Top Stories

Building To Suit Population Growth

by Taylor Williams March 23, 2017

Commercial real estate construction follows increases in population, and Texas has hit a growth spurt. In May 2016, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that five of 11 of the nation’s fastest-growing cities — Georgetown, New Braunfels, Frisco, Pearland and Pflugerville — are in Texas. The state’s metro areas, and the surrounding suburbs fueling this growth, are seeing construction in several sectors. High-end multifamily is popular throughout Texas. In Houston, hotels were being constructed in anticipation of the Super Bowl. In North Dallas, multifamily and retail are expanding to serve corporate growth, while industrial and manufacturing buildings are being constructed to serve transportation hubs south of the Metroplex. “We are seeing a lot of growth all over the state,” says Srinath Pai Kasturi, vice president and general manager of the central Texas division of Cadence McShane Construction. “Over the past four to five years, Texas has been fortunate to have seen a large influx of people from other states, and that has stimulated growth.” Texas added more than 1.8 million jobs from 2004 to 2014 —the most in the United States and 2.5 times California’s total change, according to Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts’ analysis of data from Economic Modeling Specialists, International. …

March 23, 2017

Georgia Kentucky Multifamily Southeast Top Stories

The Scharf Group, Besyata Investment Group Acquire Multifamily Portfolio in the Southeast for $74M

by Nellie Day March 22, 2017

LOUISVILLE, KY., AND LITHONIA, GA. — The Scharf Group and Besyata Investment Group have acquired a two-property multifamily portfolio in the Southeast for $74 million. The portfolio boasts a total of 1,033 units. Properties included in the portfolio include the 689-unit Park at Hurstbourne in Louisville and the 344-unit Woodcrest Village in Lithonia. Park at Hurstbourne is a garden-style apartment complex situated on 44 acres at 5555 Big Ben Drive. It was built in 1972. Community amenities include an indoor pool, basketball court, two clubhouses and a daycare. Park at Hurstbourne is situated near notable employers such as GE, Ford and UPS, which have been expanding operations within the area. Woodcrest Village is a garden-style apartment complex situated on 34 acres at 2325 Woodcrest Walk in the Atlanta suburb of Lithonia. The community is about 20 miles east of downtown Atlanta. It was built in 1990. Besyata and Scharf Group plan to modernize the amenities and undertake gradual unit renovations at both properties. The buyers invest in value-add, Class B multifamily communities in suburban markets near growing cities. BH Management, Besyata’s longstanding partner, will oversee the day-to-day property management and leasing for both assets. The groups also partnered with national real …

March 22, 2017

Multifamily Northeast Pennsylvania Top Stories

Natixis Provides $102.8M Loan to Transform Historic Office Building in Philadelphia into Luxury Apartments

by Jeff Shaw March 21, 2017

PHILADELPHIA — Natixis has provided a $102.8 million first mortgage loan to Post Brothers, which will use the capital to redevelop the historic Atlantic Building in Philadelphia as a 268-unit luxury apartment complex. The Atlantic Building is a 330,000-square-foot, 21-story office building located at 260 S. Broad St. in Philadelphia’s Center City submarket. World-renowned architect Rafael Viñoly designed the building, which was completed in the 1920s. Post Brothers will rename the building The Atlantic. Once the redevelopment is complete, amenities will include a business lounge with conference rooms, clubhouse, fitness center including yoga studio, rooftop swimming pool, roof deck with dog park and grilling areas, and a three-story, 205-space parking garage. “The Atlantic will be another premier residential building that will be similar to previously delivered first-class Post Brothers buildings and will take full advantage of the vibrant and growing Center City market,” says Greg Murphy, head of Natixis Real Estate Finance Americas. Post Brothers acquired the building in 2012 for $27 million, according to the Philadelphia Business Journal. The Philadelphia-based multifamily developer and operator attempted to sell the building to Jefferson Apartments for $50 million in 2014, but decided to proceed with the apartment redevelopment project when that deal …

March 21, 2017

Features Healthcare Top Stories

Duke Realty: Micro Hospitals Lead the Way Among Emerging Trends in Healthcare Sector

by Taylor Williams March 21, 2017

Facing shortages in construction labor and obstacles in originating financing for new projects, developers who specialize in healthcare properties are starting to think smaller, according to a recent study by Indianapolis-based REIT Duke Realty Corp. This means more micro hospitals. Micro hospitals are similar to community and small-town medical facilities — a hybrid of urgent care centers and full-fledged hospitals. They offer significantly fewer inpatient beds than regular hospitals — eight to 12 per facility is average — and typically span between 15,000 and 50,000 square feet. As such, they fit more comfortably into densely populated urban pockets and provide more immediate access to acute and emergency care. With delivery costs that range from $7 million and $30 million, depending on size, micro hospitals represent a cheaper means of financing a regular hospital. What else is driving demand for micro hospitals? According to the study, they offer a convenient, cost-effective alternative to larger hospitals without compromising the quality of care. When considering where to build a micro hospital, developers are encouraged to pinpoint high-visibility sites within 20 miles of a major hospital. This enables them to tap directly into the smaller submarkets for which micro hospitals are intended. “Anticipated changes …

March 21, 2017

California Loans Office Top Stories Western

Square Mile Capital Provides $145M Construction Loan for Menlo Park Office Development

by Taylor Williams March 20, 2017

MENLO PARK, CALIF. — Square Mile Capital Management LLC has provided a $145 million construction loan for the development of the first phase of Menlo Gateway, a 16-acre, master-planned project in the Menlo Park area of Silicon Valley. Located on Independence Drive near the Marsh Road exit of U.S. Route 101, the development will consist of approximately 705,000 square feet of office space across three eight-story buildings. The 16-acre parcel, located roughly two miles from Facebook’s headquarters, was previously zoned for industrial use. The Marriott Autograph Collection Hotel, a 250-room hotel currently under construction, will also reside on the land. The 11-story hotel offers a pool with cabanas and poolside bar, a spa, a lobby restaurant and coffee market, as well as 20,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space. Delivery is slated for late 2017. The Bohannon Development Co., which is based in northern California, is serving as the project developer. San Francisco-based Heller Manus Architects designed the project. Phase I of Menlo Gateway will include an eight-story, approximately 210,000-square-foot building located at 100 Independence Drive, as well as a 1,040-space parking deck. Phase I also includes delivery of The Bay Club, a 41,000-square foot fitness center with …

March 20, 2017

New Jersey Northeast Office Top Stories

Mack-Cali Acquires 1.1 MSF Office Portfolio in New Jersey for $368M

by Kristin Harlow March 17, 2017

MADISON AND SHORT HILLS, N.J. — Mack-Cali Realty Corp. (NYSE: CLI) has acquired a 1.1 million-square-foot office portfolio that includes six Class A properties in northern New Jersey for $368 million. The sales price of the portfolio is one of the highest ever recorded statewide in the office sector, according to a news release. RXR Realty LLC sold the portfolio, which includes 1, 3 and 7 Giralda Farms in Madison and 51, 101 and 103 JFK Parkway in Short Hills. The portfolio is 91 percent leased to tenants such as KPMG, Wells Fargo, Merrill Lynch, UBS, Dun & Bradstreet, Investors Bank, Citibank, Franklin Mutual Advisors, Pfizer and Prudential. All of the properties are located in the Route 24 corridor and benefit from a strong retail amenity base, including The Mall at Short Hills, the downtown areas of Morristown, Madison and Summit and the retail offerings along Route 10. “This acquisition signifies Mack-Cali’s substantially expanded presence in the affluent Short Hills submarket — positioning us as the owner of nearly all of the Class A office space, as well as some of the most premier assets in the Madison submarket,” said Michael J. DeMarco, president of Mack-Cali, in a press release. “This transaction exemplifies …

March 17, 2017

Uncommon Charlottesville Student Housing

Multifamily Student Housing Top Stories

The Scion Group-Led JV Acquires 11-Property Student Housing Portfolio for $640 Million

by Jeff Shaw March 16, 2017

CHICAGO — The Scion Group, along with sovereign wealth fund partners GIC and Canada Public Pension Investment Board (CPPIB), has acquired a portfolio of 11 student housing properties throughout the United States for $640 million. Harrison Street Real Estate owned nine of the properties in partnerships with Trinitas, Opus, CA Ventures and Vertex Nine. In addition, Scion, GIC and CPPIB acquired another asset from Trinitas and another property in Chicago from an undisclosed entity. The properties in the transaction total more than 6,300 beds, and include: University Trails Tallahassee, a 936-bed community located near Florida State University Alpha, a 698-bed community located near the University of Alabama VAMP, a 668-bed community located near the University of Indiana The Foundation, a 725-bed community located near CSU Sacramento NXNW, a 648-bed community located near Western Washington University Varsity Quarters, a 162-bed community located near the University of Wisconsin Uncommon Madison, a 408-bed community located near the University of Wisconsin Uncommon Tampa, a 516-bed community located near the University of South Florida Uncommon Charlottesville, a 342-bed community located near the University of Virginia LUX at Central Park, a 608-bed community located near the University of North Carolina 1237 West Fullerton, a 592-bed community …

March 16, 2017

Features Industrial Multifamily Northeast Northeast Feature Archive Office Pennsylvania Retail Top Stories

Pennsylvania Supreme Court Takes Up Issue of Reverse Property Tax Appeals Across State

by Haisten Willis March 16, 2017

By Gregory Schaffer Pennsylvania property owners and tenants, who pay some of the highest property taxes in the nation, are no doubt aware of the annual deadline to file a property tax appeal. After all, one look at a new tax bill is often enough to make even the most seasoned tax manager scramble to contact their local tax counsel. However, very few taxpayers are aware that the assessment they may have accepted as favorable could easily trigger a reverse appeal filed by the local school district. Assessment appeals filed by the taxing entities, often referred to as reverse appeals, are increasingly common as cash-strapped school districts seek to fill their coffers. Just as a tax manager might view an inflated assessment as a reason to appeal, more and more school districts see potentially under-assessed properties as a much-needed source of additional revenue. To the bane of many taxpayers, this tactic has now reached the city of Philadelphia. Despite undergoing a citywide property revaluation for the 2014 tax year, with another currently slated for 2018, the Philadelphia School District recently decided to begin filing reverse appeals against properties it feels are under-assessed. On Sept. 15, 2016, for the first time, …

March 16, 2017

Multifamily Texas Top Stories

Marcus & Millichap Closes Sale of 1,164 Apartment Units Throughout Texas for $80.5M

by Nellie Day March 15, 2017

DALLAS — Marcus & Millichap’s (NYSE: MMI) Dallas-based multifamily investment sales team has closed the sale of six multifamily assets within the state of Texas totaling $80.5 million. The communities contain a total of 1,164 units. Four of the properties reside within the Dallas-Fort Worth area, known as the Metroplex, while another is situated 60 miles northeast of Dallas in Commerce, and the other is in Waco. The Metroplex-area properties include the 380-unit Spring Lake in Haltom City, the 306-unit Tradewind in Mesquite, the 200-unit Village at the Crossroads in Irving and the 76-unit Oaks Branch in Garland. “The Metroplex’s diverse and growing economy continues to attract investors, creating increased buyer competition for apartment assets and accelerating deal flow,” says Nick Fluellen, a member of Marcus & Millichap’s multifamily investment sales team. “Local investors are particularly focused on properties with some value-add component, as was the case with these assets.” The remaining two properties are the 128-unit Bradford Place in Commerce and the Village Condominiums, a 74-unit apartment asset in Waco. “All of the properties provide new ownership with excellent opportunities to add value in various ways, including the continuation or implementation of strategic upgrade plans,” adds Bard Hoover, who, …

March 15, 2017

Healthcare Southeast Tennessee Top Stories

Ardent Health Services Acquires LHP Hospital Group, Creating 19-Property Hospital Group

by Katie Sloan March 14, 2017

NASHVILLE, TENN. — Ardent Health Services has acquired LHP Hospital Group Inc., creating the second largest private, for-profit hospital operator in the United States, with 19 hospitals in six states and $3 billion in revenues, according to Ardent. Although the purchase price was not disclosed, Ventas Inc., a massive healthcare REIT, provided $700 million in financing to Ardent for the acquisition. The five-year, LIBOR-based acquisition loan bears an initial cash interest rate of approximately 8 percent. As part of the transaction, Ardent received a significant equity contribution from its majority owner, an affiliate of Equity Group Investments. Ventas also made an equity contribution to maintain its 9.9 percent equity stake in Ardent. LHP’s portfolio of hospitals were all operated in joint ventures. LHP’s portfolio includes Bay Medical Center in Panama City, Fla.; HUMC Mountainside in Montclair, N.J.; HUMC at Pascack Valley in Westwood, N.J.; Portneuf Medical Center in Pocatello, Idaho; and Seton Medical Center in Harker Heights, Texas. Under the terms of the agreement, Ardent will assume LHP’s management and operational responsibilities within each joint venture partnership. The transaction is not expected to impact the day-to-day operations of the affiliated hospitals. The Ardent management team will also continue to lead the …

March 14, 2017

Newer Posts

Older Posts