The investment markets for office, industrial and flex properties in Westchester and Fairfield counties have seen significant activity over the last 12 months. Both debt and equity capital have been flowing into the urban and suburban areas of the counties, demonstrating that these submarkets are viable alternatives to New York City. This year has witnessed one of the largest transactions to ever take place in Westchester and Fairfield counties since we have been recording statistics. This past spring, HFF sold a portfolio of 52 industrial flex assets in multiple parks in both Westchester and Fairfield counties for $488 million, or $167 per square foot. The demand was very strong for these industrial assets, and the buyer pool spanned from private groups to some of the largest money managers in the world. In addition, cap rates are in the 4.25 to 4.85 percent range for more traditional industrial product. Cap pricing is absolutely on track to surpass $200 per square foot, as there is a lack of available land for development and institutional funds’ continue to display an insatiable appetite for the product type. Consequently, these kinds of deals continue to dominate the conversations and market activity. Office Market Interest …
Connecticut
Main Street isn’t dead. It’s being refreshed, rebranded and reimagined. Creating a compelling experience in today’s retail environment is a critical element to being successful. Property owners are working hard to make their retail sites attractive and relevant. This includes placing emphasis on curb appeal and redeveloping spaces that may previously have been occupied by big box tenants. Many landlords are turning larger vacancies into multiple spaces to accommodate junior anchors and smaller tenants at as retailers are rightsizing and working to maximize efficiencies. At the same time, landlords are replacing building façades and updating landscaping, parking areas and lighting to enhance visual appeal. Main Street in Westport, Connecticut, represents a prime example of this retail renaissance. This area is in the midst of a complete reboot. Over the past year or so, the talk of the town was that the storefronts along Westport’s commercial corridor are not as lively as they had been in the past. But appearances can be deceiving, and perception isn’t always reality. The truth is that Westport’s retail scene is very much alive and is being revived with new and fresher brands. New Players We’re seeing brands like Sundance, an apparel catalog company created by …
Northeast Private Client Group Negotiates $3.6M Sale of Two Multifamily Assets in Connecticut
by Alex Patton
BRIDGEPORT, CONN. — Northeast Private Client Group (NPCG) has negotiated the $3.6 million sale of a pair of multifamily assets in Bridgeport, located on Connecticut’s southern coast. The properties total 44 units. Brad Balletto, Rich Edwards and Jeff Wright of NPCG represented the seller, a local owner-operator, and procured the buyer, a Connecticut-based investor. The deal closed at a capitalization rate of roughly 7 percent.
WESTPORT, CONN. — Investment firm Marcus Partners has sold two office buildings in Westport for $30 million to New York-based Waterway Capital. The newly renovated buildings, located at 8 & 19 Wright St., total 83,964 square feet and are situated within walking distance of the Saugatuck River, as well as high-end retail and dining options. The buildings were 94 percent leased at the time of sale to tenants such as UBS, Regus Corp., Berkowitz, Energy Income Partners and Ameriprise Financial. CBRE’s Jeffrey Dunne, Steven Bardsley and Stuart MacKenzie represented the seller and procured the buyer.
WATERFORD, CONN. — Washington Trust, a community bank serving the Northeast, has provided an $11.8 million construction loan for a 72-unit apartment project located in the coastal Connecticut city of Waterford. The property will feature equal numbers of one- and two-bedroom units ranging in size from 845 to 1,140 square feet. Communal amenities will include a fitness center, recreation area and a resident clubhouse. The borrower was Connecticut-based Waterford Parc LLC. The loan carries an 18-month term and a floating interest rate. Construction is expected to be complete in early 2020.
FARMINGTON, CONN. — Colliers International has arranged the sale of Pond View Corporate Center, a 236,302-square-foot office complex in Farmington, a western suburb of Hartford. The sales price was approximately $19.9 million. The two-building campus is situated on 34 acres off I-84 and offers amenities such as a fitness center, café, walking trails and a new conference and technology center. Tenants include Comcast, New England Asset Management and KBE Building Corp. John Cafasso, Ian Hunt and Conor LeBlanc of Colliers represented the seller, New Haven-based Fusco Farmington Associates LP, which sold the property to an undisclosed buyer.
WALLINGFORD, CONN. — Emerald Hospitality Associates, an Ohio-based hotel development and management firm, has purchased Hilton Garden Inn Wallingford/Meriden, a 139-room hotel in Wallingford, about 14 miles northeast of New Haven. The property offers a lobby bar and restaurant, as well as a 24-hour fitness center, pool, business center and 4,400 square feet of meeting space. Emerald plans to implement a capital improvement program to enhance the outdoor spaces, lobby and other features. This acquisition was executed in partnership with Nimbus Investment Fund, an independent affiliate of Emerald Hospitality and Core Real Estate Capital. The seller was not disclosed.
MILFORD, CONN. — Local brokerage firm Pearce Commercial has negotiated a 56,000-square-foot warehouse lease in Milford, located between Bridgeport and New Haven. John Bergin of Pearce Commercial represented the tenant, Meridith Baer Home, a California-based home staging firm. Bergin also represented the landlord, MDC Milford Associates LLC, a division of Mountain Development Corp.
MONROE, CONN. — Urstadt Biddle, a publicly traded REIT based in Connecticut, has sold a 10,100-square-foot retail property in Monroe for $3.6 million. The deal closed at a capitalization rate of 6.9 percent. Tenants at the property, which Urstadt Biddle acquired in 2007, include Starbucks Coffee and M&T Bank. The buyer was an undisclosed, locally based investor.
STAMFORD, CONN. — Rubenstein Partners LP, an investment firm focused on the office sector, has acquired 600 Washington Boulevard, a 450,000-square-foot office building in Stamford, about 40 miles north of New York City. The sales price was not disclosed. The property was originally built in 2009 to serve as the headquarters of the Royal Bank of Scotland and was 85 percent leased at the time of sale. Tenants include UBS and Bank of America. JLL represented the seller, NatWest Markets, which is also a tenant at the building, in the transaction.