Commercial real estate lenders have remained timid as retail businesses in the Central Florida market navigate how to operate successfully during the COVID-19 crisis. As of this writing, Orange County had the 23rd most cases by county in the United States with 36,400 positive coronavirus cases and 378 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University (JHU). The metro Orlando county is currently in Phase II of the Sunshine State’s reopening plan, which includes allowing restaurants to bump up capacity from 50 percent in Phase I to now 75 percent; retailers can operate at full capacity; fitness centers can operate at 50 percent capacity; and bars can operate at 50 percent of standing room capacity. Phase II for most of the state’s counties went into effect June 5. While residents and businesses have begun the process of returning to pre-pandemic shopping norms, Chuck Whittall, president of Unicorp National Developments, said banks are still cautious. “There is a lot of fear on the credit side of the world,” said Whittall. “We experienced it after 9/11, in 2009 and we are experiencing it again now.” Orlando-based Unicorp broke ground last month on O-Town West, a $1 billion mixed-use development along Interstate 4 and three …
Florida
ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, FLA. — Institutional Property Advisors (IPA), a division of Marcus & Millichap, has arranged the $28 million sale of North Lake Business Park, a 15-building office campus in Altamonte Springs. The property comprises 270,000 square feet and was 90 percent leased at the time of sale to a mix of technology, real estate and healthcare tenants. North Lake Business Park is situated on 29 acres at 600 Northlake Blvd., 11 miles north of downtown Orlando. Douglas Mandel of IPA represented the seller, Real Capital Solutions, in the transaction. Mandel also procured the buyer, Taurus Investment Holdings LLC.
KISSIMMEE, FLA. — The PMAT Cos. has acquired Columbia Promenade, a 68,853-square-foot shopping center in Kissimmee. Publix anchors the center, which is located at 1251 W. Columbia Ave., 19 miles south of downtown Orlando. The asset was 93 percent leased at the time of sale to tenants including Publix, Get Nails & Spa, Keke’s Breakfast Café and Little China. JLL and Ten-X represented the undisclosed seller in the transaction.
OCALA, FLA. — American Commercial Realty Corp. will redevelop Pearl Britain Plaza, a Publix-anchored shopping center in Ocala. The Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.-based developer will demolish the existing Publix, which was built in 1991, and build a new 48,387-square-foot Publix. Anchoring the 77,637-square-foot center, the new Publix will feature a drive-thru pharmacy. Existing tenants including Stay Faded Barber, Sam’s Nails, Wise Guys Pizzeria, Jackson Hewitt and Shang Hai Restaurant will remain in place when the center reopens, scheduled for early 2021. Pearl Britain Plaza is situated at 2657 NE 35th St., 38 miles south of downtown Gainesville. Cuhaci & Peterson designed the shopping center. Elliott Throne and Jesse Wright of JLL originated a construction loan through First Florida Integrity Bank on behalf of the borrower. The seven-year loan features a fixed interest rate.
TAMPA, FLA. — Americold Realty Trust has acquired a 3.2 million-cubic-foot cold storage facility in Tampa for $25 million in an all-cash deal. The Atlanta-based refrigerated real estate owner and operator expects to implement $500,000 in capital expenditures. The facility features 12,400 pallet positions, as well as blast-freezing capabilities. The property will offer support to two Americold facilities in nearby Plant City and Bartow, Fla. The seller was not disclosed.
Joint Venture Receives $65M in Construction Financing for Student Housing Community Near University of Florida
by Alex Tostado
GAINESVILLE, FLA. — A joint venture between 908 Group, Scannell Properties and Atlantic American Partners has received $65 million in construction financing for an unnamed development of a 604-bed student housing community near the University of Florida in Gainesville. First Merchant’s Bank, First Financial Bank and Old National Bank provided the construction loan for the community. TSB Capital Advisors acted as special advisor in the financing. The project will offer a mix of one-, two-, three-, four- and five-bedroom units with bed-to-bath parity. Communal amenities will include ground-floor retail space, outdoor courtyards, pools, private study lounges, a clubroom and a fitness center. The community is scheduled for completion in fall 2022. Humphrey’s & Partners designed the asset, and Arco-Murray is the general contractor. Houston-based multifamily operator Asset Living will manage the community upon completion.
Winter Park Construction Breaks Ground on $23M Affordable Seniors Housing Community in Orlando
by Alex Tostado
ORLANDO, FLA. — General contractor Winter Park Construction has broken ground on Madison Landing, an affordable seniors housing community in Orlando. Development partners American Residential Communities and New South Residential paid $1.3 million for 5.4 acres for the project. The first phase will be a 77,473-square-foot, seven-story building totaling 110 units. Development costs for Phase I are estimated at $23 million. Completion of Phase I is scheduled for September 2021. A second phase, not yet approved, could potentially add 86 more units. The developers are pursuing future funding from Florida Housing Finance Corp. (FHFC) to complete Phase II. Phase I will be 90 percent reserved for households making up to 60 percent of the area median income (AMI), with the remaining units for those making less than 33 percent of the AMI. Orange County reports that AMI is $68,100. The project team includes architect Blue Skies Studios and civil engineer Evans Engineering.
MIAMI — Marcus & Millichap has arranged the sale of Hamilton on the Bay, a 28-story, 275-unit apartment complex in Miami. The property, which backs up to Biscayne Bay, is situated at 555 34th St., four miles north of downtown Miami. Built in 1985, the property offers studio to four-bedroom floor plans. Communal amenities include a dog park, fitness center, bike storage, outdoor kitchen, pool and a tennis court. Rani Hussami of Marcus & Millichap’s Hussami Rockson Group represented the undisclosed seller in the transaction. Further details of the sale were not disclosed.
Concord Summit Capital Arranges $38.3M Refinancing of Office Building in Fort Lauderdale
by Alex Tostado
FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. — Concord Summit Capital LLC has arranged a $38.3 million refinancing loan for the Offices at Plantation Walk, a 172,959-square-foot office building in Fort Lauderdale. The owner and borrower, Encore Capital Management, recently implemented a $15 million renovation at the property, which is situated at 261 N. University Drive within Plantation Walk, a 27-acre mixed-use development. Kevin O’Grady of Concord Summit Capital originated the loan on behalf of the Boca Raton, Fla.-based owner. New York Life Insurance Co. provided the loan.
Asia Capital Real Estate Provides $86.3M Refinancing Loan for Apartment Complex in Midtown Miami
by Alex Tostado
MIAMI — Asia Capital Real Estate (ACRE) has provided an $86.3 million refinancing loan for Yard 8, a 387-unit apartment complex in Midtown Miami. Borrower Wood Partners will use the permanent financing to refinance the construction loan. The Atlanta-based developer opened Yard 8 in May 2019. Daniel Jacobs of ACRE originated the loan on behalf of the borrower in an off-market transaction. The property offers studio to three-bedroom floor plans, which were 83 percent occupied at the time of refinancing. Communal amenities include a pool, sundeck, clubroom, fitness center, coffee bar, concierge service and a resident lounge. In addition, Wood Partners has implemented The Ground Floor Project, a series of events to promote local artists, musicians and dancers at the community. According to the Yard 8 website, there are not any events currently scheduled for The Ground Floor Project.