SADDLE BROOK, N.J. — Vision Real Estate Partners has acquired a two-building neighborhood shopping center at 55-75 Mayhill St. in Saddle Brook. Situated on 12 acres, the center is anchored by a 62,000-square-foot A&P supermarket. The site is also approved for an additional 12,000 square feet of retail space. Constructed between 1998 and 2000, the 119,000-square-foot property offers 800 parking spaces and 45,000 square feet of near-term availability. Jose Cruz, Kevin O’Hearn and Robert Borny of HFF represented the undisclosed seller in the transaction. Jon Mikula and Jim Cadranell, also of HFF, secured acquisition financing for the buyer through Oritani Bank.
New Jersey
Momentum in Northern New Jersey’s multifamily market continues unabated, with investors aggressively pursuing opportunities, and developers actively launching projects along the Hudson River Gold Coast and west along transit lines. Heading into the heart of 2015, we are seeing demand drive up sales volume and values, and push cap rates down to historically low levels. Current investment velocity follows a strong 2014 capital markets performance. Last year, $1.3 billion in multifamily sales (including transactions of $10 million or more) marked the highest volume since 2007, and compares to approximately $900 million annually in both 2012 and 2013. For context, the market saw only $169 million in annual trades during the depth of the recession in 2009. The “buy” side today is dominated by institutional advisors, particularly for Class A apartment communities. Additionally, we are seeing privately held firms and raised funds making big splashes with value-add and Class B product. Northern New Jersey’s active sellers include developers and private owners looking to take advantage of valuations that have appreciated to historically high levels, as well as institutions that are cycling assets at the end of their traditionally long-term investment horizons. Additionally, multifamily cap rates have dropped consistently in Northern New …
RIDGEFIELD AND NORTH BERGEN, N.J. — Cronheim Mortgage has arranged two loans totaling $13.5 million for two warehouse and distribution facilities in New Jersey. In the first transaction, Cronheim secured $10 million in financing for a 325,340-square-foot warehouse in Ridgefield. The 10-year loan features four years of interest-only payments and a 32-year amortization schedule. The property features 20-foot clear height ceilings, 24,000 square feet of office space, truck loading space and vehicle parking. Additionally, Cronheim arranged a $3.5 million loan for a 235,000-square-foot industrial facility in North Bergen. The 10-year loan features a 30-year amortization schedule. Leased by a wine and spirits company, the facility features 20-foot ceiling heights, ample truck and car parking, and 6,500 square feet of office space. Dev Morris and Andrew Stewart of Cronheim Mortgage arranged the financing in both deals.
PARSIPPANY, N.J. — Cushman & Wakefield has brokered the sale of Waterview Plaza, a Class A office building located at 2001 Route 46 East in Parsippany. Norwalk, Conn.-based Marcus Partners acquired the 130,000-square-foot property for an undisclosed sum from Waterview Plaza Associates LLC, which developed the property in 1981. Key tenants at the property include Hennion & Walsh and HQ Global Workplaces LLC/Regus Corp., both with long-term leases. The buyer has a $2.6 million capital improvement program slated for the property. David Bernhaut, Andy Merin, Andy Schwartz and Nick Karali of Cushman & Wakefield represented the seller in the transaction. Additionally, the buyer retained Cushman & Wakefield as leasing agents for the property.
CARTERET, N.J. — CBRE Group Inc. has arranged the sale of a warehouse and distribution property located at 200 Milik St. in Carteret. TIAA-CREF purchased the 232,134-square-foot property for $49.5 million from The Hampshire Companies. Constructed in 2012, the facility features 36-foot clear ceiling heights, 52-by-50-foot column spacing, ESFR sprinkler systems and up to 40 loading docks. The seller began construction of the property on a speculative basis and fully leased the building to FedEx Ground prior to completion. Jeffrey Dunne, Kevin Welsh and Brian Schulz of CBRE Group Inc. represented the seller and the buyer in the transaction.
CRANFORD, N.J. — Woodmont Properties has opened Woodmont Station at Cranford, an apartment community located in Cranford. Located at 555 S. Avenue East, the Woodmont Station at Cranford features 163 one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments in six different floor plans ranging from 858 and 1,238 square feet. The apartments feature gourmet kitchens with quartz countertops, full stainless steel appliance packages and bar-style seating. Community amenities include an outdoor spa pool and barbecue terrace, game room, strength and cardio center, state-of-the-art fitness studio with virtual classes on demand, clubroom with resident lounge, cyber café, bark park and an indoor pet spa. The company broke ground on the property, which is more than 50 percent leased, in 2013.
NORTH BRUNSWICK, N.J. — The Azarian Group has acquired The Shoppes at North Brunswick, a shopping center located at 650 Shoppes Blvd. in North Brunswick. A New York City-based REIT sold the property for $33.7 million. The 150,000-square-foot center is occupied by national and franchise tenants, including Banana Republic, Talbots, Five Below, Anthropologie, Starbucks Coffee, White House/Black Market, Aeropostale, Chipotle and 34 other tenants. Charming Charlie, Corner Bakery, Supercuts and Wingstop are opening locations at the center. Terms of the transaction, including acquisition price, were not released. The name of the seller was not disclosed.
ENGLEWOOD, N.J. — The S.Hekemian Group has broken ground for construction of Englewood South Phase 4 (ES4), a Class A office building located at 10 Sterling Blvd. in Englewood. The 46,000-square-foot office building, which will feature ground-floor retail space, is slated for completion in first quarter 2016. ES4 will feature strong exterior architecture with classic masonry and refined finishes throughout the interior. Tenant spaces will feature oversized ceiling heights and loft-like, open-plan build-outs with exposed ceilings and ductwork. Brian Silbert and Wayne Kasbar of Silbert Realty & Management are the exclusive leasing agents for the property.
EATONTOWN, N.J. — AC Donato Construction LLC, an affiliate of The Donato Group, and W. Lerman Architecture are redeveloping and renovating the 108-year-old former Fred G. Steelman School in Eatontown. Voyagers’ Community School, a private day school, will relocate from Farmingdale, N.J., to the renovated property upon completion of the $1.2 million first phase of the project in September. The second phase of the project includes the addition of 2,000 square feet to increase the building to a total of 20,000 square feet. In the interim, 5,000 square feet within in the building’s annex with be set aside for offices for a variety of independent, child-focused professional services, including occupational therapy, psychological counseling, speech therapy and medical services. Located at 215 Broad St., the renovated school features a commercial kitchen for cooking classes, art studio, a kiln, state-of-the-art computer and science laboratories, a music room, and an all-purpose room to serve a gymnasium and meeting space, as well as an outside area designed by students. Construction of the second phase is expected to start in summer 2016, with completion scheduled in time for the 2016-2017 school year.
PEDRICKTOWN, N.J. — Five Below (NASDAQ: FIVE), a retailer catering to pre-teens and teens, and supply-chain company NFI have opened a more than 1 million-square-foot distribution center in Pedricktown. Five Below will occupy 700,000 square feet of the property, which broke ground in September 2014, and use the property as its eastern U.S. distribution center servicing more than 300 retail store locations in the region. The new distribution center is bringing an estimated 100 jobs to the area. The facility features three miles of conveyor equipment and 2,500 tons of steel racking to support year-round operations.