Top Stories

American Campus Communities Starts Construction of Mixed-Use Development on University of California Riverside Campus

by Jeff Shaw October 8, 2019

RIVERSIDE, CALIF. — The University of California, Riverside (UCR) and American Campus Communities (NYSE: ACC) have broken ground on North District, a mixed-use community anchored by new student housing buildings. The project will be situated on the university’s campus in Riverside, a city located in the Inland Empire about 60 miles east of Los Angeles. Upon full build-out, the project will feature up to 6,000 new student housing beds, new dining facilities, an NCAA Division I competition field, a field house sports facility, functional open spaces, multi-use spaces that can serve as classrooms, meeting spaces and study areas, and more than 100,000 square feet for retail, commercial and university services. The project, a redevelopment of the former Canyon Crest Family Housing site, is part of UCR’s vision for creating a “living-learning” campus, much like other mixed-use developments seek a live-work-play environment. The university projects enrollment will rise from approximately 24,000 students today to 35,000 by 2035, necessitating the new student housing beds. “This project will help us prepare for this tremendous growth,” says UCR Chancellor Kim Wilcox. “Part of this vision includes residential life programs that will provide a balance of privacy while embracing community to enhance the overall academic …

October 8, 2019

Development Florida Office Retail Southeast Top Stories

Tricera Capital Breaks Ground on 265,000 SF Office, Retail Redevelopment Project in South Florida

by Taylor Williams October 7, 2019

WEST PALM BEACH, FLA. — Miami-based Tricera Capital has broken ground on the redevelopment of the Palm Beach Post newspaper office campus in West Palm Beach. The project, named The Press, will add 125,000 square feet of new retail space and 140,000 square feet of refurbished office space to the market. The project began with the demolition of a two-story office building and bridge. The development team, which acquired the 11-acre site in February 2019, will preserve most of the remaining structures, including those that housed the Post’s original office building and printing press. The retail component will be branded as Shops at the Press, and the office component will be branded as Workspaces at the Press. As part of the project, Tricera will renovate the existing four-story office building, and the newspaper will continue to operate within 35,000 square feet at the property. The building that housed the printing press will be converted into a space for retail, lifestyle and entertainment uses. The entire project is scheduled for completion during the first quarter of 2021. Tricera is close to finalizing a lease agreement with a national organic grocer to open a new store at the property, the developer says. …

October 7, 2019

Development Florida Hospitality Mixed-Use Southeast Top Stories

Hard Rock International Completes $700M Casino Expansion in Tampa

by Alex Patton October 4, 2019

TAMPA, FLA. — Hard Rock International has completed a $700 million expansion of Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa. The development added a new 223,900-square-foot casino to the property, which includes an additional 1,000 slot machines and 41 table games throughout its new gaming spaces. The new casino brings the roster of gaming attractions up to nearly 5,000 slot machines, 179 tables and 46 poker tables.The casino now comprises 245,000 square feet of dedicated casino space, according to the Tampa Bay Times. The renovation also included construction of a 14-story hotel with 562 rooms and suites. Amenities of the new hotel include a 26,000-square-foot spa, three pools, two VIP suites, a hair and nail salon, barbershop and lounge. The top floor also features a private gaming parlor for VIP guests. Additionally, the construction included a 1,500-seat Hard Rock Event Center, where completion celebrations were held including performances from Atlanta-based rapper Big Boi and DJ Jazzy Jeff. New food and beverage options at the property include coffee café Constant Grind, the Pool Bar & Grill and Italian restaurant Cipresso. “Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa is already one of the largest and most profitable casinos in the United States,” says Jim Allen, …

October 4, 2019

Acquisitions Multifamily Top Stories Washington Western

Continental Properties Reacquires 31-Story Met Tower in Seattle for $216.1M

by Alex Tostado October 3, 2019

SEATTLE — Continental Properties LLC has acquired Met Tower, a 366-unit residential building in Seattle it helped develop in 2001, for $216.1 million. The seller was Seattle-based Westlake Tower Associates, according to multiple media reports. Bellevue, Wash.-based Continental developed the 31-story tower in a joint venture with Bentall and sold the building in 2003 for $105 million, or $287,000 per unit. Bentall was looking to get out of the multifamily real estate business at the time, leading to the sale, according to the Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce. In an interview with the DJC, Claudio Guincher of Continental said what was once considered the outskirts of Seattle’s central business district, is now “on the 50-yard line.” “We are across the street from Amazon,” Guincher added. Met Tower is located at 1942 Westlake Ave., directly across from Amazon’s Doppler building, which serves as the company’s headquarters, housing 3,800 employees. The multifamily community offers studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom floor plans averaging 894 square feet. Communal amenities include a business center, conference room, fireplace lounge with full kitchen, billiards room, library, fitness facility, aerobics room, indoor pool, whirlpool spa, sauna and locker rooms with steam rooms. The property also features 10,000 square …

October 3, 2019

Acquisitions Hospitality Illinois Midwest Top Stories

Blackstone to Acquire 65 Percent Stake in Great Wolf Resorts, Form $2.9B JV With Centerbridge

by Kristin Harlow October 2, 2019

CHICAGO AND NEW YORK CITY — Blackstone Real Estate Partners IX, an affiliate of Blackstone (NYSE: BX), is acquiring a 65 percent controlling interest in Great Wolf Resorts Inc. Although the specific price of the investment was not disclosed, Blackstone and existing owner Centerbridge Partners LP will form a new $2.9 billion joint venture to own the company. Chicago-based based Great Wolf is an owner and operator of family-oriented entertainment resorts, with 18 locations around the country. Each lodge contains a full-service hotel, indoor waterpark, recreational activities and various food and beverage offerings. A new resort in Northern California is slated to open next year. “Great Wolf has enriched the guest experience and opened seven new lodges since 2015,” says Tyler Henritze, head of U.S. acquisitions for Blackstone. “We look forward to investing in these properties to further deliver for guests and grow the company.” Murray Hennessy, CEO of Great Wolf, says that the company stands to benefit greatly from Blackstone’s insights and expertise in hospitality. The sale comes at a time when theme park companies are benefitting from higher consumer spending on travel and leisure, according to Bloomberg. Blackstone has previously invested in SeaWorld Entertainment Inc. and helped buy …

October 2, 2019

California Development Office Top Stories Western

Boston Properties, CPPIB to Develop 1.1 MSF Office Campus in Silicon Valley

by John Nelson October 1, 2019

SAN JOSE, CALIF. — Boston Properties Inc. (NYSE: BXP) has formed a joint venture with institutional investor Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) to develop Platform 16, a 1.1 million-square-foot office campus in downtown San Jose. Boston Properties, a developer and owner of Class A office buildings, holds a 55 percent ownership stake in the joint venture. The Silicon Valley project will comprise three buildings situated near Diridon Station, the largest multi-modal transportation hub in the Bay Area consisting of the Caltrain, VTA light-rail and the ACE train lines, as well as the planned BART and high-speed rail lines. Platform 16 will also be near Guadalupe River Park and adjacent to Google’s planned transit village spanning 8 million square feet. “Platform 16 is ideally located in one of the largest technology hubs in the country,” says Aaron Fenton, vice president of development for Boston Properties. “With easy access to public transportation, as well as local housing, culture, food and entertainment, Platform 16 will help companies attract and retain the talent they need to support their growth.” Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, Platform 16’s name originates from its proximity to Diridon Station and its planned 16 outdoor terraces across the …

October 1, 2019

Company News Industrial Top Stories

Blackstone Agrees to Acquire Colony Industrial For $5.9B

by Taylor Williams September 30, 2019

NEW YORK CITY AND DALLAS — Blackstone Real Estate Partners IX, an affiliate of New York City-based global investment firm Blackstone (NYSE: BX), has agreed to acquire Colony Industrial, the Dallas-based industrial arm of Colony Capital Inc. (NYSE: CLNY). The deal is valued at approximately $5.9 billion. Terms of the deal call for Blackstone to purchase Colony Capital’s logistics portfolio, which consists of approximately 60 million square feet across 465 light industrial buildings in 26 U.S. markets. The transaction is expected to close during the fourth quarter. The sale also includes Colony’s 51 percent ownership interest in a 4 million-square-foot portfolio of distribution assets and the affiliated operating platform that manages those properties. “This acquisition of high-quality warehouses demonstrates our continued strong conviction in logistics and positive e-commerce trends,” says Nadeem Meghji, head of real estate Americas at Blackstone. “As retailers continue to shorten delivery times and expand their last-mile footprints, we believe warehouses in dense population centers will continue to experience outsized demand growth.” Willkie Farr & Gallagher served as legal counsel; Morgan Stanley and Eastdil Secured served as financial advisors; and CBRE National Partners served as real estate advisor to Colony Capital. Simpson Thacher & Bartlett served as …

September 30, 2019

Acquisitions District of Columbia Office Southeast Top Stories

Paramount Sells Liberty Place Office Building in Washington D.C. for $154.5M

by Alex Patton September 27, 2019

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Paramount Group Inc. (NYSE: PGRE) has sold Liberty Place, a landmark office building in Washington D.C., to an undisclosed buyer for $154.5 million. The 172,000-square-foot office building is located at 325 7th St. NW in the East End submarket of Washington, D.C., less than a mile from Capitol Hill. The property comprises two incorporated buildings: the historic Fireman’s Fund Building built in 1882, and a 12-story glass and limestone office tower constructed in 1991. In 2014, Hickok Cole designed an interior repositioning of the office entrance and lobby. Paramount intends to use a portion of proceeds from the sale to partially fund its $722 million purchase of Market Center, a 753,000-square-foot Class A office building in San Francisco’s South Financial District. “We continue to execute on our capital recycling strategy by selling stabilized assets at attractive prices and redeploying that capital into higher-growth opportunities, such as Market Center,” says Albert Behler, president, CEO and chairman. Recent tenants at Liberty Place include electric service company PPL Corp., market consultant Sonecon, Canadian fertilizer company Nutrien and Teneo Hospitality Group. Paramount originally acquired Liberty Place from Beacon Capital Partners in June 2011. Though Paramount did not disclose the price, the …

September 27, 2019

Development Multifamily Top Stories Washington Western

Joint Venture Breaks Ground on 44-Story Residential Tower in Downtown Seattle

by Alex Tostado September 26, 2019

SEATTLE — A joint venture between Holland Partner Group and North America Sekisui House LLC (NASH) has broken ground on 2019 Boren, a planned 44-story, 410-unit multifamily tower in downtown Seattle. Located at 2019 Boren Ave., the 484-foot tower will also offer three floors of commercial space as well as a ground-floor performing arts hall and art gallery created exclusively for Cornish College of the Arts, located across the street. “This started with a meeting with the leadership of Cornish College of the Arts in May of 2016 to think about what might be possible with this incredible location in the heart of Seattle,” says Tom Parsons, executive managing director of Vancouver, Wash.-based Holland Partner Group. “Cornish is a vital part of our community, and we have really enjoyed being on this journey with them. The groundbreaking is a significant milestone for all of us and we couldn’t be any more excited about what’s to come,” adds Parsons. The building will serve as the gateway to the Cornish College of the Arts campus, according to Raymond Tymas-Jones, president of the college. “The gallery and performing arts space, inside and outside, will create an environment for learning that provides a public …

September 26, 2019

Acquisitions Georgia Illinois Midwest Restaurant Retail Southeast Top Stories

Arby’s Parent Company to Acquire Jimmy John’s

by Kristin Harlow September 25, 2019

ATLANTA AND CHAMPAIGN, ILL. — Inspire Brands Inc., the parent company of Arby’s, has agreed to acquire Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches. Terms of the transaction, expected to close by the end of October, were not disclosed. The Jimmy John’s Board of Directors, including founder and chairman Jimmy John Liautaud, unanimously approved the agreement. Jimmy John’s had $2.15 billion in U.S. sales last year across 2,803 stores, a roughly 50 percent increase in both sales and locations since 2013, according to The Wall Street Journal. Jimmy John’s, based in Champaign, opened its first sandwich shop in 1983, and is known for fast delivery. Atlanta-based Inspire is a multi-brand restaurant company founded in 2018. Its current portfolio includes more than 8,300 Arby’s, Buffalo Wild Wings, Sonic and Rusty Taco locations worldwide. Following completion of the transaction, Inspire will be the fourth-largest restaurant company in the United States, according to a news release. Inspire expects to have more than $14 billion in annual sales and more than 11,200 restaurants across 16 countries. James North will serve as president of the Jimmy John’s brand, reporting to Paul Brown, co-founder and CEO of Inspire. Liautaud will step down as chairman and transition to an advisor …

September 25, 2019

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