EAST PALO ALTO, CALIF. — MidPen Housing and the East Palo Alto Community Alliance Neighborhood Organization (EPACANDO) have opened Colibri Commons, a 136-unit affordable housing community at 965 Weeks St. in East Palo Alto. The property’s 136 studio, one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom units are reserved for tenants earning no more than 60 percent of the area median income. Community amenities include a community room, an outdoor play area and free onsite services such as nutrition classes, adult education and after-school programming. MidPen Property Management is the property manager. Financing for Colibri Commons was provided through multiple public and private sources. The project team included David Baker Architects and Blach Construction.
Multifamily
FORT WAYNE, IND. — Merchants Capital has provided more than $99 million in debt and tax credit equity financing for The Elex, a 296-unit workforce housing community now leasing in Fort Wayne. Developed by Biggs Group in partnership with Ancora, Weigand Construction and MSquared, The Elex is part of the Electric Works site, a redeveloped General Electric industrial campus that opened last month. Merchants Capital secured a $34.4 million Freddie Mac non-LIHTC forward permanent loan and provided $9.5 million in federal low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) equity for The Elex. Merchants Bank provided $55.5 million in construction and equity bridge financing. The Elex offers one-, two- and three-bedroom units, with 207 units rented at market rate and 89 affordable units set aside for residents earning between 30 and 80 percent of the area median income. Affordability is supported via LIHTC equity syndicated by Merchants Capital, state tax credits and tax-increment financing bonds. Named in tribute to The Elex Club, a pioneering women’s organization formed by General Electric’s female employees, The Elex represents Phase II of The Electric Works redevelopment, which is comprised of 18 historical buildings, office space, education and innovation space, retail, residential, hotel and entertainment venues developed across …
NEW YORK CITY — A partnership between two local firms, owner-operator Slate Property Group and investment firm Avenue Realty Capital, has purchased a 16-unit apartment building in Manhattan’s Tribeca neighborhood for $32 million. The seven-story building at 45 White St. was originally constructed in 1868 as a commercial office and converted to residential use in 2009. Units come in studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom floor plans. Amenities include a fitness center and a children’s playroom. Guthrie Garvin of JLL represented the undisclosed seller in the transaction. The partnership was self-represented. White Oak Real Estate Capital financed the acquisition.
By Bob Ross, Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce The Topeka, Kansas, housing market continues to distinguish itself as one of the most competitive and resilient markets in the Midwest — offering a compelling case for developers seeking opportunity in a high-demand, undersupplied environment. New data from the Sunflower Association of Realtors underscores that strength. In February, the Topeka metropolitan area recorded 166 home sales, matching the pace from the same period last year, with total sales volume reaching $33.9 million. The median home price stood at $184,000 (compared with the national average of $360,591), while homes sold in an average of just 13 days (compared with the national average of 39 days) — an exceptionally fast turnaround compared with peer markets. Perhaps most notably, homes in Topeka sold for 100 percent of their list price and 98.7 percent of their original list price, a clear signal of strong buyer competition. By contrast, homes in the Greater Kansas City market took an average of 57 days to sell and closed at just 96.3 percent of original list price. Taken together, the data paints a clear picture: Demand in Topeka is not only strong — it is accelerating. Area employers frequently note …
NORFOLK, VA. — Affiliates of Harbor Group International, in partnership with The Garrett Cos. and Telis Group, have received a $351 million loan for the refinancing of an eight-property multifamily portfolio across four states. ACRE, a vertically integrated real estate fund manager, provided the financing. Totaling 1,573 units, the portfolio is located in Arizona, Colorado, Indiana and Minnesota, with properties in the Denver, Colorado Springs, Phoenix, Indianapolis and Minneapolis metropolitan areas. The communities included in the portfolio were developed between 2024 and 2026 and are part of a larger, 11-property portfolio that was refinanced by the borrowers in January 2025. Aaron Appel, Jonathan Schwartz, Keith Kurland, Adam Schwartz, Dustin Stolly, Sean Rimer, Michael Ianno, Nicholas Gillhooley, Craig West, Kevin Walsh and Holden Barry of Walker & Dunlop Capital Markets secured the loan on behalf of the borrowers. “This refinancing represents another important milestone for the portfolio and highlights the collaborative approach among all parties involved,” says Eric Garrett, CEO of The Garrett Cos. “We continue to see strong operating performance across the assets and remain confident in the long-term fundamentals supporting these markets.” Headquartered in Norfolk, Va., Harbor Group International is a privately owned global real estate investment and management …
NEWTON, MASS. — Garden Communities, a New Jersey-based owner-operator, is nearing completion of Newton Crossing, a 292-unit multifamily project that will be located on the western outskirts of Boston. Newton Crossing will comprise three buildings that will house studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom units. Amenities will include a game room with billiards, conference rooms, flex lounge areas, a fitness center, golf simulator and a rooftop terrace. Marketing and leasing initiatives are now underway, although information on starting rents was not immediately available.
SACRAMENTO, CALIF. — CBRE has negotiated the sale and acquisition financing of 16 Powerhouse, an apartment community in Sacramento. Oakmont Properties acquired the asset from Demmon Partners for $34.5 million. Marc Ross, Joe McNamara and Claire Holt of CBRE represented the seller in the deal. Andrew Behrens and Jesse Weber of CBRE secured acquisition financing for the buyer. Located at 1606 P St., the six-story 16 Powerhouse features 73 one- and two-bedroom floor plans and ground-floor retail space, currently occupied by Orchid Thai, Magpie and Temple Coffee. Built in 2015 and renovated with an addition in 2024, the community features a clubhouse and lounge, spa deck, an outdoor lounge, a rooftop deck and an outdoor kitchen.
MOUNT PROSPECT, ILL. — Interra Realty has brokered the $23 million sale of 20West, a six-story, 71-unit apartment complex in Mount Prospect. Paul Waterloo, Patrick Kennelly and Nathan Zito of Interra represented the buyer, Wheeling, Ill.-based Anemone Real Estate. The trio also represented the seller, Wingspan Development Group, which opened the property in 2019. The asset was 94 percent occupied at the time of sale. The property features nine studios, 41 one-bedroom and 20 two-bedroom layouts as well as a three-bedroom penthouse. Amenities include a fitness center, yoga studio, lounge and demonstration kitchen. A two-story restaurant space is currently leased to The Prospect.
BUFORD, GA. — American Landmark Apartments has acquired Preserve at Mill Creek, a 400-unit multifamily community located at 1400 Mall of Georgia Blvd. in Buford, a northeast suburb of Atlanta. The seller and sales price were not disclosed. Built in 2001, Preserve at Mill Creek is situated near the Mall of Georgia, I-85 and Ga. Highway 20. The property features one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, as well as a swimming pool, fitness center, courtyard and a clubhouse. The acquisition grows American Landmark’s metro Atlanta portfolio to nine properties.
Related Breaks Ground on $200M Multifamily Project Along St. Johns River in Jacksonville
by John Nelson
JACKSONVILLE, FLA. — Related Group has broken ground on Southbank Residences, a $200 million multifamily project located along the St. Johns River in Jacksonville. The project represents the first new luxury high-rise development on the city’s downtown riverfront in more than a decade, according to the developer. The property will feature 395 luxury apartments across two towers — the 25-story Icon Southbank and the eight-story Manor Southbank — as well as a 4,500-square-foot waterfront restaurant, 601 structured parking spaces and a 29-slip marina. Monthly rents will begin at $2,000 for a studio apartment and more than $7,000 for a three-bedroom apartment. Amenities will include a spa and wellness center with cold plunge, steam and dry sauna, massage treatment rooms and relaxation spaces; 24-hour market; speakeasy; library; private theater; game and entertainment lounge with sports simulators; a resort-style waterfront pool and spa overlooking the St. Johns River with a pool pavilion with grilling stations and a summer kitchen; Zen garden; yoga lawn; and direct access to the 1.25-mile Southbank Riverwalk. The design-build team includes Carlos Ott, MSA Architects and ID & Design International. Related Group expects to deliver Southbank Residences in 2028 or 2029.