JACKSONVILLE, FLA. — Merritt Properties has acquired 16 acres off of First Coast Expressway in Jacksonville for the development of a business park comprising 158,400 square feet. The development will feature four single-story, flex/light industrial buildings ranging from 21,600 to 57,600 square feet. Construction is slated to begin before the end of this year, with the first phase including three buildings along Armstrong Lane.
Southeast
MCDONOUGH, GA. — Northmarq has arranged the sale of Towne Crest Village, a 20,053-square-foot retail center located in McDonough, approximately 30 miles south of Atlanta. Jeff Enck of Northmarq represented the private Florida-based buyer in the transaction. An individual Los Angeles-based investor sold the property for $5.7 million. Built in 2005, Towne Crest was 100 percent leased at the time of sale to a mix of local businesses including service retailers and restaurants.
JLL Brokers $258M Sale of Two Abberly-Branded Apartment Communities in Decatur, Georgia
by Jeff Shaw
DECATUR, GA. — JLL Capital Markets has brokered the $258 million sale of two five-story, wrap-style apartment communities located in the northeast Atlanta suburb of Decatur. Development and management company HHHunt acquired Abberly Skye for $163 million and Abberly Onyx for $95 million. Northwood Ravin was the seller for both transactions. The two communities are located on the same block around a newly built shopping center anchored by a Sprouts Farmers Market and across the street from a recently renovated shopping center anchored by a Walmart Supercenter. Both properties are approximately seven miles from Midtown Atlanta. Abberly Skye was developed in 2020. The community offers 450 studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom units. Individual units include walk-in showers, glass-front kitchen cabinets, quartz countertops in kitchens and bathrooms, stainless steel appliances and balconies with walk-up patio options. Community amenities at Abberly Skye include a golf simulator, swimming pool, sauna, business center, podcasting room, fitness areas, TV lounge and gaming courtyard. Abberly Onyx was developed in 2017 and comprises 250 units. The building offers studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom floor plans, as well as community amenities such as a rooftop swimming pool, sauna, climbing gym, two-story outdoor lounge, indoor and outdoor game areas, …
NewPoint Provides $93.5M Freddie Mac Financing for Two Apartment Communities in Charlotte, Orlando
by John Nelson
CHARLOTTE, N.C. AND ORLANDO, FLA. — NewPoint Real Estate Capital LLC has provided two separate Freddie Mac loans totaling $93.5 million for two apartment communities in Charlotte and Orlando. The borrower, an affiliate of American Landmark LLC, is using the loans to refinance both properties. The transactions include a $51 million loan for the 338-unit 8 Metro Station in Charlotte and a $42.5 million loan for the 279-unit Central Station on Orange in Orlando. Marc Cesare of NewPoint originated the 10-year, fixed-rate loans. The loans both featured five years of interest-only payments and provided cash-out options for American Landmark, an investment firm that manages over $5 billion in multifamily properties spanning approximately 32,000 units.
Ziff Purchases Six Self-Storage Properties in Southeast, Colorado Totaling 2,750 Units
by John Nelson
MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. — Ziff Real Estate Partners has purchased six self-storage properties in the Southeast and Colorado totaling 2,750 climate- and non-climate-controlled units, including boat and RV rental spaces. The Mount Pleasant-based investor purchased the assets for an undisclosed price via its ZRP Storage Opportunity Fund. The assets in the portfolio include four existing properties: Morristown Self Storage in Morristown, Tenn.; J&S Self Storage in Fountain, Colo.; Mocks Hwy 20 Self Storage in Cumming, Ga.; and Atlas Business Center in Gainesville, Ga. The portfolio also includes two buildings in Roanoke, Va., and Waldorf, Md., that were acquired for conversion to self-storage properties branded under the StoreEase flag. Combined the six assets span 340,000 net rentable square feet. The sellers were not disclosed.
RALEIGH, N.C. — Alliance Residential Co. has opened Broadstone Oak City, a 335-unit apartment community located at 2911 Mid-Century Drive in Raleigh’s East Midtown district. Located near Capital Boulevard and I-440, the site formerly housed a Holiday Inn hotel that opened in the 1970s and was converted in 2005. Broadstone Oak City features studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments ranging in size from 640 to 1,356 square feet. Amenities include a podcast studio, cold brew on tap, private workspaces, pet park, outdoor grills, resort-style saltwater pool with in-pool loungers, indoor fitness center, outdoor fitness space featuring Beaverfit equipment, 445 parking spaces and four electric vehicle charging stations. The design-build team includes LS3P, Cline Design Associates and McAdams. Rental rates range from $1,439 for a studio to $2,240 for a three-bedroom apartment, according to the property website.
Preiss Acquires 928-Bed Student Housing Community Near NC State in Raleigh, Plans $10M Renovation
by John Nelson
RALEIGH, N.C. — The Preiss Co. has acquired Valentine Commons, a 928-bed student housing property located near the North Carolina State University (NC State) campus in Raleigh. Located steps away from campus at 3009 ME Valentine Drive, the property features an 11-story building offering 277 fully furnished units in two-, three- and four-bedroom configurations. Shared amenities include a swimming pool, rooftop terrace, private study rooms on every floor, a business center, aerobics room, fitness center, game room and a private parking garage. The seller and sales price were not disclosed, but Ben Roelke and Ian Walker of Newmark secured $77.3 million in financing for the acquisition through an unnamed life company lender. The five-year loan features full-term, interest-only payments. Preiss Co. is planning a $10 million capital improvement plan for Valentine Commons, the construction timeline of which was not disclosed.
MIAMI BEACH, FLA. — Marcus & Millichap has brokered the $35.3 million sale of a single-tenant, 22,875-square-foot store in Miami Beach leased to Walgreens. The trophy two-story property is located at 509 Collins Ave. at the intersection of Collins Avenue and 5th Street, which is the closest intersection to South Beach. Walgreens has 12 years left on its 25-year lease, which has seven five-year extension options. Ronnie Issenberg, Gabriel Britti and Ricardo Esteves of Marcus & Millichap’s Miami office represented the seller, an entity doing business as 509 Collins Realty LLC, in the transaction. The buyer was not disclosed.
Fiber networks built with multifamily properties in mind offer network resilience while maximizing ROI for owners and operators. Well-constructed fiber networks are at the heart of meeting and exceeding residents’ growing Internet needs, especially when work-from-home culture and the constant need for online connection have made Internet slowdowns and downtime unacceptable for end users. Fiber can also strengthen connectivity across multifamily properties, shoring up the Wi-Fi services residents have come to know and on which they’ve come to depend. How does a national fiber network integrate with multifamily properties? By focusing just on the needs of the multi-dwelling unit (MDU). “Instead of building out 200-mile routes of duct and fiber, we build out ‘miracle miles’ in densely populated MDU areas. From that point, we’re able to easily grow or expand out from that area,” says Michael O’Linc, president of fiber services & campus communications at Pavlov Media. O’Linc stresses the importance of a more planned, methodical approach for MDUs. A network that serves multifamily buildings must be a network focused on backups and fail safes. The “miracle mile” method creates a main line with laterals — creating a ring shape as it expands. This approach to fiber makes networks easier to …
Topgolf to Open South Baltimore Venue at Walk at Warner Street Entertainment District
by John Nelson
BALTIMORE — Dallas-based Topgolf plans to open its first Baltimore venue and third location in Maryland this Friday, bringing its global count to 81. Located at the intersection of Stockholm and Warner streets in the newly branded Walk at Warner Street entertainment district, the three-level venue sits adjacent to Horseshoe Casino Baltimore and M&T Bank Stadium, home of the Baltimore Ravens. Local media outlets report that construction is underway for a concert venue at the district called The Paramount Theater. The new Topgolf will employ around 500 staffers and include 90 outdoor hitting bays, food, beverages, private event rooms, rooftop terrace with a skylit atrium and a large video wall.