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

Acquisitions Company News Hospitality Maryland Southeast Top Stories

Condor Hospitality Trust’s Shareholders Approve $318M Merger with NexPoint

by John Nelson September 24, 2019

BETHESDA, MD. — Shareholders of Condor Hospitality Trust Inc., a lodging REIT based in Bethesda, have approved the proposed $318 million merger between Condor and NexPoint Hospitality Trust, a hotel REIT headquartered in Toronto. NexPoint and Condor expect the merger to close in the fourth quarter. As part of the deal, NexPoint will acquire Condor’s outstanding equity interests and operating partnership. “The transaction instantly expands [our] geographical footprint and balances NexPoint’s value-add portfolio with extended-stay hotels,” says Jim Dondero, CEO of NexPoint. “We believe the future for quality extended-stay and select-service hotels remains bright.” The shareholders of Condor (NYSE: CDOR) held a special meeting on Monday, Sept. 23 whereby 81.8 percent of the shares of Condor common stock voted in favor of adopting and approving the merger agreement, which NexPoint announced in late July. The merger allows NexPoint to enter several new markets, including Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi and South Carolina. The move will also expand the REIT’s presence in Florida and Texas. Condor Hospitality Trust currently owns 15 hotels in eight states totaling more than 1,900 rooms. The hotel flags in the company’s portfolio includes Hilton, Marriott and InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG). NexPoint Hospitality Trust began operations in …

September 24, 2019

Acquisitions Hospitality Nevada Top Stories Western

Caesars Agrees to Sell Rio Casino, Hotel in Las Vegas for $516.3M

by Jeff Shaw September 23, 2019

LAS VEGAS — Caesars Entertainment Corp. (NASDAQ: CZR) has agreed to sell the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino for $516.3 million. The buyer is a company controlled by a principal of New York City-based investment firm Imperial Cos. The property is located on Flamingo Road, two blocks from the highly concentrated stretch of casinos on Las Vegas Boulevard known as the Las Vegas Strip. The Rio features 117,300 square feet of casino space, over 1,000 slot machines and 2,520 hotel rooms. Caesars will continue to operate the property for a minimum of two years under a triple-net lease, paying annualized rent of $45 million. The buyer has the option to pay Caesars $7 million to extend the lease under similar terms for a third year. At the end of the lease term, Caesars will either continue to manage Rio or provide transition services to the buyer. The agreement allows for co-ownership of Rio-specific guest data and places no restrictions on Caesars’ marketing activities. The Rio will continue to be part of the Caesars Rewards network during the lease term, and “the transaction is not expected to result in any changes to the guest experience,” according to Caesars. The World Series …

September 23, 2019

Development Healthcare Michigan Midwest Top Stories

Michigan Medicine to Develop $920M Hospital in Ann Arbor

by Alex Patton September 20, 2019

ANN ARBOR, MICH. — Michigan Medicine, a health and hospital system affiliated with the University of Michigan, has announced plans to develop a new adult hospital and surgical care facility near the university in Ann Arbor. Construction of the $920 million project will begin in October, with completion slated for fall 2024. The 690,000-square-foot facility will offer state-of-the-art neurological and neurosurgical care, as well as acute cardiovascular services. Michigan Medicine cites a high demand for acute care and more private rooms as primary reasons for the construction, as well as its current facilities frequently operating at capacity. “We are proud to be at the forefront of innovation with a new hospital that will support the extraordinary work of our faculty, nurses and other providers and our research community,” says Marschall Runge, executive vice president of medical affairs for University of Michigan, dean of the medical school and CEO of Michigan Medicine. “It’s an investment in Michigan Medicine’s mission of advancing health to serve Michigan and the world.” Across 12 floors, the new hospital will house 264 private rooms, 20 operating rooms and three interventional radiology suites. Other occupants of the new space will include anesthesiology, pharmacy, speech language pathology and …

September 20, 2019

Development Massachusetts Northeast Retail Top Stories

PREP Property Group to Redevelop Mall into Mixed-Use Property in Metro Boston for $250M

by Alex Tostado September 19, 2019

HANOVER, MASS. — PREP Property Group has unveiled plans to redevelop Hanover Mall in Hanover, approximately 22 miles southeast of downtown Boston. The project costs are estimated at $250 million. PREP will rebrand the mall as Hanover Crossing, an open-air, mixed-use project that will feature 297 multifamily units and will be anchored by an 80,000-square-foot Market Basket Supermarket. Market Basket will feature Market’s Kitchen and Café, a prepared foods department offering a variety of freshly made meals, sandwiches, salads, subs, brick oven pizza and Niji sushi. The location will also provide café seating, complimentary Wi-Fi and large screen TVs. Market Basket expects to hire about 400 employees for the new store. “We’ve seen tremendous potential in this landmark property since day one and believe the transformation to mixed-use provides unlimited potential,” says Lloyd Sova, PREP vice president of development. “Hanover Crossing will be an exciting location combining an open-air retail experience that is rich in amenities with high-end apartments to provide a sought-after ‘live, work, play’ environment.” The retail component of Hanover Crossing will be 150,000 square feet smaller than the current Hanover Mall, which was built in 1971. Hanover Crossing will offer 30,000 square feet of green space. “We’ve …

September 19, 2019

Development Mixed-Use Top Stories Washington Western

Alexandria Real Estate Equities to Develop 800,000 SF Mixed-Use Technology Campus in Seattle

by Kristin Harlow September 18, 2019

SEATTLE — The City of Seattle has selected Alexandria Real Estate Equities Inc. (NYSE: ARE) to develop an approximately 800,000-square-foot mixed-use campus known as the Mercer Mega Block. The life sciences and technology-driven project will be built on the last large, undeveloped site — nearly three acres — in Seattle’s Lake Union submarket. Alexandria won the bid for the project by agreeing to pay $143.5 million for the land and to address homelessness, according to the Puget Sound Business Journal. The Seattle City Council approved the development plan on Monday night. The newspaper reports that total project costs could reach $305 million. Plans call for two 13-story office and laboratory towers as well as a 30,000-square-foot community center. Alexandria also intends to develop on-site affordable housing, a farm-to-table restaurant, ground-floor retail space and a pedestrian-only walkway on 8th Avenue surrounded by public spaces with outdoor seating. “We envision our Mercer Mega Block development as a mission-critical campus that can drive the cross-pollination of life science and technology, spur world-class innovations to improve the human condition and significantly enhance the surrounding neighborhood,” says Joel Marcus, executive chairman and founder of Alexandria. The company also says it has strong confidence in the …

September 18, 2019

Development Hospitality Mixed-Use Multifamily Office Texas Top Stories

Prescott Group Breaks Ground on Multi-Tower Mixed-Use Campus in Turtle Creek Neighborhood of Dallas

by John Nelson September 17, 2019

DALLAS — Prescott Group has begun the demolition and early construction phase for 2727 Turtle Creek, a five-acre mixed-use campus in the Turtle Creek submarket of Dallas. The development will include an office tower, high-rise apartment tower and a hotel tower. Prescott Group imploded an existing, vacant nine-story office building and parking garage on the site early on Sunday, Sept. 15. The building was the former home of Republic Insurance, according to local media reports. Construction crews are clearing the site and beginning utility upgrades for the multi-tower development along Turtle Creek Boulevard. Prescott Group expects to finish the demolition and removal phase of construction by the end of the year and wrap up the utility and infrastructure upgrades in the first quarter of 2020. The office tower at 2727 Turtle Creek will rise 19 stories and span 285,000 square feet. Prescott Group plans for the building to feature a rooftop terrace, fitness center, conference and training center, bike storage and a full-service café. Prescott Group has tapped Jeff Eckert and Ahnie Sheehy of JLL to lease the office space. The hotel will rise 24 stories and offer 200 hotel rooms and an undetermined number of luxury condominiums. Amenities at …

September 17, 2019

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