MOBILE, ALA. — The Memphis office of Financial Federal Bank has arranged an $18 million acquisition loan for The Campus Quarters Apartments in Mobile. The 533-bed student housing property, located one block from the University of South Alabama campus, was built in 2012. The property’s 165 units were 93 percent occupied at the time of closing. Rick Wood and Jon Van Hoozer of Financial Federal arranged the seven-year, fixed-rate loan with 40 months of interest-only payments and a 30-year amortization schedule through their relationship with a national CMBS lender.
DECATUR, ALA. — Colliers International’s Southeast retail investment sales team has brokered the $10.9 million sale of The Market Shoppes, a power retail center located at 2407 6th Ave. in Decatur. Built in 2012, the Class A center was fully leased at the time of sale to tenants such as Kohl’s, Ulta Beauty, Lane Bryant and Mattress Firm. A family trust based in California purchased The Market Shoppes from Birmingham-based Blackwater Resources. Tony D’Ambrosio and Joe Montgomery of Colliers represented the seller in the transaction.
HOMEWOOD, ALA. — Rock Apartment Advisors has brokered the $3.1 million sale of Oxmoor Ridge Apartments, a 96-unit multifamily community located in Homewood. Sanders RH LLC and Highland Homewood Investments LLC purchased the asset from New Lexington Properties II LLC. Justin Uffinger of Rock Apartment Advisors brokered the transaction.
ALABASTER, ALA. — Birmingham-based Merchants Retail Partners has closed the $50 million refinancing of Alabaster Promenade, a Target-anchored shopping center in Alabaster. Located along I-65, the 450,000-square-foot property opened in 2007 and underwent renovations in 2014 to accommodate a new Dick’s Sporting Goods store. The other tenants that will join the shopping center this year include ULTA Beauty and Verizon Wireless. Merchants Retail Partners closed the loan on behalf of its unnamed investment partner.
HOOVER, ALA. AND MARIETTA, GA. — Steadfast Apartment REIT has acquired two apartment communities in Alabama and Georgia in two separate transactions totaling a combined $88.5 million. The two properties total 900 apartment units and include the 720-unit Ridge Crossings Apartments in Hoover and the 180-unit Rosemont at East Cobb in Marietta, a northern suburb of Atlanta. The REIT purchased Ridge Crossings for $72 million, making it the company’s first acquisition in Alabama. The property’s units average 1,107 square feet with average in-place rents of $862 per month. Ridge Crossings’ amenities include two swimming pools, a tennis court, playground, fitness center, laundry center, car wash area, pet park and walking trail. The property is currently 94 percent leased. Steadfast purchased Rosemont at East Cobb for $16.5 million, making it the company’s fourth acquisition in Georgia. The property is currently 96 percent occupied with in-place rents averaging $824 per month and unit sizes averaging 1,056 square feet. The property’s amenity package includes a fitness center, business center, tennis court, volleyball court, swimming pool and barbecue area. Steadfast is planning to extensively renovate both properties in the near future.
SPANISH FORT, ALA. — Passco Cos. LLC has purchased The Arlington at Eastern Shore, a 300-unit, Class A multifamily community located at 10558 Eastern Shore Blvd. in Mobile’s Spanish Fort suburb, for $43 million. Built in 2009, the property was designed to where each multi-unit apartment building resembles a large single-family home. The property features attached garages, an indoor basketball court, stocked fishing pond, pool with a sundeck, resident lounge, car care center and a fitness center. Passco plans to improve the apartment community with new exterior paint and the addition of a dog park. Passco funded its purchase of The Arlington at Eastern Shore using Fannie Mae debt. Rock Apartment Advisors brokered the transaction.
HOOVER, ALA. — Rock Apartment Advisors has brokered the sale of two apartment communities in Hoover. Cleveland-based Zaremba Management Co. purchased the assets, known as Crowne Falls and Crowne at Galleria Woods Apartments, from Birmingham-based Vista Communities LLC. The two properties are Zaremba’s first multifamily properties in the state of Alabama. Bo Flurry and Justin Uffinger of Birmingham-based Rock Apartment Advisors brokered the transaction. The transaction is the second portion of a $75 million portfolio deal totaling 696 apartment units.
HUNTSVILLE, ALA. — Marcus & Millichap has brokered the $16 million sale of University Place, a 168,212-square-foot shopping center located at 6125 University Drive in Huntsville. The center was 37 percent leased at the time of sale to tenants such as 88 Kitchen, United States Armed Forces, Cheddar’s Casual Café, Panda Express, Phil’s Restaurant and Zaxby’s. The anchor tenant, Burlington Coat Factory, was not part of the sale. Joseph French Jr., Schuyler Boylan and Eddie Greenhalgh of Marcus & Millichap represented the seller, a private firm based in New York. The buyer is a private investment firm based in Canada.
MONTGOMERY, ALA. — Birmingham-based Retail Specialists LLC has topped out 79C, its new mixed-use development located on Bibb Street between Commerce and Lee streets in downtown Montgomery. The development is located across from the Montgomery Convention Center. Upon completion, the development will feature 54 Class A multifamily units and 15,800 square feet of retail space on the ground floor. The retail space will house four to six retailers and Mellow Mushroom has already committed as a tenant. Golden Bell Capital and Iberia Bank provided construction financing for the development. The design team includes general contractor Brasfield & Gorrie, architect Live Design Group and engineer Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood. T.J. Wiliford of Partners Realty is handling the management and leasing for the multifamily portion of 79C, and David Plummer of Retail Specialists is handling the management and leasing responsibilities for the retail portion. The development team expects to deliver 79C in September 2015.
Birmingham’s retail market remained steady in 2014, with approximately 10 percent of the total 24 million square feet available for lease. Birmingham is tracking above national averages relative to new ground-up and rehab projects that are announced or underway. Downward pressure on rents have challenged developers pro-formas, though the very friendly city and state incentives environment has allowed developers to creatively meet tenants conservative occupancy cost requirements. While the Birmingham metro area is challenged by the threat of major closings by retailers like JC Penney, Sears and Kmart, there is a pipeline of first-to-market national retailers eyeing the growth submarkets, including Highway 280, Hoover/ Riverchase and Trussville. New Grocers Enter Market Trader Joe’s recently unveiled plans to open a 12,600-square-foot store at The Summit shopping center in the second half of 2015. Trader Joe’s provides a destination food option for the market. The Summit is leased and managed by Bayer Properties. Arizona-based Sprouts Farmers Market recently announced it would be entering the Birmingham metro as well. Sprouts’ first local offering will be at Brook Highland Plaza on U.S. 280. The 22,457-square-foot store will serve an array of fresh produce and meats. Additionally, GBT Realty is developing a 25,000-square-foot Sprouts location …