SUMMIT, N.J. — Excell Communications, a provider of network infrastructure for the wireless, fiber and utility industries, has signed a 7,000-square-foot office lease in the Northern New Jersey community of Summit. The two-story building at 44 Middle Ave. is located directly off Route 24 and includes 29 parking spaces. Thomas Ryan of NAI James E. Hanson represented the landlord in the lease negotiations. The representative of the tenant was not disclosed.
BOSSIER CITY, LA. — The Cordish Cos. has announced an agreement to acquire Diamond Jacks Casino & Hotel, located in Bossier City in northwest Louisiana. Subject to approval by the Louisiana Gaming Control Board, Cordish plans to redevelop the property into a casino resort and entertainment destination. Closed since March 2020, the development will be the first in the state of Louisiana under Cordish’s Live! brand, which offers dining, entertainment, casino, hotel and sports-anchored entertainment spaces. The seller and acquisition price were not disclosed. Cordish was the development partner for Hard Rock Hotel & Casino properties in Hollywood and Tampa, Fla., and its assets include the Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland in Hanover, Md.; Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia and Live! Casino Pittsburgh; and the Texas Live! Development within the Arlington Entertainment District in North Texas, where Cordish is currently underway on $1 billion of construction adjacent to the property. Additionally, the company has new developments in Florida, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee. Foundation Gaming & Entertainment LLC will partner with Cordish to complete the project. — Hayden Spiess
By Beau Taggart, Cushman & Wakefield Historically, Columbus was a steady-performing, secondary industrial market that saw minimal rent increases. Often, it was overshadowed by “big brother” cities such as Indianapolis and Chicago that were perceived as more appealing to institutional investors. After the great recession of 2008, though, Columbus began to mature economically, and the region began its meteoric rise as a leading big-box industrial market in the U.S. Located at the intersection of Interstates 70 and 71, within a day’s drive of 46 percent of the U.S. population and containing one of the only freight-only airports in the country, Rickenbacker Airport, Columbus began to attract more and more major retailers such as Zulily, Lululemon, Macy’s and Sam’s Club as well as e-commerce giant Amazon, which has opened several bulk facilities throughout the region. Additionally, three major intermodal terminals and major UPS and FedEx hubs strategically located throughout the area boosted Columbus from its secondary status to a primary inland hub on every major distributor’s radar. Like many markets, 2021 was Columbus’s most prolific year. Interest rates were at an all-time low, and users were compensating for COVID-fueled consumer demand. Asking rates grew by 14 percent and vacancy shot down …
By Deborah Smith, co-founder and CEO, The CenterCap Group Industrial outdoor storage (IOS) may have once been an obscure abbreviation, but this subcategory of industrial real estate has now emerged as an intriguing and evolving niche product. Much like single-family rentals (SFR) and self-storage, the asset class still has some way to go before becoming fully institutionalized, but its increasing importance in last-mile distribution makes it a topic worth discussing and placing on investors’ radars. At a high level, IOS properties serve as essential storage facilities for large equipment, vehicles and materials and are often located near transportation hubs, highway corridors and ports of entry. Among other things, these facilities exist to provide secondary storage capacity for logistics operators. So What Is IOS?IOS properties are not the kinds of glamorous properties that commercial investors typically pay much attention to, as they are outdoors and not always aesthetically pleasing to look at. At a basic level, these sites are low-coverage industrial land, generally in the three- to 20-acre range. Buildings typically comprise zero to 20 percent of the site. The property type’s primary value comes from the outside storage capabilities of the excess yard. IOS facilities feature a significantly lower floor …
HOUSTON — A partnership between an affiliate of developer Atlantic | Pacific Cos. and The Harris County Housing Authority has completed Arbor at Wayforest, a 192-unit affordable housing complex located in Houston’s Greenspoint neighborhood. Residences are reserved for renters earning up to 30, 50 and 60 percent of the area median income. According to Apartments.com, the property features two- and three-bedroom units that range in size from 926 to 1,103 square feet and amenities such as a pool, fitness center, business center and a playground.
PRINCETON, TEXAS — HLC Equity, a Pittsburgh-based investment and management firm, has refinanced Southgate Apartments, a 156-unit multifamily complex located northeast of Dallas in Princeton. According to Apartments.com, the property offers one-, two- and three-bedroom units and amenities such as a pool, fitness center and a resident clubhouse. Berkadia originated the long-term, Fannie Mae loan, the amount of which was not disclosed.
THE COLONY, TEXAS — ELM Cos., a provider of energy storage and infrastructure solutions, will open a new 125,000-square-foot headquarters and manufacturing facility in The Colony, a northern suburb of Dallas. The company is expanding its microgrid and solar operations from a 25,000-square-foot space in nearby Lewisville, a move that is expected to add about 65 new jobs to the local economy. Construction of the facility is underway, and ELM Cos. plans to take occupancy before the end of the year.
TULSA, OKLA. — Dallas-based brokerage firm The Multifamily Group (TMG) has arranged the sale of The Broadmoor Retirement Community, a 124-unit independent living facility in Tulsa. Built in 1986, the age-restricted property features studio, one- and two-bedroom units with an average size of 510 square feet. Casey Litsey and C.J. Swanson of TMG represented the seller, and Paul Yazbeck of TMG procured the buyer. Both parties requested anonymity.
RICHARDSON, TEXAS — Lee & Associates has negotiated an 8,264-square-foot office lease in the northeastern Dallas suburb of Richardson. The tenant, Property HOA Management, will occupy space at Two Mission Park, a building that was originally constructed in 1982 and totals 77,449 square feet, according to LoopNet Inc. Jessica Reinhardt and George Tanghongs of Lee & Associates represented the landlord, an entity doing business as Dallas North Office LLC, in the lease negotiations.
NEW YORK CITY — Affinius Capital, which is a partnership between USAA Real Estate and Square Mile Capital Management, has provided a $110 million loan for the refinancing of the 488-room Arlo Midtown hotel in Manhattan. The boutique hotel is located on 38th Street between Eighth and Ninth avenues, adjacent to Times Square, and offers both traditional guestrooms and suites, as well as several onsite food-and-beverage options. The borrower was Quadrum Global, a development and investment firm with offices in New York City and Miami.