DETROIT — Local ironworkers constructing the Little Caesars world headquarters campus extension in Detroit held a topping out ceremony on Tuesday. Workers signed their names, attached banners, flags and an evergreen tree to structural steel beams that were hoisted into place. A Little Caesars mascot was also along for the ride. Led by contractor Brinker-Christman JV and designed by SmithGroupJJR, the nine-story, 234,000-square-foot building is located at the corner of Woodward Avenue and Columbia Street. The $150 million project will anchor The District Detroit’s Columbia Street neighborhood. The new headquarters, located approximately one mile from Little Caesars Arena, is slated to open in 2018.
Office
LOS ANGELES — A joint venture between Roxborough Fund I and the Ruth Group LLC has purchased a 304,821-square-foot office tower in Los Angeles for $12.5 million. The 15-story tower is located at 9841 Airport Blvd. near Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The asset is currently 62 percent occupied.
THE WOODLANDS, TEXAS — JLL has arranged $175 million in refinancing for Market Street — The Woodlands, a 493,400-square-foot mixed-use asset located at 9595 Six Pines Drive in The Woodlands. The property features approximately 375,600 square feet of retail space and 114,900 square feet of office space. Tom Melody and John Ream of JLL arranged the fixed-rate loan through a partnership between Morgan Stanley and Wells Fargo.
CENTERVILLE, OHIO — Premier Independent Quality Services (PIQS) has entered into a 15,000-square-foot office lease in Centerville, about 20 miles south of Dayton. The property, now fully leased, is located at 6501 Centerville Business Parkway. PIQS is a local health care agency that provides home health care and non-medical transportation to Medicaid recipients and private sectors. Chris Carey and Beau Nimer of CBRE represented the landlord in the lease transaction.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Sealed Air Corp., the company behind brands such as Bubble Wrap and Cryovac, has opened its new office and research campus within LakePointe Corporate Center in Charlotte. Situated south of the Charlotte Douglas International Airport, the project features two office buildings totaling 220,000 square feet, a 170,000-square-foot research and development laboratory and two parking decks. Designed by Atlanta-based tvsdesign, the property is expected to house 1,300 of Sealed Air’s employees. Amenities at the campus include a fitness center, cafeteria and social spaces, including an outdoor pavilion.
RALEIGH, N.C. — F.N.B. Corp., parent company of First National Bank, has signed on as the anchor tenant of a planned 22-story office and residential tower at 501 Fayetteville St. in downtown Raleigh. Named FNB Tower, the project will feature 150,000 square feet of Class A office space, 240 residential units and street-level retail space, including a branch of First National Bank. F.N.B. Corp. will occupy more than 40,000 square feet of office space with options to expand to accommodate future growth. The developer, Dominion Realty Partners, is aiming for FNB Tower to be LEED Platinum-certified. The groundbreaking for FNB Tower will take place this December, with delivery anticipated by the summer of 2019. CBRE | Raleigh will handle FNB Tower’s office and retail leasing responsibilities, and Dominion Realty will manage the property once complete. Gregg Broujos and Kathy Gigac of Colliers International and David Thor of JLL represented F.N.B. Corp. in the lease transaction.
As the U.S. economy passes through the third largest expansion cycle in the economic history, every sector in the economy has seen phenomenal growth over the last six to seven years. The growth in other industries has had a trickle-down effect on the real estate sector. U.S. real estate has seen rents surging and even surpassing the previous expansion cycle, as well as an increase in leasing and absorption activity and a record rise in the value of sales transactions. Manhattan has always been at the epicenter of this real estate growth. With the combination of developed market and investment-grade properties, Manhattan has regularly attracted the majority of foreign direct investment in the real estate sector throughout the country. Increased demand from TAMI (technology, advertising, media and information) and FIRE (finance, insurance and real estate) sector tenants have made these properties an attractive investment option for both the local institutional investors and foreign direct investment. The Manhattan commercial real estate market has seen a 33 percent (see footnote 1) increase in the transactions above $1,000 per square foot over the last seven years. These values are no longer limited to only trophy properties in Midtown but have spread across both Midtown …
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. — HFF has arranged the $26 million sale of The Village at Hayden, a 156,751-square-foot mixed-use development located in Scottsdale. The property is home to retail and office tenants including Capital Consultants Management, Company Nurse, Phoenix Photonix, Zipps Sports Grill, Twisted Grove, Melting Pot and Grassroots Kitchen. CJ Osbrink and Derreck Barker of HFF marketed the property on behalf of the seller, Village at Hayden LLC, which is a partnership between AEW Capital Management L.P. and The Muller Co. HFF also procured the buyer, Arizona Partners.
PITTSBURGH — Shorenstein Properties has unveiled plans for phase two of its renovations at One Oxford Centre in downtown Pittsburgh. Permits have been issued and construction is set to commence later this month on the 45-story office tower. The second phase will include a facelift to the lobby, atrium and tenant amenities. Shorenstein has already invested over $10 million on mechanical updates including HVAC replacement, elevator control modernization, exterior window repairs and parking garage work. Future exterior work will include upgraded LED lighting and façade work.
BETHLEHEM, PA. — Markward Group has brokered the sale of a 47,070-square-foot office building on 4.1 acres located at 236 Brodhead Road in Bethlehem. Matt Macdonald and Ann Kline of Markward Group represented the seller, BB&T Bank. The building was the former data and operations center for National Penn Bank. Mike Capobianco of Markward Group represented the buyer, 236 Brodhead Road LLC. The buyer plans to remodel the lobby and common areas, and to repave the parking lot. ABEC is the lead tenant in the building.