KING OF PRUSSIA, PA. — The Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania has signed a 150,000-square-foot life sciences lease at Discovery Labs’ 1 million-square-foot campus on Swedeland Road in King of Prussia, a northern suburb of Philadelphia. The university will use the space for its gene therapy program, which centers on researching gene functionality and development of genetic medicines for rare diseases. The lease encompasses two buildings. Discovery Labs is an affiliate of MLP Ventures, which was represented internally by Joe Corcoran and Julian O’Neill in the lease negotiations. Joe Fetterman of Colliers International represented the university.
WILLOW GROVE, PA. — Developer J.G. Petrucci Co. Inc. and its subsidiary, Petrucci Residential, have completed the lease-up of The Station at Willow Grove, a 275-unit multifamily property located on the northern outskirts of Philadelphia. The community is now 100 percent occupied. Units feature stainless steel appliances, granite countertops and glass mosaic backsplashes. The property features 20,000 square feet of commercial space and amenities such as a pool, fitness center, business center, resident clubroom, cinema lounge and a furnished courtyard.
HAMBURG, PA. — Colliers International has negotiated the sale of a 37,840-square-foot retail center located at 552 State St. in the Lehigh Valley city of Hamburg. Pennsylvania-based grocer Weis Markets anchors the center. Scott Horner and Derek Zerfass of Colliers represented the seller, private investor Linda King, in the transaction. The duo also procured the buyer, Sar & Co.
BELLEFONT, PA. — Lument has arranged a $35.6 million construction loan for Centre Care Rehabilitation and Wellness Service, a 240-bed skilled nursing facility in Bellefonte, located in the central part of the state. The new facility will replace an existing 240-bed property that was deemed unsuitable for substantial renovations due to its age and location. Miles Kingston of Lument arranged the construction financing through First National Bank on behalf of the borrower, Complete Healthcare Resources Eastern.
LANCASTER, PA. — CBRE has negotiated the sale of Burle Business Park, a 1.2 million-square-foot office and industrial campus located in the eastern Pennsylvania city of Lancaster. The sales price was $30.2 million. The 75-acre property comprises 16 buildings that were 90 percent leased at the time of sale to more than 40 tenants across a variety of industries. Amenities include a cafeteria, café, a conference room and catering service. Bill Tourtellotte of CBRE represented the seller, BURLE Business Park LP, in the transaction. The buyer was Jersey Holdings.
MILTON, PA. — The Jenkins Organization, a Houston-based owner-operator of self-storage facilities and RV resorts, will open Jellystone Park at Milton, a 60-acre development located north of Harrisburg in the central part of the state. The property offers 20 cabins and lodges and 160 RV sites, as well as amenities such as a volleyball court, fishing ponds and an arts and crafts center. A formal opening ceremony will be conducted Saturday, May 22.
GOULDSBORO, PA. — Atlanta-based investment firm MDH Partners has acquired a 390,000-square-foot industrial property in Gouldsboro, located outside of Scranton. Built in 2002, the property was fully leased to Broadrange Logistics at the time of sale. Building features include a clear height of 30 feet, 42 dock doors, 130-foot truck court depths and an ESFR sprinkler system. The new ownership plans to expand the property by 160,000 square feet, with construction set to begin in the first quarter of next year. The seller was Exeter Property Group. Nick Murphy of Eastdil Secured brokered the deal.
By Taylor Williams Demand for industrial space continues to surge throughout New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania, prompting developers to undertake more projects on a speculative basis and avail themselves to the classic mantra of “If you build it, they will come.” E-commerce users, spanning every industry from building materials to electronics to food, continue to spearhead the demand side of the equation. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2020, a year in which a global health crisis spurred furious increases in online shopping, e-commerce sales accounted for 14.4 percent of all retail sales, up from 7.3 percent in 2015. That figure is expected to grow to nearly 20 percent by 2024. Lenders are eager to finance speculative industrial projects, and developers are scouring the Mid-Atlantic for viable sites as spec projects increasingly account for bigger portions of their portfolios. “Pre-COVID, and even dating back several years, you might see 20 percent of the Mid-Atlantic industrial projects being done as build-to-suits,” says Rob Borny, senior vice president of capital deployment and head of the East Region for Nevada-based Dermody Properties. “It’s now moving toward being significantly less [build-to-suit activity] due to robust tenant demand, as well as the shorter lead …
PHILADELPHIA — Locally based developer Radnor Property Group has begun leasing the 297-unit second phase of The Hamilton, a two-building, 576-unit apartment community located in the Logan Square area of Philadelphia. The Hamilton features studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom units with quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances and individual washers and dryers. Amenities include two media rooms, two game rooms, conference centers, kitchen spaces, multiple coworking lounges and a rooftop deck with outdoor grilling stations and a sports simulator. The building will also house 2,820 square feet of retail space upon full completion. Rents start at $1,420 per month for a studio unit. Greystar manages the community.
PITTSBURGH — Global real estate private equity firm Asia Capital Real Estate has funded a $28.8 million bridge loan for the refinancing of Heinz at 950 North Shore, a 151-unit multifamily building in downtown Pittsburgh. The property was originally built in 1930 as part of the Heinz manufacturing complex and was converted to residential use in 2017. Amenities include bike and kayak storage, a fitness center, game room, business center and outdoor grilling areas. Asia Capital provided the loan, which carried a loan-to-value ratio of 79.8 percent and a two-year initial term with three one-year extension options, to borrower MCM Co. Inc.