Top Stories

Japanese Investor Acquires 603,666 SF Tech Office Campus in Silicon Valley for $429M

by Kristin Harlow March 22, 2019

SAN JOSE, CALIF. — Mori Trust Co. Ltd. has acquired three office buildings totaling 603,666 square feet in San Jose through its subsidiary MORI America LLC. The purchase price was not disclosed, but The Mercury News reports the portfolio sold for $429 million. The properties are situated on approximately 9.7 acres and are fully leased to Idaho-based computer chip giant Micron Technology. The area is expected to undergo further development under San Jose’s master plan for urban development. Located on Holger Way, the buildings are LEED Gold certified. All three properties, built in 2010, are fully occupied. One of the buildings rises four floors, while the other two are seven floors. The sale also includes a 1,687-space parking garage. The seller on the transaction was Lane Partners, which acquired the campus for $225.5 million in 2017, according to The Mercury News report. The Mori Trust Group is a Japan-based owner and developer with a focus on real estate, hotel management and investment operations. The company previously acquired two office buildings in Boston’s Back Bay district in 2017, and has announced plans to greatly increase its overseas investments. — Kristin Hiller

March 22, 2019

Company News Retail Southeast Tennessee Top Stories

Christian Book Retailer LifeWay to Close All 170 Stores, Focus on Digital Platform

by John Nelson March 21, 2019

NASHVILLE, TENN. — LifeWay, a Christian bookseller based in Nashville, announced its plan to close all 170 of its physical bookstores. The bulk of the company’s stores are in the Southeastern United States, with a large concentration of locations in Texas and Ohio. A full list can be found here. LifeWay expects to close all of its physical locations by the end of the year, and the timing of store closings will vary depending on local circumstances. In January, the company announced it would reduce the number of its retail locations due to declining customer traffic and sales, but has since pivoted. “While we had hoped to keep some stores open, current market projections show this is no longer a viable option,” says Brad Waggoner, acting president and CEO of LifeWay following the retirement of Thom Rainer last month. “The decision to close our local stores is a difficult one. LifeWay has developed close connections with the communities where our stores are located, and we have been honored to serve those communities.” LifeWay is neither closing nor filing for bankruptcy, instead focusing on its digital platform, customer service center and its network of church partnerships. Details about the lease terms …

March 21, 2019

California Loans Retail Top Stories Western

George Smith Partners Arranges $101.3M Financing for Shopping Center in California

by David Cohen March 20, 2019

LA HABRA, CALIF. — George Smith Partners has arranged a $101.3 million bridge loan for La Habra Marketplace, a 375,000-square-foot, open-air shopping center in La Habra. Sprouts Farmers Market and Smart & Final anchor the 37-acre property, which is approximately 20 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles. Steve Bram of George Smith Partners represented the borrower, DJM Capital Partners Inc., in the transaction. The loan, which includes $96.6 million in initial funding and $4.7 million in future funding, replaces senior and mezzanine loans on the property, and was negotiated at a floating interest rate of LIBOR plus 320 basis points. The lender is a private equity firm with a debt lending platform. “Dual-anchored by two top-name grocery stores, this is a large property in the midst of a successful repositioning,” says Bram, principal of George Smith Partners. “Led by experienced and well-respected ownership, the center has attracted national credit tenants and is situated in a prime location within the La Habra market. Our team was able to draw upon each of these elements to secure maximum leverage for this bridge loan.” Additional tenants at the center include Petco, Ulta Beauty, Hobby Lobby, Ross Dress for Less and LA Fitness. The center …

March 20, 2019

Acquisitions Company News Illinois Midwest Texas Top Stories

JLL Agrees to Acquire HFF for $2B in Massive Real Estate Brokerage Merger

by Alex Tostado March 19, 2019

CHICAGO AND DALLAS — JLL (NYSE: JLL) and HFF (NYSE: HF) have entered into a definitive agreement for JLL to acquire all outstanding HFF shares in a cash and stock transaction valued at approximately $2 billion. Chicago-based JLL, a giant in the commercial real estate industry with a total market cap of approximately $7.4 billion, is a professional services firm that specializes in real estate and investment management. Dallas-based HFF is a full-service commercial real estate financial intermediary. Under the terms of the agreement, HFF shareholders will receive $24.63 in cash and 0.1505 JLL shares for each HFF share. Based on the closing price of JLL stock of $163.02 on March 18, the cash and stock consideration to be received by HFF shareholders at closing is valued at $49.16 per HFF share. When finalized, existing JLL shareholders are expected to represent 87 percent of shareholders, and existing HFF shareholders will make up the other 13 percent. The transaction has been unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies. The deal is expected to close in the third quarter of this year. Two years ago, JLL unveiled Beyond, its global strategic vision to drive long-term and sustainable growth. As …

March 19, 2019

Acquisitions Multifamily Northeast Pennsylvania Southeast Top Stories Virginia

Morgan Properties Acquires Multifamily Portfolio in Philadelphia, Northern Virginia for $890.5M

by Taylor Williams March 18, 2019

KING OF PRUSSIA, PA. — Morgan Properties, a Pennsylvania-based investment and management firm, has acquired a portfolio of 10 apartment communities totaling 4,130 units in the metro areas of Philadelphia and Northern Virginia. The sales price was not disclosed, but The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the portfolio fetched a price of $890.5 million. The Philadelphia assets consist of seven properties totaling 2,346 units, which makes the transaction the largest multifamily acquisition in the city’s history. Two communities, Stonegate at Devon and Villas at Bryn Mawr, account for 947 units. The remaining five properties are located in the suburban submarkets of Conshohocken, West Chester, Downington, Jeffersonville and Bensalem. The portfolio’s Northern Virginia assets comprise three communities and 1,784 units. The bulk of those residences (1,387) are housed within a single property — Mount Vernon Square in Alexandria — while the other two are located in Fairfax and Sterling, both near Dulles International Airport. Morgan Properties, which is based in King of Prussia, Pa., will invest a combined $20 million in renovations and upgrades to the 10 Class B properties. Capital improvement plans will focus on both unit interiors and amenity spaces. “This acquisition is a game-changer for our organization,” says principal Jason …

March 18, 2019

Development Illinois Midwest Mixed-Use Top Stories

JDL Development to Break Ground on $850M Mixed-Use Tower in Chicago

by Kristin Harlow March 15, 2019

CHICAGO — JDL Development Corp. has received construction financing for One Chicago Square, an $850 million mixed-use tower in Chicago. The 76-story, 1.5 million-square-foot development will be located in the city’s River North submarket. The project’s senior construction lender is Bank OZK. Other sources of financing for this project include an investment from equity partner Wanxiang America Real Estate Group, as well as $260 million in preferred equity and mezzanine financing from Square Mile Capital Management LLC. One Chicago Square will include 735 apartment units and 77 condominium units. The project’s 193,000 square feet of retail space is largely pre-leased to Whole Foods Market and Life Time Athletic. Plans also call for office space, event space and 1,000 parking spaces. The property will occupy a full city block on the site of a former parking lot that JDL purchased from the Archdiocese of Chicago. Construction is expected to take three years, with completion slated for year-end 2022. Project architects include Goettsch Partners and Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture. JDL is a Chicago-based residential developer founded by Jim Letchinger. Wanxiang America Real Estate Group is a unit of a Chinese auto-parts company. New York-based Square Mile Capital is an integrated institutional real estate …

March 15, 2019

Acquisitions Loans New York Northeast Top Stories

Moinian Group Receives $595M CMBS Loan to Refinance 3 Columbus Circle in Manhattan

by John Nelson March 14, 2019

NEW YORK CITY — The Moinian Group has closed on a $595 million CMBS loan from J.P. Morgan and Deutsche Bank to refinance 3 Columbus Circle, a 26-story office tower in Manhattan that also houses the real estate investment firm’s headquarters. Formerly known as the Newsweek Building and originally built as the headquarters of General Motors Corp., 3 Columbus Circle is situated along Broadway and occupies a full city block just south of the Merchant’s Gate entrance to Central Park. The CMBS financing includes 10 years of interest-only payments at a fixed interest rate of 3.91 percent. The Moinian Group is using the loan to replace an existing $350 million CMBS loan. The property is fully leased, according to Moinian Group. Anchor office and retail tenants include global marketing firm VMLY&R, Moinian, Nordstrom, Chase Bank and CVS/pharmacy. History of ownership The Moinian Group originally purchased 3 Columbus Circle in 1999. The company’s path back to full control of the tower began in 2011, when the company first partnered with SL Green on the property. In 2012, together with architectural firm Gensler, Moinian completed the redevelopment of the building, including the design of a new facade, lobby, elevator system and the …

March 14, 2019

Acquisitions Office Southeast Tennessee Top Stories

CapRidge Partners Acquires 27-Story Office Tower in Nashville for $105.3M

by David Cohen March 13, 2019

NASHVILLE— CapRidge Partners has acquired Nashville City Center, a 27-story office tower. Multiple media outlets reported the sales price as $105.3 million. Located at 511 Union St. in downtown Nashville, the 477,261-square-foot building features a fitness center, freestanding restaurant and an onsite music studio available for tenant use. The building is near the Tennessee Performing Arts Center and Bridgestone Arena as well as number of dining and entertainment options. Andy Scott and Jim Curtin of HFF worked on behalf of CapRidge Partners to secure a four-year, floating-rate acquisition loan through lender CIT Group. “We were pleased to arrange financing for the acquisition of this notable office property in Nashville, which is a vibrant market for commercial properties,” says Chris Niederpruem, managing director for CIT’s Real Estate Finance division. Will Yowell, Jay O’Meara, Morgan Hillenmeyer and Douglass Johnson of CBRE represented the seller, Alliance Partners HSP LLC, in the transaction. Since 2011, the property’s average occupancy is 95 percent. “This offering was a very rare opportunity to acquire one of Nashville’s most prominent office assets at an attractive basis and we received significant investor interest because of it,” says Yowell, vice chairman at CBRE. “Nashville City Center benefits from its location in the …

March 13, 2019

Acquisitions Northeast Office Top Stories

Mack-Cali Agrees to Sell Office/Flex Portfolio for $487.5M as Part of Company Transformation

by Alex Tostado March 12, 2019

JERSEY CITY, N.J. — Mack-Cali Realty Corp. (NYSE: CLI) has entered into two agreements to sell its 56-building office/flex portfolio to RMC Acquisition Entity LLC, an affiliate of the Robert Martin Company LLC, for $487.5 million. The properties are situated in Elmsford, Hawthorne, Yonkers and Tarrytown, N.Y.; and Stamford, Conn. The sale of the portfolio is expected to close early in the second quarter of this year. Mack-Cali has been gradually selling off pieces of its flex/warehouse business. In 2015, the Jersey City-based company announced plans to sell up to $800 million worth of real estate it owns to become an owner, manager and developer of office and multifamily properties in select waterfront and transit-oriented markets throughout the Northeast. Proceeds from the latest sale will go toward paying down debt from Mack-Cali’s $263.5 million purchase of Soho Lofts, a 377-unit apartment community in Jersey City, situated about one mile from the Hudson River. “The sale of our office/flex portfolio substantially completes our strategic repositioning,” says Michael DeMarco, CEO of Mack-Cali. “Mack Cali’s evolution to a waterfront-centric office and residential landlord is complete.” As part of its disposition strategy, the company in January sold Elmsford Distribution Center, a six-building, 386,000-square-foot industrial park in …

March 12, 2019

Acquisitions New York Northeast Office Top Stories

RFR Holding, Signa Acquire New York City’s Chrysler Building for $150M

by Taylor Williams March 11, 2019

NEW YORK CITY — A partnership between Manhattan-based investment firm RFR Holding LLC and Austrian development group Signa Holding has acquired the 77-story Chrysler Building in New York City for $150 million, according to Reuters. The seller was a Dubai-based investment group that acquired a 90 percent share in the property in 2008 for $800 million, according to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ). Abu Dhabi Investment Council purchased its stake from Tishman Speyer, a locally based investment and development company. The Chrysler Building, located at the corner of 42nd Street and Lexington Avenue, is one of the more recognizable pieces of the New York City skyline. The 1.2 million-square-foot office property is perhaps best known for its art deco style that features a crowning dome and spire, as well as for being the city’s tallest building when it was completed in 1930. The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science & Art, a private college in Manhattan, owns the land on which the skyscraper is situated. Annual rent from the ground lease paid to the school increased substantially in 2018, rising from $7.75 million to $32.5 million, per WSJ. The combined effect of rent increases, which will occur again in …

March 11, 2019

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