New York’s Capital District is ranked 11 out of the top 25 metro markets in the Northeast (according to REIS), but the area is most certainly making noise in the world of multifamily construction projects. A huge demand in the apartment sector, stemming from technology-based job growth, has forced the hands of local and regional developers to get off the sidelines and start tackling sources for much-needed construction financing to meet the demand. To name of few active developers, Tri City Management, Prime Companies, Capital City Properties, and Albany Partners LLC have a total of more than 1,000 units recently built, under construction, or funded and ready to build in the next 16 months. Permit filings were up more than 30 percent from 2009 to 2010, indicating a solid trend for new development slated through 2012. Major projects have been popping up all over the region. The Woods, a 60-unit luxury community in suburban Troy, leased up its first few units in May and had 48 of the 60 units rented long before the grand opening in November. One- and two-bedroom unit rents range from $1,100 to $1,490 for 882 to 1194 square feet, averaging roughly $1.50 per square foot …
These are exciting times for Pittsburgh’s Central Business District’s (CBD) office market. Pittsburgh’s CBD Class A office market is experiencing a very favorable vacancy rate of 7 percent. The high levels of occupancy have been driven by strong growth within the banking, medical, energy and technology sectors, along with nearby abundant natural resources such as Marcellus Shale. PNC Corporation is breaking ground for its second $400 million office building in recent years, which is touted to become the “greenest building in the world.” PNC’s new building will be a true complement to the historic and evolving Market Square District, which has undergone a major landscape renovation, creating a beautiful area for outdoor dining, music and green space for people to enjoy. Accompanying PNC’s new office buildings, Millcraft Industry has begun the transformation of the former State Office building into a 218-unit luxury apartment building. This is their second major CBD project in recent years, having completed and leased a 180,000-square-foot office building known as Piatt Place. Plans are currently evolving within Pittsburgh’s development community to retrofit the historic Henry W. Oliver Building. Additional CBD developments include a mixed-use project comprising a 175-room Hilton Garden Inn, 100,000 square feet of new …
WAREN, N.J. — Jones Lang LaSalle Capital Markets has arranged $32 million in permanent financing for 30 Independence Blvd. on behalf of an affiliate of Beacon Capital Partners. The 210,524-square-foot Class A office building in Warren is fully leased to Verizon Wireless. Wes Boatwright, Jon Goldstein, Mike Yavinksy and Dustin Stolly of Jones Lang LaSalle led the team that secured the loan through Sovereign Bank.
NEW YORK CITY — The $19 million renovation of 80 Broad St. in Manhattan's Financial District is complete and owner Savanna has put the property back on the market. The 417,000-square-foot, multi-tenant office building includes a renovated lobby with enhanced lighting and modernized elevators. Savanna acquired the property in September 2011, but took it off the market to begin the capital improvement project. About 150,000 square feet of office space is currently available.
EXPORT, PA. — Alside, a manufacturer and distributor of exterior residential building products, has opened its 100th supply center in the U.S. and second location in the Pittsburgh area. The new 37,000-square-foot center opened Jan. 2 at 3003 Venture Court in Export. The center includes Alside-manufactured products such as vinyl siding, as well as garage doors, stone, fencing and decking products.
CAMBRIDGE, MASS. —BioMed Realty Trust has agreed to acquire Cambridge Place, a three-building complex totaling 287,000 square feet in Cambridge, for $119 million. The property is 80 percent leased. Tenants include CDM Smith, a full-service engineering and construction firm, and Idenix Pharmaceuticals, a biopharmaceutical company. When completed, the transaction will expand BioMed's real estate portfolio in the greater Boston-Cambridge market to approximately 3.2 million square feet.
ROXBURY, MASS. —Whittier Street Health Center has unveiled its new six-story, 79,000-square-foot health and wellness facility in Roxbury. The $37 million building will house a variety of medical, social and wellness services, including cancer screening, dental care and violence prevention programs. Construction was funded in part by federal stimulus money. Whittier received a $12 million grant through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in 2010. The center is located at 1190 Tremont St.
BOSTON — Boston Capital has closed the Boston Capital Tax Credit Fund XXXV, a diversified portfolio of 53 affordable apartment properties in 21 states, including Maryland, Maine and Rhode Island. The total fund size is $350 million. The firm has raised nearly $640 million in equity since January 2011. The properties acquired by the fund add an additional 3,610 apartment units to Boston Capital's holdings. The fund includes 1,093 newly constructed units and 2,517 rehabilitated units. Boston Capital will launch Fund XXXVI later this month.
NEW YORK CITY —Meridian Capital Group has negotiated a $55 million financing package for a mixed-use office and retail building located at 430 W. 14th St. in the Meatpacking District. The 3-year financing contains a $45 million senior loan provided by Citigroup Global Markets Inc., and a $10 million mezzanine loan provided by SL Green. Cary Pollack of Meridian's New York headquarters arranged the transaction. The 61,000-square-foot property includes 18,000 square feet of retail space and 43,000 square feet of office space.
HOBOKEN, N.J. — Pearson Education, an education textbook company, has signed a 200,000-square-foot lease for its new headquarters in downtown Hoboken. The company will occupy five floors of the Waterfront Corporate III building, which SJP Properties is building. Pearson had planned to move its operations in Upper Saddle River and Old Tappan, N.J. to New York. The company is reported to receive an Urban Transit Hub tax credit of about $66 million for keeping 900 jobs in northern New Jersey. Waterfront Corporate is slated for completion in 2014. Person will begin its relocation the same year.