Cleveland’s relatively affordable cost of living compared with other major Midwestern cities is attracting businesses to the metro area, fueling demand for office space. A steady stream of new employment opportunities supported the 1.6 percent expansion of Cleveland’s workforce over the 12-month period that ended Sept. 30. Hiring during that period was driven by the education and health services sectors, which collectively added 9,300 positions. It is expected that by year-end 2016, Cleveland employers will have increased payrolls 1.3 percent with the addition of 14,000 workers. Office-using employment is expected to rise 0.4 percent this year, remaining steady with only a slight variation over the past three years. Cleveland’s stable economic fundamentals, coupled with businesses attracted to the city, have supported the revival of a dormant development pipeline. During 2015, just 46,000 square feet was added to Cleveland’s office property inventory. The majority of the new office completions are located downtown. In the four-quarter period that ended in September, approximately 660,000 square feet came into service. Construction Surges While office completions were sluggish in 2015, construction has picked up significantly and builders are on track to deliver more than 1 million square feet of new office product by year’s end. …
LOS ANGELES — An undisclosed buyer has acquired two ground lease investments at One and Two California Plaza at a public sale for more than $100 million. The leased-fee land parcels, which include six acres underneath the office property, were offered for public sale in conjunction with the liquidation of 52 assets held by CRA/LA. One California Plaza is a 42-story office tower and six-level subterranean parking garage at 300 S. Grand Ave. Notable tenants include AECOM, Skadden Arps, Morgan Lewis, Nixon Peabody and Bank of the West. Two California Plaza is a 52-story office building with a 44,000-square-foot retail plaza and a six-level subterranean parking garage at 350 S. Grand Ave. Tenants include Mayer Brown, Constellation New Energy, Merrill Lynch, Reliance Steel, Mizuho Bank, BlackRock and the Consulate General of Japan. The full CRA/LA portfolio contained a total of 52 commercial and residential properties located in Los Angeles urban infill districts like downtown Los Angeles, Hollywood and the North Hollywood Arts District. The initial disposition began July 15, 2015. The sale of CRA/LA properties represents the conclusion of a legislative mandate to terminate redevelopment agencies across California. Other primary assets involved in the public disposition included the ArcLight Hollywood Parking …
BELLEVUE, WASH. — Gemini Rosemont has purchased One Twelfth @ Twelfth, a three-building office campus in Bellevue, for an undisclosed sum. The Class A campus is located at 1120 112th Ave. N.E. The property contains a total of 480,389 square feet. It is fully leased. Gemini Rosemont purchased the office campus in partnership with Gemini Investments, an investment company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Jason Flynn, Kayln McClure and Reid Rader of Eastdil Secured executed the transaction.
EUGENE, ORE. — Evergreen Housing Development Group has acquired the 300-unit Heron Meadows apartments in Eugene for $40 million. The garden-style community is located at 721 Throne Drive. The buyer plans to upgrade the unit interiors and hold the property long-term. Notable employers in the neighborhood include University of Oregon, Kaiser Permanente, Avago Technologies, PeaceHealth and Symantec Corp. The seller was Heron Meadows Apartments NW LLC. Phil Oester and Joe Nydahl of Berkadia executed the sale. The firm’s Jeff Stuart arranged financing for the buyer through an existing assumable Fannie Mae loan and additional supplemental loan.
LOS ANGELES — City National Bank has leased 300,000 square feet across 11 floors at 2Cal, a 52-story office building in downtown Los Angeles. The Class A building is located at 350 S. Grand Ave. in the Bunker Hill area. The building will be rebranded as CityNational@2Cal. The bank will also receive significant signage. The space will be renovated in 2017 to accommodate an open floorplan. The bank will occupy the floors in 2018. CIM Group owns the building.
REDMOND, WASH. — A joint venture between Security Properties and Cigna Investment Management has purchased the 227-unit Bear Creek apartment community in Redmond for an undisclosed sum. The community is located at 17771 N.E. 90th St. The site was originally developed in 1993. The new owner plans to renovate the units, update the clubhouse and paint the exterior. Security Properties-affiliate Madrona Ridge Residential will manage the property.
COLUMBUS, OHIO — Nationwide Realty Investors has unveiled plans for a second phase of Parks Edge, a luxury condominium development in Columbus. The property is located at the corner of Spring Street and Neil Avenue in the Arena District. The second phase will be located directly to the east of the first phase, and will feature a 12-story, 82-unit building. It will include 19 different floor plans with a mix of two-bedroom flats and two- and three-bedroom townhomes ranging from 1,600 to more than 2,600 square feet. Pricing for condominiums in the building will range from $465,000 to over $1 million. Construction of the West building in Phase I is scheduled for completion in spring 2017. Pending approval by the Downtown Commission, construction is expected to begin on the East building in early 2017 with completion slated for 2018.
CHICAGO — The NHP Foundation (NHPF) has acquired the historic Hotel Covent in Chicago for $7 million. Originally built in the early 1900s, the mixed-use residential property targeting low- and moderate-income individuals in Lincoln Park is located at 2653 N. Clark St. The building features 64 single-resident occupancy (SRO) rooms, as well as seven retail storefronts on the ground level. The acquisition was made possible through financial partnerships with Community Investment Corporation (CIC) and the Chicago Community Loan Fund (CCLF), which lent NHPF $5 million and $2.2 million respectively. Chicago Title Land Trust Company was the seller. NHPF is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to preserving and creating sustainable, service-enriched multifamily housing.
RICHMOND HEIGHTS, MO. — Draper and Kramer Inc. continues leasing up the first phase of EVO, a four-phase apartment development that will bring more than 800 luxury apartment units to suburban St. Louis. Located at 9015 Eager Road in Richmond Heights, EVO includes four planned apartment buildings that are scheduled to be completed by 2020. EVO’s first phase of construction, expected to be complete in early 2017, features a four-story apartment complex with 281 units, including studio, one- and two-bedroom residences. Rents start at $1,100 and floor plans measure from 572 to 1,210 square feet. Holland Construction Services Inc. has already broken ground on the second phase, which will include 46 townhome-style residences.
MINNEAPOLIS — Dougherty Mortgage has arranged a $2.3 million Fannie Mae loan for the refinancing of Beltrami Apartments in Minneapolis. Originally built in 1964, the property includes 24 apartment units and was renovated in 2015. The 12-year loan features a 30-year amortization schedule. Alma Equities LLC was the borrower.