HOUSTON — Atlanta-based investment firm ECI Group has sold The Columns at Westchase, a 318-unit apartment community in Houston, to Mosaic Residential for an undisclosed price. Built in 1999, The Columns at Westchase offers one-, two- and three-bedroom units and amenities such as a pool, fitness center, clubhouse and outdoor grilling and dining stations. ECI acquired the property in 2018 and implemented capital improvements to unit interiors, building exteriors, landscaping and amenity spaces. David Mitchell of Newmark represented ECI Group in the transaction.
Multifamily
NEW YORK CITY — Bank OZK has provided a $95 million construction loan for a 194-unit multifamily project that is under construction at 300 E. 50th St. in Manhattan’s Turtle Bay neighborhood. Designed by BKSK Architects, the 23-story building will feature studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom units and amenities such as a fitness center, coworking lounge, rooftop garden, grilling terrace and a catering kitchen. The project also includes 4,888 square feet of commercial space, and 30 percent of the units will be reserved as affordable housing. The borrower and developer is a joint venture between locally based developer MAG Partners, global investment firm Safanad and Global Holdings Management Corp. Completion is scheduled for late 2025.
NORTH BERGEN, N.J. — CBRE has brokered the $5.5 million sale of a 30,000-square-foot multifamily development site in North Bergen, located across the Hudson River from Manhattan. The site at 8709 River Road is located across from the Edgewater Harbor lifestyle center. Fahri Ozturk, Richard Gatto, Zach McHale and Jeff Babikian of CBRE represented the seller, AIRN Management, in the transaction and procured an undisclosed, locally based developer as the buyer.
McCarthy Building Co. Breaks Ground on $285M Student Housing Project at University of California, Riverside
by Amy Works
RIVERSIDE, CALIF. — McCarthy Building Cos. has broken ground on the $285 million North District Phase II student housing development at University of California, Riverside (UCR). The intersegmental projects, one of the first of its kind in California, will house students from UCR and Riverside Community College District (RCCD). The 424,000-square-foot project will feature 429 single- and double-occupancy apartment-style units ranging from one to four bedrooms complete with kitchen/living room spaces, high-speed Wi-Fi, air conditioning and designated study areas. Additionally, the community will feature a café/market, recreation fields and a central park. The project has received funding through the State Higher Education Student Housing Grant Program to provide affordable beds for UCR and RCCD students, bringing the total number of beds to 1,568. The first students are expected to move-in in 2025.
KeyBank Provides $12.5M Construction Loan for Three Sisters Affordable Housing Development in Las Cruces, New Mexico
by Amy Works
LAS CRUCES, N.M. — KeyBank Community Development Lending and Investment (CDLI) has provided a $12.5 million construction loan for the development of The Three Sisters, an affordable apartment property in Las Cruces. The borrower, Chelsea Investment Corp., is an affordable housing developer in California and New Mexico. The Three Sisters will consist of eight two- and three-story residential buildings offering a total of 70 units for families and individuals earning no more than 30 percent, 50 percent and 60 percent of the area median income. The community features one-, two- and three-bedroom units, a community space, laundry room, computer center, barbecue and picnic area, dog park and two playgrounds. Additional amenities include comprehensive social services, such as group training, outreach and bi-monthly health and nutrition education classes. The project received additional support from The Richmond Group, which provided $11.9 million in Low-Income Housing Tax Credit equity, as well as a $1.9 million permanent loan from the Rocky Mountain Community Reinvestment Corp. The Three Sisters also received funding from the city, state, the HOME Investment Partnership Program and the National Housing Trust Fund. Matthew Haas of KeyBank CDLI structured the financing.
CARMEL, IND. — The Connor Group has acquired Carmel Center Apartments in suburban Indianapolis for an undisclosed price. The luxury apartment property, built in 2002, features 322 units. Amenities include a pool, sundeck, outdoor chef’s kitchen and fitness center. Carmel Center marks Connor Group’s third purchase in the Midwest region this year and its seventh acquisition in 2023, bringing its total assets under management to more than $4.5 billion. Wick Kirby, Amanda Friant, Mark Stern, Matthew Lawton and Sam Grohe of JLL represented the seller, NTS Development with an institutional partner.
CHICAGO — Coldwell Banker Commercial Realty has negotiated the sale of a 60-unit apartment building under construction in Chicago’s Lincoln Square neighborhood. The sales price was undisclosed, but the list price was $4 million. The property at 5035 N. Lincoln Ave. will comprise 80 percent market-rate units and 20 percent affordable housing. Choudhry Muzaffar of Coldwell Banker brokered the sale. The buyer, TRIETH Development, intends to complete construction and add additional units. The development had been stalled for four years and went into receivership.
MCDONOUGH, GA. — McShane Construction Co. has delivered Crofthouse McDonough, a 280-unit apartment community located at 2080 Jonesboro Road in McDonough, a southern suburb of Atlanta. South City Partners is the developer of the community, which is the multifamily component of a 31-acre mixed-use development that includes for-sale homes and retail/commercial space. Designed by Dynamik Design, Crofthouse McDonough features one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, as well as a clubhouse with a game room, fitness center and yoga room, coworking space, pet spa, resort-style swimming pool, fire pit, grilling stations, putting green, dog park and a gazebo with a TV, bar and mini fridge. Alpha Management Partners manages the community, according to the property website. Rental rates range from $1,529 to $2,339.
Stratus Breaks Ground on 153-Bed Student Housing Property Near Wake Forest University in North Carolina
by John Nelson
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Stratus Development Group has broken ground on The Haven at Wake, a 153-bed student housing development located near the Wake Forest University campus in Winston-Salem. The community will offer a mix of two-, three- and four-bedroom units with bed-to-bath parity. Located at 450 Polo Road, the project is a half-mile from the Wake Forest campus. Shared amenities will include parking, a swimming pool and sundeck, clubhouse, study rooms, fitness facilities, community green space and a dog park. A timeline for the project was not announced.
TAMPA, FLA. — LyvWell Communities announces its latest build-to-rent development in Tampa: 115 new townhomes in the Deer Valley district. Land development is currently underway, with move-in dates available as early as summer 2024. LyvWell Communities caters to the health-conscious preferences of residents, developing properties with amenities such as pools, dog parks, outdoor fitness areas, Zen zones, community pavilions and community gardens. From fenced yards and garages to versatile living spaces equipped with air and water filtration systems, blackout shades for restful sleep, and circadian lighting, LyvWell Communities offers a comprehensive approach to well-being. According to Mike Bednarski, CEO of LyvWell Communities, “LyvWell Communities is driven by a mission that transcends traditional real estate. Our vision is to provide not just homes, but living experiences that emphasize wellness, community and self-preservation.” Community is a central pillar of the LyvWell Communities mission, and property managers host a wide variety of events and activities for their members such as group fitness classes, community barbecues and healthy cooking classes. LyvWell Communities’ development team has extensive experience in residential and multifamily development, investment and management and covers the Southeastern United States and Texas with their housing offerings.