WASHINGTON, D.C. — Office users across the United States added 42 million square feet of office space to the sublease market during the second and third quarters, according to a new report from CoStar Group. As of the end of September, the country’s inventory of office sublease space stood at approximately 157 million square feet, a 44 percent increase from third-quarter 2019. While office users added about 14 million square feet of office space to the sublease supply during the second quarter, growth was even more pronounced during the third quarter, when tenants put some 28.5 million square feet up for sublease. According to a Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas survey, 24 percent of employed Americans were working from home in August due to COVID-19 shutdowns. An additional 18 percent of workers went into the office some days. According to the survey, 8 percent of Americans worked from home full-time prior to the pandemic. CoStar reports that among the biggest users to put sublease space on the market were pharmaceutical giant Sanofi (415,000 square feet in Northern New Jersey); retailer Macy’s (309,660 square feet in New York); insurance company USAA (305,110 square feet in San Antonio); Ebay (212,110 square feet …
SMYRNA, GA. — Cushman & Wakefield has arranged the $68.2 million sale of The Eddy at Riverview Landing, a 310-unit multifamily community in Smyrna. The property offers one-, two- and three-bedroom floor plans. Communal amenities include a fitness center, bike storage, walking trails, dog park and a car charging station. The property is situated along the Chattahoochee River at 6255 Riverview Road SE, 10 miles west of downtown Atlanta. Watson Bryant, Paul Marley and Taylor Bird of Cushman & Wakefield represented the seller, Prestwick Cos., in the transaction. JEM Holdings acquired the asset.
GEORGETOWN, TEXAS — Titan Development has broken ground on Phase I of NorthPark 35, a project in the northern Austin suburb of Georgetown that will add 330,000 square feet of industrial space across two buildings to the local supply. The project includes the extension of Aviation Drive to intersect with State Highway 130 and Interstate 35. Titan Development, which has offices in Albuquerque and San Antonio, expects to complete Phase I of the 146-acre project in the spring of 2021. One building will be partially occupied by Georgetown-based Texas Speed & Performance, while the remaining space will be marketed to future users.
VIRGINIA BEACH, VA. — Standard Communities, the affordable housing division of Standard Cos., has acquired The Commons at Princess Anne, an affordable seniors housing community in Virginia Beach. The buyer plans to make capital improvements at the 186-unit property. The acquisition and renovation have a total capitalization of approximately $22 million. Built in 2001, The Commons at Princess Anne features a central courtyard with picnic areas and grills, a large community room and amenity spaces such as a fitness center, hair salon and walking paths. With this transaction, Standard has created or preserved over 2,000 units of affordable housing in the Mid-Atlantic region. The seller was not disclosed.
CONROE, TEXAS — VGXI Inc., a biotechnology firm that supports the gene therapy and DNA vaccine industries, will open a new life sciences and headquarters facility in Conroe, about 40 miles north of Houston. Local media outlets, including Community Impact Newspaper and the Houston Business Journal, report that the facility will span 240,000 square feet. The company’s new space will be located within Deison Technology Park and will allow VGXI to quintuple its current production capacity. BE&K Building Group is handling the design and build of the project. Construction is underway, and the facility is expected to be operational by the first quarter of 2022.
MONTICELLO, MINN. — Upland Real Estate Group has brokered the $20 million sale of a 188,000-square-foot retail property occupied by Fleet Farm in Monticello, about 40 miles northwest of Minneapolis. The single-tenant, net-leased building is situated near I-94. Fleet Farm has 19 years remaining on its lease. The retailer operates 45 stores in five states and sells a variety of sports and outdoor equipment, appliances, automotive goods, apparel, hardware, tools and farm supplies. Keith Sturm, Deborah Vannelli, Amanda Leathers and Ed Engler of Upland brokered the sale. Buyer and seller information was not disclosed.
FISHERS, IND. — Mortgage banking company Merchants Capital has provided $11 million for the construction of SouthPointe Village, a 62-unit affordable housing community in Fishers, a suburb of Indianapolis. Located at 11144 Lantern Road, the project will be available for renters who earn 50 to 80 percent of the area median income. In addition to the 30-month loan, there are $1.2 million in low-income housing tax credits, enabling the development to be constructed with rents lower than market value. Rents at SouthPointe Village will range from $650 to $950 per month for a one-bedroom unit and $760 to $1,100 per month for two-bedroom units. Additionally, 25 percent of units will be set aside for the developmentally disabled, with the help of local organizations such as Janus Development Services, Outside the Box, Opportunities for Positive Growth and Insights Consulting. Merchants provided the construction loan on behalf of RealAmerica Cos.
BRUNSWICK AND NILES, OHIO — United Church Homes, an Ohio-based nonprofit provider of senior living residential and healthcare services, has acquired two active adult communities in Northeast Ohio for an undisclosed price. Harbor Woods Living at Brunswick and Harbor Woods Living at Niles were each built in 2016. The four-story, rental properties consist of 127 units each and cater to active adults over age 55. Amenities include a fitness center, salon, library, game room and gathering spaces. Harbor Woods Living was the seller. United Church Homes says the acquisition is aligned with its strategy of expanding its portfolio of market-priced housing for middle-income, older adults.
COLUMBUS, OHIO — Herman & Kittle Properties Inc. has opened Whispering Creek, a $5 million apartment community in Columbus. The property is located at 2960 Gooden Way and features 188 units. Floor plans range from one-bedroom to four-bedroom units. Amenities include a business center, dog park, fitness center, laundry facility, play area and barbecue grills. The development is situated near Hoover Park and the Scioto Country Club on the Scioto River. Monthly rents start at $811.
PFLUGERVILLE, TEXAS — Cowboys Fit, a concept that brings the fitness equipment and programs of the Dallas Cowboys to regular users, has opened a 57,000-square-foot facility in the northern Austin suburb of Pflugerville. The space is located at 1401 Town Center Drive and features a basketball court, indoor pool, outdoor training area and a childcare area. Members also have access to boutique-style fitness classes like yoga, spin, barre and circuit training.