BETHESDA, MD. AND ATLANTA — Elme Communities (NYSE: ELME), a Maryland-based multifamily owner-operator that previously operated as WashREIT, has entered into a purchase and sale agreement with an affiliate of Cortland Partners, an Atlanta-based multifamily investment and management firm. Under the terms of the transaction, Elme would sell 19 apartment communities to Cortland for $1.6 billion in an all-cash deal. “We are pleased to have reached an agreement with Cortland that recognizes the greater value of these 19 Elme communities and their long-term potential when coupled with Cortland’s economies of scale,” says Paul McDermott, president and CEO of Elme. “We believe Cortland will be an excellent steward of the properties and that this sale will facilitate a seamless transition of ownership, enabling continuity of operations for our residents and community teams.” Steven DeFrancis, CEO of Cortland, said that the portfolio will grow the company’s presence in the Washington, D.C., region and in its home state of Georgia. “We’re excited to welcome these communities into the Cortland family and deliver the exceptional living experience residents have come to expect from our brand,” says DeFrancis. The properties include: Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and Jones Lang LaSalle Securities LLC are acting as …
Maryland
Horning Acquires 288-Unit Multifamily Community in Suburban D.C., Places Income Restrictions
by Abby Cox
HYATTSVILLE, MD. — Horning has acquired Plaza Towers Apartments, a 288-unit multifamily community located in Hyattsville, a suburb of Washington, D.C. Horning has agreed to 99-year affordability covenants on all the building’s units, capping rents between 40 and 80 percent of the area median income (AMI). Amazon’s Housing Equity Fun provided $18.7 million in low-cost financing, while Prince George County contributed $3 million through its Right of First Refusal Preservation Fund, as well as a Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) for an undisclosed value. Additionally, an unnamed Freddie Mac Optigo lender provided senior debt financing. Built in 1964 near the University of Maryland’s College Park campus, the 11-story building houses 44 studio, 158 one-bedroom, 62 two-bedroom and 24 three-bedroom apartments. Community amenities include a business center, fitness room, club room, bike storage, playground and an outdoor pool. Horning plans to invest in the property with updated infrastructure and building systems. The buyer’s property operator affiliate, Horning Management Co,. will provide management services for Plaza Towers.
CBRE Negotiates 120,000 SF Office Headquarters Lease in Gaithersburg, Maryland for X-Energy
by Abby Cox
GAITHERSBURG, MD. — CBRE has negotiated a 120,000-square-foot office lease in Gaithersburg for American nuclear reactor and fuel design engineering company X-Energy. The new office will span the top five floors of Waterfront at Washingtonian, a 325,455-square-foot office property located at 9801 Washingtonian Blvd., about 20 miles northwest of Washington, D.C. Waterfront at Washingtonian is a 14-story, LEED-certified office building situated within The Washingtonian Center, a 1 million-square-foot retail complex. The property was the former North American headquarters for Sodexo, which vacated in late 2023 to occupy Pike & Rose in Bethesda, Md. At the time, the ownership completed several renovations to the building, including a new lobby and lounge, conference center, fitness center and a grab-and-go market on the ground floor. Brian McCarthy, Niel Beggy and Tim Connolly of CBRE represented the landlord, Prime US REIT, in the lease negotiations. Additional terms of the lease were not disclosed.
MCB Opens 473-Bed Student Housing Community Near Morgan State University in Baltimore
by John Nelson
BALTIMORE — MCB Real Estate has opened The Enolia, a 473-bed, off-campus student housing community located at 4529 Harford Road in Baltimore. The $58 million development is situated less than a mile from Morgan State University’s campus. Named after Baltimore civil rights leader and first female NAACP president Enolia Pettigen McMillan, The Enolia features 151 apartments, each with bed-to-bath parity and fully furnished with washers and dryers, quartz countertops and stainless steel appliances. Amenities include a fitness center, game room, study rooms with private huddle areas, lounges, an outdoor courtyard with three terraced levels, lawn areas and a firepit. The Enolia represents the first ground-up student housing development serving Morgan State students in 20 years, according to MCB.
GREENBELT, MD. — Institutional Property Advisors (IPA), a division of Marcus & Millichap, has brokered the $27.5 million sale of Maryland Trade Center III, a 192,000-square-foot medical office building in Greenbelt, a suburb of Washington, D.C. Robert Filley of IPA, along with Chez Eider of Marcus & Millichap, represented the seller, an entity doing business as Greenbelt Trade Center LLC. The duo also procured the buyer, CPF-HCRE – Greenbelt LLC, an affiliate of Chicago Pacific Founders. Brian Hosey served as Marcus & Millichap’s broker of record in Maryland for the transaction. Completed in 1989, Maryland Trade Center III is situated across from the Greenbelt Center shopping mall and within a half-mile of Luminis Health’s hospital and long-term recovery care center. Luminis Health recently selected the Class A building for its expansion of outpatient services. The property was 75 percent leased at the time of sale to tenants including Luminis Health, Greenbelt Oncology, Absolute Care of Maryland, LabCorp, Community Radiology Associates, Anne Arundel Dermatology and Health First Medical Group. Maryland Trade Center III has been upgraded in recent years with a new lobby and systems upgrades. Amenities include a two-story atrium lobby, tenant-only fitness center and a daycare facility.
Greystar to Develop 175-Unit Active Adult Project at Annapolis Town Center in Maryland
by John Nelson
ANNAPOLIS, MD. — Greystar has announced plans to develop a new active adult project in Annapolis. Upon completion, the unnamed community will total 175 units, with a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom residences. Amenities at the five-story development will include a library, club room, kitchen, fitness studio, pet spa, swimming pool and an exterior courtyard. Greystar recently acquired a 2.2-acre development site within Annapolis Town Center for the project. Construction is currently underway, and leasing is scheduled to begin in spring 2026. Annapolis Town Center features more than 50 retail stores and restaurants. The new community’s location will provide access to more than 557,000 square feet of retail, as well as connectivity to Washington, D.C., downtown Baltimore and Bethesda, Md.
First National Realty Completes Refinancing of 231,036 SF Power Retail Center in Metro D.C.
by Abby Cox
BRANDYWINE, MD. — First National Realty Partners (FNRP) has completed the refinancing of Brandywine Crossing, a 231,036-square-foot regional power retail center located in Brandywine, approximately 20 miles southeast of Washington, D.C. The four-year loan includes future funding for approved leasing expenses and the facilitation of the release of escrowed funds held by the previous lender. Since acquiring the center in March 2022, FNRP has increased occupancy from 89 percent to 95 percent by securing 12 new leases and six renewals with tenants including Marshalls, Visionworks and Salon Lofts. The firm also secured a lease with Burlington to backfill a former 25,310-square-foot JOANN Fabric and Crafts store. The next step for Brandywine Crossing will be constructing the build-outs for Burlington, Buffalo Wild Wings ‘GO’ and Another Broken Egg Café. The firm is also pursuing additional tenants and exploring outparcel sale opportunities. Brandywine Crossing sits on a 30-acre site and is anchored by a nearly 60,000-square-foot Safeway grocery store. Other existing tenants include Bonefish Grill, Panda Express, Advance Auto Parts, Truist Bank, Wells Fargo, AT&T and The UPS Store.
ROCKVILLE, MD. — Locally based EYA has purchased Rockshire Village Center, a long-vacant shopping center located on a 7.3-acre site in Rockville, a suburb of Washington, D.C. The firm plans to convert the retail center into a walkable residential neighborhood comprising 60 residential units (31 single-family detached homes and 29 townhomes), as well as 5,200 square feet of commercial/retail space and a community gathering space. Fifteen percent of the residences will be designated as moderately priced dwelling units. Public features of the new neighborhood will include a park, playground, open lawn with seating and recreation areas, pedestrian-friendly streetscape with connections to Rockshire Community Pool and the Carl Henn Millennium Trail, 29 parking spaces for the pool and sitewide landscaping. EYA plans to begin construction in August, with final completion planned for 2027.
COCKEYSVILLE, MD. — Greenberg Gibbons has begun the $10 million renovation of Hunt Valley Towne Centre, a 925,000-square-foot, open-air mixed-use development located in Cockeysville, roughly 16 miles north of Baltimore. The renovation project will feature a new plaza and improvements to the center’s Regal movie theater. Situated within Hunt Valley’s Main Street corridor, the new plaza will feature a new turf lawn, pergola, seating area and a retractable 14-foot multimedia screen, as well as space for games and seasonal activities. The plaza will also host the center’s “Friday Night Live” summer concert series, movie nights and annual Christmas tree lighting ceremonies. Completion of the plaza is expected for this fall. Upgrades to the Regal movie theater will include refreshed exterior enhancements, updated signage, a fully refurbished lobby, improved concessions with digital displays and self-service ticket kiosks. Additionally, each auditorium will comprise new laser projectors, recliner seating and new flooring. The movie theater will remain open throughout the multiphase renovation process. Following the closure of Hunt Valley Mall in 2000, the property was redeveloped and began operating as Hunt Valley Towne Center in 2003. Tenants at the center include Wegmans, DSW, HomeGoods, Marshalls, California Pizza Kitchen, J.Crew Factory, Onelife Fitness and …
BALTIMORE — CBRE has signed a 16,000-square-foot lease at 1001 Fleet St., a Class A office building in Baltimore’s Harbor East district. Delivered in 2000, the nine-story office building is owned by Harbor East Management Group. CBRE is relocating its Baltimore office from 100 E. Pratt St. to the eighth floor of 1001 Fleet, with occupancy to occur in January. David Fields, Jonathan Hall and Jordana Pollack represented CBRE in the lease negotiations on an internal basis. The new CBRE office is part of the commercial real estate services firm’s Workplace360 program, which has 100 locations nationwide.
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