LOS ANGELES — Newport Beach, Calif.-based Buchanan Street Partners has provided $4.1 million in short-term bridge financing for the acquisition and repositioning of Pacific Apartments, a multifamily property located in the Mar Vista neighborhood of Los Angeles. The borrower plans to renovate and reposition the 13-unit property, which was vacant at the time of sale and financing. Renovations will include all new kitchens, plank flooring, modern lighting, energy-efficient air conditioning, landscaping, paint and façade improvements. Additionally, the borrower plans to add more rental units to the property.
SALT LAKE CITY — Santa Monica, Calif.-based Arrowroot Real Estate has purchased Edgewood Park Apartments, a multifamily property located in the Cottonwood Heights submarket of Salt Lake City, for an undisclosed price. Built in 1994, the value-add property features 64 apartments. The asset is the fourth investment made by Arrowroot Real Estate Fund I thus far in 2018. James Wadsworth and Greg Barratt of Berkadia facilitated the transaction. The name of the seller was not released.
WESTLAKE, OHIO — British gas station and convenience store operator EG Group has agreed to acquire a portfolio of real estate assets, including 225 Minit Mart-branded stores, for $305 million. The seller was Westlake, Ohio-based TravelCenters of America, which operates several convenience store and gas station chains across the country, including Petro, TA and Quaker Steak & Lube. The transaction follows EG Group’s acquisition of a 762-site portfolio of convenience stores across the country earlier this year. Kroger sold those properties, which include stores under the Tom Thumb, Loaf ‘N Jug and Kwik Shop banners. “We have a firm commitment to growing our presence in the USA, the world’s largest convenience market,” says Mohsin Issa, founder and CEO of EG Group. “The Minit Mart portfolio will be a strong addition to our business.” Upon closing of the deal, EG Group will own and operate approximately 1,000 convenience retail stores and gas stations across the country. A timeline for closing was not released. Legal advisors to EG Group are Eversheds Sutherland LLP for acquisition issues and Kirkland & Ellis LLP for banking and finance issues. Barclays Bank acted as M&A advisor to EG Group and also underwrote debt financing for the deal. — Taylor Williams
For years, others have considered Baltimore a second-tier market on the Interstate 95 Corridor, lacking the excitement that cities like Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., offer. Not so any more. Baltimore has evolved into a top-tier housing market that is nationally recognized by the investment community. No longer a collection of relics from the “rust belt” banking town that it was decades ago, Baltimore is now a mosaic of adaptive reuses and a hot-bed for tech jobs. The Charm City is an incubator for creativity and entrepreneurship that sprouts from the world-renowned medical and educational institutions such as Johns Hop-kins and the University of Maryland Baltimore. As a result, net absorption for new multifamily units in 2017 surpassed city records and continues to grow at unprecedented rates. There are many factors that contribute to strong levels of demand in a market, such as job growth, affordability and developers creating attractive space targeting all demographics. Baltimore’s evolving job market continues its rapid expansion, driven primarily by “eds and meds.” The sector experienced 19 percent growth over the 10-year average and expand-ed 2.5 percent in 2017. Residents specifically target areas where they can live, work and play, and with an expanding job market, …
NEW YORK CITY — CTA Architects P.C. has completed the final phase of a renovation and expansion project at the Bronx Charter School for Excellence in the Bronx.Located at 1952-1960 Benedict Ave. in the Bronx, the $20 million project included construction of a new, seven-story tower spanning 35,000 square feet; the renovation of an existing 10,000-square foot, two-story building; and a 4,500-square foot, two-story addition to the existing structure. The project team included Collado Engineering, Robert Silman Associates Structural Engineers, DPC Engineers, Hubert H. Hayes Inc. and Municipal Building Consultants Inc.JLL served as the owner’s representative.
FRANKLIN, N.H. — General Properties has broken ground on Mercantile Place, a three-building flex complex in Franklin. Located on the Pemigewasset River, the property will incorporate a mix of office and industrial tenants. The tenant roster will include FBG Tank Services, a branch of First Business Group; Sustainable Refining, a formulator of vehicle undercoating products; Poly Lining Systems Inc.; Online Motor Deals LLC and a vehicle service maintenance center. GP Property Management, a division of General Properties LLC, will manage the complex.
ROSLINDALE, MASS. — Cornerstone Realty Capital has arranged a $4.4 million loan for the construction of Roslindale Village, a residential condominium development in the Boston suburb of Roslindale. The lender was undisclosed. The development, which is located at 32 Cummins Highway, will include nine condominiums. All units will feature granite countertops, custom cabinets, and stainless steel appliances as well as in-unit washers and dryers. Roslindale is located approximately eight miles south of Boston. Andrew Saccone of Cornerstone Realty Capital arranged a full-term, interest-only loan at a fixed rate for the undisclosed borrower.
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — NAI James Hanson has negotiated the sale of a 3,950-square-foot retail building in Florham Park. The freestanding structure, a former Chase Bank branch, is located at 77 Hanover Road. Joan Cenicola and John Schilp of NAI James Hanson represented the seller, DFK Associates, in the transaction. The buyer is a Florham Park-based Jiu Jitsu and Karate school, which plans to relocate from the rental space it currently occupies nearby.
NEW YORK CITY — Workspace provider Knotel has signed a 19,563-square-foot lease in the Hudson Square neighborhood of Manhattan. The lease will encompass a large portion of the 3rd floor of the property, which is located at 250 Hudson St. The 15-story, 400,000-square-foot building is owned by Jack Resnick & Sons. Tenants at the building include Daniel J. Edelman, Bed Bath & Beyond, Gluckman Tang Architects, Sopexa, Lieff Cabraser Heinmann & Bernstein and Writers Guild of America East. Knotel, which was founded in 2016, designs, builds and operates custom spaces for companies of 50 employees or more. The company currently has more than 70 locations worldwide. Michael Morris and Greg DiGioia of Newmark Knight Frank represented Knotel in the leasing transaction.
OMAHA, NEB. — NKF Capital Markets has arranged a $30 million loan for the refinancing of the Gavilon headquarters in Omaha. The five-story office building spans 130,448 square feet. Amenities include a fitness center, café and rooftop patio. Gavilon is a global grain trader. Dustin Stolly, Jordan Roeschlaub and Daniel Fromm of NKF arranged the loan on behalf of the borrower, Kawa Capital Management. Citibank provided the loan. Terms of the loan were not disclosed. The Opus Group completed development of the property in December 2013.