CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The current U.S. economic expansion — 120 months and counting — is poised to become the longest in modern U.S. history come July. Mark Vitner, senior economist at Wells Fargo Securities, says the runway is clear for additional growth until at least 2021 before the start of the next recession. The last time the U.S. economy expanded for such a long duration was from 1991 to 2001. Post World War II, the average length of economic expansions has been 58 months, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research. “We don’t have a recession in our forecast. We put it in 2021 because we won’t forecast 2021 until September,” said Vitner. “We’ll likely put the recession in 2022. It’s hard to predict a recession years out. It doesn’t feel like there’s a recession right around the corner, but it never feels that way.” Vitner’s comments came during the keynote address at the 10th annual InterFace Carolinas, a networking and information conference that took place on May 30 at Hilton City Center in Uptown Charlotte. Hosted by InterFace Conference Group and Southeast Real Estate Business, the event brought together more than 240 attendees and featured six panels on …
Southeast
BOCA RATON, FLA. — American Landmark has acquired Alister Boca Raton, a 448-unit multifamily community in Boca Raton, for $91.5 million. American Landmark will invest $6.2 million in capital improvements and rebrand the property as Cielo Boca. The property was originally developed between 1986 and 1988 and was renovated in 2018. Capital improvements will include glass backsplashes, new cabinets, updated lighting and USB ports for the unit interiors. Community area upgrades will include improved landscaping, parking lot repairs and new pool furniture. Existing amenities include a recently renovated clubhouse, fitness center, leasing office and two swimming pools. The property was 96 percent occupied at the time of sale. A joint venture between Mill Creek Residential and AIG sold the complex. Avery Klann, Hampton Beebe and Jonathan Senn of Newmark Knight Frank represented the seller in the transaction.
ATLANTA — Invesco will invest $70 million to expand its global headquarters presence in Atlanta. The investment manager firm will occupy 300,000 square feet of office space at Midtown Union in August 2022. The move will also add 500 jobs, bringing Invesco’s Atlanta workforce to nearly 1,200 employees. MetLife Investment Management and Granite Properties are currently co-developing Midtown Union, which will be situated at the corner of 17th and Peachtree streets in Midtown Atlanta. Upon completion, the project will comprise two towers totaling 600,000 square feet of office space. Invesco moved its global headquarters to Atlanta in 2007.
PINEVILLE, N.C. — Beacon Partners will break ground this summer on a speculative 230,614-square-foot industrial building southwest of Charlotte. The project will be situated at 12115 Downs Road in Pineville, about 12 miles southwest of downtown Charlotte. The building will accommodate one or two tenants and include 32-foot clear heights and access to Interstates 77 and 485. The design team includes InterCon Building Corp. as the general contractor, Merriman Schmitt Architects as the architect and Orsborn Engineering Group as the civil engineer. Fifth Third Bank provided construction financing.
KNOXVILLE, TENN. — Woda Cooper has opened White Oak Crossing, an $8.5 million affordable housing project in Knoxville. Units were reserved for families that earn between 50 percent and 60 percent of the area median income. In Knox County, for example, this equates to $23,350 (50 percent AMI) and $28,020 (60 percent AMI) in annual income for a single person or up to $33,300 (50 percent AMI) and $39,960 (60 percent AMI) for a family of four. Larger families are also eligible. Monthly rents at White Oak Crossing range from $605 to $780 per month. The 60-unit community offers two- and three-bedroom floor plans and is located at 290 Quaker Way, six miles southeast of downtown Knoxville. Communal amenities include a community room with kitchenette, 24-hour fitness room and a playground. White Oak Crossing was made possible with the allocation of housing tax credits by the Tennessee Housing Development Agency (THDA). Regions Bank was the primary equity investor and provided a construction-to-permanent loan through HUD’s 221(d)(4) program. Woda Construction Inc. served as the general contractor, and Nashville-based Bernard L. Weinstein & Associates was the architect.
WEST PALM BEACH, FLA. — Cushman & Wakefield has arranged the $8.5 million sale of Commerce Pointe Gold, a four-story, 43,433-square-foot office building in West Palm Beach. Commerce Pointe Gold sits on 2.8 acres at 1800 S. Australian Ave., two miles south of downtown West Palm Beach. Commerce Pointe Gold LLC acquired the building for $196 per square foot. The building was 99 percent leased at the time of sale to tenants including Law Offices of Craig Goldenfarb; Sasser, Cestero & Sasser; AEG Live SE; and Scuttina Real Estate Group. Scott O’Donnell, Greg Miller, Dominic Montazemi and Miguel Alcivar of Cushman & Wakefield represented the seller, KAS Gold LLC, an affiliate of Miami-based SF Partners, in the transaction. Jason Sundook and Neil Merin of NAI/Merin Hunter Codman Inc. represented the buyer.
Charlotte’s industrial market continues to see strong momentum in early 2019, and with healthy rates of absorption and rental growth despite record levels of new development, it remains the preferred asset class in the Queen City among institutional investors. Industrial absorption totaled 5.2 million square feet in 2018, according to JLL research, making it the fourth consecutive year that the market has absorbed at least 4 million square feet. The demand for new space is driven in part by the growth of the Carolinas: North and South Carolina both ranked in the top 10 nationally for population growth over the past year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, and Charlotte is well-situated geographically for distribution facilities that can cover both states. E-commerce, of course, has been another major driver of demand and development. During the fourth quarter, Amazon received construction permits for its fourth and largest distribution center in the Charlotte region, a 2.4-million-square-foot facility that will be located on 100 acres north of Charlotte Douglas International Airport. A separate 1.2 million-square-foot distribution facility for Amazon in nearby Kannapolis is expected to open this year. Industrial development continues to migrate to Charlotte’s surrounding counties, where land is more readily available …
EJF, Donatelli, Blue Skye Developing $95M Multifamily Project Within D.C. Opportunity Zone
by Alex Tostado
WASHINGTON, D.C. — EJF Capital, Donatelli Development and Blue Skye Development are developing a $95 million, 262-unit mixed-income housing project within an opportunity zone in southeast Washington, D.C. The project is under construction within Hill East, a 67-acre master-planned development. The multifamily component, which has not yet been named, will include an undisclosed number of affordable housing units and 13,000 square feet of retail space. The project is expected to be complete in August 2020. Eagle Bank is providing $59.5 million of construction financing.
BLYTHEWOOD, S.C. — Cushman & Wakefield has arranged the $41 million sale of Enclave Blythewood, a 384-unit multifamily property in Blythewood, about 18 miles north of Columbia, S.C. Southwood Realty/Triangle Real Estate acquired the community and will rename it The Palisades at Blythewood. The property was built in two phases in 2008 and 2015, and offers one-, two- and three-bedroom floor plans. Communal amenities include a clubhouse, swimming pool, business center, dog park, car care center, fitness center and a putting green. Tai Cohen, Watson Bryant and Jordan McCarley of Cushman & Wakefield represented the seller, McCall Capital, in the transaction.
KNOXVILLE, TENN. — Mallory & Evans Partners LLC has acquired the Kern’s Bakery site, an opportunity zone near downtown Knoxville and the University of Tennessee. The Atlanta-based developers plan to transform the area as a mixed-use development that will preserve the historic building to include retail, restaurant, entertainment and office space. A 160-unit multifamily complex and a hotel will also be included in the 16-acre development area. The development will occur in three phases beginning in July and culminating in August 2020. The first phase will be the multifamily component, which will be designed to appeal to young professionals. Phase II will include the restaurants, retail and office space. Kern’s Bakery will comprise 75,000 square feet of space. The third phase will include the hotel. The design team includes Jimmy Ryan of Knoxville’s Johnson as the architect and Fulghum, MacIndoe, and Associates Inc. will provide civil engineering services.