NORMAL, ILL. — Marcus & Millichap has brokered the sale of Lincoln Park Townhomes in Normal for $6.8 million. The 39-unit student housing property is located at 609 S. Fell Ave. near Illinois State University. Each unit features four bedrooms and four bathrooms. Eric Bell and Mitchell Kiven of Marcus & Millichap marketed the property on behalf of the undisclosed seller.
What is the economic outlook for the year, and what does that mean for the student housing industry? Hessam Nadji, president and CEO of Marcus & Millichap/Institutional Property Advisors, answered just that in the keynote speech that kicked off the 2019 InterFace Student Housing Conference, which was held in Austin earlier this month and drew approximately 1,400 attendees. Nadji began by laying out the basics on where the industry is today economically in comparison to before and during The Great Recession. “We’ve added 21 million jobs since the bottom of The Great Recession, and that has caused a 120 basis point reduction in the unemployment rate at a time when inflation is 200 basis points below where we were in 2007,” he says. “That is the crux of why everything in our industry as a whole — commercial real estate, and student housing in particular — has done so well. The combination of really good growth with very little inflation, and therefore low interest rates. “We have 7.6 million job openings today,” continues Nadji. “That is a record number of employers looking for qualified employees and about one-third of those employers are having a hard time finding qualified workers. That …
SAN FRANCISCO — The University of California Hastings College of the Law (UC Hastings) has selected Greystar Real Estate Partners LLC as the master developer of its planned on-campus academic village in downtown San Francisco. Charleston, S.C.-based Greystar plans to build the $450 million project in two phases. “We are excited to be moving forward with Greystar to further develop this vibrant academic village in the heart of San Francisco,” says David Faigman, chancellor and dean at UC Hastings. The law school is situated in downtown San Francisco near the Supreme Court of California and San Francisco City Hall. Phase I of the new project will be the ground-up construction of 630 student housing apartments available for students, faculty and staff. The first phase is estimated to cost $250 million to develop, which will be funded using tax-exempt bonds. UC Hastings and Greystar plan to open the first phase in time for the fall 2022 semester. Phase II is the approximately $200 million renovation of McAllister Tower, a historic on-campus dormitory. The overhaul will update 300 units and add new mixed-use amenities, including a fitness center, study lounges, community kitchens, social lounges and a new auditorium. Overall, the expansion will …
GAINESVILLE, FLA. — A joint venture between Campus Advantage and Stark Enterprises has broken ground on Liv+ Gainesville, a 618-bed student housing community located near the University of Florida. The 279,075-square-foot property will offer a range of floor plans, from studios to six-bedroom units with bed-to-bath parity. Shared amenities will include a fitness wing with a cardio room, free weight room and boxing equipment; a mini market with fresh snack and drink offerings; a coffee bar; study rooms on each floor; a pool and courtyard; and a dog park. The community is scheduled for completion in fall 2020 and will be managed by Campus Advantage.
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Cushman & Wakefield has arranged the sale of The Southern @ 1051, a 350-unit student housing community located near the University of South Carolina in Columbia. The property offers one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom units. Community amenities include a swimming pool, clubhouse, package service, picnic and barbecue area, business center, fitness center and basketball and volleyball courts. Travis Prince, Victoria Marks, Jordan McCarley and Paul Marley of Cushman & Wakefield arranged the disposition on behalf of the seller, an undisclosed CMBS trust. Ernet Capital Management acquired the property for an undisclosed amount.
WEST LAFAYETTE, IND. — Marcus & Millichap has brokered the sale of a 528-bed student housing portfolio in West Lafayette near Purdue University for $33.5 million. A joint venture between Muinzer and South Street Capital purchased the 152-unit portfolio. The buildings, constructed between 1983 and 1993, are all located within walking distance of campus. Brent Silcox and Austin Meeker of Marcus & Millichap represented the undisclosed seller and procured the buyer.
AUSTIN, TEXAS — The concept of living-learning communities, wherein students take advantage of a property’s location and amenities to share academic and personal experiences, is growing in popularity in the student housing industry. As the property sector matures and more student housing communities become outdated, developers are finding success with new projects that capture both the living and learning sides of the college experience. This trend is visible at both on- and off-campus properties. The subject of living-learning communities was raised during the opening Power Panel at the 2019 Interface Student Housing Conference. The three-day event, which took place from April 8-10 at the JW Marriott Hotel in Austin, Texas, drew approximately 1,400 attendees. Bill Bayless, CEO of American Campus Communities (ACC), an Austin-based REIT, kicked off the discussion of living-learning communities by noting that, in general, America’s inventory of student housing product is aging, and not like a fine wine. “The average age of on-campus housing at universities across the United States is 53 years old,” said Bayless. “What continues to be one of the greatest opportunities in the space is the replacement of outdated on-campus student housing with living-learning communities on campus that are fully immersive.” Bayless was joined …
LOS ANGELES — FourPoint Investment Sales Partners has arranged the sale of Chateau Sera and Tropicana, two student housing communities totaling 60 beds near the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. Both buildings were recently renovated and feature exterior and interior upgrades throughout. Chris Epp, Chris Bancroft, Craig Miller and Meredith Wolff of FourPoint arranged the transaction on behalf of the seller, NB Private Capital. A California-based regional operator acquired the portfolio. Terms of the sale were undisclosed.
HARTFORD, CONN. — Chozick Realty has arranged the $14.3 million sale of Willington Oaks, a 128-unit student housing complex at the University of Connecticut in Hartford. The property includes 64 one-bedroom flats and 64 two-bedroom townhouses. Willington Oaks has recently undergone extensive updates including new boilers, roofs, windows, septic systems and connection to municipal water. The property routinely maintains occupancy close to 100 percent. Rick Chozick and Steve Pappas of Chozick Realty represented the seller, Willington Oaks LLC, in the transaction. The buyer was TC NY Associates LLC.
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Financial Federal Bank has provided a $24.3 million Fannie Mae acquisition loan for Stadium Suites Apartments in Columbia. The 264-unit, 924-bed complex was built in 2004 and is situated three miles from the University of South Carolina campus. Amenities include a resort-style pool, clubhouse with fitness center, game room, study room, business center, basketball and volleyball courts and a dog park. Rick Wood and Jon Van Hoozer of Financial Federal Bank originated the 10-year, fixed-rate loan with three years of interest-only payments and a 30-year amortization schedule on behalf of the borrower, a single-asset LLC that is a privately owned real estate investment company.