ALLENTOWN, PA. — City Center Investment Corp. (CCIC) is developing Strata II, a 67-unit residential complex at City Center Lehigh Valley, a mixed-used development in downtown Allentown. Designed by WRT with engineering work by T&M Associates, the five-story, 100,000-square-foot building will feature one- and two-bedroom market-rate apartment units and a variety of amenities, including a game room, movie theater and private courtyard. Additionally, the project will feature eight arts-related retail spaces on the first floor, including a co-op gallery. Slated to open in spring 2017, the $23 million residential property will join the 170-unit Strata Flats residential property that opened in July 2015. The project team includes Cityline Construction as project manager of the building’s commercial portion; T&M Associates as engineer; and Harkins Builders as general contractor.
WAYNE, PA. — PDC-Old Eagle LLC and Long Wharf Real Estate Partners have partnered to acquire Evolve IP Corporate Center, a 12-building office park located at 983-999 Old Eagle School Road in Wayne. The partnership secured a $29.6 million five-year, fixed-rate acquisition loan for the 376,303-square-foot property. Situated on 49.9 acres, the office park is 80.2 percent occupied by 95 tenants, including Evolve IP LLC, McBee Associates, Administrative Concepts Inc., YSC Academy, Prosoft Software and North American Specialty Products. Jim Cadranell of HFF arranged the joint venture equity and debt financing for the buyers. John Schonborn of HFF represented Long Wharf Real Estate Partners and Pat McNulty, also of HFF, represented PDC-Old Eagle in the joint venture transaction.
Metro Philadelphia’s industrial market saw strong demand, developer confidence and declining vacancy rates in 2015. Asking rents averaged $4.43 per square foot for the region, a 4 percent increase from 2014. The overall vacancy has decreased to 7.7 percent as demand kept pace with 5.7 million square feet of completed spec development. The only submarket that is posting greater than 10 percent vacancy is New Castle County, Delaware; however, New Castle’s vacancy rate was trending downward at the end of 2015. We continue to see healthy demand for industrial space in 2016. There could be some impact from global uncertainties, but these will be offset by continued on-shoring of manufacturing requirements and last-mile delivery expansion. Companies seeking between 25,000 to 80,000 square feet have seen limited availability in most submarkets, particularly for purchase. Due to strong demand and reduced availability for modern, net-leased, single-tenant buildings, some investors must consider lesser-quality assets and/or secondary locations. Sale prices and rents have increased. It is not unusual for modern bulk facilities with long-term leases in place to trade in the $90-per-square-foot range. In one recent deal, a private investor paid more than $78 per square foot for the leaseback transaction of an 85-year-old …
WEST CONSHOHOCKEN, PA. — PCCP has provided a $43.4 million senior loan to Arden Group for the refinancing of an office building located at 100 and 200 Four Falls Corporate Center in West Conshohocken, a suburb of Philadelphia. Arden Group acquired the 253,985-square-foot asset in late 2013 and has since invested $2.5 million in renovations, including upgrades to the lobby, corridors and terraces, as well as a new conference center and other projects. The office building features two distinct six-story wings linked by a recently renovated six-story atrium lobby. Additionally, the building features 22,000-square-foot floor plates, a third-party managed conference facility, a full-service café, a substantial lobby and a multi-level subterranean parking garage. The building is currently 69 percent occupied by 27 tenants.
CANONSBURG, PA. — Marcus & Millichap has arranged the sale of a Dunkin’ Donuts ground lease at 105 Casavina Drive in Canonsburg. A private investor acquired the 2,653-square-foot net-leased property for $1 million. Alan Cafiero and Ben Sgambati of Marcus & Millichap represented the seller, a partnership, and secured and represented the buyer in the transaction.
PHILADELPHIA — Drexel University and Brandywine Realty Trust (NYSE: BDN) will co-develop the Schuylkill Yards mixed-use community on a 14-acre site in Philadelphia. The development costs weren’t disclosed, but the Philadelphia Business Journal estimates total costs will reach $3.5 billion. Initial phases of the projected 20-year innovation development plan will consist of 5 million square feet of mixed-use real estate on a 10-acre site next to Drexel’s main campus and adjacent to Amtrak’s 30th Street Station. The master-planned neighborhood within Philadelphia’s University City submarket will feature entrepreneurial spaces, educational facilities and research laboratories, corporate offices, residential and retail spaces, hospitality, cultural venues and public open spaces. “Drexel University and Brandywine’s shared vision for the continued renaissance of University City provides a strong foundation for a long-term partnership. Together, we will create a dynamic and world-class innovation hub to attract the brightest minds to our region,” says Gerard Sweeney, president and CEO of Brandywine Realty Trust. “Schuylkill Yards will transform Philadelphia’s skyline as new towers rise on the west side of the Schuylkill River,” he continues. “Brandywine’s existing Cira Centre, EVO and FMC Tower at Cira Centre South projects in University City will provide a synergistic connection to Schuylkill Yards, creating …
BETHEL, PA. — Dermody Properties and Granite Real Estate Investment Trust leased 500,400 square feet of industrial space at Berks Park 78 in Bethel to a global consumer electronics company. The company will move into the facility in April and use the space for the distribution of its consumer home appliances. Gerry Blinebury and Adam Campbell with Cushman & Wakefield represented Dermody Properties in the lease, while Vincent Ranalli and John Schumacher of CBRE represented the tenant in the transaction.
MECHANICSBURG, PA. — The Hampshire Companies has completed the disposition of a 596,703-square-foot industrial building located at 1225 S. Market St. in Mechanicsburg. Allen Distribution acquired the property for an undisclosed price. Situated on more than 100 acres, the property features ceiling heights ranging from 16 feet to 30 feet, 58 loading doors, one drive-in door, 747 car parking spots and 24 trailer stalls. Additional features include a fire suppression system, office-chiller air handler HVAC system, warehouse rooftop cooling units, gas-fired heating air rotation units, on-site helicopter pad and power sub-station. At the time of sale, the property was 65 percent occupied with an available 205,858 square feet of vacancy. Gerard Blinebury, Marie Connell and Samantha Kennedy of Cushman & Wakefield brokered the transaction.
PHILADELPHIA AND WARMINSTER, PA. — Newmark Grubb Knight Frank (NGKF) has brokered the sales of two industrial properties in the greater Philadelphia area. In the first transaction, Wolf Pack LP acquired a 21,500-square-foot industrial building, located at 3015 Darnell Road in Philadelphia, for $1 million, or $47.67 per square foot. Neil Shupak and Justin Bell of NGFK represented the sellers, Jerry and Brenda Frebowitz, in the transaction. In the second deal, D&B Pharma Real Estate Partners acquired an industrial building located at 200 Park Ave. in Warminster for $3.8 million, or $25.67 per square foot. Situated on 5.8 acres, the 150,000-square-foot building features 26-foot ceiling heights, off-street parking and loading capabilities. Shupak and Bell represented the undisclosed seller, while Kurt Eisenschmid of Penn’s Grant Realty represented the buyer in the transaction.
NEW JERSEY, PENNSYLVANIA AND FLORIDA — Prologis has acquired a 5.4 million-square-foot portfolio consisting of 3.2 million square feet of industrial properties and 2.2 million square feet of retail properties in multiple states. Morris Realty Associates sold the portfolio for an undisclosed sum. Included in the portfolio are ten industrial properties, eight of which are in Northern New Jersey, as well as 13 retail properties in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Florida. After the initial acquisition, Prologis sold the retail portion of the portfolio to Blackstone Real Estate Advisors for an undisclosed price. The company plans to retain the industrial properties for long-term investment purposes. Thomas Monahan, Noah Balanoff, Anastasia Lazarides and Gerard Monahan of CBRE’s Saddle Brook, New Jersey, office represented Prologis in the acquisition. Bill Kent, also of CBRE, spearheaded the multi-state team that brokered the disposition of the retail properties.