SAGINAW, TEXAS — San Francisco-based mortgage banking firm Gantry has arranged a $19 million bridge loan for the acquisition of Ashton Apartment Homes, a 152-unit multifamily property located in the northern Fort Worth suburb of Saginaw. Built in 1984, the property consists of 14 two-story buildings on a 7.6-acre site. The undisclosed borrower plans to implement a value-add program focused on unit interiors that is a continuation of the previous owner’s renovations to common areas and amenity spaces.
By Kenneth Katz, co-founder and principal, Baker-Katz The COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped the commercial real estate landscape, and retail has been no exception. Over the past two years, Americans have flocked to rural and suburban communities on the outskirts of major cities, seeking lower living costs and a better quality of life. An uptick in demand for residential real estate followed, and hot on its heels came increased demand for new retail and restaurant spaces to serve growing populations. Done right, retail construction can meet the emerging needs that migration trends expose, bringing new life and vitality to communities. Intelligent, efficient development practices can bring major retailers to consumers who would have previously traveled further afield, costing the city revenue. However, not every site or project is workable. Developers need to identify the right location — and the right moment. In January 2021, Houston-based Baker Katz broke ground on Brenham Crossing, a 50-acre, 250,000-square-foot shopping center in Brenham, Texas. Nestled midway between Houston and Austin, with a population of close to 75,000, Brenham and the surrounding area quickly attracted new residents as more Americans sought temperate climates and a more accessible housing market. In 2021, Texas topped U-Haul’s growth index …
ROCKWALL, TEXAS — Stream Realty Partners, in partnership with San Diego-based investment firm Westcore, will develop 1515 Corporate Crossing, a 301,120-square-foot speculative industrial project that will be situated on a 43.2-acre site in Rockwall, an eastern suburb of Dallas. Building features will include 32-foot clear heights, a divisible rear-load configuration, 68 dock doors, 309 car parking spaces and 62 trailer stalls, both of which can be expanded based on tenant needs. Completion is slated for the end of the year. Stream will also handle leasing of the facility.
HOUSTON — Berkadia has arranged the sale of The Dawson, a 354-unit apartment community located in the Energy Corridor area of West Houston. Built in 2014, The Dawson offers one- and two-bedroom units that range in size from 649 to 1,552 square feet. Residences are furnished with stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, individual washers and dryers and private balconies/patios. Amenities include a pool, fitness center, business center, outdoor kitchen and a dog park. Chris Curry, Todd Marix, Jeffrey Skipworth, Chris Young, Joey Rippel and Kyle Whitney of Berkadia represented the seller, Austin-based RPM Living, in the transaction. Clay Akiwenzie, also with Berkadia, originated an undisclosed amount of Freddie Mac financing on behalf of the buyer, California-based Bridge Partners. The loan carried a seven-year term and a floating interest rate.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS — Marcus & Millichap has brokered the sale of Alpha Storage Centers, a 290-unit self-storage facility in Arlington. The property spans 88,107 net rentable square feet. Brandon Karr and Danny Cunningham of Marcus & Millichap represented the seller, a locally based private investor, in the transaction. An entity doing business as 10 Federal Self Storage purchased the asset for an undisclosed price.
PLANO, TEXAS — A joint venture between two California-based investment firms, Magma Equities and Franklin Templeton, has purchased Palencia Apartment Homes, a 281-unit multifamily property in the northern Dallas suburb of Plano. Built in 1996, the property consists of nine buildings housing studio, one- and two-bedroom units on a 9.6-acre site. Amenities include multiple pools, a clubhouse, fitness center, business center and picnic and grilling areas. The new ownership plans to implement a value-add program that will be primarily focused on unit interiors.
SAN ANTONIO — New York City-based Dwight Capital has provided a $22.7 million HUD-insured loan for the refinancing of Stablewood Farms, a 252-unit affordable housing community in San Antonio. Built in 2002, the property comprises 16 two- and three-story buildings, five garages, a leasing office and a community center on a 22-acre site. The majority (75 percent) of the units are restricted to households earning 80 percent or less of the area median income (AMI), while 20 percent are reserved for renters earning up to 50 percent of AMI. Josh Sasouness of Dwight Capital originated the loan through HUD’s 223(f) program on behalf of the borrower, locally based nonprofit organization Merced Housing Texas.
DALLAS — A joint venture between Acram Group, an investment firm formerly known as JMC Holdings, and New York City-based alternative investment group Oak Hill Advisors has purchased Spectrum Center, a 614,000-square-foot office complex in North Dallas, for $114.3 million. The sales price equates to roughly $185 per square foot. Spectrum Center consists of two 12-story buildings. According to LoopNet Inc., the property offers amenities such as a fitness center, courtyard and an onsite restaurant, while users also have access to services such as banking, dry cleaning and daycare. Todd Savage of JLL represented the seller, Granite Properties, in the transaction. Jim Curtin and Ryan Pollack, also with JLL, represented the joint venture. Miami-based Rialto Capital provided an undisclosed amount of acquisition financing for the deal.
HOUSTON — JLL has arranged the sale of Champions Village, a 383,346-square-foot retail power center situated on 31.5 acres in northwest Houston. Retailers at the property include grocer Randalls, Barnes & Noble, T.J. Maxx, Tuesday Morning, Kirklands, Jenny Craig, Supercuts, Bath & Body Works, Body & Brain Yoga and Berkeley Eye Center. Restaurant users include La Madeleine, Don Ramons Mexican Restaurant, Cassandra’s Louisiana Kitchen and MOD Pizza. Chris Gerard, Ryan West, Sherri Rollins and Ethan Goldberg of JLL represented the seller, New Market Properties LLC, a subsidiary of Atlanta-based REIT Preferred Apartment Communities Inc., in the transaction. New Jersey-based First National Realty Partners acquired the asset for an undisclosed price.
SAN MARCOS, TEXAS — Austin-based Palladius Capital Management has purchased The Heights, a 672-bed student housing community serving students at Texas State University in San Marcos, located south of the state capital. The property is located about three miles from campus, comprises 240 units and offers amenities such as a pool, fitness center, clubhouse and study lounges. The seller and sales price were not disclosed. The new ownership plans to implement a value-add program focused on unit interiors, building exteriors and amenity spaces.