PITTSBURGH — Marcus & Millichap has negotiated the sale of Camp Horne Self Storage, a facility in Pittsburgh that includes 52,344 square feet of net rentable space across 447 units. The property was built in 2004 on 4.4 acres and was 94 percent occupied at the time of sale. Brett Hatcher and Gabriel Coe of Marcus & Millichap represented the seller and buyer, both of which were undisclosed limited liability companies, in the transaction. Sean Beuche, a regional manager with Marcus & Millichap, assisted in closing the deal.
CONSHOHOCKEN, PA. — HFF has arranged the sale of Riverwalk at Millennium, a 375-unit multifamily community in Conshohocken, a northwestern suburb of Philadelphia. Built on 7.9 acres, the transit-served property offers one- and two-bedroom units averaging 923 square feet with plank flooring and individual washers and dryers. Amenities include a pool with a sundeck and grill area, fitness center with on-demand classes and a resident clubhouse. Mark Thomson, Carl Fiebig, Francis Coyne and Jose Cruz of HFF represented the seller, a joint venture between Boston-based Long Wharf Capital and Scully Co., which acquired the property in 2015. Ryan Ade and Jamie Leachman of HFF arranged an undisclosed amount of Freddie Mac acquisition financing on behalf of the buyer, Relative Properties. The property was built in phases in 2005 and 2010.
KING OF PRUSSIA, PA. — A partnership between two Los Angeles-based firms, Gehr Hospitality and Oakhurst Advisors LLC, has acquired the 129-room Hyatt Place hotel in King of Prussia, a northwestern suburb of Philadelphia. The hotel, which was renovated in 2018, is located near numerous employment hubs as well as the King of Prussia Mall, Valley Forge National Historical Park and Valley Forge Casino Resort. The Plascencia Group represented the undisclosed seller in the transaction. Thuong Luong and Molly Caccamo of Gehr Hospitality represented the buyer on an internal basis. Wells Fargo provided acquisition financing for the deal, the sales price of which was not disclosed.
After a brief increase in the overall vacancy rate in the Pittsburgh region in 2017, the market has rebounded nicely and is back in the 4 to 5 percent range. But what has been more eye-opening is the increased velocity in the acquisition market that has investors from outside of Pittsburgh more focused on the Western Pennsylvania market than ever before. Multifamily Sales Market Multifamily sales in the Pittsburgh region over the last 10 years have been rather anemic. Sales velocity was slow due to various factors, including the reluctance of long-time local ownership groups to sell a property in a market where few options existed for a 1031 tax-deferred exchange transaction. There was also very little new construction to attract outside capital. In general, not much attention was paid to the Pittsburgh metro. However, developers recently had an epiphany and noticed that there was much old multifamily product scattered throughout the region, and that the time was right to break ground on new projects. Now that a significant amount of new construction projects have been delivered over the last six or so years, Pittsburgh has become a target for many investment firms from outside Western Pennsylvania. Some of the …
MIDDLETOWN, PA. — Sims Mortgage Funding, a subsidiary of Connecticut-based lender HJ Sims, has provided a $5.3 million HUD-insured loan for Middletown Interfaith Apartments, a 125-unit affordable seniors housing community located outside of Harrisburg. The property was built in the early 1980s. Sims Mortgage secured the financing through the HUD 223(f) loan program, which is often used to finance affordable housing projects. The loan, a portion of which will be used to fund capital improvements, was structured with a 35-year term.
SPRINGETTSBURY TOWNSHIP, PA. — A partnership between affiliates of locally based developer Endurance Real Estate Group LLC and asset manager DWS Group will develop a 352,000-square-foot warehouse and distribution center in Springettsbury Township, located in York County. Construction began recently with the demolition of the existing structures on the 28.1-acre, rail-served site, which is located less than half a mile from I-83. Delivery is slated for the first quarter of 2020. Building features will include 36-foot clear heights, an ESFR sprinkler system, a 185-foot truck court and ample space for automobile and trailer parking.
Industrial properties have experienced unprecedented growth in demand over the past several years as both new and old companies seek to find space. This shift has benefited industrial assets in many metros across the country, although investors may unintentionally limit their focus to the markets with the most outsized gains. Smaller cities can provide equally compelling investment opportunities due to some unique advantages. Multiple factors combine to create such a scenario in Pittsburgh. The city is home to several prominent educational institutions, healthcare providers and technology companies that are fueling job growth, thus dropping the unemployment rate to its lowest in two decades. Opportunities in these high-wage industries are bolstering the metro’s median household income and improving retail sales. Consumer spending is projected to jump 4.4 percent in 2019, about 100 basis points more than last year. As shopping activity expands, the need for distribution centers is becoming more acute. Together with an established manufacturing sector, both sources of demand are supporting the absorption of industrial space. More tenants moving in are enabling properties to perform at a greater level. The metro’s vacancy rate has declined 400 basis points since 2009 and is now under 6 percent. Availability is lowest …
PHILADELPHIA — Southern Land Co., a Nashville-based developer, has broken ground on The Laurel, a 48-story condominium tower in Philadelphia. Located in the Rittenhouse Square area, the property will be the tallest all-residential building in the city upon completion. The first units are expected to be available for occupancy in 2021. Solomon Cordwell Buenz is the architect for the project, which will also house 44,000 square feet of retail space. Residents will have access to amenities such as an indoor pool and hot tub, fitness center with a sauna and yoga studio, a bar and catering kitchen and a conference room. Mack Real Estate Credit Strategies provided construction financing totaling $295 million, according to the Philadelphia Business Journal, for the project.
MONACA, PA. — U-Haul — Amerco Real Estate Co. will redevelop the former Macy’s building at Beaver Valley Mall in Monaca, located northwest of Pittsburgh. The building will be converted into a 50,000-square-foot retail and office property that will offer direct access to the mall. Remaining anchors at the mall include J.C. Penney, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Planet Fitness. CBRE will handle leasing of the new space.
PITTSBURGH — Rivers Casino Pittsburgh has unveiled plans to develop The Landing Hotel, a 219-room property that will be attached to the casino. Designed by architecture firm VOA, the project is valued at roughly $60 million and will be privately funded. Construction is expected to begin this summer and last 18 months, giving the project an anticipated completion date of early 2021. Rivers Casino Pittsburgh is located along the Ohio River and features 2,708 slots, 128 table games, 55 hybrid gaming seats and a designated sports book area for live sports betting. VOA is the project architect, and Massaro Construction Group is the general contractor. The project is expected to create 128 permanent new jobs