FAIRFIELD, CONN. — NorthMarq Capital has arranged $11 million in refinancing for Turnpike Shopping Center, a retail property located at 1955-2009 Black Rock Turnpike in Fairfield. The 10-year loan features five years of interest-only payments followed by a 30-year amortization schedule. The 110,000-square-foot retail center is occupied by ShopRite Supermarket, Eastern Mountain Sports and Party City. Ernest DesRochers of NorthMarq secured the financing for the undisclosed borrower.
STAMFORD, CONN. — Winthrop Realty Trust has completed the sale of Highgrove, an ultra-luxury apartment community located in Stamford. A private investment group acquired the property for $87.5 million, or $940,860 per unit. Designed by Robert A.M. Stern, the 18-story high-rise features 93 condominium units, a grand resident lobby, clubroom, media screening room, wine cellar, caterer’s kitchen, private elevator entrances, expansive fitness center with sauna, steam room and pool facilities. Units feature gourmet kitchens with marble counters, high-end appliances, oversized cabinets, 10-foot ceilings, crown moldings, hardwood flooring, fireplaces, private balconies, six-piece master baths and walk-in closets. Jeffery Dunne, Gene Pride and Travis Langer of CBRE represented the seller in the transaction.
GREENWICH, CONN. — Colliers International has arranged the sale of a historical industrial building located at 330 Railroad Ave. in Greenwich. 330 Railroad Avenue LLC, a partnership between Rich Granoff and Jeff Mendell, acquired the property for $8.3 million. The buyer is planning a complete renovation and repositioning of the building by converting the Depression Era-built industrial asset into a boutique high-end office building with approximately 30,000 square feet of office space. Granoff Architects will be the anchor tenant of the renovated property. Jeff Williams, Enzennio Mallozzi and Hollis Pugh of Colliers represented the buyer and undisclosed seller in the deal.
WEST HARTFORD, CONN. — Marcus & Millichap has arranged the sale of two multifamily properties, located at 1062 Boulevard and 41 W. Beacon St. in West Hartford, for $5.1 million. The 29-unit 1062 Boulevard consists of 26 one-bedroom flats and three two-bedroom flats, and the 27-unit 41 West Beacon Street features 24 one-bedroom flats and three two-bedroom flats. Eric Pentore and John Slyman of Marcus & Millichap represented the seller, a limited liability company in the transaction. Pentore also procured the buyer.
MERIDEN, CONN. — Vestis Retail Group LLC, the parent company of sporting goods and apparel retailers Eastern Mountain Sports (EMS), Bob’s Stores and Sport Chalet, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Monday. The Meriden-based company plans to close the Sport Chalet chain entirely, while closing eight EMS properties and one Bob’s Stores location. The remaining stores will be re-evaluated in an attempt to strengthen financial performance. Collectively, Vestis Retail Group operates 144 stores and two distribution centers across 15 states, according to documents filed at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Wilmington, Del. Hilco Merchant Resources and Gordon Brothers Retail Partners are in charge of the liquidation sales, according to court documents. Private equity firm Versa Capital Management LLC (Versa) acquired each of the chains separately and combined them under the parent company Vestis Retail Group LLC in 2012, according to reports by The Wall Street Journal. Vestis has proposed the sale of EMS and Bob’s to funds advised by Versa, which would acquire substantially all of the remaining assets of the company. “When Vestis first acquired EMS and Sport Chalet, each company faced significant operational challenges and was on the verge of liquidation,” says Mark Walsh, CEO of Vestis. “EMS and …
WEST HARTFORD, CONN. — Marcus & Millichap has arranged the sale of two apartment properties — Park Place West and West Wynd — in West Hartford for $9.4 million. Park Place West, located at 158 Newington, features 63 units in a mix of studios, one-, two- and three-bedroom layouts, and West Wynd, located at 51 Caya Ave., features 49 one- and two-bedroom flats. Victor Nolleti, Eric Pentore and Steve Witten of Marcus & Millichap represented the seller, a limited liability company, in the transaction.
NORWALK, CONN. — Houlihan-Parnes Realtors has arranged a $2.7 million first mortgage for an office property located at 83 East Ave. in Norwalk. The five-year loan, provided by a local bank, features a 3.75 percent interest rate and a five-year option to extend. The 40,000-square-foot office and medical property is occupied by 25 tenants. The building is managed and leased by GHP Office Realty. Andrew Greenspan and James Houlihan of Houlihan-Parnes arranged the loan, while Ray Cohen of Chicago Title arranged the title. The borrower was represented by Christie Houlihan of Zuckerman, Gore, Brandies and Crossman as legal counsel.
STAMFORD, CONN., AND BETHESDA, MD.— Stockholders from Marriott International (NASDAQ: MAR) and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide (NYSE: HOT) have approved Marriott’s acquisition of Starwood. The new entity will be the world’s largest hotel company with 30 brands, approximately 5,700 hotels and 1.1 million hotel rooms. The shareholder vote conducted at each company on April 8 passed easily with 97 percent of Marriott’s shareholders approving the transaction and 95 percent of Starwood’s shareholders approving the deal. “There is no doubt that this transaction puts our company on the best path forward,” says Thomas Mangas, Starwood’s CEO. “We remain excited about the opportunity this combination will create for our stockholders, associates, owners and guests.” At closing, Starwood stockholders will receive 0.8 shares of Marriott common stock, plus $21 in cash for each share of Starwood common stock. The transaction is on target to close by the middle of this year.
PORT CHESTER, N.Y., AND NEW HAVEN, CONN. — Marcus & Millichap has brokered the sale of a two-property, 2,000-unit self-storage portfolio for $16 million, or $139 per square foot. The properties are the 937-unit Byram Self Storage in Port Chester and the 1,063-unit New Haven Self Storage in New Haven. Kevin Menendez, Michael Mele and J.D. Parker of Marcus & Millichap represented the seller, a Delaware-based limited liability company, and procured the buyer, a Santa Monica, Calif.-based company, in the transaction.
NEW BRITAIN, CONN., AND POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. — Cronheim Mortgage has arranged two loans totaling $9.5 million for two retail properties in New Britain and Poughkeepsie. Andrew Stewart and Dev Morris of Cronheim secured both 10-year loans, which feature a 4.22 percent fixed rate and 25-year amortization schedule. The loans were placed with Fidelity & Guaranty Life Insurance Co. In New Britain, an undisclosed borrower received $3.5 million in financing for Brittany West Plaza, a 39,438-square-foot retail property. The property is currently 100 percent leased to a variety of national and regional tenants, including Subway, TD Bank, Hair Cuttery, Gloria’s Nails and Arthur Murray Dance Studio. In Poughkeepsie, an undisclosed borrower received $6 million in financing for Poughkeepsie Plaza, a 170,966-square-foot community shopping center. Originally constructed in 1958, the property was partially enclosed in 1978, with various additions from 1983 to 2004.
