WOODLAND PARK, N.J. — Azarian Realty Co. has leased 5,500 square feet at Lenox Plaza Shopping Center in Woodland Park to two tenants. Coco Chateau, which is a retailer of gowns and dresses, signed a 4,000-square-foot lease. The retailer operates two locations in the New Jersey area. Restaurant 46 Denville Grill has leased 1,500 square feet in Lenox Plaza. The restaurant serves hot dogs, burgers, fried chicken and more. The 50,000-square-foot Lenox Plaza Shopping Center is located at 1750 Route 46 W., about 13 miles north of Newark. Golfsmith, Party City, Pizza Hut and Sleepy’s anchor the property. The Azarian Group LLC and Azarian Realty Co. currently owns, manages and leases 20 properties totaling more than 1 million square feet throughout New Jersey and New York.
If only the economy would cooperate, there are signs of improvement in the downtown and suburban Hartford office market. Modest expansion and non-traditional absorption of office buildings is beginning to create shortages of large blocks of office space in certain areas. Places like West Hartford Center, Glastonbury’s Somerset Square area, Corporate Ridge in Rocky Hill, downtown Middletown and downtown Hartford have all seen their best Class A buildings’ occupancy levels grow. Vacancy is being concentrated in buildings that suffer from either age-related challenges, capital issues or buildings that are in an ownership transition. Unfortunately, although the governor and legislature have taken some positive steps to create economic activity, the state is still mired in a high-tax, high-cost model that is eroding or tempering growth from many of our largest employers and keeping new businesses from entering the market. In spite of that self-inflicted condition, here are the trends that are currently shaping the current office market in Hartford County: Non-traditional absorption: real estate demand for educational, multi-family residential, medical and government facilities is booming compared to corporate office needs. Offices buildings are being taken out of inventory for conversions to schools, apartments, medical offices and state offices. While some of …
SECAUCUS, N.J. — Affiliates of the Harbor Group International LLC have acquired 100 Plaza Drive, a 265,000-square-foot, four-story office building in Secaucus, for $47 million. Hartz Mountain sold the property, which is 90 percent leased. NBA Entertainment and Scholastic Corp. anchor the office building and occupy 81 percent of the total square footage. The property includes 105 below-grade parking spaces for tenant use, as well as access to a 1,250-space surface lot and 483-space parking deck adjacent to the property. NBA Properties recently invested $43 million in base building and infrastructure improvements to its space.
NEW YORK CITY — Massey Knakal has arranged the $45 million sale of The Boulevard Heights Portfolio, which includes four multifamily properties located in Manhattan. The sales price equates to approximately $185 per square foot. The buildings are located at 3489 Broadway, 519 W. 143rd St., 610 West 163rd St. and 548 W. 164th St. in the West Harlem and Washington Heights neighborhoods. The four pre-war properties total 205 units and approximately 242,740 square feet. Bob Knakal, Robert Shapiro and Josh Lipton of Massey Knakal arranged the sale.
NEW YORK CITY — Avison Young has completed a 26,400-square-foot office lease at 101 Park Ave. in Manhattan on behalf of investment management firm Federated Investors Inc. The lease comprises the tower’s entire 41st floor. Federated will move into its space at 101 Park Ave. in December 2014, upon completion of its build-out. Principals Greg Kraut and Brad Totten of Avison Young represented Federated in the transaction. John Cefaly and Clark Finney of Cushman & Wakefield represented the landlord, H.J. Kalikow & Co. LLC. Avison Young’s New York City-based project management team, led by Edward Walsh and Kirsten Beck, is overseeing the design and construction of Federated’s new office.
BOSTON — AKF Group, a full-service consulting engineering firm, has signed a 15,247-square-foot office lease at 99 Bedford St. in downtown Boston. Currently occupying 7,820 square feet at 41 Farnsworth St. in Boston’s Innovation District, AKF plans to move into its new larger space in spring 2014. The firm will occupy the entire second floor of the five-story, 84,000-square-foot standalone office building.Brandon Leitner and Rick Lowe of Cresa Boston represented AKF Group in the leasing transaction. Barry Dubé and Kari Panutich of Cresa’s project management group will oversee and manage the construction and relocation to the building.Ted Wheatley, Dan Cavanaugh and Brad McGill at Jones Lang LaSalle represented the landlord, Plymouth Rock Assurance.
NEW YORK CITY — An investment consortium led by The Witkoff Group and majority backer Jynwel Capital and its investors has closed on the acquisition of the 47-story Helmsley Park Lane Hotel at 36 Central Park South for $660 million. Other consortium partners include New Valley LLC, Highgate Holdings and Macklowe Properties. The investment group plans to make upgrades to improve operations at the 605-key, 446,000-square-foot luxury hotel and rebrand it as the Park Lane New York. Wells Fargo and Criterion Real Estate Capital provided financing for the acquisition. Going forward, Highgate Hotels will manage the property. The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust was the seller.
NEW YORK CITY — Meridian Capital Group LLC has arranged a $250 million mortgage for the refinancing of the Aire multifamily property located at 200 W. 67th St. in New York City on behalf of 150 Amsterdam Avenue Holdings LLC. A national conduit lender provided the 10-year CMBS loan, which features a fixed interest rate of 5 percent. The Aire, located on the Upper West Side, is a 43-story, 310-unit multifamily property featuring numerous amenities including a private courtyard, an indoor children’s playroom and outdoor play area, an event deck, fitness center, conference room, on-site parking and a private park. Aaron Appel, managing director, Jeffrey Weinberg, executive vice president, and Michael Diaz, vice president at Meridian Capital Group, arranged the financing. Kasowitz, Benson, Torres & Friedman LLP represented 150 Amsterdam Avenue Holdings LLC in the transaction.
GREENWICH, CONN. — Q10 | New York Realty Advisors has arranged a $2 million loan on a luxury cooperative apartment building in Greenwich. The 20-year, self-liquidating loan includes a fixed interest rate of 4.84 percent. The co-op corporation also received a $1 million revolving line of credit, which features a floating interest rate starting at 2.5 percent. The property overlooks the Long Island Sound and Greenwich Harbor. Scott Gerard, Esq. of Murtha Cullina LLP in Stamford, represented the co-op board. Jeanne Cronin, managing director of Q10 | New York Realty Advisors, arranged the loan.
YORK, PA. — MBA Hotel Brokers Inc. has arranged the sale of the 134-key, five-story Holiday Inn Express & Suites in York. John Downes, associate broker with MBA Hotel Brokers Inc., represented the seller, GIA Associates, and the buyer, Bergen Hospitality LLC, in the transaction. Built in 1993 and converted to a Holiday Inn Express & Suites in 2002 by the sellers, the hotel underwent extensive renovations totaling more than $1.8 million during 2012 and 2013.