NEW ORLEANS — Kennedy Funding Financial has closed a $1.5 million acquisition loan for a 40,000-square-foot lot in the Bywater neighborhood of New Orleans. Fronting Charles Street and bounded by Mazant and Royal streets, the site houses a former seafood processing plant. The borrower, Pelican Royal LLC, plans to develop a 43-room, 32,000-square-foot hotel and hostel known as Stateside on the site. Slated to open in early 2018, Stateside will feature a laundromat, courtyard, pool, restaurant and bar and a coffee and juice shop.
NEW ORLEANS — New Castle Hotels and Resorts (NCHR) has opened a 103-suite Fairfield Inn & Suites in the French Quarter neighborhood of New Orleans. Rockbridge Capital provided financing for the project. The property is a $10 million renovation of the former Interstate Electric Co. building, built in 1910. John T. Campo Associates designed the project, which used historic tax credits and preserved the building’s façade.
HARVEY AND ALGIERS, LA. — G.S. Wilcox & Co. has arranged two loans totaling $44.2 million for apartment communities in Harvey and Algiers. David Fryer of G.S. Wilcox arranged the two loans through Legacy Texas Bank on behalf of an unnamed, repeat client of G.S. Wilcox. The financing includes a $24.2 million loan for the refinancing of a 408-unit garden-style community in Harvey and a $20 million acquisition loan for a 442-unit garden-style community in Algiers.
NEW ORLEANS — Bellwether Enterprise Real Estate Capital LLC has arranged a $31.6 million HUD 221(d)(4) loan for the construction of Village of Versailles, a 50-building, 400-unit affordable and workforce housing community in New Orleans. Prior to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the site of the Village of Versailles housed two 200-unit, HUD-insured apartment developments. Set to open in late 2017, Village of Versailles will feature two community buildings and a leasing office. Jon Killough of Bellwether Enterprise’s Alabama office arranged the 40-year loan with 22 months of interest-only payments through HUD on behalf of the borrower, Mirus New Orleans LLC. The financing of the project also includes the issuance of short-term tax-exempt bonds, 4 percent Low Income Housing Tax Credits purchased by City Real Estate Advisors and HOME Funds provided by the Louisiana Housing Corp.
BATON ROUGE, LA. — Berkadia has arranged a $19 million Fannie Mae loan for Turnberry Place Apartments, a 272-unit property located at 10720 Linkwood Court in Baton Rouge. Built in 2002, Turnberry Place features one- and two-bedroom units with full-size washer and dryers, patios or balconies and walk-in closets. Community amenities include a 24-hour fitness center, resort-style pool, heated spa, digital business center and video-monitored, controlled access gates. Cameron Hart of Berkadia’s Austin office arranged the 12-year refinancing with a fixed 3.67 percent interest rate and a 30-year amortization schedule on behalf of the borrower, Belcher Management LLC.
WESTLAKE, LA. — Kicks Entertainment LLC, a newly formed entity owned by Albuquerque, N.M.-based Laguna Development Corp. and Eagle Holdings LLLP, has agreed to acquire Isle of Capri Casino Hotel Lake Charles in Westlake for $134.5 million. The casino is located in Southwest Louisiana, approximately midway between New Orleans and Houston, Texas. The property — to be acquired from Isle of Capri Casinos Inc. (NASDAQ: ISLE) — includes a 50,000-square-foot riverboat casino, a 493-room hotel, a variety of dining and beverage outlets and covered parking, according to reports by Albuquerque Business First. Isle of Capri Casinos has owned and operated the Lake Charles location for over 20 years. The sale is expected to close in late 2017 or early 2018. Isle of Capri Casino Hotel Lake Charles features 1,150 slot machines, 35 table games, 13 poker tables, two hotels totaling 490 rooms, three restaurants, 14,000 square feet of meeting/banquet space, an RV park and a concert venue. Laguna Development Corp. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Pueblo of Laguna. The Native American Pueblo also owns Dancing Eagle Casino, Route 66 Casino and Casino Xpress in New Mexico. Isle of Capri Casinos Inc. owns or operates a portfolio of 14 casinos …
BATON ROUGE, LA. — RISE: A Real Estate Co. has acquired Oakbrook Apartments, a 462-bed student housing community located near Louisiana State University at 5075 Nicholson Drive in Baton Rouge. RISE plans to implement an extensive renovation to the exterior and interior of the 240-unit property, including a new dog park. According to Oakbrook Apartments’ website, the gated community features two swimming pools, a 24-hour fitness center, 24-hour computer lab, grilling areas, covered bus stop on Tiger Trails, clubhouse and on-site management and maintenance.
BATON ROUGE, LA. — CBRE has arranged $48 million in construction financing for the development of Park Place, a 745-bed student housing community to be located adjacent to the Louisiana State University campus in Baton Rouge. The six-story project is scheduled for completion in 2017. CBRE secured the three-year, floating-rate loan through Commercial Bank Syndication on behalf of the Park 7 Group.
BATON ROUGE, LA. — Community Development Inc. has opened Cypress Springs, a 144-unit affordable seniors housing community in Baton Rouge. WNC, a California-based real estate investor, provided $6.1 million in low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) equity to fund the development. Cypress Springs includes three buildings with 76 one-bedroom units and 68 two-bedroom units.
COVINGTON, LA. — KeyBank Real Estate Capital has arranged a $16.7 million acquisition loan for The Trace at Claiborne Hill, a 94-unit seniors housing community in Covington, located across Lake Pontchartrain from New Orleans. Built in 2009, the property features independent living and assisted living services, as well as a 24-unit, secured memory care building that was added to the property in 2014. Carolyn Nazdin of KeyBank arranged the 10-year, non-recourse, fixed-rate loan through Freddie Mac.