SARALAND, ALA. — Hampton Inn & Suites has opened a new 100-room, $15.5 million hotel in Saraland. Located about 12 miles north of Mobile, the hotel is Hampton’s first new prototype in a decade. Guestrooms have been redesigned to feature larger windows and bathrooms with improved lighting, décor and bath fixtures. Other amenities include 900 square feet of meeting space, a board room, complimentary breakfast, pool, fitness center and a business center. The business employs more than 18 full-time workers and will eventually employ 30 full- and part-time workers.
Alabama
HUNSTVILLE, ALA. — Mag Mile Capital has arranged financing for a single-tenant retail property in Huntsville. Rob Bernstein originated the $2 million, 10-year loan. The specific location of the property, its tenant and the lender were not disclosed. The borrower is an entity controlled by Ari Benmosche and Randall Briskin that owns a portfolio of assets in the Midwest and Northeast.
BIRMINGHAM, ALA. — VCP City Center, which is managed by Varden Capital Properties and Tellus Multifamily, has acquired City Center, a 691,777-square-foot, vacant office building in downtown Birmingham. Cushman & Wakefield represented the undisclosed seller in the $31 million sale.
BUFORD, GA., AND NORTHPORT, ALA. — Atlanta-based Watkins Real Estate Group has developed two Publix-anchored neighborhood retail centers in the suburbs of Atlanta and Tuscaloosa, Ala., totaling more than 126,000 square feet. Located in Buford, Holland Point is a 68,600-square-foot center along the city’s Quality Development Corridor on Hamilton Mill and Bogan roads. The property has nearly 20,000 square feet of inline space available, as well as three one-acre outparcels. Bristol Park, located at the intersection of Highway 69 and Mitt Lary Road in Northport, is a 56,800-square-foot center that features two available outparcels and 10,500 square feet of available shop space.
HOOVER, ALA. — Boyle Investment Co.’s Midsouth Capital Fund has completed the sale of Whole Foods Market Plaza, a retail property situated on 18.9 acres at 3780 Riverchase Village in Hoover, a suburb of Birmingham. TH Real Estate, an affiliate of Nuveen, purchased the assets for an undisclosed price. Originally developed in 1980 and renovated in 2016, the 175,673-square-foot property is occupied by Whole Foods Market, PetSmart, Best Buy, Bella’s Bridal and Formal and Newk’s Eatery. Jim Hamilton and Shea Patrick of HFF represented the seller in the deal.
GULF SHORES, ALA. — Hilton Hotels & Resorts has rebuilt and reopened The Lodge at Gulf State Park, A Hilton Hotel, located at 21196 E. Beach Blvd. in Gulf Shores, after the property was irreparably damaged by Hurricane Ivan. Originally established in 1974, the newly rebuilt hotel features 350 rooms with views of the Gulf of Mexico and Lake Shelby. Designed by LakeFlato and Rabun Architects, the new hotel features more than 40,000 square feet of flexible indoor and outdoor meeting space, including The Gulfview Ballroom that can accommodate indoor events up to 1,000 guests. On-site restaurant options include Foodcraft, Perch, Roasted Oak Coffee & Wine Bar and Dragon Pool Bar & Grill. Guests will also have direct access to more than 6,150 acres of trails and activities within Gulf State Park. Valor Hospitality Partners manages the property. Sasaki Associates provided native landscape design, while Dallas-based Looney & Associates served as interior designer for the redevelopment.
CA Student Living Renovates 628-Bed Student Housing Community Near University of Alabama
by Amy Works
TUSCALOOSA, ALA. — CA Student Living has completed capital improvements on Harbor on Sixth, a 628-bed property located near the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Improvements to the community — now named Evolve Tuscaloosa — included a fitness center expansion with the addition of a new yoga studio; and upgrades to the pool area including the addition of cabanas, grilling areas and in-pool lounges. The property offers two- and three-bedroom fully furnished units with bed-to-bath parity. Additional shared amenities include a computer lab, study lounges, a clubroom with a kitchenette and fireplace, free tanning and a shuttle service to campus. The property originally opened in 2017.
MONTGOMERY, ALA. — Montgomery-based Foshee Residential Management Co. is developing The Historic Bell Lofts, the only high-rise loft development in Montgomery. The mixed-use redevelopment will feature 88 luxury lofts and several thousand feet of ground-floor commercial space. The building was once home to The Beauvoir Club, which later merged with the Montgomery County Club. Other previous tenants include Alabama Power Co., Algernon Blair Construction Co., doctors offices, law firms, construction companies and other businesses. Preleasing for will begin at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 22, and the property is slated for completion in spring 2019.
BIRMINGHAM, ALA. — PF Holdings has completed the sale of Sunrise Pointe, a multifamily property located at 7716 Sunrise Circle in Birmingham. Forge Partners acquired the property for an undisclosed price. Built in 1978, Sunrise Pointe features 344 apartments, immediate access to Interstate 20 and close proximity to retail and entertainment opportunities in the city’s Irondale and Crestwood submarkets. Josh Jacobs of Cushman & Wakefield represented the seller in the transaction.
BIRMINGHAM, ALA. — Hunt Real Estate Capital has hired Chad Thomas Hagwood as senior managing director and Southeast regional manager. Formerly with Capital One Multifamily Finance, Hagwood will be based in Hunt’s Birmingham office. In this role, Hagwood will be actively involved in the origination of multifamily and manufactured home community debt throughout the nation, with a focus on loan originations through Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, CMBS and FHA programs. Additionally, Hagwood will oversee the firm’s Southeast Region and the Manufactured Home Community production nationally. Over the course of his career, Hagwood has closed in excess of $8 billion in commercial real estate transactions throughout the United States, and he is annually ranked as one of the industry’s leading loan originators.