FORT WORTH, TEXAS — Locally based energy firm SPM Oil & Gas has signed a 168,017-square-foot industrial lease renewal at Railhead Industrial Park in Fort Worth. The 633-acre development is located at the corner of Northeast Loop 820 and Blue Mound Road on the city’s north side. George Jennings and Matt Carthey with Holt Lunsford Commercial represented the landlord, James Campbell Co., in the lease negotiations. George Curry of JLL represented the tenant.
FORT WORTH, TEXAS — Texas Christian University (TCU) has broken ground on a 95,000-square-foot medical education building in Fort Worth. The Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine, named after a late area philanthropist, will be located in the Near Southside District and will be able to support 240 students. Project partners include design firms CO Architects and Hoefer Welker, engineering firms Dunaway and SSR Inc. and construction manager Linbeck. Completion is slated for July 2024.
LEWISVILLE, TEXAS — CBRE has negotiated the sale of Bison Grove Business Park, a 900,000-square-foot industrial complex located in the northern Dallas suburb of Lewisville. The development consists of four buildings on a 62-acre site that were 78 percent leased at the time of sale. Building features include 32-foot clear heights and ESFR sprinkler systems. The buyer, Chicago-based investment and development firm CenterPoint Properties, also plans to add speculative office space. Randy Baird led the transaction for CBRE. The seller was not disclosed.
CYPRESS, TEXAS — Atlanta-based multifamily developer Wood Partners has broken ground on Alta Cypress Springs, a 330-unit project that will be located on the northwestern outskirts of Houston. Alta Cypress Springs will feature one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments that will be furnished with stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, tile backsplashes and full-size washers and dryers. Amenities will include a pool, fitness center, dog park, business center, clubroom and an outdoor kitchen. Completion is slated for August 2023.
DALLAS — California-based investment firm Vertical Ventures has acquired the DFW Financial Services Office Portfolio, a duo of buildings totaling 233,110 square feet in Dallas. The buildings are located at 4950 Amon Carter Blvd. and 14800 Trinity Blvd. in the CentrePort submarket. Mike Hardage, Brooks Creech and Angela Heidman of Transwestern brokered the deal. The seller was not disclosed.
LUBBOCK, TEXAS — Fort Worth-based investment firm MAG Capital Partners has purchased a quartet of industrial buildings totaling 66,680 square feet in Lubbock in a sale-leaseback. The undisclosed seller had concurrently purchased the operations of the occupant, Lubbock Electric Co., which will remain onsite. Scott Briggs and David Read of Northmarq brokered the deal.
WEBSTER, TEXAS — Chicken N Pickle, an entertainment concept that combines pickleball with food, drink and other games, will open a 42,000-square-foot venue in Webster, a southeastern suburb of Houston. The venue will be located within the 80-acre Flyway development and will feature multiple bars, beer gardens and indoor and outdoor dining spaces. The opening is slated for late 2023. A 532-room Great Wolf Resorts hotel is also under construction at the Flyway.
By Jason Baker of Baker Katz It’s amazing how quickly things can change. Just a few short months ago, the commercial real estate outlook was generally positive. Both in Texas and nationally, retail sales were proving to be fairly resilient to the rising inflation and economic turbulence that have characterized most of 2022. Despite low consumer confidence, strong fundamentals and a retail sector riding the high of a post-pandemic boom provided plenty of reasons for optimism. That has all changed in the last 60 to 90 days. Prevailing positivity has recently given way to concern, and sentiment from within the industry has clearly shifted. High interest rates have made it virtually impossible to develop any type of commercial project, and persistent supply chain constraints and ongoing hikes in costs of construction materials have further exacerbated this challenge. With interest rate increases come higher cap rates, which complicates sellers’ efforts to move their assets while values are this fluid. To put the impact of rising rates into perspective, interest payments on commercial real estate have in some cases increased five-fold in just the last few months. The impact of this activity on retail real estate during the all-important holiday shopping season …
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The Evolution of Internet Setups: How Student Housing Internet Preferences Are Influencing Traditional Multifamily
Multifamily properties have witnessed a rapid expansion in Internet needs, a trend presaged by burgeoning Internet demands in student housing. Multifamily residents have increased their connection demands and are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their requirements for high-quality Internet. What can the lessons of student housing connectivity teach us about traditional multifamily trends, especially when it comes to bulk Internet? Bulk Internet approaches allow for more sophistication in multifamily properties, as demonstrated by student housing best practices. Student housing pioneered built-in networks to keep mobile devices from competing for Wi-Fi bandwidth, minimize downtime and use fiber connections to ensure speed and reliability. This style of network is becoming the gold standard for constant, heavy-duty Internet use in multi-dwelling units (MDUs). High-level connectivity is becoming an absolute necessity for multifamily properties, drawing in residents and improving their Internet-driven lifestyles. And as never-before-seen demand for bandwidth is graduating from dorm rooms to traditional apartments, well-planned multifamily Internet connections can help operators adapt gracefully. COVID’s Role in Internet Use Expansion COVID lockdowns accelerated already growing Internet requirements, which pushed Internet quality to the forefront as connectivity became increasingly important. “COVID put the spotlight on properties to make sure they had great infrastructure. The demand …
AUSTIN, TEXAS — Colorado-based developer McWhinney is nearing completion of the Hyatt Centric Congress Avenue Austin, a 31-story hotel that will be located at 721 Congress Ave. in downtown Austin. Designed by Nelsen Partners with interiors by UCO Studio, the hotel will comprise 246 rooms, including five suites, as well as 2,560 square feet of meeting and event space. Lastly, the hotel will house multiple food-and-beverage concepts, including a restaurant from chef Steve McHugh. The official opening is scheduled for Feb. 1, 2023.