The greater Boston retail market experienced a substantial rise in the vacancy rate to 9.5 percent through June 2018, reflecting an 11.3 percent increase in unoccupied space, compared to a level of 8.6 percent in 2017. At the same time, total inventory ended the year at 196 million square feet, a gain of 1 percent, nearly the same square footage as the increase in vacant space. This resulted in a nominal negative absorption rate of only 21,900 square feet. A considerable number of large format store closings and chain liquidations were responsible for the disappointing outcome, which could have been even worse without a significant number of retail conversions to non-retail space cushioning the impact. The retailer gaining the most retail space in the region was Wegmans, adding a two-level store at Natick Mall and a second unit at the redeveloped Meadow Glen in Medford. In second place was 7-Eleven, completing its brand conversion from Tedeschi Food Shops, which it acquired in 2015. Market Basket rounded out the top three, adding new stores in Lynn and Fall River. By number of new units, 7-Eleven added 68, the most of any retailer. Metro PCS was a distant second, adding 16 stores …
NASHVILLE, TENN. — Starwood Capital Group, Crescent Real Estate LLC and High Street Capital Partners will develop a two-tower, dual-branded hotel situated on 1.3 acres directly across from Music City Center, a $625 million convention center in downtown Nashville that opened in 2013. The project will consist of a 506-room, 30-story Embassy Suites by Hilton and a 215-room, 18-story 1Hotel Tower, Starwood’s signature brand. The two hotel towers will be connected via a four-story lobby, conference center, public street-level dining and retail space and a rooftop bar. The joint venture will break ground on the hotels in the second quarter of this year.
RICHMOND, VA. — Apple Hospitality REIT has sold nine hotels in Florida, Louisiana, North Carolina, Virginia and Texas for $95 million. The hotels total 1,054 rooms. The sold hotels included two in Florida (Homewood Suites by Hilton Sarasota and TownePlace Suites by Marriott Tampa), one in Louisiana (SpringHill Suites by Marriott Baton Rouge), one in North Carolina (Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton Holly Springs), two in Virginia (Courtyard by Marriott Bristol and Courtyard by Marriott Harrisonburg) and three in Texas. The buyer(s) was not disclosed. Richmond-based Apple Hospitality REIT is publicly traded and owns 234 hotels in 34 states.
BRANDON, FLA. — A joint venture between Providence Real Estate and Aegon Real Assets has acquired The Park at Via Rosa, a 390-unit apartment complex in Brandon, for $63 million, or $161,538 per unit. The asset spans 24 acres, 33 buildings and 400,140 square feet. The new owners plan to upgrade unit interiors, including new appliances, wood flooring, new laminate countertops, tile backsplashes and new cabinets. Located at 2211 Grand Isle Drive, about 10 miles east of downtown Tampa, the community offers one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom floor plans and amenities including a clubhouse, fitness center, business center, tanning salon, playground, pet play area, car care center, swimming pool and volleyball and tennis courts. Luis Elorza, Brad Capas and Michael Mulkern of Cushman & Wakefield represented the buyers in the transaction. Managed by Blue Roc Premier, Grand Rivage at Brandon Lakes Ltd. sold the property.
RIDGELAND, MISS. — Mattiace Development Co. is expecting a fall opening for Phase II of Colony Park, a mixed-use development in Ridgeland. The second phase includes Malco Theaters’ six-screen, 25,000-square-foot boutique movie theater and a water feature. Outside the Lines (OTL) will design and construct the water fountain, which will feature 62 nozzles that will shoot water 35 feet high, audio, lighting and effects for a concert-quality experience. Colony Park is situated at 1000 Highland Colony Parkway, about 12 miles north of downtown Jackson.
ATLANTA — WeWork has signed a four-story, 40,000-square-foot lease at 881 Peachtree St. in Midtown Atlanta and will relocate its headquarters from its 1372 Peachtree location. The space will house more than 680 desks for WeWork members. WeWork 881 Peachtree is part of 881 Peachtree Street, a 29-story mixed-use project that Hanover Co. and The Loudermilk Cos. are co-developing. 881 Peachtree will offer 44,000 square feet of office space and 11,000 square feet of retail space.
FRISCO, TEXAS — A partnership between the Dallas Cowboys, former quarterback and developer Roger Staubach and Robert Shaw of Columbus Realty Partners, has begun leasing Twelve Cowboys Way. The 17-story, 160-unit residential tower overlooks The Star, the NFL team’s 91-acre headquarters campus in Frisco. Floor plans include one-, two- and three-bedroom units, with rates starting at $2,700 per month. Units will feature floor-to-ceiling windows, quartz countertops and hardwood floors. Residents will have access to a covered pool, members-only dining club and a 60,000-square-foot gym, as well as 24-hour concierge, dry cleaning, dog walking and grocery delivery services. O’Brien Architects designed the building, which will officially open in early 2020.
HOUSTON — Allied Orion Group has acquired Ashford Apartments, a 312-unit multifamily community located at 1200 N. Dairy Ashford Road in Houston. Built in 2017, the Class A property offers one- and two-bedroom units featuring granite countertops, custom backsplash options, upgraded cabinetry and built-in washers and dryers. Communal amenities include a pool, a two-story fitness center, outdoor grilling area, dog park, package lockers and electric vehicle charging stations. The seller was Trammell Crow Residential.
TULSA, OKLA. — JLL has arranged a $48.6 million acquisition loan for a portfolio of nine office buildings totaling more than 1 million square feet in Tulsa’s southern submarkets. Adam Schwartz, Aaron Appel, Keith Kurland, Jonathan Schwartz, Matt Collins and Sean Bastian of JLL placed the loan through Citigroup Inc. on behalf of the borrower, Group RMC, a New York-based office investment firm.
AUSTIN, TEXAS — Retail Solutions has negotiated a 15,606-square-foot lease at Riverside Plaza, located at 2237 Riverside Drive in Austin. Dave Burggraaf and Joey Mendez of Retail Solutions represented the landlord in the lease negotiations. Greg Pierce of CBRE represented the tenant, Ace Mart Restaurant Supply.