HOWELL, N.J. — Construction on Tropicana Power Retail Center, a 289,000-square-foot retail center in Howell, will begin in the third quarter. The development is located at 5313 Route 9 and will complement an existing 800,000 square feet of retail space, also along the Route 9 corridor. The owner of the property, AAM Mill LLC, which owns more than 10 million square feet of retail, commercial and residential properties in the U.S., Europe and Morocco, says funding was provided in-house. All options for tenancy at the center are open. Sitar Co. is handling leasing for the project.
Northeast
FLORHAM PARK, N.J — HFF has arranged $31 million in financing for a three-building, 1.1 million-square-foot industrial portfolio in the northern New Jersey towns of Elizabeth, Edison and Bayonne. HFF worked on behalf of a joint venture between Cohen Asset Management Inc. and New York Life Investment Management. The seven-year, fixed-rate acquisition loan was placed through Principal Real Estate Investors. HFF sold the assets to the borrower as part of a larger portfolio in 2012.The portfolio was 99 percent leased at the time of sale. Senior managing directors Jon Mikula and Paul Brindley led the HFF team representing the borrower.
CLIFTON, N.J. — Mack-Cali Realty Corp. has sold an office building located at 777 Passaic Ave. in Clifton for $5.8 million to a joint venture comprised of Gottesman Real Estate Partners and Mountain Development Corp. (MDC). The five-story building spans 77,000 square feet and was 65 percent occupied at the time of sale. Woodland Park, N.J.-based MDC manages approximately 1 million square feet of office space in Passaic County and will serve as property manager and leasing agent for the joint venture. TriState Capital Bank provided the first mortgage financing.
NEW YORK CITY — Spectrum Group Management LLC has closed a $24 million first mortgage loan, the proceeds of which were used to fund the acquisition of 215-221 W. 28th St. in Manhattan. The loan is secured by a first mortgage on approximately 7,500 square feet of land and associated air rights that will allow for the development of approximately 150 multifamily units. The borrower, a major New York City developer, plans to begin construction on the site later this year.
BRISTOL, CONN. — DoubleTree by Hilton has opened its newest hotel in Bristol, located about 18 miles south of Hartford. Formerly a Clarion hotel, the 141-room DoubleTree by Hilton Bristol opens following a 13-month renovation at a cost of more than $20 million led by design firm Parker-Torres Design LLC. Bristol Hotel LLC owns the hotel, which is managed by Prestige Hospitality Group LLC. The five-story, 19-suite tower offers a separate private entrance for guests. The hotel also features more than 7,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, an indoor heated swimming pool, 24-hour fitness center, 24-hour business center and complimentary WiFi throughout the hotel.
KINGSTON, N.Y. — Marcus & Millichap Real Estate Investment Services has arranged the sale of a 5,250-square-foot Verizon Wireless-occupied property in Kingston for $2.7 million. Judson Kauffman and Glen Kunofsky in Marcus & Millichap’s Manhattan office represented the buyer and seller, both private investors, in the transaction. Verizon Wireless is an outparcel to the Kings Mall, which is anchored by Marshall’s, HomeGoods, and Olive Garden. There are four years remaining on the 10-year, double net lease to Verizon Wireless.
NEW YORK CITY — ABS Partners Real Estate LLC has arranged three leases at 44 Wall St. on the seventh floor, totaling close to 8,000 square feet. Matthew Hoffman of Focus Real Estate Group represented Style House PR, which signed a 2,916-square-foot lease. Leon Manoff of Colliers International represented Handelsblatt, a daily German newspaper focusing on business, which signed a 2,135-square-foot lease. Theodora Livadiotis of Cassidy Turley represented SmartAsset, which signed 2,932-square-foot lease. Keith Lipstein, Jay Kreisberg and Adam Nelson of ABS Partners represented the landlord in the transactions.
In the words of Benjamin Franklin, New Jersey’s multifamily housing investment market is “a barrel tapped at both ends,” with fluid trading activity extending from the Hudson River’s Gold Coast to the shores of the Delaware River. Statewide, multifamily properties continue their reign as one of the healthiest investments. Low vacancy rates, convenience to mass transit and a high concentration of properties, particularly in Central and Northern New Jersey, continue to feed the appetite of investors who are hungry for virtually any building class. Thanks to the state’s choice location along the Boston/New York City/Philadelphia/Washington, D.C., corridor, New Jersey has historically been, and continues to be, one of the strongest and most desirable markets for multifamily investments. From urban walk-up buildings to suburban garden-style apartment complexes, the Garden State boasts some of the best multifamily housing stock in the nation. This is further bolstered by a strong average occupancy rate of more than 95 percent and durable rent growth. Both of these conditions are fueled by the enduring effects of the residential housing crisis as well as people “priced out” of cities like Philadelphia and Manhattan, who are seeking a more affordable living option. These migratory tenants are flocking to …
NEWTON, MASS. — Chesapeake Lodging Trust (NYSE: CHSP) has closed on a $60 million, fixed-rate mortgage loan, which is secured by the 430-room Boston Marriott Newton. The seven-year loan was provided by PNC Bank N.A. and carries a 3.6 fixed-interest rate per year, with principal and interest payments based on a 25-year amortization schedule. Proceeds from the loan will be used to invest in future acquisitions of hotels and for general corporate purposes. The hotel is located at 2345 Commonwealth Ave. in Newton, a western suburb of Boston.
NEW YORK CITY — Greystone, a New York-based real estate development and financial services company, has acquired two development properties in Brooklyn for more than $50 million. The Greystone Property Development team, overseen by Douglas Benach, closed the transactions. The first property is located at 137-43 N. 10th St. in Williamsburg between Berry Street and Bedford Avenue. The five-story building spans 30,000 square feet. Greystone plans to convert the building into a 36-unit, high-end multifamily property. The second property acquired is a vacant development site at 47-51 Bridge St. in the Dumbo section of Brooklyn. The site will be transformed into a 27-unit multifamily project.