BOSTON, CAMBRIDGE & BRIGHTON, MASS. — KeyBank Real Estate Capital has secured $38.7 million in Fannie Mae financing for a four-property multifamily portfolio located in Massachusetts. A $20.7 million first mortgage loan was secured by Boylston Apartments, a 129-unit property built in 1927 in Boston; a $10.1 million first mortgage loan was secured by Cambridge Apartments, a 56-unit property built in 1880 in Cambridge; and a $7.9 million first mortgage loan was secured by Commonwealth & Lothian Apartments, two properties totaling 61-units built between 1925 and 1928 in Brighton. Hayley Suminski of KeyBank’s commercial mortgage group arranged the financing with 10-year terms, five years of interest-only payments and 30-year amortization schedules. The non-recourse loans were used to refinance existing debt.
HOPKINTON, MASS. — SVN | Parsons Commercial Group | Boston, in partnership with AIS Development, has brokered two office leases totaling 70,000 square feet at 35 Parkwood Dr. in Hopkinton. After acquiring the unoccupied 160,000-square-foot research and development property in November 2016, the partnership has begun a renovation and marketing plan. The building, which formerly served as EMC’s headquarters, has been vacant for more than 10 years. Located in the Elmwood Business Park, the property now boasts two tenants: Illinois Tool Works and PrismHR. Victor Galvani of SVN | Parsons Commercial Group | Boston is handling the leasing at the building.
FAIRFIELD, CONN. — Jon Angel of Angel Commercial has arranged the $1 million acquisition of 107 Ardmore St. in Fairfield. The property consists of an 8,196-square-foot industrial building on .63 acres. Angel represented the buyer, Ardmore LLC, which acquired the property as an investment.
NEW YORK CITY — The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and Urbahn Architects have completed the renovation of the Morgan Avenue subway station house in Brooklyn. Serving the L train line, the Morgan Avenue station house is located near the intersection of Bogart Street and Harrison Place in the East Williamsburg neighborhood. MTA served as project manager as well as structural, civil, mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineer for the upgrades. Double M Construction was the general contractor. The station opened on July 14, 1928, as part of an extension of the BMT Canarsie line. Renovations included replacement of the 400-square-foot brick and limestone façade, repairs to the roof and installation of a new framed entrance with transom windows, exterior LED lighting and exterior signage.
PHILADELPHIA — Metro Commercial Real Estate has brokered leases for six small-format Target stores in Philadelphia. The company’s Steve Niggeman and Tom Londres represented Target in the following leases: Lincoln Square: Store opening in October 2018 at 1000 S. Broad St. Alterra Property Group and Kimco Realty Corp. will be the owners of the 36,000-square-foot location. Northern Liberties: Store opening in July 2018 at 456 N. 5th St. Alliance Partners HSP will own the 47,000-square-foot location. Ivy Ridge Shopping Center: Store opened in March at 7162 Ridge Ave. Brixmor Property Group owns the 47,000-square-foot location. 2100 Pennsylvania Ave.: Store opening in October. Range Properties will own the 32,000-square-foot location. 1122-28 Chestnut St.: Store opened in July 2016. Brickstone Co. owns the 19,000-square-foot location. 1900-06 Chestnut St.: Store opened in October 2016. Pearl Properties owns the 23,000-square-foot location.
NEW YORK CITY — Bestreich Realty Group has arranged the $11.4 million sale of a six-story mixed-use building in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn. The property is located at 66 Graham Ave. and features 30 rent-stabilized apartments and six retail spaces including two clothing stores, a jewelry store, a 99-cent store, a barbershop and a newsstand. The 25,900-square-foot building was built in 1925. Bestreich Realty Group’s Luke Sproviero and Derek Bestreich represented both the buyer, local investor Morris Weinberg, and the seller, father and son clothing moguls Ruby and Victor Azrak, who had owned the building since 1986.
NEW YORK CITY — Eastern Consolidated’s capital advisory division has secured a $6 million loan to refinance the ground lease for a 33,636-square-foot shopping center. The property is located at 945 White Plains Road in the Soundview neighborhood of The Bronx. Tenants at the center include Modell’s Sporting Goods, Party City and GameStop. Sam Zabala and Charles Han of Eastern Consolidated represented the borrower, M&M of Bruckner LLC, which is operated by the Modell family, and secured a loan from Signature Bank.
WHITEHALL, PA. — Derek Zerfass of Colliers International’s Allentown office represented BB&T in the $1.2 million sale of a 3,061-square-foot former bank branch building at 2545 Mickley Ave. in Whitehall. The building will be demolished to make way for a Wendy’s restaurant. Steve Clipman of ROCK Commercial Real Estate represented the buyer.
GREENWICH, CONN. — Starwood Capital Group has agreed to acquire Forestar Group Inc., a residential and mixed-use real estate development company, for $605 million. Starwood will acquire all of the outstanding shares of Forestar’s common stock for $14.25 per share in cash. The Forestar Board of Directors has unanimously approved the merger agreement and has recommended approval of the merger by Forestar’s stockholders. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2017. “Over the past 18 months Forestar has significantly reduced costs and outstanding debt, exited non-core assets and focused on its core community development business. While executing these key initiatives, the board and management have been evaluating longer term strategic alternatives,” says James Rubright, chairman of the Forestar board. “After conducting a thorough review assisted by highly experienced financial and legal advisors, the board believes that engaging in the transaction with Starwood is the best option to maximize stockholder value.” JMP Securities LLC is serving as financial advisor to Forestar, while Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP is serving as legal advisor. Kirkland & Ellis LLP is serving as legal advisor to Starwood. Austin, Texas-based Forestar Group maintains a portfolio of 50 residential and mixed-use …
BRIGHTON, MASS. — Transwestern Consulting Group (TCG) has arranged a construction and permanent financing loan on behalf of NB Development Group for 40 Guest St. in Brighton. According to public records, the loan amount was $76 million. TCG’s Chris Skeffington and Andrew Stone, along with NB Development’s Jim Halliday and Kevin Doyle, arranged the loan with East Boston Savings Bank. Part of the Boston Landing mixed-use development, 40 Guest St. is a planned 160,000-square-foot facility that will house the Boston Celtics’ new training and practice facility known as the Auerbach Center at New Balance World Headquarters. The project also includes two floors of Class A laboratory and office space totaling 83,500 square feet, plus 5,700 square feet of retail space. The project broke ground in November 2016, with completion expected in mid-2018. TCG provides leasing and property management services for Boston Landing.