JERSEY CITY, N.J. — Local firms Ironstate Development Co. and Kushner Real Estate Group have begun preleasing 235 Grand, a 46-story multifamily tower in Jersey City. Designed by HLW International, the property comprises 546 units in studio, one- and two-bedroom floor plans. Amenities include a pool, movie theater, outdoor grilling areas, a playground and a dog run. Initial occupancy is scheduled for September. Monthly rents start at $2,060 for a studio unit, $2,540 for a one-bedroom unit and $3,680 for a two-bedroom residence.
New Jersey
NEWARK, N.J. — MCR, a hospitality owner-operator based in Dallas and New York City, has acquired the 150-room Courtyard by Marriott Newark Downtown. The property, which opened in 2012, is located near Newark Penn Station, Newark Liberty International Airport and the Prudential Center, a live music venue. Hotel amenities include a restaurant, coffee shop, snack shop, a fitness center and more than 4,000 square feet of meeting and event space. The seller and sales price were not disclosed.
MONTVALE, N.J. — HFF has negotiated the sale of 5 Paragon Drive, a 120,000-square-foot office property in Montvale, located near the New York border. The site also houses a Wegmans grocery store and a Life Time Fitness center. Tenants at the property, which was 71 percent leased at the time of sale, include BMW, Benjamin Moore, KPMG and Sharp Corp. Jose Cruz, Kevin O’Hearn, Stephen Simonelli, Michael Oliver and J.B. Bruno of HFF represented the seller, a private equity firm, in the transaction. The buyer and sales price were not disclosed.
MORRISTOWN, N.J. — CBRE has arranged a $53.6 million loan for the acquisition of 445 South Street, a 320,274-square-foot office building in Morristown, located west of Newark. James Gunning, Donna Falzarano and Kyle Saviano of CBRE sourced the financing through Morgan Stanley to finance the sponsor’s prior all-cash acquisition of the property. The borrower was Strategic Real Estate LLC. The building is leased to tenants such as Travelers Insurance, Covanta Energy Corp. and Arch Reinsurance Co., and offers amenities such as a outdoor basketball court, a fitness center, two conference rooms and a full-service cafeteria.
EAST BRUNSWICK, N.J. — American Equity Partners has purchased One Tower Center, a 23-story office property in East Brunswick, located roughly midway between Trenton and Newark, for $38 million. The property was 39 percent leased at the time of sale, and the new ownership will implement a value-add program that will reimagine the lobby and expand the amenity package. Jeffrey Dunne, Jeremy Neuer, Travis Langer and Zach McHale of CBRE represented the seller, an institutional investor, and procured the buyer in the transaction.
EAST WINDSOR, N.J. — Dermody Properties has acquired a 615,000-square-foot logistics center in East Windsor, a northern suburb of Trenton. Built in 1998 and expanded in 2003, the 51.5-acre property features a clear height of 36 feet, 41 dock-high doors, 413 automobile parking spots and 28 trailer parking spots. Dermody, an investment firm based in Reno, Nevada, plans to upgrade the building and make the space available for occupancy by 2020. CBRE is handling leasing of the center.
CHERRY HILL, N.J. — JLL has negotiated the $17.4 million sale of Colwick Business Center, a 172,500-square-foot office park located outside Philadelphia in Cherry Hill. The three-building property was 90 percent leased at the time of sale. An undisclosed Brooklyn-based firm acquired the portfolio from a joint venture between Endurance Real Estate Group and Blue Vista Capital Management. Brett Grifo, Jim Galbally, John Plower and Chad Orcutt of JLL brokered the deal.
LITTLE FERRY, N.J. — NorthMarq Capital has provided $44.4 million in Freddie Mac loans for the refinancing of a three-property multifamily portfolio totaling 516 units in Little Ferry, located across from Upper Manhattan. The properties include Gilbert Manor, North Village I and North Village II. Robert Ranieri of NorthMarq’s White Plains, New York, office arranged the loans, which were structured with seven-year terms, two years of interest-only payments and 30-year amortization schedules on behalf of the undisclosed borrower.
NEW JERSEY — Seagis Property Group, an industrial investment firm based in metro Philadelphia, has acquired four assets in northern New Jersey totaling 274,000 square feet. The seller and sales price were not disclosed. The properties, which were fully leased at the time of sale, include 100 Frontage Road in Newark (180,000 square feet), 400 County Avenue in Secaucus (45,000 square feet), 27 Engelhard Avenue (26,000 square feet) in Avenel and 360 Allwood Road (23,000 square feet) in Clifton. Seagis now owns 32 buildings totaling 4.7 million square feet throughout Northern New Jersey.
Shifting consumer preferences for convenience and variety have become key drivers for brick-and-mortar retail. And when it comes to creating co-tenancies that drive traffic to retail properties, dining, personal services and fitness are among today’s most desirable categories. Fortunately, they also are among the sector’s most active space users in today’s market. Strong restaurant demand among brands new to, and expanding in, the regional market continues unabated, and year-to-date activity reflects a new level of diversity. From national brands to regional chains like café and bakery Dulce De Leche to expanding local mom-and-pop businesses, these tenants are serving as “internet-proof” placemakers for the retail properties they occupy. And many tenants are looking to step up the dining experience with outdoor seating, revolving menus and entertainment, among other offerings that spark return visits. The same holds true for personal services, where boutique concepts have become sought-after shopping center additions. Again, diversity is a common theme, with activity involving traditional salons as well as specialized concepts like Sport Clips, which caters to men and boys, and local businesses that offer makeup services, waxing and other niche beauty treatments. We also are watching with interest the emergence of brands offering coworking space for …