MIAMI — Cinemex Holdings USA Inc., parent company of CMX Cinemas, CineBistro and Cobb Theatres, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The Miami-based company operates 41 movie theaters that have been temporarily closed since mid-March amid the outbreak of COVID-19. In a written statement, an undisclosed Cinemex Holdings USA spokesman said the Chapter 11 filing will help protect the company’s business viability and employees if and when the company’s movie theaters reopen. The spokesperson said that it’s impossible to forecast if and when ticket sales would ever reach pre-crisis levels. In the state of Georgia, movie theaters were allowed to reopen on Monday, April 27, and movie theaters in Texas can open at limited capacity on Friday, May 1. The spokesperson said that during its “total suspension of business” that landlords and creditors have proven unwilling to work out temporary solutions in terms of rent relief or repayment of debt obligations. The company spokesperson also said that the bankruptcy is a result of an uneven playing field as movie studios typically collect 60 percent of every ticket sold. The person said an equitable long-term “rebalancing” for movie theater operators would be for movie studios to cut their maximum revenue …
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KENOSHA, WIS. — Locally based developer Zilber Property Group has unveiled plans to redevelop the site of the former Dairyland Greyhound Park into a 240-acre mixed-use property. The property was a dog-racing track and facility in Kenosha, located south of Milwaukee near the Illinois border. The track closed roughly a decade ago. California-based Majestic Property Co. acquired the site in late 2017 with plans to build a 2 million-square-foot industrial park that never materialized. The site was also the proposed location of a Hard Rock casino project that was rejected by the state in 2015, according to Kenosha News, a local newspaper. Zilber is partnering with the Forest County Potawatomi Community, a federally recognized Native American tribe and owner of the land, on the project. “Given our history and tribal ties to the area, the Dairyland property purchase made a lot of sense,” says Jeff Crawford, tribal attorney general for the Potawatomi. “It also meets our goals of economic diversification.” The new redevelopment will be branded Greeneway and will include office, retail, industrial and multifamily uses. Specifically, plans currently call for roughly 2 million square feet of industrial space across several buildings, a multifamily community with up to 360 units …
Zamir Equities Acquires 538,437 SF Columbia Plaza Office Building in Downtown Cincinnati
by Alex Patton
CINCINNATI — Zamir Equities LLC, a private equity investment firm based in New York City, has acquired Columbia Plaza, a 538,437-square-foot office building in downtown Cincinnati. The 29-story tower is located at 250 E. 5th St. near the entertainment districts of Newport and Covington, as well as The Banks, the home stadium of the Cincinnati Bengals and Reds. The building was constructed in 1984. Columbia Plaza’s amenities include a fitness center with classes, a 3,000-square-foot tenant lounge, conference facilities, outdoor plaza, cafe, dry cleaning, car washing and detailing, art gallery and transportation services. The property also features a 494-space underground parking garage. The location in Cincinnati’s central business district offers convenient access to Interstates 71 and 75. The seller, New York City-based HighBrook Investors, acquired the property in 2015 and invested approximately $10 million in capital improvements during its ownership. Renovations included expansion of the lobby to 10,000 square feet, upgrading the building’s outdoor space and parking garage and renovations to the bathrooms and other common areas. At the time of sale, the property was approximately 76 percent leased. Western & Southern Financial Group anchor the tower with a 540,000-square-foot office lease across the top seven floors. The company moved into …
Henry Ford Health System in Michigan Loses $234.5M in First Quarter, to Furlough 2,800 Employees
by Alex Tostado
DETROIT — Henry Ford Health System reported a net loss of $234.5 million in the first quarter due to the widespread COVID-19 pandemic. The Detroit-based company says it will furlough 2,800 employees across its six hospitals. In explaining the losses, the health system cited temporary closures, an increased need for caring for COVID-19 patients, and the postponement or cancellation of services and procedures. Additionally, the company expects losses in April and May to surpass the March total. The furloughed employees are those not directly involved in patient care and those from areas where workloads have been drastically reduced or operations have been temporarily closed. Henry Ford Health System employs more than 30,000 people. Executives at Henry Ford Health System will donate between 10 and 25 percent of their salaries to two funds meant to help furloughed employees. The two funds are the newly created COVID-19 Emergency Needs Fund and the Bob and Sandy Riney Helping Hands Fund, which was created in 2012 to help support employees experiencing unexpected hardships. The health system lost $43 million in net operating income (NOI) in March, and net operating loss for the first three months of 2020 was $36.2 million. The company had a …
LOS ANGELES — The Neema Group at Marcus & Millichap has brokered the sale of a 26-property, 642-unit multifamily portfolio sale in Los Angeles for a total value of $102 million. The private seller, a plastics broker that also invested in the multifamily sector, hired the Neema Group in early 2019 to market five of his properties for sale. Golden Bee Properties purchased the assets, which are located throughout the South Los Angeles and Panorama City neighborhoods, for $18.7 million. During the escrow process, the owner passed away and left control of the remaining portfolio to his trustees, who continued to work with the Neema Group. The remaining 21 properties were strategically divided into packages based on location, age and type. Cipolla Revocable Living Trust purchased three buildings totaling 62 units for $8.7 million. The properties, built between 1929 and 1960, are located within a mile of each other in Wilmington. An undisclosed buyer acquired eight buildings totaling 175 units, all located in Mid-City, for $33.5 million. Lastly, an undisclosed buyer purchased the Armor Collection for $42 million. It features 10 buildings constructed between 1912 and 1954. The 300 units are situated within two miles of each other in the …
ATLANTA AND CALABASAS HILLS, CALIF. — Roark Capital Group, a private equity firm based in Atlanta, has invested $200 million in The Cheesecake Factory Inc. (Nasdaq: CAKE), owner and operator of the chain of restaurants of the same name. The Calabasas Hills-based company also owns and operates the North Italia chain, as well as a collection of restaurants within the Fox Restaurant Concepts subsidiary. The funds will be used to immediately help The Cheesecake Factory navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, in which its dine-in service has been closed. The company, which has been handling takeout orders and deliveries through the DoorDash app, preliminarily reported its off-premise sales in first-quarter 2020 increased by 85 percent from the previous quarter. Specific details of Roark Capital’s capital infusion were not disclosed, but David Overton, chairman and CEO of The Cheesecake Factory, says the investment will improve the company’s liquidity. “This transaction not only gets our affected staff members back to work as soon as practicable, but also importantly solidifies our ability to manage the business for the long-term for all of our stakeholders once we emerge on the other side of this crisis,” says Overton. “Moreover, Roark’s investment underscores the strength of our brands, …
BOCA RATON, FLA. — Mill Creek Residential, a Florida-based multifamily development firm, has launched a joint venture with Canadian global investment firm Quadreal Property Group. The two companies have partnered on an initiative to invest up to $421 million in the development and operation of apartment communities in targeted U.S. markets over the next two to three years. Specific target markets were not identified. The joint venture has already acquired land for its first development. Modera Six Pines will be a 429-unit multifamily project in The Woodlands, Texas, located about 30 miles north of Houston. “QuadReal is a well-respected firm with a depth of experience in the multifamily sector,” says William MacDonald, CEO, president and chief investment officer for Mill Creek. “This venture serves as an important step in further developing our investment management business.” Hodes Weill Securities acted as financial advisor and global placement agent for Mill Creek in connection with the formation and capitalization of the joint venture. Mill Creek Residential, which has 16 offices across the United States, owns and operates a portfolio of roughly 80 communities totaling 21,300 apartments. Headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, QuadReal Property Group manages a $37.6 billion portfolio spanning 23 cities and 17 countries. …
LOS ANGELES — Verity Health System has sold the 381-bed St. Vincent Medical Center in Los Angeles for $135 million. The hospital is currently operating on a temporary lease with the State of California as a surge facility for treating COVID-19 patients. The buyer, surgeon and medical researcher Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, will continue to honor the lease with the state, while also using several buildings as facilities for COVID-19 research. Soon-Shiong is the principal officer of the Chan Soon-Shiong Family Foundation, a California-based private grantmaking organization. “Verity Health is proud of its partnership with the State of California and is confident that Dr. Soon-Shiong and his team will continue to enhance the collaboration with the state and local government to address COVID-19,” says Rich Adcock, CEO of Verity Health. Verity Health System filed for bankruptcy in summer 2018. The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California in Los Angeles recently approved the sale of the nonprofit’s assets, including St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood to Prime Healthcare. Located at 213 W. 3rd St. in the Westlake neighborhood of Los Angeles, the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul originally opened the hospital in 1856. The property closed …
Partnership to Complete $231M Student Housing Development Near Florida International University by Start of School Year
by Alex Tostado
MIAMI — Construction is underway on The One at University City, a planned 1,244-bed student housing community located across the street from the Florida International University (FIU) campus in Miami. University Bridge provided a $231 million bond issuance for the project. A partnership between Global City Development, RER Ventures and Podium Developments is building the community, which is slated for completion before the 2020-2021 academic school year. Landmark Properties has been tapped to manage the community, which is 45 percent preleased to more than 500 students. The 886-unit community will offer studio, one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom, fully furnished units with bed-to-bath parity. Shared amenities will include a sundeck, pool, fitness center, study lounges on each floor and a resident clubroom. Rents will start at $1,275 per month for a studio, $1,320 per month for a one-bedroom unit, $1,085 per month per room for a two-bedroom, $1,080 per month per room for a three-bedroom and $1,015 per month per room for a four-bedroom unit. “As we work through these extremely challenging times, it is encouraging to look forward to an environment later this year where we can begin to welcome FIU’s students to The One,” says Diego Procel, principal of Global …
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Hines, Urban Atlantic and Triden Development Group, along with joint venture partner Bridge Investment Group, have purchased 1.5 acres at The Parks at Walter Reed in Washington, D.C. to develop The Hartley. Whole Foods Market will anchor the luxury apartment project. Of The Hartley’s 323 units, 32 will be designated as affordable. The Hartley will also include 58,000 square feet of retail space. It is considered the focal point of Town Center, which will feature 100,000 square feet of dining, shopping and entertainment around an active plaza fronting Georgia Avenue. The project is part of the master plan for the redevelopment of the former Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Once complete, The Parks at Walter Reed will include more than 3.1 million square feet of new construction and adaptive reuse of existing structures. The 66-acre project will include a mix of green space, 130,000 square feet of retail, approximately 2,100 residential units, office space, ambulatory care by Howard University and two foreign language charter schools. The Hartley will be the third phase of construction at The Parks at Walter Reed. Previous projects were The Brooks, an 89-unit condo development, and The Vale, a 301-unit apartment project currently …