A highly educated workforce is driving corporate growth throughout Boston, particularly in the finance, technology and medical sectors. PNC Financial Services and JPMorgan Chase have announced considerable expansions and some international companies, including LogPoint, are setting up North American operations in the Boston metro. As a result, approximately 47,100 positions were created since October 2017, building on the 39,400 jobs added in the prior 12-month period. The pace of hiring has kept the unemployment rate in the low 3 percent band, making it difficult for employers to find quality workers. Overall, healthy employment growth continues to draw more residents and underpins household formation, fueling the need for quality housing. High home prices, however, are putting homeownership out of reach for many, boding well for apartment demand. As a result, vacancy rates remain considerably tight, resting below 4 percent in the third quarter. The still tight vacancy rate is creating a shortage of housing throughout Boston, particularly for lower income households. Consequently, vacancy in Class C apartments has held below 3 percent during the past two annual periods ending in September. Effective rent in these spaces is roughly between $700 and $1,800 per month less than Class A and B spaces, …
MIAMI BEACH, FLA. — Host Hotels & Resorts Inc. (NYSE: HST) has purchased 1 Hotel South Beach, a 429-room hotel and resort in Miami’s South Beach neighborhood. A partnership between Starwood Capital Group and LeFrak sold the property for $610 million, or a little over $1.4 million per room. Hodges Ward Elliot represented Starwood Capital and LeFrak in the sale. The property features 600 linear feet of ocean frontage and has direct beach access, as well as four pools with elevated decks that provide ocean views. SH Hotels & Resorts, an affiliate of Starwood Capital, will continue to operate and manage the 1.1 million-square-foot property as 1 Hotel South Beach. “We are excited about the opportunity to acquire one of the absolute best luxury hotels in the country and partner with SH Hotels & Resorts as our operator,” says James Risoleo, president and CEO of HST. “1 Hotels is redefining the luxury hotel industry and we could not be more proud to own its flagship hotel. We look forward to being a big part of the brand’s future growth.” Starwood Capital acquired the 1970s-era beachfront hotel in 2012 and executed a $300 million overhaul, including adding 155 condominiums and updating the …
In the greater Boston area, over just the past decade, a whole new kind of neighborhood has been popping up. From Ink Block in the South End to the Seaport of Boston and Assembly Row in Somerville, it’s no secret that retail developers are evolving with the times by shifting their focus from traditional shopping malls to integrating retail into new and dynamic mixed-use developments offering housing, retail, entertainment, office space, parking and more. But no two cities are alike. Successful developers are in the business of staying ahead of the trends in how and where people want to shop, which in turn maps them back to how people want to live, work and play. A number of major players in the area, including Wilder, have deconstructed the key elements unique to Boston that converged into the making of these new greater Boston neighborhoods. Reinventing Malls Across the country, there’s a great deal of retail space that’s become available as a result of brick and mortar store closings. Most of these old centers have desirable locations, so it really comes down to a matter of them needing to be repurposed. There’s tremendous opportunity to recreate neighborhoods and bring in housing, office space and hotels …
Seniors housing seemed to rule the roost among attendees at MBA’s CREF 2019. Mark Gould, national production manager at M&T Realty Capital Corporation, thinks he knows why. The obvious answer would be the aging Boomer population, which will continue to require additional services for some time. However, Gould believes it’s more than demographics. He asserts that a tangible evolution has taken place among seniors housing operators that has made these dwellings more attractive to the elderly and their children. As demand shifts, opportunity abounds. Gould believes construction and permanent financing will remain active as these operators continue to perfect their communities. Watch the video for more insights on seniors housing finance from Gould.
CivicData CentersFinance InsightHealthcareHospitalityIndustrialLoansMixed-UseMultifamilyOfficeRestaurantRetailSelf-StorageSeniors HousingStudent Housing
Alliant: Communication is a Commodity in Today’s Lending Environment
Communication and transparency are always top priorities for commercial lenders and borrowers. Paul Letourneau, manager of commercial lending at Alliant Credit Union, believes these are the true skills lenders should leverage in today’s market. Letourneau knows we’re long in this cycle — and he says that’s not a bad thing. There is still a great need for capital, but with that demand comes the competition among suppliers. This, Letourneau asserts, has caused lenders like credit unions to make sure their relationships with mortgage brokers and sponsors are as strong as possible. The ability to remain competitive while disciplined is no easy task. Letourneau believes this starts with strong communication between all parties. Watch the video for more insights from Letourneau. Alliant Credit Union is a content partner of REBusinessOnline. Click here to view articles written in conjunction with Alliant.
PHOENIX — Industrial Logistics Properties has agreed to acquire 18 industrial properties for a total of $625.3 million. Wholly owned subsidiaries of Cole Corporate Income Operating Partnership LP, of which Cole Office & Industrial REIT (CCIT II) is the sole general partner, have agreed to sell the assets for $568.3 million in cash and the assumption of a $57 million loan by the buyer. The 18 properties are 100 percent leased and encompass approximately 8.7 million gross rentable square feet across 12 states. Notable tenants include UPS, Procter & Gamble and Subaru. The transaction is anticipated to close within 60 days, subject to due diligence and the satisfaction of closing conditions. CCIT II plans to use sale proceeds for the repayment of debt and the acquisition of long-dated net-lease properties in furtherance of the company’s investment objectives. Eastdil Secured is represented CCIT II in the transaction.
FRESNO, CALIF. — The Mogharebi Group (TMG) arranged the sale of Canyon Springs Apartments, a multifamily property located on North Figarden Drive in Fresno. A San Diego-based private investment group acquired the asset for $19 million, or $137,681 per unit. Built in 2004, Canyon Springs Apartments comprises 14 residential buildings offering a total of 138 apartments in a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom floor plans, averaging 1,058 square feet. Units feature wood laminate or vinyl flooring in the kitchen and bath areas, plush carpeting in the bedrooms and living areas, in-unit washers/dryers, and balconies or covered patios. Situated on 14.7 acres, the property features a swimming pool and spa, clubhouse, tot lot, business center, fitness center, basketball court, volleyball court and covered parking. Alex Mogharebi, Otto Ozen, Robin Kane and Brendan Kane of TMG represented the seller, a Clovis, Calif.-based private investment group, in the deal.
DALLAS — Local investment firm SkyWalker Property Partners has purchased a 227,891-square-foot office building located at 8151 LBJ Freeway in Dallas. The property was built in 1981 on 3.4 acres. Gary Walker and Clint Holland of SkyWalker represented the buyer of record, which plans to invest $500,000 in capital improvements to the eight-story, Class B building. HFF represented the seller, Credit Union of Texas, which formerly housed its headquarters in the building and has leased back 110,876 square feet of space.
CHANDLER, ARIZ. — Z Modular, a division of Zekelman Industries, has signed a 10-year lease for industrial space at 6205 S. Arizona Ave. in Chandler. The manufacturer of prefabricated steel structures for commercial buildings will occupy 222,000 square feet at the property. The modular structures are constructed in-house with final assembly occurring on-site, where the steel modules are stacked and connected together. The company plans to hire approximately 150 new employees to the region and will invest $17 million in tenant improvements and equipment, including a significant amount of robotic machinery. Stein Koss and Tom Louer of Lee & Associates, along with Kristina Hayes with KW Commercial, handled the deal.
HOUSTON AND WEBSTER, TEXAS — NAI Partners’ Investment Fund II has acquired two commercial assets totaling 215,835 square feet in the Houston area, bringing the fund to full deployment. Leghorn Service Center is a 66,530-square-foot industrial building in northwest Houston, and Clear Lake Business Center is a 149,305-square-foot flex property in the southeastern suburb of Webster. Andrew Pappas, Adam Hawkins, and John Nolan of NAI Partners’ negotiated and closed the deals. The seller was Berkeley Properties.