The Capital Region continues to experience low vacancy rates across the industrial sector. The region’s growth over the last decade has primarily been driven by multibillion-dollar investments by GlobalFoundries, a semiconductor foundry, and State University of New York Polytechnic Institute (known as SUNY Poly). With limited new construction and virtually no spec-built facilities, the rates on existing spaces have finally experienced some rental appreciation after remaining relatively flat over the decade from 2005 to 2015. For the most part, the region has seen existing tenants shifting to new locations within the marketplace as opposed to companies entering to the marketplace for the first time. Generally, new entrants to the market that have some technology component to their business are locating at the SUNY Poly campus or related facilities. One of the most notable recent transactions was the $57 million sale of The Beltrone Portfolio to The Rosenblum Companies. The portfolio totaled 23 buildings made up of a mix of office and industrial properties. The industrial assets included 10 buildings that would be classified as Class A and B product. Historically the entire portfolio maintained a low vacancy status and at the time of sale it was approximately 5 percent vacant. …
New York
Bestreich Realty Group Facilitates $9.2M Sale of 38-Unit Multifamily Portfolio in Brooklyn
by Amy Works
NEW YORK CITY — Bestreich Realty Group has brokered the sale of a 38-unit five-building assemblage of multifamily properties located at 255-265 Linden St. in Brooklyn’s Bushwick neighborhood. Linden Street Group acquired the properties from Excelsior Equities for $9.5 million. The assemblage comprises four contiguous eight-unit properties and one six-unit property. The buyer plans to hold the property and maximize value. Derek Bestreich, Luke Sproviero, Steve Reynolds of Bestreich represented the buyer and seller in the deal.
NEW YORK CITY — Forest City Ratner Cos. has opened 461 Dean, the world’s tallest modular tower and only modular residential high rise. Located at Greenland Forest City Partners’ Pacific Park Brooklyn, the 32-story high-rise tower features 363 rental apartments. Designed by SHoP Architects, the tower features 149 studios, 166 one-bedroom apartments and 48 two-bedroom apartments, with 23 original unit configurations. Unit prices for studios start at $2,450, one bedrooms start at $3,125 and two bedrooms start at $4,750. On-site amenities include a 24-hour doorman, modern fitness center, yoga and dance studio, sky lounge and rooftop terrace, game room, and children’s playroom as well as in-unit washers/dryers. The property, which is slated for LEED Silver certification, is the first residential building to open at the 22-acre Pacific Park Brooklyn mixed-use community. Pacific Park Brooklyn is being developed by a joint venture between Greenland USA and Forest City Ratner Cos., which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Forest City Realty Trust.
Magnum Real Estate, Winter Properties Complete 505-Bed Residence Hall at the School of Visual Arts
by Amy Works
NEW YORK CITY — A partnership between Magnum Real Estate Group and Winter Properties has completed the development of 24th Street Residence, a 505-bed residence hall located at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. Designed by Ismael Leyva Architects, the recently completed 146,827-square-foot building features student housing, rotating exhibition space, retail and office facilities. The residence hall offers double and triple rooms in a micro-apartment format, each featuring a private bathroom and kitchenette. Community amenities include an outdoor terrace with a barbecue and wet bar; a fully equipped fitness center and yoga room; a theater; a multi-media room and lounge; bike storage; and indoor laundry facilities.
NEW YORK CITY — Cushman & Wakefield has appointed Bruce Mosler, chairman of Global Brokerage, as chair of the firm’s Veterans Initiative. In this role, Mosler will oversee a comprehensive program aimed at hiring U.S. veterans into various service lines and geographies at the Cushman & Wakefield. In order to meet its goal of hiring additional veterans to its workforce, the company will leverage existing relationships with partner veteran-focused organizations, like Syracuse University’s Institute for Veterans and Military Families and the Fisher House Foundation. Additionally, the firm will work closely with the Veterans Jobs Mission, a coalition of more than 230 companies that have collectively employed 348,000 veterans.
NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. — HFF has facilitated the sale of La Rochelle, a 25-story luxury apartment building located at 255 Huguenot St. in New Rochelle. Boston-based DSF Group acquired the 412-unit property from 255 Huguenot Street Corp. for $148.5 million. The property features 43 studios, 142 one-bedroom, 185 two-bedroom and 42 three-bedroom units, including loft-style apartments and penthouse suites. Additionally, the building features 6,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space, a 422-space parking garage and rights for the development of an additional 40-story residential tower. On-site amenities include an outdoor swimming pool with sundeck, clubroom with fireplace, conference room, state-of-the-art fitness center, yoga room and a landscaped courtyard with grilling area. Jose Cruz, Kevin O’Hearn, Michael Oliver, Stephen Simonelli and Andrew Scandalios of HFF represented the seller in the transaction.
NEW YORK CITY — Meridian Capital Group has arranged $30 million in financing for the refinance of an office property located at 264-268 W. 40th St. in Manhattan’s Garment District. The 10-year loan, provided by a national balance sheet lender, features a competitive fixed rate of 3.5 percent. Avi Weinstock, Josh Rhine and Luke Hingson of Meridian secured the financing for the borrower, Renaissance Properties. The 20-story, 120,000-square-foot office building is occupied by 40 tenants, including two restaurants as retail tenants.
Rosewood Realty Facilitates $42M Acquisition of Affordable Housing Complex in the Bronx
by Amy Works
NEW YORK CITY — Rosewood Realty Group has arranged the acquisition of Noonan Plaza, an affordable housing complex located at 105 W. 168th St. in the South Bronx’s Highbridge neighborhood. Spencer Equity acquired the property for $42 million. The seven-story, 335,000-square-foot asset features 283 residential units and eight retail units. Aaron Jungreis of Rosewood Realty Group represented the buyer and the seller, Joel Leder (Noonan Plaza LLC), in the transaction.
HAUPPAUGE, N.Y. — Waramaug LS Hotels has purchased the Holiday Inn Express Hauppauge Long Island in Hauppauge for an undisclosed price. Opened in 2001, the seven-story, 133-room hotel recently underwent a comprehensive renovation that upgraded the entire property to latest brand standards. The hotel features an indoor swimming pool, business center, fitness center, sundry shop, complimentary breakfast, free high-speed wireless internet and two meeting rooms. The name of the seller was not released.
NEW YORK CITY — Eastern Union Funding has secured a $15 million non-recourse loan to refinance an office building located at 201 Edward Curry Ave. in Staten Island. The borrower, Addwel LLC, occupies 40 percent of the three-story, 82,528-square-foot office building. Additional tenants include ADCO Electric, IDB Bank, TCE Insurance Services and Vaslas Lepowsky Hauss & Danke. Meir Kessner of Eastern Union Funding arranged the financing, which was provided by Bethpage Federal Credit Union.