Overall the Rhode Island office market exited 2015 with positive momentum, which resulted in a strong first quarter 2016. While much of the activity is intrastate, it is a sign that local businesses have regained confidence in the overall economy outside of Rhode Island. In Providence, office building conversions to residential apartments continues to drive much of the urban office building demand. The largest of the recent residential conversions include the sale of 95 Chestnut Street (57,000 square feet) and 170 Westminster Street (62,000 square feet), which has resulted in contraction of the Class B Providence office market. In addition, The Rhode Island School of Design’s (RISD) recent expansion/purchase of a 12,000-square-foot office condominium at 123 Dyer Street has also spurred downtown demand. The Providence office market has also been affected by corporate consolidation. Citizens Bank, Bank of America, Textron and Blue Cross have all reduced the size of their footprints in Providence over the past 18 months. As a result, the Providence office market experienced a slight uptick in vacancy rates ending 2015, at about 16.5 percent. In the Jewelry District, three construction projects are well underway. The South Street Landing project is a $220 million dollar renovation of …
CAMBRIDGE, MASS. — An affiliate of Longfellow Real Estate Partners has received $51 million in recapitalization financing for a laboratory/biotechnology building located at 1030 Massachusetts Ave. in Cambridge. Greg LaBine of HFF placed the five-year, fixed-rate loan with Capital One Healthcare for the borrower. The 77,805-square-foot property is fully leased to seven tenants: five biotech tenants, an indoor cycling studio and a restaurant, which is slated to open in early this summer.
NEW YORK CITY — Kinsey Capital has arranged the acquisition of an office property located at 4-6 E. 34th St. in Manhattan’s NoMad neighborhood. An affiliate of Caerus Group acquired the 29,162-square-foot property from the Zionist Organization of America for $38.2 million, or $1,312 per square foot. The property also features air rights to allow for a total of 52,300 square feet. Brent Glodowski of Kinsey Capital represented the buyer, while CBRE represented the seller.
WILMINGTON, DEL. — Capital & Guarantee is developing Fenwick Medical Complex, a six-building facility in Wilmington. When complete, the property will feature 120,000 square feet of space, ample parking and a heliport. Anchored by a full-service emergency medical center, the complex will be occupied by various medical specialists and physicians, including cardiovascular, family practice, gastroenterology, gynecology, podiatry, internal medicine, psychology, spinal care and vein care offices. Physician and office space is available as build-to-suit units regardless of size or floor plans.
NORWELL, MASS. — NorthMarq Capital has arranged $2.4 million in refinancing for Longwater Circle, an office property located in Norwell. The commercial mortgage transaction features a long-term fixed rate for more than 10 years with a 30-year amortization and a flexible prepayment schedule. Michael Chase of NorthMarq secured the financing through a regional bank for the undisclosed borrower.
MILWAUKEE — Siegel-Gallagher has arranged a 6,214-square-foot office lease in Milwaukee. kW Mission Critical Engineering will occupy space at the building located at 173 N. Broadway St. Marianne Burish of Siegel-Gallagher brokered the transaction. 173 Broadway LLC is the landlord.
DALLAS — McCarthy Building Cos. will build Southwest Airlines’ new office and training facility on the company’s corporate campus in Dallas. The new building, called “Wings,” consists of a 414,000-square-foot office building and an attached 367,000-square-foot flight training center, which will house 18 flight simulator bays, associated offices and ancillary areas. The project is valued at more than $150 million, according to the Dallas Morning News. The training portion of the structure will be constructed out of a special hardened building that can withstand 210-mile winds as it must remain operational every day of the year in all weather conditions. Also included in the project is a 1,900-car parking garage and surface parking that will provide for a total of 2,500 cars, as well as additional site work and construction of pedestrian bridges. Southwest’s corporate campus is adjacent to Love Field Airport. BOKA Powell is the project architect and Pacheco Koch is the landscape architect/civil engineer. Reed Wells Benson is the mechanical and electrical engineer and L.A. Fuess Partners and Ponce-Fuess are providing structural engineer services on the project. The project will commence in June and is expected to be completed in early 2018.
HOUSTON — American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) has signed a long-term lease in CityPlace 2, becoming the latest major employer to move its global headquarters to Springwoods Village. CityPlace is a 60-acre mixed-use development that will include 4 million square feet of Class A office space, 400,000 square feet of retail space, a full-service hotel and additional luxury multifamily projects when fully developed. ABS, a provider of classification services to the marine and offshore industries, will occupy the entire office component of the new 10-story, 326,800-square-foot CityPlace 2, which will begin construction in early 2017. Scheduled for completion in late 2018, CityPlace 2 will also include 23,700 square feet of ground-floor retail. Tim Relyea and Kevin Snodgrass of Cushman & Wakefield represented ABS, while Chrissy Wilson of JLL and Dennis Tarro of Patrinely Group represented the landlord.
DALLAS — Citadel Partners LLC has represented Dallas CPA Society in the completion of a 6,364-square-foot office lease at 12400 Coit Road in Dallas. Taylor Dickerson and Scott Morse of Citadel Partners represented the tenant, and Layne Mayfield and Rodney Helm of Cushman & Wakefield represented the unnamed landlord.
NORTH BETHESDA, MD. — Monument Realty has inked a full-building lease with Abt Associates at 6130 Executive Blvd. in North Bethesda, roughly 12 miles outside of Washington, D.C. The 155,000-square-foot lease is the first of the two-building, 328,000-square-foot Executive Plaza that Monument Realty recently renovated. The $10 million renovation included common area upgrades, new mechanical systems and exterior and interior repairs, as well as the addition of a new fitness center, café and a 3,500-square-foot conference center. Abt Associates is a global research and development firm that has multiple offices in the U.S. and program offices in more than 40 countries. Cushman & Wakefield and Newmark Grubb Knight Frank represented Abt in the lease transaction. Avison Young represented Monument Realty and its partner, Angelo, Gordon & Co.