BRANFORD, CONN. — Lyman Real Estate (LRE) has arranged the $1.1 million sale of a 9,331-square-foot retail building in Branford, an eastern suburb of New Haven. The building at 854 West Main St. was previously occupied by Party City. Ron Lyman of LRE represented the buyer, LA-IN-USA LLC, in the transaction. Jeffrey Kravet of Kravet Realty represented the seller, Branford Realty Trust LLC.
YORK, PA. — Elephat Printing & Design LLC has signed a 3,024-square-foot office lease at 1285 West King Street in York, located approximately 25 miles south of Harrisburg. The property is part of a 47,954-square-foot office complex shared by tenants including York Roofing and Raymundo Drywall LLC. Nate Resh and David Bode of ROCK Commercial Real Estate, brokered the transaction.
For the past 10 years, Walters has been creating premium affordable housing that is 100 percent income-restricted and sustainable. The company has delivered a dozen developments throughout New Jersey, and several more are currently under development. The positive benefits and lasting effects of affordable housing impact both the residents living in the homes as well as the communities in which they are located. Each year, more people struggle to afford living in the communities where they work because of a lack of affordable housing stock. Even older adults who have lived for decades in a community have few opportunities to downsize. Many young adults who want to raise their own families in the communities where they grew up cannot afford “starter homes” today. Affordable housing, however, enables people to live where they choose based on their needs and aspirations. A Princeton University study of affordable housing development in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, found numerous benefits: Families moving into high-quality affordable housing experience a safer neighborhood, lower crime rates, better mental health, strong rates of employment and higher wages. By saving money on rent, families can spend more of their household incomes on essentials such as food and healthcare. The study …
ROSELAND, N.J. — JLL has arranged $117.8 million loan for the refinancing for Everly Roseland, a 360-unit apartment community located in Roseland, a western suburb of New York City. An international bank provided a $96.3 million senior loan while J.P. Morgan Asset Management provided a $21.5 million mezzanine loan to refinance the existing loan and complete unit renovations. The property offers a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom floor plans with amenities including a newly constructed clubhouse, fitness center, pool and tennis court. Michael Klein and Matthew Pizzolato of JLL arranged the loan on behalf of the borrower, Novel Property Ventures.
NEW YORK CITY — A partnership between multifamily owner-operator Fairstead and investment firm Meadow Partners has acquired The Chocolate Factory Lofts, a 125-unit apartment building in Brooklyn, for $67.25 million. The converted Tootsie Roll factory at 275 Park Ave. is situated one block from the Brooklyn Navy Yard and the new Wegmans flagship grocery story. Daniel Parker, Paul Gillen and Kyle van Buitenen of Hodges Ward Elliott represented the sellers, HK Organization and Brickman Real Estate, in the transaction.
BOSTON — Kitchen remodeling firm Express Kitchens plans to significantly increase its Massachusetts footprint in 2020 by opening three new retail stores and five new showrooms in and around the Boston area. Express Kitchens will open stores in the suburbs of Lynn, Watertown, Dedham, Peabody, Reading, Medford, Brockton and Weymouth. Showrooms will display a range of kitchens, cabinets and countertops, which customers will be able to purchase for their homes in-store or from the company’s website.
LEXINGTON, MASS. — Newmark Knight Frank (NKF) has negotiated a 14,764-square-foot office lease for pharmaceutical company KabaFusion in Lexington, a northwestern suburb of Boston. The company is moving its headquarters from a 3,500-square-foot space in Waltham to 80 Hayden Avenue, a 43,208-square-foot, three-story office building primarily leased to life sciences tenants. Mark Roth, Matt Malatesta, Brendan Daly and Brianna Piacitelli of NKF represented the landlord, Marwick Associates, in the lease negotiations. Jack Whelan and Michael O’Leary represented KabaFusion.
STAMFORD, CONN. — Recycling and sustainability organization Keep America Beautiful has signed an 8,500-square-foot office lease renewal in Stamford, located approximately 35 miles northeast of New York City. As part of the renewal agreement, the landlord agreed to pay for interior renovations, including a kitchen and restroom remodel and enhancements to the lighting and HVAC systems at the property, which serves as the organization’s headquarters. John Hannigan and Adam Cognetta of Choyce Peterson Inc. represented Keep America Beautiful in the lease negotiations. Larry Kwiat of SL Green Realty Corp. represented the landlord on an internal basis.
NEW YORK CITY — ORIX Corp. USA, the U.S. and Latin American business hub of Tokyo-based ORIX Corp., has agreed to acquire multifamily finance firm Hunt Real Estate Capital LLC, an affiliate of Hunt Cos. Inc. The deal calls for the merging of New York-based Hunt Real Estate Capital with the two brands that comprise ORIX Real Estate Capital, Lancaster Pollard and RED Capital Group. Hunt currently offers the full suite of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and FHA financing packages, as well as proprietary bridge, term and subordinated product. Upon closing of the deal, which is expected to occur before year’s end, James Flynn, president and CIO of Hunt, will become CEO of the new entity. Branding of the new entity will be addressed after the close of the deal.
LOWELL, MASS. — WinnCompanies plans to develop a $38.3 million residential project in the Hamilton Canal Innovation District of Lowell, located approximately 25 miles northwest of Boston. The Hamilton Canal Innovation District is a collection 17 master-planned development parcels in the city’s downtown area. WinnCompanies will develop adjacent vacant parcels into two five-story buildings comprising 125 apartments and 5,000 square feet of commercial space. The development will offer 15 studio units, 63 one-bedroom apartments and 47 two-bedroom residences. Of those residential units, 54 workforce apartments will rent at 100 percent of area median income (AMI), 39 apartments will be affordable up to 60 percent of AMI and 32 apartments will rent at market rates. ICON Architecture is designing the project. Construction will begin in December and is slated for completion by September 2021.
