WEEHAWKEN, N.J. — Hartz Mountain Industries has broken ground for Whole Foods Market 365 at Lincoln Harbor, a mixed-use development on the Weehawken waterfront. The 32,949-square-foot grocery store will join the 2.5 million-square-foot development, which includes residential, commercial, hospitality and restaurant space. Whole Foods Market 365 delivers the same quality of foods and products as the traditional Whole Foods Market, but in a new format that with a focus on value.
NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. — Houlihan-Parnes Realtors has placed a $21.5 million new first mortgage on an office property located at 145 Huguenot St. in New Rochelle. GHP Office Realty, a division of Houlihan-Parnes Realtors, owns the property. State of New York, County of Westchester, Steiner Sports, Monroe College, Benchmark Education, Advent Software, ET & Allergy Associates, Greenwich Hospital and Sound Shore Medical Group are tenants of the 278,788-square-foot office building. Christie Houlihan, James Houlihan and Andrea Lofaro of Houlihan-Parnes Realtors secured the financing for the borrower. Elizabeth Smith of Goldberg, Weprin, Finkel & Goldstein provided legal counsel to the borrower. Chicago Title Insurance Co. insured the title.
GLOVERSVILLE, N.Y. — KeyBank’s Community Development Lending & Investment team will provide a total of $7.3 million in financing to Liberty Affordable Housing. The firm will provide a $2.6 million construction loan and up to $4.7 million in LIHTC equity financing for the development of Estee Senior Apartments. Located in Gloversville, the community will feature 37 energy-efficient affordable housing units for seniors age 55 or older. CRM Rental Management will manage the complex.
PLANO, TEXAS — Monogram Residential Trust Inc. (NYSE: MORE), an owner and developer of high-end apartment communities, has entered into a definitive merger agreement to be purchased by a newly formed perpetual life fund led by Greystar Real Estate Partners. The purchase price is $3 billion, including debt. Other principals of the fund, known as Greystar Growth and Income Fund LP, include affiliates of APG Asset Management, GIC and Ivanhoe Cambridge. Monogram’s stockholders will receive $12 per share in cash, which represents a premium of approximately 22 percent to Monogram’s unaffected closing stock price on July 3, the last trading day prior to the public announcement of the transaction. The ownership group has retained Walker & Dunlop to secure acquisition financing for the transaction, which includes Monogram’s share of its two joint ventures with PGGM and NPS. The PGGM joint venture will be restructured, and Greystar will purchase the joint venture interests held by NPS pursuant to a separate assignable purchase and sale agreement for approximately $500 million. JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A. has provided a commitment letter to Greystar Growth and Income Fund for $2 billion in debt financing for the transaction. The deal is expected to close in the …
With limited inventory and historically high values and rental rates, it’s safe to say the Los Angeles industrial market is enjoying an all-time high. There are several factors contributing to ongoing strength in the market, including a healthy appetite for acquisitions, strong tenant activity and creative solutions to adapt to supply constraints and maximize ROI. Industrial buyers continue to be active in Los Angeles, even with tightening availability and compressing cap rates. The fact is, there is still tremendous value to be found in this gateway city. Interest rates remain low, and those looking to acquire properties know that the sooner they buy, the better. Conversely, sellers are not especially eager to dispose of properties in the current market, based primarily on the challenge in finding acquisition-worthy assets. Specifically, owners seeking 1031 exchanges are finding it increasingly difficult to identify properties to trade into. That said, values are high enough that some owners are selling and choosing to simply pay taxes on capital gains or look to other markets for product to acquire. For example, Daum recently helped a seller dispose of a property in Los Angeles and reinvest those funds into an asset in Cleveland, Ohio, at a 7 …
It’s long been known that Atlanta, along with many other markets in the United States, is over-retailed. However, not all retailers are “overstored.” With the recent number of store closings announced (Sports Authority, hhgregg, Kmart, Sears, JC Penney, to name a few), it’s understandable that some have concerns over the current state of retail. That said, for many retailers, these closures become opportunities to enter certain markets or grab better positions within an existing market. As some retailers forfeit locations, these Atlanta vacancies will be absorbed. Burlington Stores recently backfilled the former Sports Authority adjacent to the Mall of Georgia in Buford, and will do the same with the former Best Buy adjacent to The Mall at Stonecrest in Lithonia. Ashley HomeStore will backfill the former Staples in Snellville. In Alpharetta, American Signature Furniture opened in the former Sports Authority box, and entertainment destination Dave & Buster’s is set to open in a former AMC Theatres. The retail industry is undergoing a shift as a result of the emergence of e-commerce and morphing consumer habits. It’s the retailers that are able to adapt and evolve along with changes in technology and consumer attitudes that will thrive, as very few are …
FORT WORTH AND AUSTIN, TEXAS — Fort Worth-based homebuilder D.R. Horton Inc. has entered into a merger agreement with Austin-based residential and mixed-use developer Forestar Group Inc. Under the terms of the agreement, D.R. Horton will acquire 75 percent of Forestar’s outstanding shares for $17.75 per share in cash. Forestar has approximately 42 million outstanding shares, according to The Wall Street Journal, giving the transaction a value of roughly $558 million.
AUSTIN AND SAN ANTONIO — The QuikTrip Corp. will open more than 100 new gas and convenience store locations in the Austin and San Antonio areas beginning in the summer of 2018, according to a social media announcement from the company. Exact locations were not disclosed. The Tulsa-based chain, which first entered Texas in 1999, currently operates 134 locations throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
SPRING, TEXAS — Berkadia has arranged the sale of Modera Spring Town Center, a 396-unit multifamily asset located at 21801 Northcrest Drive in Spring. Developed in 2014, the garden-style property offers a mix of one, two- and three-bedroom units. Ryan Epstein, Jennifer Ray, Wes Breeding and Scott Bray of Berkadia represented the seller and developer, Mill Creek Residential, in the transaction. Abbey Residential Services Inc. purchased the property for an undisclosed price.
FORT WORTH, TEXAS — Marcus & Millichap has arranged the sale of a 40,304-square-foot retail property in Fort Worth. Located at 7300 Rosewood St., the property is net-leased to automotive repair firm Caliber Collision. Vincent Knipp of Marcus & Millichap represented the seller, a private investor, in the transaction. Other terms of sale were not disclosed
