LOWELL, MASS. — Legacy Real Estate Ventures has acquired 55 Technology Drive, an 84,000-square-foot office and healthcare building in Lowell, located approximately 30 miles north of Boston. At the time of sale, the property was 100 percent leased to Lowell General Hospital, Borrego Solar, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, software developer Contract Logix and tech company Diagnosys. Anthony Biette of Peak Real Estate Partners represented the seller, a joint venture between Novaya Real Estate Ventures LLC and Hawk Properties. Biette also procured Legacy as the buyer. The sales price was undisclosed.
Massachusetts
Kelleher & Sadowsky Negotiates $13M Sale of Office Building in Worcester, Massachusetts
by Alex Patton
WORCESTER, MASS. — Kelleher & Sadowsky Associates Inc. has negotiated the $13 million sale of an 85,000-square-foot office building in Worcester, located approximately 45 miles west of Boston. Located at 324 Clark St., the building was 100 percent leased at the time of sale. Tenants include the Department of Developmental Services, Department of Early Education and Care, South Bay Community Services and Nouria Energy Corp. Donald Mancini and James P. Cozza of Kelleher & Sadowsky represented the seller, Worcester Investment Group, in the deal. The team also procured the buyer, Lowfield Realty Group. Cornerstone Bank provided acquisition financing for the buyer.
Stop & Shop to Donate $1M to Support Regional Food Bank Partners in Fulfilling Coronavirus Needs in Northeast
by Alex Patton
QUINCY, MASS. — Stop & Shop, a metro Boston-based regional grocer, will donate $1 million to support its food bank partners across the Northeast in their efforts to fulfill community needs amid the coronavirus outbreak. Proceeds will fund workers who may not be compensated during temporary work closures, as well as to support children without access to free meals at school and existing clients who currently face food insecurity. The donation will be divided among the grocer’s 13 partners, including Greater Boston Food Bank, Rhode Island Community Food Bank and Food Bank for NYC. Stop & Shop operates 415 stores across the Northeast, all of which have remained operational with reduced hours and other restrictions.
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JLL Arranges $991.8M in Financing for 17-Property National Portfolio
by Amy Works
SAN FRANCISCO — JLL Capital Markets has secured $991.8 million in financing for a 17-property portfolio totaling more than 7 million square feet across seven states, including California, Arizona, Texas, Tennessee, Georgia, Virginia and Massachusetts. The portfolio’s five office assets comprise the majority of the asset’s value, with the remaining properties consisting of nine industrial facilities and three multifamily communities. The commercial property portfolio is leased to a diverse mix of tenants from a variety of industries, including financial services, media, software, government, food, law, internet, e-commerce and healthcare. Further details on the assets were not disclosed. The JLL team worked on behalf of CalSTRS and its advisor, PCCP, to arrange the 10-year, fixed-rate loan with New York Life Insurance Co. Kevin MacKenzie, Bruce Ganong, Brian Torp, Spencer Bergthold, Sam Godfrey, Bercut Smith and Andie Fezell of JLL represented the borrower in the financing.
BOSTON — Starwood Real Estate Income Trust Inc. has acquired the leasehold interest in 60 State Street in downtown Boston. Local city records indicate a sales price of $614 million. The 38-story office and retail tower spans 911,394 square feet. The tower’s major tenants include law firm WilmerHale, asset manager Amundi Pioneer, advertising technology solutions provider Criteo, and asset manager BlackRock. A three-level Samuel Adams Tap Room, which opened earlier this year, anchors the retail portion. The building also features the State Room event space on floors 33 and 34 and a 240-space parking garage. Institutional investors advised by J.P. Morgan Asset Management and Oxford Properties Group sold the asset. Robert Griffin, Edward Maher, Matthew Pullen, Samantha Hallowell, Debra Gould and Gilbert Dailey of Newmark Knight Frank (NKF) oversaw the transaction, which marks the largest sales price recorded for an office asset year-to-date in Boston’s central business district, according to NKF. Starwood Real Estate Income Trust is a nontraded REIT managed by Starwood Capital Group, a global private investment firm. — Kristin Hiller
NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, PENNSYLVANIA, MASSACHUSETTS — An Oxford Economics study for the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) has found that 44 percent of hotel employees in every state have lost or are projected to lose their jobs as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. AHLA reports that hotel occupancy rates in some markets are below 20 percent following restrictions of air-travel and business shutdowns in many states, including New York. Of the state’s 112,897 direct hotel operations jobs, 49,674 have been lost or are projected to be lost in the coming weeks. Hotel job loss has also affected other major markets in the Northeast including New Jersey (52,490 jobs, 23,096 lost); Pennsylvania (65,229 jobs, 28,701 lost); and Massachusetts (40,562 jobs, 17,847 lost).
NORWELL, MASS. — Newmark Knight Frank (NKF) has brokered the sale of 42 Longwater Drive, a 104,000-square-foot office building in Norwell, located approximately 25 miles southeast of Boston. The property is situated within the 1 million-square-foot Assinippi Park office complex and is located in close proximity to several retail destinations, including Derby Street Shops, Merchant’s Row and the newly redeveloped Hanover Mall. Edward Maher, Matthew Pullen and Samantha Hallowell led an NKF team that represented the seller, The RMR Group. The buyer, waste management company Clean Harbors, has used the building as its headquarters since 2005. The sales price was undisclosed.
Parent Company of T.J. Maxx, Marshalls Closes All Stores, Distribution Centers for Two Weeks
by Alex Patton
FRAMINGHAM, MASS. — TJX Cos., the Framingham-Mass.-based parent company of T.J. Maxx, HomeGoods and Marshalls, has closed all stores under its brands for two weeks in response to the coronavirus outbreak, according to a statement from company CEO and president Ernie Herrman. In addition to T.J. Maxx (approximately 1,200 stores in the United States), HomeGoods (700) and Marshalls (1,000), the corporation also owns Sierra and Homesense, which have a combined 43 stores in the United States. TJX will also be closing all of its online businesses, distribution centers and offices.
Berkadia Arranges $211.2M Loan for Refinancing of Multifamily Property in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
by Alex Patton
CHESTNUT HILL, MASS. — Berkadia has arranged a $211.2 million refinancing loan for Hancock Village, a 161-unit multifamily community in Chestnut Hill, a northwestern suburb of Boston. The 15-year Freddie Mac loan featured a fixed interest rate and a 30-year amortization schedule. The property features one- and two-bedroom townhomes and amenities including a fitness center and a resident lounge. Robert Lipson of Berkadia arranged the loan on behalf of the borrower, Chestnut Hill Realty.
Greystar Underway on 126-Unit Multifamily Project in Boston’s Bay Village Neighborhood
by Alex Patton
BOSTON — Greystar Real Estate Partners is underway on a 126-unit multifamily project in the Bay Village neighborhood of Boston. The 150,000-square-fooot, 19-story building will be located at 212 Stuart St., a site that was previously a vacant lot. The project will also include two townhouses and retail space on the ground level. Sasaki is serving as the project architect, and Höweler + Yoon is the design architect. Construction is slated for completion in early 2022.