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Conference CoverageFeaturesMultifamilyTexasTexas & Oklahoma Feature ArchiveTop Stories

Combination of Multifamily, Office Space is Hot Concept in Texas, Say InterFace Panelists

by Taylor Williams

DALLAS — Say the words “mixed-use” in commercial real estate circles today and generally the first thought that comes to mind is a property featuring a combination of multifamily and retail space. But there’s no written rule that says what property classes can or can’t be included in mixed-use. As such, a number of multifamily developers in Texas are redefining the term’s scope and application by bringing together apartment living and an office component in newer projects. As part of the InterFace Multifamily Texas conference, a panel of real estate experts convened Sept. 13 at the Westin Galleria in Dallas to address this topic and other emerging trends in the apartment sector, most of which center on ways of improving amenity packages for tenants. Approximately 200 real estate professionals attended the event. The move toward developing apartment communities with office space — not business centers — stems from landlords’ need to differentiate their amenity packages from the competition. These new office elements within multifamily properties are taking a variety of forms in their infancy, ranging from large co-working spaces and conference rooms to individualized desks and cubicles. “Having amenities like a knockout pool and an awesome fitness center doesn’t really …

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HawaiiMixed-UseTop StoriesWestern

Salem Partners to Develop $750M Mixed-Use Project in Honolulu

by John Nelson

HONOLULU — Salem Partners, a commercial real estate developer based in Los Angeles, is moving forward on its $750 million, two-tower project in Honolulu. The Honolulu City Council recently gave Salem Partners approval to build the 450-unit condominium and hotel development, which is part of Honolulu’s Ala Moana Transit Oriented Development Plan. The first development in the plan is Salem Partner’s Mana’olana Place project, which is slated to break ground across from the Hawaii Convention Center in the second quarter of 2018. A new Mandarin Oriental Hotel will anchor the development. “We have enthusiastically embraced the city’s new TOD plan and look forward to the completion of the transit system in 2022,” says James Ratkovich of Salem Partners. Salem Partners received a special transit permit to build up to 400 feet high instead of the 250 feet previously allowed. The developer has also proposed for 78 affordable apartments to be built in collaboration with EAH Housing at the site, which spans 1.42 acres at 1500 Kapiolani Ave. “It is an innovative solution for deeply needed affordable units in Honolulu,” says Ratkovich. At this time the affordable units are designated for seniors housing. Colorado-based architect [au] workshop designed the two towers, …

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FeaturesFloridaIndustrialSoutheastTop Stories

Lessons Learned: Hurricane Andrew Helped Prepare South Florida’s Industrial Market for Irma

by John Nelson

Hurricane Irma made landfall in Florida on Sunday afternoon, tearing through The Keys and heading up the western portion of the state through the Tampa area. For a time, it appeared the hurricane was heading straight for Miami before it ultimately changed course. “A few days ago when we are all staring down the barrel of a Category 4 storm that was heading straight for us, it was concerning,” says Ken Krasnow, executive managing director of Colliers International’s South Florida division. “We ended up having some Category 2 force winds, but we feel fortunate that the storm changed course.” Despite being out of Irma’s direct path, parts of Miami were flooded and most of the region experienced power outages, with many residences remaining without power as of this writing. Irma was the worst storm to hit South Florida since Hurricane Andrew in 1992, but the destruction caused by the storm 25 years ago was much worse, specifically for the industrial sector. “Hurricane Andrew was the worst this market experienced,” says Walter Byrd, senior managing director of Transwestern’s industrial team. “It blew through entire floors on projects in the southern part of Miami-Dade County.” Byrd says that the difference this go-around …

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MultifamilyNew YorkNortheastTop Stories

Fortis Property Group Obtains $297M Construction Loan for 325,000 SF Mixed-Use Project in Brooklyn

by Nellie Day

NEW YORK CITY — Fortis Property Group has received a $297 million construction loan to develop River Park, a three-building mixed-use project in the Cobble Hill neighborhood of Brooklyn. The 325,000-square-foot project will feature 172 luxury condominium units, 66,900 square feet of community space and 328 parking spaces. Fortis acquired 18 buildings on three adjacent sites that formerly housed the Long Island College Hospital (LICH) medical campus. The company purchased LICH in 2015 for $240 million from the State University of New York. Fortis financed the first phase of the acquisition with a $107.25 million bridge loan from Madison Realty Capital (MRC). The new loan proceeds from MRC will be used to retire the previous bridge loan and complete construction of the three luxury residential condominium buildings. This includes a waterfront tower at 350 Hicks St. (“1 River Park”); a high-rise condominium tower at 95 Pacific St. (“2 River Park”); and a contextual condominium building at 349 Henry St./112 Pacific St. (“5 River Park”). River Park 1, 2 and 5 will anchor the new Brooklyn Waterfront District. Rogers Partners is designing the properties. Brooklyn-based Fortis Property Group is a real estate investment, operations and development company. It has acquired, developed …

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Mixed-UseMultifamilyNortheastOfficePennsylvaniaRetailTop Stories

Cronheim Mortgage Secures $117.5M Financing for Madison Farms Mixed-Use Development in Pennsylvania

by Katie Sloan

BETHLEHEM, PA. — Cronheim Mortgage has secured $117.5 million in permanent and construction financing for Madison Farms, a mixed-use development in Bethlehem, located north of Philadelphia and west of New York City. The development, upon completion, will feature 152,000 square feet of retail anchored by a 67,400-square-foot ShopRite; a two-story, Class A medical office building occupied by the Lehigh Valley Health Network; and 570 luxury one- and two-bedroom residential units across 15 buildings. Tenants at the property’s retail center include Starbucks Coffee, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Provident Bank, Pure Barre, Pet Valu and Supercuts. The residential property features a 6,500-square-foot clubhouse with a billiards room, multimedia center, fitness center, golf simulator and business center, as well as an outdoor deck with a pool, barbecues and fire pits. The financing — provided by American General Life Insurance Co. — consists of two separate loans placed on behalf of Madison Farms Retail and Madison Farms Residential with 20-year terms and 30-year amortization schedules. For Madison Farms Retail, Cronheim arranged $32 million in permanent financing. For Madison Farms Residential, the company secured an $85.5 million credit facility with two years of interest-only payments. This loan provides permanent financing for the 294-unit first phase of residential development, …

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FeaturesIndustrialMultifamilyOfficeRetailTexasTexas & Oklahoma Feature ArchiveTop Stories

CBRE Research: Houston’s Commercial Real Estate Shows Resilience in Wake of Hurricane Harvey

by John Nelson

HOUSTON — It’s much too soon to know the extent of the damage Hurricane Irma has inflicted on Florida and the Southeast, but a clearer view is starting to emerge with regard to the total impact that Hurricane Harvey has had on the Houston commercial real estate market. Hurricane Harvey, a Category 4 storm that made landfall on Aug. 25 near Rockport, Texas, was the strongest storm to hit the Texas Gulf region since 1961, according to CBRE Research. The hurricane dumped more than 50 inches of rain across the region in a matter of days and caused extensive property damage due to flooding. Moody’s Analytics estimates that the hurricane caused anywhere from $81 billion to $108 billion in property damage and economic loss, including the closing of Port Houston and many oil and gas refineries. If these estimates are correct, this would make it the second costliest natural disaster in the history of the United States, only trailing Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Just a few weeks later, Hurricane Irma became the first Category 4 storm to make landfall in Florida since 2004. In its wake, the hurricane has caused severe damage in Miami, the Florida Keys and Naples, as …

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AlabamaFloridaIllinoisIndustrialMichiganMidwestMinnesotaSoutheastTop Stories

Brennan Investment, Arch Street Acquire $100M Industrial Portfolio in Midwest, Southeast

by Taylor Williams

CHICAGO AND GREENWICH, CONN. — A joint venture (JV) between Chicago-based Brennan Investment Group and Greenwich-based Arch Street Capital Advisors LLC has acquired a portfolio of 11 industrial properties totaling roughly 2.5 million square feet. The portfolio is valued at approximately $100 million. The properties are located in various markets throughout the Midwest and Southeast, including Chicago, Minneapolis and Grand Rapids, Mich., as well as Jacksonville, Fla., and Birmingham, Ala. The transaction marks the JV’s sixth acquisition since its formation in 2011. Since that time, it has acquired more than $1 billion in single-tenant, net-leased industrial properties. “This acquisition represents the breadth and depth of our net-lease platform,” says Michael Brennan, chairman and managing principal of Brennan. “We have the ability to both acquire large portfolios and to aggregate individual long-term, net-lease assets and can invest across the U.S. in both long- and short-duration net-leased properties with an emphasis on mission-critical assets.” The JV will continue to target investment opportunities involving all types of industrial properties, including assembly plants, research and development facilities and distribution centers. Specifically, it will pursue properties that are located in a top 100 market, have a remaining lease term of at least 10 years and …

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MarylandMixed-UseSoutheastTop Stories

Natixis Arranges $125M Construction Loan for Mixed-Use Property in Baltimore

by Kristin Harlow

BALTIMORE — Natixis has served as lead arranger for a $125 million senior loan for the construction of an 800,000-square-foot mixed-use property in Baltimore. Natixis, M&T and CIT are providing the capital. In addition, HFF arranged $44 million in mezzanine financing through Bridge Investment Group Holdings. The HFF debt placement team representing the borrower included Mark Remington, Brian Crivella and Drake Greer. Madison Marquette is developing the property, which is named One Light Street. The building will be 28 stories tall and feature 280 apartment units. The Class A property will also feature 252,243 square feet of office space, over 5,000 square feet of street-level retail and 646 parking spaces. M&T Bank is the lead tenant. The property is located near to the Inner Harbor, the Baltimore Ravens M&T Bank Stadium and Oriole Park at Camden Yards. “Downtown Baltimore is undergoing major urban renewal, from renovations of older buildings by local real estate investors to billion-dollar development projects by direct users like universities and corporations,” says Greg Murphy, head of Natixis Real Estate Finance Americas. “One Light Street will further add to downtown’s revitalization.” Madison Marquette is a real estate investment manager, developer, operator and service provider headquartered in Washington, D.C. …

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FeaturesIndustrialOfficeTexasTexas & Oklahoma Feature ArchiveTop Stories

Fortunes of Houston’s Industrial, Office Sectors Diverge in Wake of Hurricane Harvey

by Taylor Williams

As the flooding in Houston from Hurricane Harvey begins to recede and more properties become accessible, commercial real estate firms are beginning the long, tedious process of figuring out the full magnitude of the destruction. It will likely be months before the full extent of the property damage throughout Houston is known. But the fortunes of certain classes of commercial real estate are already coming into focus. Metro Houston’s industrial market, which according to CoStar Group has experienced positive net absorption for 10 consecutive quarters, appears to be an immediate beneficiary of the storm. With recovery and restoration projects now fully underway across the metro area, demand for construction materials — wood, sheet rock, concrete — is set to rise. These products will need to be stored in warehouses and distributed throughout the metro area. This influx will likely put a dent in industrial vacancy, which rose from 5.3 percent to 5.6 percent between the first and second quarters. Rents for warehouse assets, which declined by 1 percent during the second quarter, should also rebound from the recovery effort. “On the industrial side, our people have seen a spiked level of demand that will result in more absorption,” says Tim …

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Conference CoverageFeaturesGeorgiaSeniors HousingSoutheastSoutheast Feature ArchiveTop Stories

Attracting Workers to ‘Non-Sexy’ Industry Is Challenge Seniors Housing Leaders Face

by Kristin Harlow

ATLANTA — By offering paid internships, educational programs, community events and flexible hours, seniors housing leaders hope to combat the well-documented labor shortage and entice younger workers. There simply aren’t enough employees to keep up with the pace of development, and the industry is plagued by high turnover rates as well. That’s according to speakers during an operations update at InterFace Seniors Housing Southeast on Aug. 23 in Atlanta. The conference, held at the Westin Buckhead in Atlanta, attracted over 400 industry professionals. Lisa Welshhons, senior vice president of human resources company Aureon, noted the distinct gap between the number of workers needed and actual employees working. As moderator, she asked the panel of operators how the labor shortage is changing the way they are staffing their communities, as well as recruiting and retention strategies. “We’re often asked by our peers and partners what number of communities is our goal, but it’s not about a number of communities. It’s really about continuing to develop as long as we’re able to attract the best-in-class employees,” said Sarabeth Hanson, COO at Harbor Retirement Associates, a regional senior living development and management company in Vero Beach, Fla. Already a concern, the demand for new …

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