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Stonelake Capital Partners Plans 50-Story Mixed-Use Tower in Downtown Austin

by Jeff Shaw February 4, 2021

AUSTIN, TEXAS — Stonelake Capital Partners plans to build a 50-story, 465,000-square-foot office and multifamily tower on a half-acre site that it has acquired at the corner of West Fifth and Colorado streets in downtown Austin. Named “5th & Colorado,” plans call for 318 luxury apartments above 100,000 square feet of high-end office space. Stonelake tentatively expects to break ground in first quarter of 2022 with completion slated for early 2025. “Now more than ever, both companies and people are moving to Austin,” says Will Jenkins, the Stonelake principal leading the development. “5th & Colorado’s design will reflect the next generation of vertical mixed-use development, placing emphasis on quality, generous living areas, dedicated workspace and multiple open-air amenity offerings with panoramic views.” Austin was the No. 3 metro area as far as maintaining employment levels during the COVID-19 pandemic, posting a job loss of 1 percent from December 2019 to December 2020, according to the Austin Chamber of Commerce. By contrast, four major metro areas lost more than 10 percent of their jobs in that span. Apartments at 5th & Colorado will average 1,150 square feet, and office floor plates will total 20,000 square feet around a central core. The …

February 4, 2021

Development Hawaii Maryland Mixed-Use Multifamily Nevada Southeast Texas Top Stories Western

Howard Hughes Corp. to Add 2 MSF of New Development Across Four Master-Planned Communities

by Kristin Harlow February 3, 2021

HOUSTON — The Howard Hughes Corp. (NYSE: HHC) has unveiled plans to add approximately 2 million square feet of new development across four of its master-planned communities in Las Vegas; Cypress, Texas; Columbia, Md.; and Honolulu. At Summerlin, which is located along the western rim of the Las Vegas valley, Howard Hughes has planned 1700 Pavilion, a 10-story office building. The Class A property will span 267,413 square feet and offer views of the entire valley. Additionally, the company will build Tanager Echo, the second phase of the Tanager luxury apartments. The 295-unit apartment complex will be situated on nearly three acres. Touchless entry and enhanced air filtration will be featured throughout both projects, which will be built simultaneously. Construction is expected to begin in the second quarter with completion slated for late 2022. At Bridgeland in Cypress, Texas, Howard Hughes has started construction of Starling at Bridgeland. The 358-unit apartment project is the first multifamily development to be built in Bridgeland Central, the 900-acre future town center. Starling at Bridgeland will incorporate extensive fitness features and will be located within walking distance of Josey Lake. Completion is slated for summer 2022. Howard Hughes is set to break ground this …

February 3, 2021

Acquisitions Company News New York Northeast Office Top Stories

Knotel Files for Bankruptcy, Newmark to Acquire Ailing Coworking Provider

by John Nelson February 2, 2021

NEW YORK CITY — Knotel Inc., a New York City-based flexible workspace provider, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. Knotel concurrently has agreed to sell the business to an affiliate of commercial real estate services firm Newmark Group Inc. (Nasdaq: NMRK), which is providing Knotel with $20 million of debtor-in-possession (DIP) financing to help fund day-to-operations. The DIP financing, provided by a Newmark-backed entity known as Digiatech LLC, is subject to court approval. Founded in 2016, Knotel provides custom offices for company’s using an in-house team of architects, interior designers and workplace strategists. The total number of existing Knotel locations was not available, but Knotel has a presence in several global cities, including Amsterdam, Atlanta, Berlin, Boston, Dublin, London, Los Angeles, New York, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo, Toronto and Washington, D.C. Amol Sarva, co-founder and CEO of Knotel, cites the COVID-19 pandemic as a black swan event for his firm, which was hampered by companies opting to work from home during the outbreak. “The pandemic created a uniquely challenging operating environment, with significant impacts on leasing velocity and the rate of renewals in key markets, particularly New York …

February 2, 2021

Acquisitions Multifamily South Carolina Southeast Student Housing Tennessee Top Stories

Arcapita Acquires Two Student Housing Communities in Southeast for $120M

by Taylor Williams February 1, 2021

CLEMSON, S.C. AND KNOXVILLE, TENN. — Arcapita, a global investment manager with offices in Atlanta, London and Singapore, has acquired two student housing communities in the Southeast for a combined $120 million. Clemson Lofts is a 640-bed community located approximately one mile from Clemson University in South Carolina that was fully occupied at the time of sale. Quarry Trail is an 840-unit property serving the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. The properties were acquired in separate transactions, with the sellers in each deal opting to remain anonymous. Clemson Lofts features one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom units. The property’s amenity package was recently expanded and upgraded and now includes a pool, fitness center, dog park, group and private study rooms, outdoor yoga space, indoor gaming lounge and a resident clubroom with TVs. Quarry Trail also offers one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom floor plans that feature full-size washers and dryers and private patios in select units. Communal amenities include a new dog park, fitness center, pool and study areas, as well as a resident clubhouse and shuttle service to campus. Arcapita says it is bullish on the student housing sector and intends to aggressively pursue deal opportunities in 2021. In particular, Arcapita …

February 1, 2021

Company News New Jersey Northeast Retail Top Stories

U.S. Division of L’Occitane Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection, Plans Store Closures

by Katie Sloan January 29, 2021

NEWARK, N.J. — The U.S. arm of beauty retailer L’Occitane en Provence has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey and announced plans to close several stores in an effort to optimize the company’s U.S. footprint. L’Occitane currently operates 166 stores nationally. At least 23 stores are being targeted for closure in the U.S. and the company is taking a closer look at its other leases in hopes of better positioning L’Occitane for success over the next few years, according to reports by the New York Business Journal. Stores are set to remain open through the restructuring process. L’Occitane is the latest regional mall mainstay to struggle under strain caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The company was recently sued by Simon Property Group — one of the largest shopping mall operators in the U.S. — for more than $3.7 million in back rent, according to reports by Crain’s New York Business. While L’Occitane has seen year-over-year growth in online sales, the business continues to feel the impact of high rent obligations, which the company deems no longer tenable. “Today’s action is a pivotal step forward in achieving the full potential of …

January 29, 2021

Development Indiana Industrial Midwest Mixed-Use Office Top Stories

Citimark Buys Massive hhgregg Headquarters Campus in Indianapolis, Plans Redevelopment

by Jeff Shaw January 28, 2021

INDIANAPOLIS — Citimark has acquired the former headquarters of hhgregg Inc. and announced plans to redevelop the 27-acre property on the far north side of Indianapolis. Citimark hasn’t unveiled full plans yet, but says it is considering single or multi-tenant flex, industrial and last-mile uses while preserving the flexibility for some retail out-lots. Appliance, electronics and furniture retailer hhgregg declared bankruptcy and liquidated all its assets in 2017, including closing its 220 stores and laying off more than 5,000 workers. The 400,000-square-foot headquarters, which featured office, industrial and showroom buildings, has sat vacant since then. The property’s unique shell design, with an open-air courtyard that can accommodate 200 cars, may have slowed the sale process. In January of 2019, national car dealer Napleton Auto Group kicked the tires on the property as a potential Kia dealership, before backing out later in the month, according to the Indiana Business Journal. Local contractor Deem LLC considered purchasing the property, but pulled out of the deal in November 2020, reported the Journal. Ultimately, Citimark emerged as the buyer in late December, paying $14 million for the asset. Alex Cantu with Colliers Indianapolis assisted Citimark with the purchase. Colliers Indianapolis brokers Jimmy Cohoat and …

January 28, 2021

Illinois Loans Midwest Office Top Stories

KBS Receives $375M Refinancing for Accenture Tower Office Building in Chicago

by Taylor Williams January 27, 2021

CHICAGO — California-based investment firm KBS has received a $375 million loan for the refinancing of Accenture Tower, a 40-story, 1.5 million-square-foot office building located at 500 W. Madison St. in downtown Chicago. Accenture Tower, named for the accounting firm formerly known as Arthur Andersen that changed its name following the 2001 Enron scandal, was originally built in 1987. The LEED Gold-certified building sits above the Ogilvie Transportation Center, one of two main train stations in Chicago’s West Loop, which connects the suburbs with the downtown area. In terms of amenities, Accenture Tower features a fitness center, tenant lounge, and conference centers. Tenants also have access to an onsite bank branch, courier service and concierge service. U.S. Bank and Bank of America jointly provided the financing, which consisted of a $281 million term loan and a $94 million revolving loan. The term loan was structured with a three-year initial term with two one-year extension options, and priced with floating interest rate over LIBOR. U.S. Bank will be the primary servicer of the loan. Deutsche Pfandbriefbank, a German bank specializing in real estate and public sector financing, participated in the transaction, though the company’s role was unclear. “The iconic nature of …

January 27, 2021

Acquisitions Company News Industrial Northeast Office Pennsylvania Top Stories

Swedish Private Equity Firm Agrees to Buy Exeter Property Group in $1.9B Merger

by John Nelson January 26, 2021

STOCKHOLM AND CONSHOHOCKEN, PA. — EQT AB, a private equity firm based in Stockholm, has agreed to purchase Exeter Property Group, an industrial real estate owner and developer based in the Philadelphia suburb of Conshohocken. EQT plans to purchase Exeter using $800 million in EQT shares and nearly $1.1 billion in cash for a total acquisition price of nearly $1.9 billion, including the refinancing of Exeter’s existing $300 million in debt. Founded in 2006, Exeter has approximately $10 billion in assets under management. In addition to industrial properties, Exeter also owns life sciences and office space in the United States and Europe. Exeter has 37 offices in North America, Europe and Asia. EQT expects Exeter’s revenue in 2020 to total $135 million. Exeter’s recent acquisitions include Creekview Corporate Center in metro Dallas, a 193,000-square-foot industrial building in Illinois and a new distribution center in Pennsylvania totaling 1.2 million square feet. The company also recently developed a 673,920-square-foot speculative industrial building in the St. Louis suburb of Edwardsville, Ill. Upon completion of the transaction, Exeter will operate as EQT Exeter and will be part of the EQT Real Estate Assets division, which comprises EQT Infrastructure and EQT Real Estate. EQT Exeter …

January 26, 2021

Kansas Midwest Retail Top Stories

AMC Theatres Raises $917M of Investment Capital, Says Bankruptcy is ‘Completely Off Table’

by Kristin Harlow January 25, 2021

LEAWOOD, KAN. — In effort to remain financially afloat amid the COVID-19 pandemic, AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc. (NYSE: AMC) has raised or signed commitment letters to receive $917 million of new equity and debt capital. The Leawood-based movie theater company says the increased liquidity should enable it to survive well into 2021. Of the $917 million, AMC raised $506 million of equity from the issuance of new common shares. Additionally, the company executed commitment letters for $411 million of incremental debt capital from upsizing and refinancing its European revolving credit facility. The $917 million capital infusion is on top of $1 billion of cash that AMC raised between April and November of 2020. “Any talk of an imminent bankruptcy for AMC is completely off the table,” says Adam Aron, CEO and president. AMC says that an increase in cinema attendance is likely given the push to vaccinate the general population. AMC also presumes it will continue to make progress in its ongoing dialogue with theater landlords about the amounts and timing of owed theater lease payments. Following the news, AMC’s stock price jumped from $3.51 per share at Friday’s close to $4.72 per share on Monday’s opening. The stock traded …

January 25, 2021

Company News Retail Top Stories

American Eagle Outfitters to Close Up to 225 Stores, Bolster Aerie Brand to $2B Revenue

by Katie Sloan January 22, 2021

PITTSBURGH — American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. (NYSE: AEO) has announced plans to close hundreds of its flagship American Eagle stores over the course of the next few years, while seeking to grow the company’s more successful lingerie and active-wear brand, Aerie, into a $2 billion business. The Pittsburgh-based company’s chief financial officer, Michael Mathias, announced plans to close 200 to 225 of the company’s 880 existing American Eagle locations over the next two to three years during a virtual investor meeting held Thursday, Jan. 21. “Our primary focus for the next few years with American Eagle will be to build on our large cashflow base by focusing on inventory efficiency, improving merchandise margins, managing expenses and closing stores to strengthen profit flow-through,” said Mathias. The company’s American Eagle banner anticipates roughly flat growth compared to 2019, with an expected revenue of approximately $3.5 billion. By contrast, Aerie revenue is anticipated to grow at a mid-20 percent compounded annual growth rate. The company hopes to open 60 to 75 brick-and-mortar Aerie locations each of the next several years, with Houston and Los Angeles listed as targeted growth markets. “Plans for the Aerie brand through 2023 include doubling revenue to $2 billion, …

January 22, 2021

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