PHOENIX — George Smith Partners has secured $67.2 million in senior construction financing for the ground-up development of a multifamily property in Phoenix. Located immediately north of Phoenix’s central business district, the 17-story high-rise will feature 254 apartments. The non-recourse loan represents 80 percent of the total project cost. Scott Meredith and John Thrall of George Smith Partners advised the undisclosed borrower in the financing.
PHOENIX — Newmark Knight Frank (NKF) Multifamily has arranged the sale of The Colony Apartments, a garden-style asset located at 4337 N. 53rd Lane in Phoenix. Vancouver, Canada-based Western Wealth Capital acquired the value-add property for $25.1 million, or $106,355 per unit. Built in 1979, The Colony Apartments features 236 units spread across 41 one- and two-story buildings. Brett Polachek, Brad Goff and Chris Canter of NKF Multifamily represented the seller, San Diego-based CALCAP Advisors, in the transaction.
NEW YORK CITY — A partnership between privately owned investment firm Harbor Group International and Image Capital LLC has acquired The Frederick, a multifamily property in Brooklyn, for $117 million. The Class A property, which was built in 2017, offers 193 units equipped with high-end kitchens and appliances. Amenities include a fitness center and a tenant lounge. The Frederick is located near Prospect Park, as well as several mass transit lines and retail options. Westwood Realty Associates brokered the deal. The seller was Heritage Equity Partners.
CLIFFSIDE PARK, N.J. — General contractor Legacy Builders has completed the renovation of Apogee Co-Op, a 30-story multifamily high-rise at 250 Gorge St. on New Jersey’s Gold Coast. The property includes 315 units. As part of the facelift, Legacy overhauled and modernized the aesthetics of the entranceway, lobby and amenities of the property, which was originally built in 1972. Rental prices have appreciated more than 20 percent since renovations began in 2014. New York City-based Steven Kratchman Architect served as the project designer.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Local developer Diversified Properties LLC has broken ground on a 480 Flatz, a 35-unit multifamily property in East Rutherford. The four-story property will offer one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments that will range in size from 700 to 1,100 square feet. Units will feature quartz countertops and stainless steel appliances, as well as proximity to public transit lines and retail hubs. Thomas J. Brennan Architects is designing the project.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Commercial real estate loan originations rose 12 percent in the first quarter of 2019 compared with the same period a year ago, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Quarterly Survey of Commercial/Multifamily Mortgage Bankers Originations. The industrial sector climbed 73 percent in loan originations, followed by healthcare (41 percent) and hotels (14 percent). Retail and multifamily both saw increases (9 percent each), while the dollar volume of office property loans was unchanged. “The momentum seen in 2018’s record year of borrowing and lending continued in the first quarter of this year,” said Jamie Woodwell, MBA’s vice president of commercial real estate research. “First-quarter volumes were higher for nearly every property type, and double-digit growth in loan volume for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac led the increase among capital sources. Low interest rates and strong property values continue to make commercial real estate an attractive market for borrowers.” While loan volumes ticked up, acquisitions across the four major property types fell 9 percent, says MBA. Apartment sales were roughly flat from last year, while office, retail and industrial property sales fell from 14 to 16 percent. The capitalization rates were flat from 2018 for industrial, retail and …
AUSTIN, TEXAS — A partnership between Los Angeles-based CIM Group and Austin-based Aspen Heights Partners has completed construction of The Independent, a 58-story residential tower in downtown Austin that is known locally as the “Jenga” building. Rising 685 feet and encompassing 363 condominium units, The Independent is the tallest tower in Austin. The building is situated on 1.7 acres at the corner of West Third Street and West Avenue overlooking Shoal Creek. The Independent houses one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom units, as well as penthouses, and all residences feature 10-foot ceilings and private patios or balconies. Amenities include a pool, fitness center, resident clubhouse, a spa, theater, business center, dog park and a children’s play area.
HOUSTON — LMI Capital, a Real Estate Capital Alliance (RECA) member, has arranged two acquisition loans totaling $20.7 million for a pair of multifamily assets in Houston. In the first transaction, Jamie Safier of LMI Capital placed a $13.7 million loan for a 240-unit property in southeast Houston. The loan carried a 4.27 percent interest rate and five years of interest-only payments. In the second deal, Safier arranged a $7 million loan for a 105-unit community in east Houston. That loan was structured with a 4.63 percent interest rate and three years of interest-only payments. The borrowers and property names were not disclosed.
LAWRENCE, KAN. — The Opus Group has begun construction on a new three-story student housing community near the University of Kansas. The project will include 120 units accommodating 312 residents as well as 8,200 square feet of retail space. The development is the first in Lawrence to use the new Smart Code portion of the city’s zoning code, requiring the project to incorporate more civic space and encourage less automobile usage. Residents will be able to take public transportation from a bus stop adjacent to the property. A biking and hiking trail from the property will lead directly to campus. Indoor amenities will include a fitness center, spa, clubroom, game room, podcast booth and study spaces. Outdoor amenities will include a terrace area along 23rd Street in front of the retail space for public use, as well as a pool, fire pits, gas grills and fitness area. The project is a joint venture with The McKinney Fund & Co. Central Bank of St. Louis and Central Bank of the Midwest provided construction financing. Completion is slated for July 2020.
COLUMBUS, OHIO — The Pizzuti Cos. has purchased the former Grant Oak Apartments in Columbus and is scheduled to begin construction immediately on the redevelopment of the site. Located at the southeast corner of Grant Avenue and Oak Street in the Discovery District, the project will include a combination of renovation work, new construction and site improvements. Phase I will include a renovation of the four westernmost buildings and will result in 70 market-rate studio and one-bedroom units. Completion is slated for spring 2020. Phase II will include a new-construction, five-story building with a mix of studio, one- and two-bedroom units. The 80-unit property will include walk-up units along Oak and 9th streets. Pizzuti expects to break ground on Phase II in the fall with completion slated for late summer 2020. Sullivan Bruck Architects oversaw the design of the renovated portion and Lupton Rausch Architects Inc. designed the new-construction building. Elford Inc. will serve as the general contractor on both portions of the project.