WASHINGTON, D.C. — For the week ending Aug. 8, 963,000 people filed first-time unemployment claims, which marks the first time since the week ending March 14 that fewer than 1 million Americans filed for assistance, the U.S. Department of Labor reported this morning. The most recent figure is a 228,000 decrease on a week-over-week basis. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones were expecting 1.1 million claims for the week. The four-week moving average stood at nearly 1.3 million claims, a decrease of 86,250 from the previous four-week average. For the week ending Aug. 1, continuing claims — for which data is a week behind — decreased by 604,000 from July 25 to 15.5 million.
WEST PALM BEACH, FLA. — Newmark Knight Frank (NKF) has arranged the $56.2 million sale of Visions at Willow Pond, a 300-unit multifamily community in West Palm Beach. The property comprises 17 two- and three-story buildings offering one- and two-bedroom floor plans. Communal amenities include a clubhouse, pool and a fitness center. Built in 1987, the property is situated at 4860 Sand Stone Lane, seven miles west of downtown West Palm Beach. Tal Frydman, Avery Klann, Hampton Beebe, Tyler Minix and Jonathan Senn of NKF brokered the transaction. New York City-based Axonic Properties LLC sold the asset to Miami-based Bar Invest Group.
MOORESVILLE, N.C. — Corporate Center Properties has sold Oates Crossing, a four-building, 235,400-square-foot industrial/flex asset in Mooresville. The seller delivered the property in 2005 and expanded the campus in 2018. At the time of sale, the portfolio was leased to 13 tenants. Oates Crossing is situated on 16 acres at 105 and 115 Corporate Center Drive and 120 and 128 Talbert Road, one mile from Interstate 77 and 32 miles north of downtown Charlotte. Patrick Nally, Hunter Barron and Pete Pittroff of JLL represented the seller in the transaction. Greenville, S.C.-based RealOp Investments acquired the asset.
EUSTIS, FLA. — Housing Trust Group (HTG) has broken ground on Valencia Grove II, a 110-unit affordable seniors housing community in Eustis, approximately 30 miles northwest of Orlando. Development costs for Phase II were estimated at $22 million. The project is scheduled for completion in May 2021. The project is the second phase of Valencia Grove, which has already delivered 144 affordable apartments. Units are reserved for residents over 62 years old who earn 22 percent, 35 percent and 60 percent of the area median income (AMI). Rents range from $286 to $937 per month. HTG has partnered on the project with nonprofit AM Affordable Housing Inc., an organization founded by former Miami Heat player and NBA Hall of Famer Alonzo Mourning. This marks HTG’s third collaboration with AM Affordable Housing. Fifth Third Bank provided an $11.2 million construction loan, and Truist Bank provided a $7.2 million Freddie Mac loan. Additionally, Raymond James is providing $7.2 million of 4 percent Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) equity. Florida Housing Finance Corp. is providing a $5.8 million State Apartment Incentive Loan (SAIL), a $600,000 Extremely Low-Income (ELI) loan and a $742,000 National Housing Trust Fund (NHTF) loan. The project and design team …
PENDERGRASS, GA. — JLL has arranged the $43.9 million sale of an 811,000-square-foot distribution center leased to Bed Bath & Beyond in northeast Georgia. The property is located at 860 John B. Brooks Road in Pendergrass. The asset, which is situated on 62 acres along Interstate 85, features tilt-up construction, 32-foot clear heights and a cross-dock configuration. Alex Sharrin, Britton Burdette, Brian Shanfeld, Matt Wirth and Dennis Mitchell of JLL represented the seller, Oak Street Real Estate Capital LLC, in the transaction. An unnamed institutional investment group purchased the property.
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Greystar Real Estate Partners LLC has launched Greystar Credit Partners II LP (GCP II), a $600 million fund focused on the acquisition of securitized subordinated debt issued by government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) as well as private label securitizations, junior notes or mezzanine debt collateralized by multifamily assets. GCP II is the successor to GCP I, a $500 million fund created in 2018 that completed its investment activities concurrent with the formation of GCP II. Brett Lashley and Patrick Reilly of Greystar will oversee GCP II’s investment and portfolio management activities.
NORTH LITTLE ROCK, ARK. — The Multifamily Group (TMG) has brokered the sale of Arrowhead Estates, a 242-unit apartment complex in North Little Rock. The property, which was originally built in 1968, offers one- and two-bedroom floor plans. Communal amenities include a pool, playground, basketball court, picnic area and a sundeck. The community is situated at 1707 Arrowhead Road, six miles north of downtown Little Rock. Paul Yazbeck of Dallas-based TMG represented the undisclosed seller in the transaction and procured the undisclosed buyer. The sales price was also not disclosed.
LAKE CHARLES, LA. — Columbia Pacific Advisors has provided a $15.5 million refinancing loan for Gulf Stream Manor, a mobile home park in Lake Charles. Billy Meyer of Columbia Pacific originated the loan on behalf of the undisclosed borrower, which plans to use the funds to refinance its existing mortgage, as well as provide working capital and finance expenditures. The property offers 265 residences with three- and four-bedroom floor plans ranging from 1,152 to 1,368 square feet. Amenities include a clubhouse, pool, playground and basketball courts. Southern Choice Properties manages the community, which is located at 8559 Gulf Highway, 10 miles south of downtown Lake Charles.
JACKSONVILLE, FLA. — CTO Realty Growth has sold a 6,267-square-foot retail property leased to Wawa in Jacksonville for $7.1 million. The property was delivered in 2017 and features gasoline pumps. Wawa has 17 years remaining on its lease. The asset sits on 2.2 acres at 4866 Gate Parkway, 10 miles southeast of downtown Jacksonville and near St. Johns Town Center. Brad Peterson, Michael Brewster and Joseph Naas of JLL represented the seller in the transaction. An undisclosed private investor purchased the asset.
JACKSONVILLE, FLA. — Discount retailer Stein Mart Inc. (NASDAQ: SMRT) has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida. The motion is an effort to maintain operations, including “the payment of employee wages and benefits without interruption, payment of suppliers and vendors in the normal course of business and the use of cash collateral.” Jacksonville-based Stein Mart expects to close a significant portion, if not all, of its brick-and-mortar stores. The company has launched a store closing and liquidation process but will continue to operate in the near term. Stein Mart says it is evaluating any and all strategic alternatives, including the potential sale of its e-commerce business and related intellectual property. In its fiscal first quarter that ended May 2, Stein Mart reported a net loss of $65.7 million. In addition, a merger agreement with an affiliate of Kingswood Capital Management LP terminated in April due to “uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic,” according to Stein Mart’s quarterly report. “The combined effects of a challenging retail environment coupled with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic have caused significant financial distress on our business,” says Hunt Hawkins, Stein Mart CEO and …