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Affordable HousingDevelopmentMixed-UseMultifamilyNew YorkNortheastRetailTop Stories

Related Cos., Sterling Equities Break Ground on 2,500-Unit Willets Point Affordable Housing Project in Queens

by Katie Sloan

NEW YORK CITY — Queens Development Group, a joint venture between Related Cos. and Sterling Equities, has broken ground on the first phase of a 2,500-unit affordable housing project in the New York City borough of Queens.  The project, named Willets Point, will be the city’s largest affordable housing development in 40 years, according to the joint venture. Wells Fargo has arranged a total of $360 million in financing for Phase I of the development, with a $236.5 million construction loan and $123.5 million Low-Income Housing Tax Credit investment. Phase I of the development will feature two mid-rise buildings offering a combined 880 units of affordable housing. Forty percent of units will be reserved for residents earning at or below 60 percent of the area median income, and 15 percent of units will be set aside for tenants that formerly experienced homelessness. Amenities will include a landscaped inner courtyard, laundry facilities, lounge space with access to outdoor terraces, bicycle storage and ground-floor retail space. The development will also include infrastructure investments like new streets, signage, sidewalks, trees, lights, drainage, stormwater management, water hydrants, sewers and utilities.  Future components of the development will include a 650-seat standalone public school, New York …

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DevelopmentMixed-UseNortheastPennsylvaniaRetailTop Stories

St. John Properties to Redevelop 1 MSF Harrisburg Mall in Pennsylvania into Swatara Exchange

by Kristin Harlow

HARRISBURG, PA. — St. John Properties Inc. has unveiled plans for the redevelopment of Harrisburg Mall, a 1 million-square-foot regional mall located in the Swatara Township section of Dauphin County. The company plans to build Swatara Exchange, a mixed-use development consisting of multi-use commercial space and supporting inline retail and retail pad sites. The mall will undergo an extended demolition program that is expected to conclude in 2025. The existing Bass Pro Shops and Applebee’s Grill + Bar restaurant will remain operational, and the former Toys ‘R’ Us building will be marketed for a new use. At full build-out, Swatara Exchange is expected to support up to 1,000 new jobs in its nearly 550,000 square feet of space and contribute approximately $1 million in additional tax revenue annually. Twelve new buildings, including two retail pad sites, will be constructed in total. “When formulating our long-term strategy for Harrisburg Mall, we factored in trends occurring throughout the retail industry, changing consumer shopping patterns, the local real estate landscape and the greater Harrisburg economic climate,” says Lawrence Maykrantz, president and CEO of St. John Properties. The developer plans to build 13,600 square feet of single-story office space and nearly 200,000 square feet …

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AcquisitionsLeasing ActivityNorth CarolinaOfficeSoutheastTop Stories

IBM Sells Portion of R&D Campus in Durham, North Carolina in $66M Sale-Leaseback Deal

by John Nelson

DURHAM, N.C. — IBM Corp. (NYSE: IBM) has sold a portion of the IBM 500 Campus in Durham, a city near Raleigh. The Armonk, New York-based computer hardware giant sold the property in a sale-leaseback deal. The price was not disclosed, but the Triad Business Journal reports it traded for $66 million. Located at 4205 S. Miami Blvd., the four-building property spans 774,000 square feet and is 100 percent leased to IBM. No plans were announced, but multiple media outlets report that the property is suited for future mixed-use redevelopment opportunities. The IBM 500 Campus sits on 146 acres next to Research Triangle Park (RTP), the largest research park in the United States. RTP is a district in the Raleigh-Durham metropolitan area that houses 375 private companies in technology and life sciences sectors who can draw talent from three established research universities: Duke University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University. IBM has had a presence in the RTP since the mid-1960s. Hines Global Income Trust Inc., a REIT managed by Houston-based Hines, purchased the IBM 500 facilities and leased them back to IBM. In addition to this acquisition, the firm is a partner developer on …

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AcquisitionsHealthcareTexasTop Stories

Sila Realty Trust Sells Metro Houston Hospital for $258.1M

by Taylor Williams

WEBSTER, TEXAS — Sila Realty Trust, a nontraded real estate investment trust based in Tampa, has sold the 199-bed UTMB Health Clear Lake Hospital in Webster, a southeastern suburb of Houston, for $258.1 million. The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), which is part of the larger UT healthcare system, occupies the 373,000-square-foot, acute-care hospital. The buyer was the Board of Regents of the University of Texas, which exercised a purchase option in the lease agreement. In addition to multiple onsite dining options, a family lounge and a children’s play area, the hospital offers: Sila Realty Trust is using proceeds from the sale to pay down existing debt and to fund other general corporate costs. “We are pleased to have executed the sale of the UTMB Health Clear Lake Hospital, which was a significant asset within our portfolio and one of our few owned short-term, acute-care hospitals,” says Michael Seton, president and CEO of Sila Realty Trust. “We anticipate expanding our high-quality, diversified healthcare portfolio into more outpatient and post-acute healthcare assets.” — Taylor Williams

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AcquisitionsCompany NewsLoansTop Stories

Blackstone Acquires 20 Percent Stake in $16.8B FDIC-Run Signature Bridge Bank Portfolio

by Jeff Shaw

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC), as receiver of Signature Bridge Bank, has sold 20 percent of its equity stake in the defunct bank. The agency received the loan portfolio after the failure of Signature Bank in March. Hancock JV Bidco L.L.C. (Hancock), an entity indirectly controlled by Blackstone Inc. and other investors, paid $1.2 billion for a 20 percent equity interest. The portfolio consists of approximately $16.8 billion in commercial real estate loans collateralized by office, retail and market-rate multifamily assets. FDIC will retain an 80 percent equity interest in the venture. Hancock will be responsible for the management, servicing and liquidation of the venture’s assets. The entity will also be required to manage the portfolio in accordance with the terms of the transaction, subject to monitoring and oversight by FDIC. The New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) took possession of Signature Bank on March 12. The bank failed after depositors withdrew substantial amounts of money in the wake of the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank on March 10. DFS named FDIC as receiver, and FDIC in turn transferred all deposits of Signature Bank to a new entity called Signature Bridge Bank. The bridge bank …

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Affordable HousingCaliforniaDevelopmentMultifamilyTop StoriesWestern

Thrive Living to Transform Industrial Site in Los Angeles into 376-Unit Mixed-Income Apartment Community

by Jeff Shaw

LOS ANGELES — Thrive Living, with the financial support of JPMorgan Chase, has announced plans to redevelop a former industrial storage facility into an affordable and workforce housing community at 1457 N. Main St. north of downtown Los Angeles. Completion is slated for December 2024. The six-story multifamily complex will feature 376 apartments for low- and moderate-income residents earning up to 80 percent of the area median income and individuals utilizing the Housing Choice Voucher program.  On-site community amenities will include a landscaped roof deck, barbecue and dining area with seating, a gym, recreation room, package delivery room and business center. The property is located near public transportation and will offer parking below the building with electric vehicle charging stations. JPMorgan Chase, through its Workforce Housing Solutions group (formerly Capital Solutions), is providing a $68.5 million construction loan to Thrive Living for the project. This is JPMorgan Chase’s first construction loan to a 100 percent rent- and income-restricted multifamily community. Thrive already secured entitlements for the site. The project aligns with Thrive’s mission to acquire and redevelop strategically located sites in urban markets that are experiencing significant housing affordability gaps. Like other Thrive communities, the project is privately financed without the …

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DevelopmentMixed-UseRetailSoutheastTop StoriesVirginia

Partnership Unveils Plans for 9 MSF Entertainment District Anchored by New Arena for Washington Capitals, Wizards in Virginia

by Kristin Harlow

ALEXANDRIA, VA. — A partnership between developer JBG Smith (NYSE: JBGS) and Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE) has unveiled plans to build a mixed-use entertainment district totaling approximately 9 million square feet in Alexandria, just south of Washington, D.C. Anchoring the project will be a new arena for the NHL’s Washington Capitals and NBA’s Washington Wizards within National Landing, an area encompassing the interconnected neighborhoods of Potomac Yard, Crystal City and Pentagon City.   Additionally, plans call for a global corporate headquarters for MSE, a Monumental Sports Network media studio, a Wizards practice facility, a performing arts venue and an e-sports facility. The development will be situated adjacent to the Virginia Tech Innovation Campus, the recently delivered Potomac Yard-VT Metro station and approximately 8.1 million square feet of future development opportunities. Project costs are estimated at $2 billion, according to The Washington Post. The project, which is pending legislative approval and completion of documents, is slated for completion by the end of 2028. The Capitals and the Wizards would relocate to Virginia beginning in 2028, should the proposal become finalized. The Capitals and the Wizards currently play at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. MSE says it is exploring the …

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Company NewsNortheastPennsylvaniaRetailTop Stories

PREIT Files for ‘Prepackaged’ Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, Will Operate as Private Company

by John Nelson

PHILADELPHIA — PREIT (OTCQB: PRET), a mall REIT giant based in Philadelphia, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The “prepackaged” bankruptcy was agreed to ahead of time by PREIT’s creditors, which will shorten the duration of the company’s bankruptcy proceedings. PREIT expects it will be able to emerge from bankruptcy by early February 2024. PREIT owns and operates 18 malls in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Maryland, Virginia, Michigan, North Carolina and South Carolina. The company has also expanded in recent years to the multifamily, hotel and healthcare sectors. According to PREIT’s third-quarter financial results, the company’s same-store net operating income declined 5.3 percent year-over-year. Additionally, its total mall occupancy was 93.6 percent, a decrease of 70 basis points from third-quarter 2022. Joseph Coradino, chairman and CEO of PREIT, cites a trifecta of COVID-19 disruptions, inflation and rising interest rates as leading to its voluntary filing with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. “Following the pandemic disruption, PREIT has worked tirelessly to enhance the portfolio, dramatically improve occupancy and diversify its tenancy,” says Coradino. “However, unusual economic conditions have limited the company’s options with respect to its debt obligations as meaningful achievements on the operating front were …

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AcquisitionsCompany NewsNew YorkRetailTop Stories

Investor Group Offers $5.8B Buyout of Venerable Retailer Macy’s

by Hayden Spiess

NEW YORK CITY — An investor group comprising Arkhouse Management and Brigade Capital Management has made a bid to buy out Macy’s (NYSE: M) for $5.8 billion, according to The Wall Street Journal. The offer from two of the retailer’s largest shareholders would include taking the company private. Real estate investment firm Arkhouse and global asset manager Brigade submitted the acquisition proposal Dec. 1, according to the publication. Macy’s boasts a total real estate portfolio value of $8.5 billion, according to J.P. Morgan analysts cited by Reuters.  Equating to $21 per share, the offer follows six quarters of net sales declines, reports Reuters. Shares are down roughly 15.8 percent this year and closed at $17.39 Friday, but saw a surge Monday following the news, trading at $20.13. Adjusted net income in the third quarter of this year was reported as $59 million by the retailer, including all Bloomingdale’s stores, marking a year-over-year decline of $84 million. Net sales for the quarter totaled $5 billion, down 7 percent from the third quarter of 2022, with comparable decreases to both digital and brick-and-mortar sales. Recently, the Macy’s retail strategy has included partnerships with Toys “R” Us, as well as a focus on the introduction of …

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CivicDevelopmentGeorgiaSoutheastTop Stories

U.S. Soccer Federation to Develop $228M National Training Center in Metro Atlanta

by Jeff Shaw

FAYETTEVILLE, GA. — The U.S. Soccer Federation has selected a site in Fayetteville, 22 miles south of downtown Atlanta, to develop its new National Training Center. The facility will be located within the master-planned community of Trilith and will span more than 200 acres. The development is expected to create 440 new jobs and costs $228 million to develop, according to the State of Georgia.  The National Training Center will serve as the headquarters for U.S. Soccer, which is currently based in Chicago. Plans for the facility include a dozen soccer fields; more than 100,000 square feet of indoor courts for all 27 of the U.S. Soccer national teams; and 200,000 square feet of facilities, locker rooms, meeting rooms and headquarters space for U.S. Soccer employees. The federation plans to break ground on the project in the spring of 2024. Arthur Bank, co-founder of The Home Depot and owner of Major League Soccer team Atlanta United and the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons, contributed $50 million to the development. According to U.S. Soccer, the site was chosen due to its proximity to the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Atlanta’s downtown area, optimal climate for year-round programming, the ability to impact the local …

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