Top Stories

First Potomac Realty Trust, AEW Sell Two Office Assets in Maryland for $59.5M

by John Nelson March 9, 2017

COLUMBIA AND GLEN BURNIE, MD. — First Potomac Realty Trust (NYSE: FPO) and an affiliate of AEW Capital Management have sold two office developments in Maryland for $59.5 million. An affiliate of Adler Kawa Real Estate Advisors purchased the two assets: Rivers Park I and II in Columbia and Aviation Business Park in Glen Burnie. The sale of the 428,268-square-foot portfolio is part of First Potomac Realty Trust’s strategic plan, which includes the sale of $350 million of non-core assets. First Potomac owned a 25 percent interest in Rivers Park I and II and a 50 percent interest in Aviation Business Park. “The sale of these joint-venture assets marks another meaningful step forward at FPO,” says Robert Milkovich, CEO of First Potomac Realty Trust. “In 2017, we have generated over $100 million of proceeds, at our share, providing capital to repay debt and fund our redevelopment program, and have now sold $311 million of assets. As we progress through 2017, we remain focused on completion of our strategic plan and driving long-term value for our shareholders.” First Potomac’s share of the gross proceeds from the sales — approximately $19 million — was utilized to pay down its share of mortgage …

March 9, 2017

Features Top Stories

Interest Rates, Political Unrest Threaten to Jeopardize Health of Commercial Real Estate, Says Economist

by John Nelson March 9, 2017

The U.S. economic expansion continues on, extending its long streak of slow but steady growth. The economy has benefitted from years of stability in both the political and monetary realms, but massive paradigm shifts are underway. These changes are breeding uncertainty, which threaten both overall economic expansion and the commercial real estate industry in a way not seen in years. On the monetary front, years of low and declining interest rates supporting credit markets and asset prices are giving way to a new environment. Rates have risen noticeably since the fall and the Fed is overseeing a tightening cycle. Rising interest rates pose a new challenge to credit conditions and valuations, which has already been reflected in the significant decline in investment volume reported in January by Real Capital Analytics. The sharp rise in interest rates has scuttled the closing of some deals, protracted the closing of others and thrown financing terms for a loop across the board. The larger uncertainty and concern, however, is emanating from the political realm. The new administration has proposed radical policy shifts to immigration, trade, regulations and taxes. Both the amount of proposed policy changes and their severity are resulting in an uptick in …

March 9, 2017

Midwest North Dakota Retail Top Stories

Mall-Based Apparel Chain Vanity to Shutter All 137 Store Locations in 27 States

by Nellie Day March 8, 2017

FARGO, N.D. — Vanity Shop of Grand Forks is shuttering all 137 of its Vanity stores throughout 27 states. Tiger Capital Group is conducting the going-out-of-business sale, which is now underway. The Fargo-based clothing store has roots dating back to the 1950s. The announcement follows the company’s filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on March 1 in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of North Dakota. The chain offers discount women’s and children’s apparel and accessories. The heaviest concentration of stores is in the Midwest, particularly Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin and Ohio. The stores average 3,000 square feet in size and are mostly located in malls. “The company’s difficult decision to close all stores is emblematic of the pressures facing mall-based specialty apparel retailers in the wake of ever-increasing competition from big-box ‘fast fashion’ chains and e-commerce sites,” says Michael McGrail, COO of Tiger Group. Tiger will also liquidate store fixtures and equipment, as well as furniture, fixtures and equipment from the company’s distribution centers. — Nellie Day

March 8, 2017

Michigan Midwest Retail Top Stories

Brixmor Property Group Acquires 404,000 SF Shopping Center in Ann Arbor for $102M

by Katie Sloan March 7, 2017

ANN ARBOR, MICH. — Brixmor Property Group (NYSE: BRX) has acquired Arborland Center, a 404,000-square-foot, grocery-anchored shopping center located in Ann Arbor, for $102 million. The property is located between the University of Michigan and Eastern Michigan University at 3600 Washtenaw Ave. Kroger anchors the center, which is also home to tenants including DSW, Old Navy, Marshalls, Maurices, Nordstrom Rack, Starbucks Coffee, Ulta Beauty, Bed Bath & Beyond, Petco and Five Below. The property was previously owned by Stamford, Conn.-based AmCap Inc. and was roughly 96 percent occupied at the time of sale, according to reports by Crain’s Detroit Business. With this acquisition, Brixmor owns four assets totaling over 1 million square feet in metro Ann Arbor. The company’s stock price closed on Monday, March 6, at $22.30 per share, down from $24.04 a year ago. — Katie Sloan

March 7, 2017

Features Multifamily Top Stories

Interest Rates Are Top Concern for Multifamily Professionals, Capital One Survey Finds

by John Nelson March 7, 2017

BETHESDA, MD. — Concern over potential interest rate hikes is tempering optimism in the multifamily market, according to a recent survey conducted by Capital One Multifamily Finance. Capital One conducted the survey during the NMHC 2017 conference in San Diego in late January. The survey gauges emerging trends and industry insights from multifamily real estate professionals across the country. About 51 percent of multifamily professionals consider rising interest rates to be their biggest challenge in 2017, more than double the 25 percent of respondents who cited rising costs as their greatest concern. Only 5 percent of those surveyed anticipate potential regulation to be their biggest challenge this year. (Percentages are based on 95 responses.) These interest rate concerns may signal the end of the current cycle for the multifamily market as 50 percent of those surveyed believe the market has entered the last few legs of the race, while only 7 percent feel the cycle is in its early stages. Despite market sentiment, significantly more respondents anticipate being buyers than sellers in 2017; 51 percent said that they anticipate being buyers, while 23 percent anticipate being sellers. “While more industry professionals expect to be buyers than sellers in 2017, increasing …

March 7, 2017

Indiana Retail Top Stories

Growth of E-Commerce Sales, Intense Competition Lead to hhgregg Store Closures

by Taylor Williams March 6, 2017

INDIANAPOLIS — Electronics and home appliances retailer hhgregg’s Inc.’s decision last week to close 88 stores — or roughly 40 percent of its total outlets — and three distribution facilities over the next two months came in the wake of a rough financial stretch for the company. Net sales decreased 23.7 percent on a year-over-year basis during the company’s most recent fiscal quarter, which ended Dec. 31, 2016, and the gross operating margin declined 4.1 percent. The net loss for the quarter was roughly $58.3 million, despite the fact that this period encompassed the holidays. The company was recently delisted from the New York Stock Exchange for failing to meet minimum requirements. Most commonly, delisting occurs when a security trades below $1 per share for 30 consecutive business days; hhgregg had not closed at or above this level since Jan. 9 of this year As a supplier of consumer goods that span several different sectors, hhgregg has been hit equally hard by the rising popularity of e-commerce and competition from other multichannel retailers like Walmart and Home Depot, both of which have enjoyed upward-trending stock prices throughout the year’s early stages. Its electronics division, in particular, was hit hard by this …

March 6, 2017

Midwest Mixed-Use Nebraska Top Stories

Jasper Stone Plans $1.2B Mixed-Use Development in Omaha

by Kristin Harlow March 3, 2017

OMAHA, NEB. — Jasper Stone Partners has received preliminary governmental approval for Avenue One, a $1.2 billion mixed-use development in west Omaha. The Omaha Planning Board unanimously approved the nearly 200-acre project this week, according to the Omaha World-Herald, the local daily newspaper. Avenue One will be located south of 192nd and Dodge streets. The development will feature office, retail, residential, hotel and civic spaces, as well as public green spaces and walking trails. Jasper Stone plans to break ground later this year on the project, which will consist of 1.3 million square feet of office and retail space, and more than 2,000 residential units. Phase I of construction is slated for completion in late 2018. Avenue One will be one of the largest projects of its kind in Omaha and is expected to have an annual economic impact of more than $1 billion, according to a news release from the developers. Jasper Stone is working with Block Real Estate Services LLC during the master planning phase. Other participants in the project include HOK for architecture and land planning, Omaha-based Olsson and Associates for engineering and design, Pansing Hogan Ernst & Bachman and Husch Blackwell for legal services and Pinnacle …

March 3, 2017

Mixed-Use North Carolina Office Southeast Top Stories

Bissell Sells Ballantyne Office Portfolio in Charlotte to Northwood Investors for $1B

by John Nelson March 2, 2017

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Bissell Cos. Inc. has completed the sale of most of its interests in Ballantyne Corporate Park, a 535-acre, master-planned business community in Charlotte, to Northwood Investors, a global real estate investment and management firm. Northwood will acquire over 4 million square feet of Class A office space and nearly 600 hotel rooms within the development, including The Ballantyne Hotel Charlotte. Terms of the sale were not released, but the Charlotte Business Journal reports that the sale closed in more than 40 separate transactions totaling in excess of $1 billion. Current office tenants at Ballantyne Corporate Park include MetLife, Wells Fargo, Premier, TIAA, Liberty Mutual, Snyder’s-Lance, Synchrony Financial, Sonic Automotive, XPO Logistics and Siemens. “What Smoky Bissell and the Bissell team have created in Ballantyne Corporate Park is remarkable,” says John Kukral, president and CEO of Northwood Investors. “We are excited that the Bissell team will join Northwood and help lead the next phase of Ballantyne Corporate Park. This transaction represents one of our largest acquisitions to date and reinforces our commitment to Charlotte.” Northwood has been an active investor in the Charlotte market since 2011, when Northwood and David Ravin formed Northwood Ravin, a multifamily development …

March 2, 2017

Features Healthcare Top Stories

Strong Demographic Trends Drive Investment Activity in Medical Ofﬁce, Says Marcus & Millichap

by John Nelson March 2, 2017

As the 65-and-older age segment increases by 20 million individuals over the next 10 years, demand for healthcare services will rise, which attracts investors to the long-term growth potential of medical office real estate. Institutional funds and REITs are actively searching for larger healthcare deals and portfolios, and private capital is emerging as a major option in the $5 million to $20 million-price range and could begin to take a larger share of transactions this year, according to Marcus & Millichap’s National Medical Office Research report. A rise in crossover capital is also increasing competition for medical ofﬁce properties as single-tenant retail investors target similar investment opportunities in this segment for higher yields. For-sale inventory is limited as medical ofﬁce assets are in high demand with cap rates compressing over the past several years. On-campus medical ofﬁce buildings command top cap rates, trading at sub-6 percent initial yields for single-tenant properties, while multi-tenant buildings draw ﬁrst-year returns in the mid-6 to low-7 percent range, according to the report. Off-campus medical ofﬁce properties with strong tenancy, which often include a healthcare system and long remaining lease terms, are in high demand. These properties fetch initial returns in the mid-6 percent area. …

March 2, 2017

Arizona Hospitality Top Stories Western

DiamondRock Acquires L’Auberge, Orchards Inn Resorts in Arizona for $97M

by Nellie Day March 1, 2017

SEDONA, ARIZ. — DiamondRock Hospitality Co. (NYSE: DRH) has purchased the 88-room L’Auberge de Sedona and the adjacent 70-room Orchards Inn Sedona for a total of $97 million. The resorts are situated in the Red Rock region of Sedona on the banks of Oak Creek, just south of Flagstaff. DiamondRock plans to reposition the resorts through a $5 million capital investment plan, which will enhance the luxury cottages at L’Auberge, among other improvements. The renovations will be completed during the off seasons over the next two years for minimal disruptions. “This acquisition represents a rare opportunity to own two high-quality resort properties in a coveted, high-barrier-to-entry resort market,” says Mark Brugger, DiamondRock’s president and CEO. “While we believe the initial pricing of the deal is attractive, we have identified significant opportunities to increase profitability.” About $14 million has been invested in the resorts, its guest rooms and restaurants since 2015. Sedona is one of the highest growth markets in the U.S. hospitality industry, DiamondRock notes, with RevPAR (revenue per available room) increasing 11.3 percent in 2016. L’Auberge includes dining options Cress on Oak Creek and Etch Kitchen & Bar, while Orchards Inn features 89Agave Mexican restaurant, among other casual dining …

March 1, 2017

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