NORTHBROOK, ILL. — Cohen Financial, a division of SunTrust Bank, has arranged a $19 million bridge loan for the acquisition of 400 Skokie in Northbrook, a northern suburb of Illinois. The 195,000-square-foot office building is currently 75 percent leased by tenants in various industries, including industrial manufacturing, financial services and healthcare. Michael Hart of Cohen Financial arranged the loan on behalf of the borrower, Ameritus. A Chicago-based bank provided the loan.
CHICAGO — BP Products North America has renewed its 240,000-square-foot office lease at CME Center-10 & 30 South Wacker in Chicago’s West Loop. BP has leased space at the property since 2010 when it relocated from the western suburbs. CME Center is 90 percent leased. The 2.3 million-square-foot property consists of two 40-story towers connected by a 10-story center structure and a 500-car parking garage. Amenities include a car wash, valet parking, tenant lounge and fitness facility. Matt Carolan, Steve Steinmeyer and Bruce Renwick of JLL represented BP in the lease transaction. Joe Gordon and Justin Lewis of Tishman Speyer represented ownership, Tishman Speyer.
LOS ANGELES — Gaw Capital Partners has purchased the 107,875-square-foot studio campus in the Los Angeles submarket of Atwater Village formerly occupied by Playboy. The space is located at 3030 Studios. The price was not disclosed. The studio features studio, production and creative office space located on nearly four acres of land. The private studio campus offers a full-service production and broadcast facility with three soundstages. JLL’s Nicole Mihalka, Carl Muhlstein and Hayley Blockley represented the seller, World Class Capital Group, in this transaction.
IRVINE, CALIF. — Taco Bell Corp. has expanded its executive team and leadership capabilities with three new positions as the brand inches toward its goal of being a $15 billion company with 9,000 restaurants globally by 2022. Taco Bell is bringing on Julie Felss Masino as brand president, where she will be responsible for ensuring the brand continues to deliver same-store sales growth by driving innovation, new store development and customer experience. She will also continue the brand’s partnership with its franchisees. This addition will allow CEO Brian Niccol the opportunity to focus on the company’s growth as a global brand while continuing to oversee the U.S. business. Masino comes to Taco Bell from Mattel Inc., where she led the Fisher Price division. Prior to that, she had extensive experience in the restaurant industry. Masino spent 12 years at Starbucks in leadership positions across numerous functions including in marketing, operations and strategic growth — both domestically and globally. She also has experience building newer brands, having served as CEO of Sprinkles Cupcakes Inc., where she grew store count and diversified retail product offerings, successfully launching its newest concept of cupcakes and ice cream. As part of the company’s structuring for …
ATLANTA — NCR Corp. (NYSE: NCR), an ATM maker and financial tech firm, and Cousins Properties have opened NCR’s two-tower global office campus in Midtown Atlanta. Development costs comprising both private and public investment are estimated at $450 million. The 750,000-square-foot development is situated at the corner of 8th and Spring streets and is expected to house roughly 5,000 employees, who will begin moving into the first tower today, with the second tower opening later this year. “This campus symbolizes the power of reinvention, says Bill Nuti, chairman and CEO of NCR, which moved its headquarters from nearby Duluth in Gwinnett County. “Our move to Midtown is part of our vision for transforming Atlanta into the Silicon Valley of the East.” NCR and Cousins Properties (NYSE: CUZ) entered a long-term, build-to-suit lease for the campus, which will be owned by Cousins. Construction of the first 20-story tower began in November 2015, and in September 2016 NCR announced it would expand the campus and build a second 14-story tower. “We are proud to have helped NCR achieve its vision for a new cutting-edge corporate headquarters in Midtown,” says Larry Gellerstedt, chairman of the board and CEO of Atlanta-based Cousins Properties. “This …
On the surface, the Washington, D.C., metropolitan office market has shown little change over the past five years. But dig a little deeper, and some interesting trends emerge. Metro D.C.’s office market totaled 377 million square feet as of the third quarter of 2017 and recorded a vacancy rate of just under 15 percent — inclusive of sublease space — and cumulative net absorption of 600,000 square feet year-to-date. The market has demonstrated little change in major market indicators over the last five years. Notably, three of the last five years (2012 to 2016) recorded negative absorption on a regionwide basis — averaging 82,000 square feet annually. Overall vacancy levels have thus far been held in check in part due to vacant buildings being removed from inventory for renovation and retrofitting or for conversion from office to other uses such as schools and residential. Nevertheless, core submarkets and micro-markets are benefitting from occupancy growth and rental rate increases, with tenants demonstrating a decided preference for amenity-rich areas. Tenant Preferences Regionally, the office segment is characterized by flight to quality and tenant-leaning leasing conditions. Tenants continue to favor efficient space design. They’re relying more heavily on building amenities such as conference …
ROSSLYN, VA. — Washington REIT plans to acquire Arlington Tower, a 398,000-square-foot office tower in Rossyln, less than three miles southwest of Washington, D.C., for $250 million. The name of the seller was not disclosed. Washington REIT is expected to close on the 19-story tower in the first quarter. Located at 1300 N. 17th St., Arlington Tower is situated two blocks from the Rosslyn Metrorail station, offering access to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, the Pentagon and the national capital area. Over the past five years, the building underwent $16 million in renovations, including the addition of a private rooftop deck, fitness center, updated onsite retail amenities, a landscaped outdoor plaza, updated lobby and improved five-level underground parking. Washington REIT plans to further enhance the building with pre-built spec suite options, allowing small and mid-size tenants the option to move in quickly. At the time of sale Arlington Tower was leased to tenants including B. Riley FBR, Raytheon/BBR Technologies, Promontory Interfinancial Network, Pepco, the National Electrical Manufacturers Association and Graham Holdings Co. Carol Weld King and David Reina of Morris, Manning & Martin LLP represented Washington REIT in the acquisition.
LONGMONT, COLO. — Broe Real Estate Group has purchased a 461,000-square-foot office/lab facility in Longmont, approximately 15 miles northeast of Boulder. The 24-acre business campus was built in 1989. The property was renovated and expanded in 2001 to facilitate a long-term lease with Maxtor Corp. (now Seagate Technology). Seagate vacated the property in 2007, but continued to make lease payments until the expiration of its lease in 2016. Shortly thereafter, the property was transferred through a deed in lieu of foreclosure transaction to a special servicer.
DENVER — A joint venture between Harbert Management Corporation and Bancroft Capital has obtained a $44.6 million loan to refinance Denver Highlands, a 359,919-square-foot office property in Denver. The asset is located at 10375 and 10065 E. Harvard Ave. The JV acquired the property in 2014 and repositioned the property. Renovations included exterior building improvements, landscaping, renovated lobbies and common areas, new elevators and tenant amenity space. Proceeds will be used to pay off the existing loan and fund leasing costs to bring the property to stabilization. Dennis Williams of NorthMarq Capital arranged the three-year, interest-only loan. Funds were provided by Bedrock Capital.
FAIRFAX, VA. — Avison Young has arranged the sale of Merrifield-Fairfax Medical Campus, a 119,788-square-foot medical office building located at 3023 Hamaker Court in Fairfax, roughly 20 miles west of Washington, D.C. Grosvenor Americas Inc. sold the asset for $62.5 million to Harrison Street Real Estate, according to the Washington Business Journal. Jim Kornick, Chip Ryan, Mike Wilson, Erik Foster and Mark Johnson of Avison Young arranged the transaction. Situated adjacent to the Inova Fairfax Hospital campus, the building was 84.5 percent leased at the time of sale to tenants including Children’s National Health System and Pediatric Specialists of Virginia, a venture between Children’s and Inova. In addition, the transaction included a 120,000-square-foot adjacent site that has been approved for a second phase of development.
