LAS VEGAS — A partnership between Henley USA and Tower 16 Capital Partners has created Altura, a new brand of multifamily apartment communities in Las Vegas. The initial property under the new brand will be called Altura on Duneville and feature 228 apartments. A second property acquisition will be announced in May, with plans for additional acquisitions later this year. Each Altura property will be renovated to bring a modern, contemporary look and upgraded amenities to the community. Every Altura property will have a completely refurbished clubhouse, a 24-hour fitness center, new laundry equipment and enhanced common spaces, including the lobby and pool. Apartment interiors will also be upgraded with contemporary finishes and residential technology.
UPPER MARLBORO, MD. — Avanath Capital Management LLC has acquired two multifamily properties in Upper Marlboro, roughly 20 miles southeast of Washington, D.C., for a combined $29.3 million. The firm acquired Largo Center, a 100-unit community located at 520 Largo Center Drive, for $14.3 million, and Vistas at Lake Largo, a 110-unit seniors housing community located at 500 Harry S. Truman Drive, for $15 million. The properties were purchased through Avanath’s institutional fund, Avanath Affordable Housing III. The names of the sellers were not disclosed. Largo Center features a swimming pool, clubhouse and in-unit washers and dryers. Vista at Lake Largo features a theater, courtyard, community room and laundry facilities. Avanath plans to renovate both properties with upgraded clubhouses and fitness centers, keyless entry, LED lighting, exterior paint, landscaping improvements and renovated common area hallways.
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reports that about 20.4 million students attended American colleges and universities in 2017. That figure represents an increase of 5.1 million students from 2000 and is expected to exceed 22 million by 2023. As this enrollment growth carries forward, developers of student housing properties have been holding steady volumes of new product on their books. According to CoStar Group, developers have added about 22,000 new units each year since 2010. During that stretch, vacancy for all unit types has not risen above 10 percent and rents have maintained positive growth rates, save for the 12-month period from mid-2013 to mid-2014. Asking rents for studio and one-bedroom units have appreciated the most during this cycle. This suggests that more graduate students, who are more likely to live alone, are clamoring for student housing residences. Larger schools often have limited enrollment, forcing graduate students to consider smaller institutions. As such, secondary markets are gradually beginning to see heavier waves of student housing development. In Texas, this trend appears to still be in its infancy. As for the state’s biggest markets, the University of Texas at Austin is located within a very tight development grid. Lubbock …
TEMPE, ARIZ. — MJW Investments has acquired ReNUE on Orange, a 110-unit student housing community located near Arizona State University in Tempe. The price was not disclosed. The property offers one- and two-bedroom units with shared amenities including a swimming pool, sundeck and courtyard. The company plans to make improvements to the property, including upgrading unit interiors and common areas, addressing deferred maintenance issues and rebranding the property as “Thrive Tempe,” according to Mark Weinstein, president of MJW Investments. This investment increases MJW Investment’s student housing portfolio to over 5,500 beds.
FORT WORTH, TEXAS — Institutional Property Advisors (IPA), a division of Marcus & Millichap, has brokered the sale of Hidden Lakes Apartments, a 312-unit multifamily community in Fort Worth. Built in 1996, the property features one-, two- and three-bedroom units and amenities such as a pool, game room, an outdoor spa and a fitness center. Drew Kile, Will Balthrope and Joey Tumminello of IPA represented the seller, New York-based Beachwold Residential, and procured the buyer, Texas-based CAF Capital Partners.
SAN MARCOS, TEXAS — Chicago-based Alliant Credit Union has closed an $8 million loan for the cash-out refinancing of Treehouse Apartments, a 138-unit student housing community serving Texas State University in San Marcos. The property is located within a mile of campus and features amenities such as a pool, picnic area, coffee bar and on-site laundry facilities. The loan features a 25-year amortization schedule and three years of interest-only payments. The borrower was not disclosed.
NEW YORK — New York-based Greystone Affordable Development has arranged $168.6 million in financing for the recapitalization of 26 affordable housing properties located across 17 counties in Georgia. The financing, which combined both public and private funding, was arranged on behalf of the owner, The Hallmark Cos. The financing package included $54.3 million in tax-exempt bonds from the Housing Authority of Macon-Bibb County; 4 percent in low income housing tax credits (LIHTCs) purchased by Boston Financial Investment Management, generating $54 million in capital contributions; a $28 million loan through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Section 515; $27.3 million in USDA Section 538 loans provided by Greystone Servicing Corp. Inc.; and $5 million in excess reserves, project operations, investment income and deferred developer fees. Hallmark will substantially renovate the portfolio’s interiors and exteriors over the next two years. Planned renovations focus on modernizing the properties — built between the late 1970s and mid-1990s — and addressing accessibility, functional obsolescence and deterioration. The owner plans to achieve overall energy savings of at least 20 percent at each property through the use of Energy Star-certified appliances and windows.
NAPERVILLE, ILL. — Capitol Seniors Housing has opened Arbor Terrace Naperville in Illinois. The $27 million assisted living and memory care community features 74,256 square feet and 95 residential units. The community is located at 2920 Leverenz Road in the Cantore Place development. Amenities include a library, theater, café, salon and spa and fitness center. Faulkner Design Group designed the property’s interiors.
CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA — NorthMarq Capital has arranged a $7.7 million loan for the refinancing of Wheatland Club Apartments in Cedar Rapids. The 144-unit apartment property is located at 5617 Muirfield Drive SW. Jason Kinnison of NorthMarq arranged the 23-year loan, which is fully amortized. A life insurance company provided the loan.
The strength of the national multifamily market has been driven by a number of factors, especially job and wage growth. Nationally, annual job growth has been 1.5 percent and annual wage growth has been 2.9 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Another factor affecting the multifamily market is homeownership. In the United States, homeownership reached 65 percent in 2008, dropped to 60 percent in 2015 and rebounded to 65 percent at the end of 2017, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Strong demand, low vacancies, good rental growth and a vibrant sales market have characterized the market. During the last 10 years, the millennial population has primarily rented housing and baby boomers have been downsizing to apartments or condos. These trends have contributed to the multifamily market’s strength. We see the millennial sector housing choices changing with much of the generation getting married and starting families. Last year represented the third-best year in history for multifamily property sales volume, according to Dave Lockard, senior vice president in the multifamily brokerage division of CBRE. Another factor affecting multifamily markets is a slowdown in new construction. Higher construction costs and more conservative commercial bank construction financing have led to …