Greater Boston’s office market is continuing a very strong streak, closing 2016 and the fourth quarter on a good note. The year saw 1.4 million square feet positively absorbed with 789,000 square feet absorbed in the fourth quarter. The current vacancy rate is 12.7 percent, slightly lower than the market average over the last five years of 13.6 percent. Average Class A asking rents are $43.12 per square foot, which has appreciated 9.1 percent in the last three years. Neither the quarter nor the year are aberrations. The market is on an extended run of positive returns. Office space in the Greater Boston market has now seen positive absorption in 14 of the last 15 quarters, accumulating 12 million square feet positively absorbed over that period. The Boston CBD contributed 59,000 square feet of positive absorption in the fourth quarter, decreasing the vacancy rate 0.1 percentage points to 9.6 percent. The most absorption of the CBD submarkets occurred in the Financial District, which saw 69,000 square feet positively absorbed. Average Class A asking rents are currently $55.09 per square foot in the CBD, led by Back Bay, which has an average asking rate of $62.51 per square foot. Across the …
CHELSEA, MASS. — Homewood Suites by Hilton Boston Logan Airport Chelsea is now open at 145 Beech St. in Chelsea. XSS Hotels owns the 152-suite property, and Colwen Hotels is the manager. Homewood Suites by Hilton Boston Logan Airport Chelsea offers studio and one-bedroom suites with kitchens and separate living and sleeping areas. Amenities include complimentary breakfast, an evening social Monday through Thursday, Wi-Fi, an indoor heated pool and fitness center. The property offers 2,200 square feet of flexible meeting space that can accommodate more than 200 guests.
BOSTON — Boston-based Fantini & Gorga has arranged $13 million to refinance three properties — located at 20 Winthrop Square, 85 Franklin St. and 77 Franklin St. — in Boston’s financial district. Wayne Clough and Despina Hixon of Fantini & Gorga arranged financing with one of the firm’s correspondent insurance companies. The three buildings are conjoined and collectively include 98,350 square feet of office and retail space. A.W. Perry has owned and managed the properties for several decades.
NEW YORK CITY — Eastern Consolidated has arranged a $26.4 million bridge loan from G4 Capital that will fund the recapitalization of a ground lease at 285 Schermerhorn St. in Brooklyn. Jonathan Aghravi and Charles Han of Eastern Consolidated represented the borrower, 285 Schermerhorn LLC, which plans to redevelop the site from its current seven-story structure to a 116,433-square-foot, 14-story residential building with 132 condominiums and 3,400 square feet of ground-floor retail space. Brooklyn Community Services owns the property and will maintain its headquarters in the building during and after the construction phase.
NORTH ATTLEBORO, MASS. — Stubblebine Co./CORFAC International and Atlantic Commercial Real Estate LLC have arranged the sale of 20 Alice Agnew Dr. in North Attleboro for $3.6M. HTI Medical purchased the property, a 44,450-square-foot office/warehouse building. David Stubblebine, James Stubblebine and Rob Stave of Stubblebine Co., represented the seller, Mercury Trading International, and Mark Kearins of Atlantic Commercial Real Estate LLC represented the buyer. 20 Alice Agnew Drive is the former home of Mercury Trading International and is located in the North Attleboro Industrial Park. HTI Medical was established in 1997 as a provider of clinical laboratory and ultrasound equipment.
BOSTON — Skanska USA has topped out 121 Seaport, a 17-story, 400,000-square-foot office building under construction in Boston. The construction milestone marks the completion of the building’s steel frame. Designed by CBT Architects, 121 Seaport is scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2018. The property is located in Boston’s Seaport district across from District Hall and Seaport Square Green. Its three-story lobby will face Boston Harbor and open onto Harbor Way, a 70-foot-wide pedestrian street. A team of nearly 200 construction workers has put more than 35,000 hours into the project to date.
WORCESTER, MASS. — David Cohen and Jim Cozza and Kelleher & Sadowsky Associates have brokered the $5.5 million sale of 225 Shrewsbury St. in Worcester. The 33,000-square-foot retail space is located on 2.4 acres. The property currently includes four current tenants and will be expanded this year.
Investors are attracted to Boston due to its diverse economy, education base and strong market fundamentals. In fact, major corporations like GE, Reebok, New Balance, and most recently Asics have all relocated to the city or are in the planning to relocate or rebrand here. As a result of this heightened interest in Boston as a global headquarters destination, the city is expected to grow, which in turn creates housing demand. Rhythm between Cap Rates and Interest Rates As investors know, there is a direct correlation between cap rates and interest rates. However, while a correlation exists, not all buyer profiles are necessarily affected in the same way in a shifting interest rate environment. Highest impact: Leveraged buyers would be most impacted by rising interest rates since they are typically trying to maximize leverage when pursuing an acquisition. With shifting interest rates, higher rates have a direct impact to potential returns. If leveraged buyers can borrow less at high rates, this has a direct impact to pricing/cap rates. Within the leveraged buyer profile, groups possessing strong balance sheets and banking relationships will be less impacted than groups not necessarily in the same financial position. Moderate impact: Cash and low-leverage buyers …
BOSTON — Citizens Commercial Banking has provided a $70 million loan to TS Lodging LLC / Norwich Partners to partially finance the construction of a 340-room Marriott Moxy Hotel on the corner of Stuart and Tremont streets in downtown Boston. Citizens is the lead debt arranger of the four-bank group. Construction has begun on the property, which is slated for delivery in the fourth quarter of 2018. Norwich Partners has developed more than two dozen chain-affiliated hotels across New England and Florida. Boston’s Marriott Moxy Hotel will span 142,400 square feet across 25 stories with an illuminated rooftop lounge, 24-hour café, coffee bar, restaurant and lounge. The second and third floors will include common areas, with a fitness center on the third floor.
BOSTON — Chevron Partners, a privately-held real estate firm, has acquired 260-262 Commonwealth Ave. in Boston from Commonwealth Realty Trust for $14 million. The 1880-built brownstone will be redeveloped into five apartments, which will be known as Maison Commonwealth. The property, currently a dorm for Bay State College students, includes on-site parking for each residence and is a joint venture between developers Fulton and Marcel Safar. Chevron Partners’ first residential property, Maison Vernon, is located at 41 Mount Vernon St. in Beacon Hill. The renovation is scheduled for completion in late spring 2019.