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Brennan Investment Breaks Ground on 954,111 SF Speculative Industrial Park Near Denver

by Alex Patton August 23, 2019

COMMERCE CITY, COLO. — Brennan Investment Group, a Chicago-based developer, has broken ground on Colorado Logistic Park, a speculative industrial development consisting of five buildings totaling 954,311 square feet. The property is located in Commerce City, a northeastern suburb of Denver. Brennan and New York Life Real Estate Investors, on behalf of an institutional client, formed a joint venture to acquire, construct and lease the project. Brennan has started Phase I of the construction, which consists of three Class A industrial buildings totaling approximately 558,000 square feet. The buildings will feature 36-foot clear heights. The development is situated on approximately 61 acres, close to the intersection of Interstate 76 and E-470. The location provides direct access to Interstate 80, a major Midwestern distribution line. “Colorado Logistics Park will feature Class A distribution buildings for tenants in the Denver area that require close connectivity to their supply chain and access to workforce labor,” says Brian Roach, managing principal at Brennan. “The park’s proximity to the Denver metro area will provide users with lower transportation costs and faster delivery times to customers.” Brennan purchased the property in November 2018. Roach noted at the time that the location was chosen for its close proximity to transportation routes as well as …

August 23, 2019

Arkansas Colorado Loans Multifamily Southeast Texas Top Stories Western

Greystone Provides $179.2M Refinancing for Suburban Multifamily Portfolio Across Three States

by Kristin Harlow August 22, 2019

FAYETTEVILLE, ARK.; LONGMONT, COLO.; PARKER, COLO.; AND MISSOURI CITY, TEXAS — Greystone has provided $179.2 million in Freddie Mac loans for the refinancing of four suburban multifamily properties totaling 1,188 units in Arkansas, Colorado and Texas. Watermark Residential was the borrower. The properties include: the 306-unit Watermark at Steele Crossing in Fayetteville, Ark.; the 276-unit Watermark on Harvest Junction in Longmont, Colo.; the 294-unit Watermark on Twenty Mile in Parker, Colo.; and the 312-unit The Ranch at Sienna Plantation in Missouri City, Texas. The newly constructed, Class A communities are at or near full stabilization. PJ McDevitt of Greystone originated the four separate loans, which carry 15-year terms, fixed interest rates, 30-year amortization schedules and seven years of interest-only payments. 3G Capital Advisors LLC arranged the loans. The financing will enable Watermark to redeploy capital more efficiently and effectively, says Paul Thrift, CEO of the Indianapolis-based apartment development and management firm. — Kristin Hiller

August 22, 2019

Leasing Activity Office Texas Top Stories

Uber Signs 450,000 SF Lease Within The Epic in Dallas

by Alex Tostado August 21, 2019

DALLAS — Uber (NYSE: UBER) has signed a 450,000-square-foot lease within The Epic, a mixed-use development in Dallas. Uber will move to the second planned 23-story office building, which will total 470,000 square feet, when completed. Westdale Real Estate Investment and Management, the owner and developer of The Epic, plans to break ground in the fourth quarter of this year with delivery slated for the fourth quarter of 2022. In the meantime, Uber will occupy 168,000 square feet on the ninth to 15th floors of the existing Epic office tower beginning in July 2020. The company plans to move about 700 employees to Dallas in July, then more than 3,000 in 2022. Uber plans to begin tenant improvements and buildout in the new tower in the second quarter of 2022. This is the second massive lease signing recently for the transportation company. Earlier this week, Uber announced that it signed a 10-year, 463,000-square-foot lease in Chicago’s Old Post Office. The Epic is located on the eastside of downtown Dallas, adjacent to Deep Ellum. The new tower will complete The Epic, which currently comprises 251,000 square feet of office space, 55,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space, the 164-room Pittman …

August 21, 2019

Acquisitions New York Northeast Property Type Retail Top Stories

Alibaba Co-Founder Joseph Tsai Agrees to Purchase Barclays Center in Brooklyn for $700M

by John Nelson August 20, 2019

NEW YORK CITY — Joseph Tsai, co-founder of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, has agreed to purchase Barclays Center, a 670,000-square-foot sports and entertainment arena that sits at the crossroads of Atlantic and Flatbush avenues in Brooklyn. The multi-purpose stadium is the home of the Brooklyn Nets NBA franchise and the NHL’s New York Islanders. Previous owner Mikhail Prokhorov, through his company Oneexim Sports and Entertainment Holding USA Inc., sold the arena to an entity controlled by Tsai for approximately $700 million, according to the New York Post. In a separate deal, Prokorov sold his 51 percent ownership in the Brooklyn Nets to Tsai, who purchased a 49 percent stake in the NBA franchise back in 2018. Multiple media outlets report the combined Nets and Barclays Center transactions will total more than $2 billion, bringing Tsai’s total investment to more than $3 billion. The transaction requires the approval of the NBA Board of Governors. Tsai is set to become the sole governor of the Nets franchise and owner of Barclays Center once the deal closes, which is expected by the end of September. “We are committed to maintaining Barclays Center’s iconic status by bringing together culture, community and entertainment for our …

August 20, 2019

California Loans Multifamily Top Stories Western

Bascom Group Receives $235M in Loan Proceeds for Refinancing of Multifamily Portfolio

by Taylor Williams August 19, 2019

IRVINE, CALIF. — The Bascom Group LLC, an Irvine, Calif.-based private equity firm, has refinanced an 11-property multifamily portfolio. Bascom received individual loans for each asset totaling $235 million. Bascom worked with several capital market partners and lenders to complete the refinancing. Comerica Bank provided five loans while Silvergate Bank provided two of the loans. TCF Bank, New York Life, Citizens Business Bank and Texas Capital Bank each funded one loan as well. Brian Eisendrath and Annie Rice from CBRE, Charles Halladay and Jamie Kline from JLL and Tom Sherlock and Erich Pryor from Talonvest arranged the debt financing The portfolio includes six properties that are located in California and two that are located in Las Vegas. The other three properties are located in Colorado, Arizona and Texas. All of the properties are part of Bascom’s third fully discretionary fund, Bascom Value Added Apartment Investors III LLC The transaction yielded more than $39 million in additional loan proceeds for Bascom Group, enabling the firm to reduce its debt service requirement by 16 percent. Most of the loans were structured with interest-only terms for 24 to 36 months and rates between 180 and 200 basis points over LIBOR. “Our lending partners …

August 19, 2019

Florida Office Southeast Top Stories

Bridge Investment Group Acquires Two Office Properties Totaling 528,679 SF in Metro Miami

by Alex Patton August 16, 2019

MEDLEY AND DORAL, FLA. — Bridge Investment Group LLC, a Salt Lake City-based investment firm, has acquired two office properties totaling more than 500,000 square feet in the western Miami metro area. The price was not disclosed. The properties include the Offices at Flagler Station in Medley and the Offices at Doral Square in Doral. The buildings are approximately five miles away from each other, and just west of Miami International Airport. The Offices at Flagler Station is a collection of three buildings totaling 387,474 square feet within the Flagler Station Business Park. Bridge plans to invest $5.2 million to renovate the fitness centers, conference facilities and cafes of all three buildings. Renovations are slated for completion in 2020. At the time of sale, the buildings were 91 percent leased, with available offices ranging from 1,507 to 16,970 square feet. The Offices at Doral Square is an eight-story, 141,205-square-foot property originally built in 1979. A recent $8.5 million renovation project upgraded the lobby, corridors, bathrooms and elevators. The investment also funded completion of a new roof and three-story parking deck. At the time of sale, the building was 89 percent leased, with available offices ranging from 1,974 to 8,165 square …

August 16, 2019

Company News New Jersey Northeast Retail Top Stories

Women’s Fashion Chain Avenue to Close All 222 Stores Across 33 States

by Alex Tostado August 15, 2019

ROCHELLE PARK, N.J. — Avenue Stores LLC will close all 222 of its Avenue stores across 33 states after failing to procure a buyer for the plus-size women’s clothing chain. It was not made immediately clear if the retailer will continue to operate its e-commerce platform. Philadelphia-based Versa Capital Management acquired Avenue Stores LLC in bankruptcy in 2012 when the retailer operated 433 stores. Avenue will hold liquidation sales in all of its stores, offering 30 to 50 percent off clothes, accessories and even store fixtures. Hilco Merchant Resources and Gordon Brothers have been hired to oversee the inventory sales. Footwear News reported that Rochelle Park, N.J.-based Avenue Stores LLC filed a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) with the New Jersey Department of Labor in early August. WARN requires employers to provide 60 days’ notice in advance of mass layoffs. According to Coresight Research, there has already been 29 percent more store closures in 2019 than in all of 2018. The Avenue store closing announcement comes on the heels of Barneys New York filing for bankruptcy in early August. Additionally, in July, GNC and Charming Charlie announced they would close hundreds of stores. Versa Capital, a Philadelphia-based private equity …

August 15, 2019

New York Northeast Office Top Stories

WeWork Files for IPO, Reveals Revenue and Losses

by Kristin Harlow August 14, 2019

NEW YORK CITY — WeWork’s parent company, The We Co., has filed for its initial public offering. The coworking giant has not yet provided details on the number of shares it will offer or the expected pricing. We’s public filing would enable the company to debut as early as September. We has been valued as high as $47 billion in the private markets, according to The Wall Street Journal. We’s total revenue increased $771.6 million in the first six months of 2019 to $1.5 billion, primarily driven by an increase in membership and service revenue, according to the company’s filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. On the flip side, We posted a net loss of $689.7 million for the first six months of the year. Total revenue in 2018 was $1.8 billion, but total losses were $1.6 billion. In the filing, We stated that average revenue per WeWork membership has experienced a decline, citing continued expansion into new global markets with different pricing structures and discounts to encourage longer contract terms. In 2010, WeWork opened its first location at 154 Grand St. in New York City. In the early years, WeWork members consisted of mostly freelancers, start-ups and small …

August 14, 2019

Acquisitions Colorado Multifamily New York Northeast Top Stories Western

UDR, MetLife to Swap Stakes in Joint Venture Multifamily Portfolio Valued at $1.8B

by John Nelson August 13, 2019

DENVER AND NEW YORK CITY — UDR Inc. (NYSE: UDR), a multifamily REIT based in Denver, has struck an agreement with its joint venture partner MetLife Investment Management to swap their interests in a national multifamily portfolio in a deal valued at nearly $1.8 billion. As part of the agreement, UDR will buy out MetLife’s stake in 10 apartment communities, one property under construction and four development land sites that are collectively valued at $1.1 billion. The 10 properties total 3,321 units and include Strata in San Diego; Crescent Falls Church in Falls Church, Va.; Charles River Landing, Lodge at Ames Pond and Lenox Farms in metro Boston; Towson Promenade in Towson, Md.; and the 1,513-unit, four-property Vitruvian Park campus in Addison, Texas. The assets have an average age of eight years and 95.7 percent occupancy at the time of this announcement. “The acquired communities are primarily located in markets targeted for expansion, are immediately accretive to our earnings, have operational upside and improve the diversification of our portfolio,” says Tom Toomey, chairman and CEO of UDR. Also as part of the agreement, MetLife Investment Management will purchase UDR’s stake in five apartment communities valued at a combined $645 million. …

August 13, 2019

Loans Multifamily New York Northeast Top Stories

Hunt Provides $192.2M in Acquisition, Rehabilitation Financing for Brooklyn Apartment Portfolio

by Taylor Williams August 12, 2019

NEW YORK CITY — Hunt Real Estate Capital has provided a $192.2 million financing package for the acquisition and rehabilitation of a 1,321-unit affordable housing portfolio located in Brooklyn. The borrower was a joint venture between Acacia Network, Hunt affiliate and multifamily developer Pennrose and the New York City Housing Authority. The borrower will use portions of the proceeds to retire existing construction debt and fund property renovations and upgrades. The portfolio comprises seven properties, all of which were built in the 1980s in garden-style formats in Brooklyn’s Bushwick neighborhood. Floor plans across the portfolio include studio, one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom units. Twenty percent of the units are reserved for renters earning 50 percent or less of the area median income (AMI), and the remainder are restricted to households earning 80 percent or less of AMI. The renovations will include repairs and upgrades to landscaping, building exteriors, building interiors, lobbies, unit interiors and common areas. Rehabilitation efforts will also replace or upgrade the properties’ utility and elevator systems. The transaction consists of two loans, one of which totals $118.5 million and the other totals $73.7 million. Both loans carry 30-year terms, fixed interest rates and 40-year amortization schedules. Both loans …

August 12, 2019

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