FAIRFIELD, N.J. — BNE Real Estate has begun leasing The Kingsley, a 99-unit apartment complex in the Northern New Jersey community of Fairfield. Designed by Minno & Wasko Architects & Planners, the property features one- and two-bedroom units with stainless steel appliances, quartz countertops, tile backsplashes and individual washers and dryers. Private balconies and patios are available in select residences. Amenities include a pool, game room and a card room, as well as indoor and outdoor lounges, Amazon package lockers and a fitness center. Rents start at roughly $2,300 per month for a one-bedroom unit.
Multifamily
CHICAGO — Draper and Kramer’s Commercial Finance Group has arranged two loans totaling $114 million for two apartment developments in Chicago. Tandem Development was the borrower for both transactions. The first was a $58.4 million construction loan for 1044 West Van Buren, a 196-unit apartment project with 1,775 square feet of first-floor retail space in the West Loop neighborhood. Construction began on the building, designed by Antunovich Associates, in April. Completion is slated for the second quarter of 2023. The HUD 221(d)(4) loan features a 40-year term and a 40-year amortization schedule. The second loan totaled $55.6 million for the refinancing of Avenir Apartments in Chicago’s River West. Completed in 2019, the transit-oriented development features 196 units and 32,558 square feet of commercial space. Antunovich Associates also designed this property. The HUD 223(f) loan features a 35-year term and a 35-year amortization schedule. Matt Wurtzebach of Draper and Kramer originated both loans with assistance from colleagues Jeff Ross and Kevan Briscoe.
LOCKPORT, ILL. — Dwight Capital has provided a $49.8 million HUD 223(f) loan for the refinancing of Highland Ridge Apartments in Lockport, a southwest suburb of Chicago. Completed in 2019, the garden-style multifamily property consists of 240 units across 12 buildings. Amenities include a dog park, fitness center, pool, theater, shuffleboard and yoga room. Brandon Baksh of Dwight originated the 35-year loan on behalf of the borrower, Heartland Real Estate Partners. The fixed-rate loan benefitted from a Green Mortgage Insurance Premium (MIP) reduction set at 25 basis points because the property is Energy Star-certified.
Western Wealth Capital Buys 212-Unit Sonesta on University Apartment Homes in Tempe, Arizona
by Amy Works
TEMPE, ARIZ. — Western Wealth Capital has acquired Sonesta on University Apartment Homes, a multifamily property located in Tempe. Terms of the transaction were not released. The purchase is Western Wealth Capital’s 78th multifamily acquisition in the Phoenix market. Originally constructed in 1989, Sonesta on University features 212 apartments, two pools, a beach volleyball court, basketball court, putting green and resident clubhouse.
Parkview Financial Provides $207M Loan for Acquisition, Redevelopment of Former Hudson Hotel in New York City
by Katie Sloan
NEW YORK CITY — Parkview Financial has provided $207 million in financing for the acquisition and redevelopment of the former Hudson Hotel in Manhattan’s Clinton neighborhood. Located at 353-366 West 58th St., the 24-story hotel was most recently operated by Cain International until shuttering in 2020 under strain from the COVID-19 pandemic. The undisclosed borrower plans to convert the 385,124-square-foot property into a 438-unit residential tower. Units will feature eight-foot to 10-foot ceilings, hardwood floors, stainless steel appliances, quartz countertops and washers and dryers. The building will also offer 30,000 square feet of retail and 25,000 square feet of office space. The new ownership plans to market the units at a 20 percent discount to rates seen at other properties in the surrounding area in hopes of attracting young professionals, students and small families to the property, according to Paul Rahimian, CEO and founder of Parkview. The redevelopment is scheduled for completion in early 2023. The building was originally constructed in 1929 to act as the American Women’s Association clubhouse and residence for young women before being converted into the Henry Hudson Hotel in 1941. The property is located one block west of Columbus Circle near Billionaires’ Row. Parkview Financial provided the financing in conjunction with Montgomery Street Partners. …
By Kimberly Stepp, Principal, Stepp Commercial The strength of the Greater Los Angeles apartment market has exceeded expectations coming out of the pandemic. Despite reports of an exodus from California and population decline in the metro, apartment rental demand is seeing an all-time high, with net absorption of units running at its highest level in decades. As a result, vacancy is at a low 3.4 percent, lower than the pre-COVID level of 4.4 percent. Asking rents have seen a 7.7 percent growth over the past 12 months, while the national rate is 11.1 percent. Average monthly asking rents across LA County stand at $2,130, albeit still lower than the median monthly home payment of $2,659. Los Angeles multifamily market fundamentals remain favorable for investors. The area has one of the highest percentages of renters of any U.S. metro, comprising approximately half of all households. Already hefty housing prices in a highly competitive market have seen even greater increases over the past 20 months, resulting in a median home price of $795,000. This has left a significant part of the population priced out of homeownership. High construction costs, NIMBY sentiment and onerous permitting continue to plague the ability to deliver desperately needed housing units. …
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Four Ways Technology Can Keep Onsite Multifamily Staff Happier During the Great Resignation
by Jaime Lackey
The Great Resignation. The Big Quit. Call it what you will. The widespread trend of employees leaving their jobs in 2021 and 2022 has placed a burden on onsite property management staff at multifamily communities. Like other industries nationwide, the multifamily industry has been hit hard by this period where record numbers of employees are leaving their current positions. According to the National Apartment Association (NAA), rental owners and operators have reported up to 70 percent of their workforce resigning during this period. Historically, employee turnover ranges from 30 to 50 percent annually. In roles that often require wearing many hats to keep up with prospective renters and resident requests, leasing teams are feeling added pressure. With technology solutions that alleviate daunting tasks for onsite staff, you can save your staff valuable time and unnecessary manual effort. Your leasing team can simplify tour scheduling, automate routine communications, and set up seamless multifamily marketing campaigns that free up time for staff to better connect with renters. Here are four steps operators can take to maximize efficiencies and achieve better outcomes. 1. Automate Apartment Tour Scheduling The first step to helping your team thrive during a spike in renter demand is understanding …
J.P. Morgan Provides $96.4M Construction Loan for Apartment Tower in Downtown West Palm Beach
by John Nelson
WEST PALM BEACH, FLA. — J.P. Morgan has provided a $96.4 million construction loan for the development of a 22-story apartment tower in downtown West Palm Beach. The borrower is a joint venture between the developer, Hyperion, and affiliates of Starwood Capital Group and Winter Properties. Located at 201 Clearwater Drive, the unnamed tower will include 457 apartments, 7,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space, a 628-space parking garage and more than 34,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor amenities. Hyperion is expected to begin construction soon, and the development is slated to be open to renters in early 2024.
NEW ORLEANS AND GONZALES, LA. — California-based Passco Cos. has purchased two apartment communities in Louisiana totaling 602 units in two separate transactions. The properties include the 330-unit Canal 1535 in downtown New Orleans and the 272-unit Sawgrass Point in the Baton Rouge submarket of Gonzales. Caleb Marten of KeyBank Real Estate Capital arranged acquisition financing for both transactions. Mike Kemether of Cushman & Wakefield and Larry Schedler, Cheryl Short and Christian Schedler of Larry G. Schedler & Associates Inc. were the brokers in the Canal 1535 transaction. Chad Rigby and Saban Sellers of Stirling Investment Advisors and Telly Fathaly of Walker & Dunlop were the brokers in the Sawgrass Point deal. The sellers and the sales prices were not disclosed. The acquisitions bring Passco’s Louisiana portfolio to nearly 1,700 units.
FLOWER MOUND, TEXAS — Realty Capital will develop Terranea at Lake Grapevine, a 200-unit apartment complex in Flower Mound, located in the northern central part of the metroplex. Designed by Merriman Anderson Architects, Terranea at Lake Grapevine will rise 16 stories and include townhouses, penthouses and retail space in addition to traditional rental units. Amenities will include a pool deck overlooking Lake Grapevine, a fitness center, golf simulator, game room, bar, dog wash, storage and outdoor gathering spaces. Construction is slated to begin this summer and to be complete in 2024.