Top Stories

Sears to Close 72 More Stores

by Kristin Harlow May 31, 2018

HOFFMAN ESTATES, ILL. — In its first-quarter results released today, Sears Holdings Corp. says that it has identified approximately 100 non-profitable stores, 72 of which will begin store-closing sales in the near future. The Hoffman Estates-based retailer had already announced plans to close 103 Kmart and Sears stores nationwide at the beginning of this year. Sears says the closings are part of ongoing efforts to streamline the company’s operations and focus on its best stores. After the 72 store closings, Sears will have 822 Kmart and Sears stores in operation. A full list of store closures can be found here. Sears reported a net loss of $424 million for the first quarter of 2018. This compares to $245 million reported for the first quarter of 2017, which included a gain of $492 million from the sale of the Craftsman brand. Sears generated total revenues of approximately $2.9 billion during the first quarter of 2018, compared with $4.2 billion this time last year, with store closures contributing to nearly two-thirds of the decline. “In a challenging quarter, we continued to focus on our strategic transformation, identifying additional opportunities to streamline operations and adjust inventory and operating expenses,” says Edward Lampert, chairman …

May 31, 2018

Acquisitions Healthcare New York Northeast Office Top Stories

Columbia Property Trust Sells 25-Story Manhattan Office Tower for $332.5M

by David Cohen May 30, 2018

NEW YORK CITY — Columbia Property Trust has sold 222 E. 41st St., a 390,000-square-foot office tower in Midtown Manhattan, for $332.5 million. Commerz Real, the real estate investment management arm of German Commerzbank, purchased the property. CBRE’s capital markets team represented Columbia in the transaction. The building was originally constructed in 2001. Law firm Jones Day occupied the 25-story building from 2007 until 2016. When the Jones Day lease expired, Columbia signed NYU Langone Medical Center to a full-building, 30-year lease. The building has since been converted into a multi-specialty ambulatory care facility that began accepting patients last month. “We were very pleased to secure an esteemed tenant on a long-term lease, which significantly increased the value of the property,” says Nelson Mills, president and chief executive officer of Columbia. “Proceeds will further strengthen our balance sheet in the near term and will eventually be recycled into higher growth investment opportunities.” Following this disposition, Columbia’s portfolio now includes seven New York City properties after the recent purchase of 149 Madison Ave. in November and the acquisition of 245-249 W. 17th St. and 218 W. 18th St. in October. — David Cohen

May 30, 2018

Acquisitions Arizona California Multifamily Oregon Property Type Top Stories Washington Western

Kennedy Wilson Sells West Coast Multifamily Portfolio for $422M

by John Nelson May 29, 2018

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIF. — Global real estate investment firm Kennedy Wilson (NYSE: KW) has sold a 2,199-unit multifamily portfolio mostly located on the West Coast for $422 million. The Beverly Hills-based company had a 41.3 percent average ownership stake in the six properties. The buyer was undisclosed. The properties in the portfolio include: • Slate Creek in Roseville, Calif. (612 units) • Xander 3900 in Las Vegas (480 units) • Big Trout Lodge in Liberty Lake, Wash. (297 units) • Heatherbrae Commons in Milwaukie, Ore. (174 units) • Montair at Somerset Hill in Tumwater, Wash. (396 units) • StonePointe in University Place, Wash. (240 units) The garden-style apartment communities were originally built between 1989 and 1999. During Kennedy Wilson’s ownership the properties have undergone improvement plans, including exterior renovations and unit upgrades. The asset sales generated cash proceeds of $223 million for Kennedy Wilson, its commingled funds and equity partners, including net proceeds to Kennedy Wilson of approximately $104 million. “This portfolio sale enables us to recycle capital into other strategic investment opportunities,” says William McMorrow, chairman and CEO of Kennedy Wilson. “These six properties represent the successful rollout of our value-add asset management initiatives, and we are pleased to …

May 29, 2018

Company News District of Columbia Mixed-Use Multifamily Retail Southeast Texas Top Stories

Madison Marquette, PMRG Confirm Merger Discussions

by Kristin Harlow May 25, 2018

HOUSTON AND WASHINGTON, D.C. — Retail developer Madison Marquette and Houston-based developer PMRG have confirmed that they plan to combine operations. The terms of the merger were not disclosed, but PMRG will become part of the family of companies owned by Capital Guidance, a global investment firm that owns Washington, D.C.-based Madison Marquette. The leadership of both firms will remain intact, and the combined company will maintain its primary office locations in Houston and Washington, D.C. Closing is expected in the next 30 days. “We anticipate a highly complementary combination that significantly expands the capabilities of both firms,” says Amer Hammour, chairman of Madison Marquette. “Madison Marquette’s investment management as well as retail and mixed-use development, marketing and management expertise would join PMRG’s office, medical, industrial and multifamily capabilities to provide leadership across all asset classes to our clients and investment partners.” PMRG’s concentration in the Southern United States will balance well with Madison Marquette’s presence in primary gateway markets on both coasts, according to PMRG. The companies’ shared clients include several institutional owners and investors in the industry. PMRG is a privately held commercial real estate firm specializing in project leasing, property management, investment management and development services. The company’s 180 …

May 25, 2018

Development Industrial South Carolina Southeast Top Stories

Keurig to Build $350M Coffee Roasting Facility in Upstate South Carolina

by Camren Skelton May 24, 2018

MOORE, S.C. — Keurig Green Mountain Inc. will invest $350 million to build a new roasting and packaging facility in Moore, a city in Upstate South Carolina’s Spartanburg County. The specialty coffee and coffeemaker company acquired 215 acres of land within Tyger River Industrial Park from Pacolet Milliken Enterprises to build the new facility, which is expected to create 500 new jobs upon completion. Garrett Scott, John Montgomery and Brockton Hall of Colliers International represented Pacolet in the transaction. “As we plan for the future, we’re pleased to locate our newest facility in Spartanburg County to support our growth,” says Richard Jones, chief supply chain officer for Keurig. “We view the region’s talented employee base and attractive business environment as the right place to invest.” The new production facility will primarily house coffee roasting and packaging for Keurig’s single-serve K-Cup pods, and will have the potential to support beverage distribution and warehousing in the future. Prior to the sale, Pacolet made significant investments in sewer and power infrastructure at the site, and built a new road that will serve Keurig and the rest of the business park. The Greenville, S.C.-based developer has an additional 10 sites within Tyger River Industrial Park …

May 24, 2018

Development Hospitality Massachusetts Northeast Top Stories

Omni Breaks Ground on $550M Boston Seaport Hotel

by David Cohen May 23, 2018

BOSTON — Omni Hotels & Resorts has broken ground on the $550 million Omni Boston Seaport Hotel, a 21-story, 1,055-room hotel in Boston’s Seaport district. Set to open in late 2020 on a two-acre parcel at the corner of Summer and D streets, the hotel will feature 100,000 square feet of meeting and event space that includes the largest hotel ballroom in the Seaport District. Other amenities will include an urban rooftop pool deck with an event space featuring views of Boston’s skyline, all-day restaurant, retail shop, fitness center and spa. Once completed, the Omni Boston Seaport will become the city’s fourth largest hotel, according to the developer. “This project’s hotel, retail, restaurant and outdoor space is a welcome addition to Boston’s Seaport District and will lead to expanded economic opportunities for many businesses within the Commonwealth,” Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker said at the groundbreaking. “Our administration looks forward to continuing to work together with partners at the local level and in the private sector to support economic development in communities across Massachusetts.” The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) tapped Omni Hotels & Resorts, along with a team from New Boston Hospitality, in 2017 to develop the hotel. The project is estimated …

May 23, 2018

California Leasing Activity Office Property Type Top Stories Western

Facebook Signs Full-Building Lease for 43-Story Office Tower in San Francisco

by John Nelson May 22, 2018

SAN FRANCISCO — Social media giant Facebook Inc. (NASDAQ: FB) has signed a long-term lease to fully occupy Park Tower at Transbay, a 43-story office tower under construction in San Francisco’s Financial District. According to the San Francisco Business Times, the transaction is the largest office lease in the history of the city and will make Facebook the market’s third-largest tech tenant by square footage. Park Tower is co-owned by MetLife Investment Management, the asset management arm of MetLife Inc. (NYSE: MET), as well as Chicago-based owners and developers The John Buck Co. and Golub & Co. The ownership group plans to deliver the 764,700-square-foot office tower in the fourth quarter of this year. “We’re pleased to welcome Facebook to Park Tower,” says Joel Redmon, San Francisco-based managing director for MetLife Investment Management’s real estate business. “We’ve worked hard to design an office of the future that will facilitate technological innovation and provide a great foundation for Facebook’s future success.” Designed by Goettsch Partners and Solomon Cordwell Buenz, Park Tower at Transbay will feature approximately 26,000 square feet of outdoor and open space that includes 14 sky decks. The project will also feature a three-story, open-air lobby, and about 70 …

May 22, 2018

Acquisitions Hospitality Top Stories

Blackstone to Acquire LaSalle Hotel Properties for $4.8B

by Taylor Williams May 21, 2018

BETHESDA, MD. — Affiliates of global asset management firm Blackstone have agreed to acquire Maryland-based LaSalle Hotel Properties in an all-cash transaction valued at roughly $4.8 billion. The deal is expected to close during the third quarter. LaSalle’s portfolio spans 104,000 guestrooms across 41 properties in 11 markets. Under the terms of the agreement, Blackstone will acquire all outstanding shares of LaSalle’s common stock at $33.50 per share. This price represents a premium of about 35 percent over the company’s stock price of $24.84 per share at the time the deal was proposed. LaSalle’s stock price closed at $31.90 per share on Friday, May 18, up from $28.53 per share in mid-May 2017. “After careful consideration of multiple proposals received, the board determined that this transaction represents the most compelling opportunity for LaSalle’s shareholders,” said Stuart Scott, chairman of the board for LaSalle. “This transaction will deliver a significant premium with immediate and certain cash value.” Blackstone submitted a winning bid after hospitality REIT Pebblebrook Hotel Trust offered to acquire LaSalle in late April. Local news outlet WTOP reports that Pebblebrook, which is also based in Bethesda, entered a bid of $3.7 billion. However, in a statement released this morning, Pebblebrook claimed …

May 21, 2018

Development Florida Retail Southeast Top Stories

Triple Five Group’s $4B Mall, Theme Park in Miami Wins County Approval

by Kristin Harlow May 18, 2018

MIAMI — Miami-Dade County has approved the development of the American Dream Miami retail theme park. From Canadian developer Triple Five Group, the project is expected to cost $4 billion and span 6.2 million square feet. Located at the intersection of Interstate 75, Florida’s Turnpike Extension and Miami Gardens Drive, American Dream Miami will include a selection of retailers, restaurants, a performing arts center, multi-screen theater, hotel, theme park, indoor ski park, indoor waterpark, indoor skating rink, aquarium and submarine ride. The project is slated to become the largest mall in the United States and draw a large number of visitors each year. The site is located near both Miami International Airport and Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. “American Dream Miami will not only create jobs and attract investment to our community, but it will also contribute to the county nearly $60 million in impact fees, a transit center, new buses for Miami-Dade and Broward and $210 million for roads and interchange improvements to accommodate traffic,” says Miguel Diaz de la Portilla, attorney with Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr representing Triple Five on the project. Triple Five is the developer behind Minnesota’s Mall of America, Canada’s West Edmonton Mall and American …

May 18, 2018

Development Mixed-Use Property Type South Carolina Southeast Top Stories

RocaPoint Partners to Lead $1B Mixed-Use Redevelopment in Upstate South Carolina

by Camren Skelton May 17, 2018

GREENVILLE, S.C. — RocaPoint Partners, an affiliate of The Georgetown Co., has unveiled plans to develop a $1 billion mixed-use project in downtown Greenville. The Atlanta-based development firm has received unanimous approval from Greenville County Council to redevelop 37 acres along University Ridge. The land currently houses administrative offices at County Square, along with offices across the street including the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles and the Greenville County Public Health Department. The redevelopment will add approximately 3 million square feet of new Class A office, retail, hotels, residential and public spaces, as well as a new build-to-suit county government building. In addition, the project will be located within walking distance to Falls Park, located in downtown Greenville’s Historic West End; Fluor Field, home of Greenville’s minor league baseball team; and the Greenville Health System Swamp Rabbit Trail, a 20.6-mile multi-use greenway system. “The project is going to have a $1.1 billion impact on the local economy and create a more walkable environment to further support local business growth, as well as providing a distinct gathering place for residents and visitors,” says Phil Mays, principal of RocaPoint Partners. The development team for the project includes local partner KDS Commercial …

May 17, 2018

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