agree Realty Corp. (NYSE: ADC) for more than 100 retail properties. Agree will pay more than $150 million for the portfolio. The transaction is expected to close on or before the end of December. The undisclosed properties are located in more than 25 states. The five states with the largest concentration of properties include Florida, New York, North Carolina, Texas and Georgia. “We are pleased to have entered into this agreement with Sherwin-Williams,” said Joey Agree, President of Agree Realty Corp. “This unique transaction is incremental to our operating strategy, demonstrates additional differentiated capabilities and further solidifies the strength of our first-class real estate portfolio.” Bloomfield Hills-based Agree Realty Corp. currently owns and operates a portfolio of 537 properties in 45 states for a total of 10.6 million square feet of gross leasable space. Cleveland, Ohio-based Sherwin-Williams was founded in 1866 and is a leader in the manufacture, development, distribution, and sale of paints, coatings and related products to professional, industrial, commercial, and retail customers. The company operates more than 4,900 retail stores across the United States. Sherwin Williams’ stock price closed …
NORTHVILLE TOWNSHIP, MICH. — Associated Bank has provided a $14 million loan for the acquisition of Northville Park Place in Wayne County’s Northville Township. The six building, 78,833-square-foot shopping center is located at the southwest corner of Seven Mile and Haggerty roads. Trader Joe’s anchors the property. Other tenants include Granite City, Rusty Bucket and Sherwin Williams. Krista Casper of Associated Bank originated the loan on behalf of the borrower, Inland Retail Property Fund LP.
DETROIT — Money360 has provided a $17 million bridge loan for the refinancing of 1200 Sixth St. in Detroit’s Corktown neighborhood. The two-tower office property spans 600,000 square feet. The South Tower was constructed in 1966, while the North Tower was built in 1971. The nonrecourse loan features a two-year term and a loan-to-value ratio of 41 percent. The borrower is 1200 Sixth Street LLC.
Last month I attended the NAI Global convention in Austin, Texas, and had the opportunity to talk with industrial real estate brokers from around the country. One thing was clear: there are many markets across the country that are facing the same dilemma as we are in West Michigan. The supply of vacant industrial buildings is at an all-time low, and construction costs are rising rapidly. Booming economy The manufacturing industry is extremely strong in West Michigan. Historically known for the automotive and furniture sectors, West Michigan has developed a strong presence in the medical device manufacturing, food processing and aerospace sectors. This diversity is a good indicator of stability for the West Michigan manufacturing sector for the foreseeable future. The strength of the economy has encouraged many companies to expand operations and has attracted numerous out-of-market companies to West Michigan. Low inventory The industrial vacancy rate in the greater Grand Rapids market is currently 1.6 percent, which is historically low. In order to provide some context, in 2012 the vacancy rate was 7.2 percent. Typically, when the vacancy rate is this low, it is a clear indicator that inventory is too low, and the construction of new buildings …
TROY, MICH. — Bernard Financial Group has arranged a $28.5 million CMBS loan for the refinancing of Sheffield Office Park in Troy. The office property spans three buildings and 504,075 square feet. Office suites range in size from 773 to 32,000 square feet. Dennis Bernard arranged the loan on behalf of the borrower, Sheffield Owner LLC.
CHESTERFIELD, MICH. — Grandbridge Real Estate Capital has secured a $42.9 million first mortgage loan for the acquisition of Waterside Marketplace in Chesterfield, about 25 miles north of Detroit. Tenants at the 291,231-square-foot retail center include Dick’s Sporting Goods, Best Buy, TJ Maxx, Bed Bath & Beyond, Ulta, JoAnn Fabrics, Old Navy, DSW, Five Below, Party City, JC Penney and Lowe’s. Gerry Robbins of Grandbridge arranged the three-year loan, which features a 25-year amortization schedule and an interest rate in the low-four percent range. A Grandbridge correspondent lender provided the loan. Mid-America Real Estate Corp. brokered the sale on behalf of the buyer, PMAT Real Estate Investments.
Today, Detroit looks starkly different than a decade ago. The city was hit hard by the Great Recession, but shortly thereafter, businesses started moving their operations into the downtown corridor. Businessman Dan Gilbert moved Quicken Loans into its downtown headquarters in August 2010, bringing approximately 1,700 employees with him. Today, Quicken’s footprint has expanded to 17,000 employees working downtown. Other companies followed, such as when we moved our headquarters downtown in 2012. As the city has regained its footing, retail has helped bring people into the downtown corridor, both from around the city and from out of the suburbs. To date, Woodward Avenue and Capitol Park have been the two main hubs of retail activity in downtown Detroit, with once-vacant buildings housing national brands and unique entrepreneurs. As these two neighborhoods become more populated, retailers are starting to look for other neighborhoods in Detroit with potential to be redeveloped into standout retail options. This begs the question: can other neighborhoods in Detroit flourish and support retail, beyond the central business district? As Detroit’s renaissance expands to other neighborhoods throughout the city, we expect there to be more opportunities ahead. Any incoming retailers and developers should consider what categories may be …
