MESA, ARIZ. — A joint venture between Henley USA and Modern Residential Co. has acquired the 265-unit Sonoma Villas apartments in Mesa for $22.4 million. The community is located at 1800 E. Covina St. Sonoma Villas was built in 1980. The JV plans to enhance the property by making strategic improvements to the common area amenities, apartment interiors, leasing space and clubhouse. The Jones Group represented the buyer, while David and Steve Gebing of Institutional Property Advisors represented the seller, a joint venture between Mentor Properties and ReNUE Properties, in this transaction.
Arizona
MESA, ARIZ. — The Opus Group has announced plans to build a 147,672-square-foot speculative industrial project inside the Longbow Business Park and Golf Club in Mesa. The project will be called Longbow Gateway One. Construction is scheduled to begin this month, with an estimated completion date of January 2018. The project will be situated near the southeast corner of Higley Road and Longbow Parkway, near the 2 million-square-foot Boeing Co. manufacturing facility. Opus Design Build will construct the property, which designed by Opus AE Group will design. CBRE’s John Werstler and Cooper Fratt will lease the space.
PHOENIX — Popbar, a maker of frozen treats founded in New York City in 2010, has opened its first location in Phoenix at Westgate Entertainment District. The company currently has 24 locations. Popbar has 12 stores in the U.S., in states such as New York, California, North Carolina and Florida, and 12 stores internationally in countries like Canada, Panama, Singapore and Russia. There are currently seven stores under construction in new territories, with more planned. Popbar’s Phoenix location is the third to open this year. Popbar serves handcrafted gelato, sorbetto and yogurt on a stick. All pops are made in-house daily with all natural ingredients.
TUCSON, ARIZ. — HFF has arranged the $21.5 million sale of Ventana Village, a 110,116-square-foot shopping center in Tucson. Bashas’ Supermarket anchors the 90.8 percent occupied center, which is home to tenants including Tuesday Morning, Risky Business, Wells Fargo, El Charro Café, Subway, The UPS Store and Ventana Animal Hospital. CJ Osbrink and Gleb Lvovich of HFF represented the seller, Westwood Financial, in the transaction. Austin, Texas-based Epic Real Estate Partners purchased the asset free and clear of existing debt.
TEMPE, ARIZ. — Arizona State University and American Campus Communities have opened The Fulton Schools Residential Community at Tooker House, a 1,600-bed residential community for undergraduate students in the university’s engineering school. The “dorm for engineers” features on-site digital classrooms and state-of-the-art maker spaces complete with 3D printers, laser cutters and design tools needed for a broad range of engineering courses and projects. The community also offers a 525-seat dining facility, Bluetooth-enabled laundry rooms that notify residents when their clothes are dry, advanced green building technology and high speed internet. Solomon Cordwell Buenz designed the property. In total, American Campus Communities has developed seven communities totaling 7,719 beds for ASU, an investment in excess of $540 million.
Cathedral Development Completes $33M Conversion of Historic Hotel to Affordable Community for Seniors
by Nellie Day
PHOENIX — Cathedral Development Group has completed the $33 million conversion of a historic luxury hotel in Phoenix into The Historic Westward Ho Apartments, an affordable seniors housing community. Originally built in 1928, the hotel hosted famed guests such as President John F. Kennedy, President Ronald Reagan, Jackie Gleason and Paul Newman throughout its history. Cathedral purchased the property in 1978 and has spent 40 years trying to preserve and restore the property. Cathedral Development Group utilized public/private programs to help fund three separate renovation projects. The renovations included new energy efficient heating and cooling features, a new plumbing system throughout the property to enhance water efficiency, new features in select units such as kitchen cabinets, floors, bathroom fixtures, energy efficient windows, a lightning protection system for the building and the restoration of the historic courtyard fountain. In a related but separately funded project, the first floor commercial space was remodeled and a long-term lease signed with Arizona State University. The property can now host up to 289 elderly and disabled residents. Based in Providence, R.I., Cathedral Development Group is working on projects in Rhode Island, New York, Maine, Connecticut, Arizona and Delaware.
PHOENIX — Cushman & Wakefield has arranged the sale of Camelback Center, a 32,963-square-foot shopping center located in Phoenix. CVS/pharmacy and Total Wine anchor the center, which is fully occupied by tenants including Chipotle Mexican Grill, Massage Envy, European Wax Center and Jimmy Johns. Michael Hackett and Ryan Schubert of Cushman & Wakefield represented the undisclosed seller in the transaction. Perry Investment Trust purchased the property. Terms of the sale were undisclosed.
TEMPE, ARIZ. — A joint venture between Passco Cos. and InSite Property Ventures has sold the 270-unit Ovation at Tempe to an undisclosed buyer for $36 million. The community is located at 4502-4505 S. Hardy Drive in Tempe. The JV initially acquired the asset for $25.8 million in 2014. Rents in metro Phoenix have increased by 5.6 percent over this past year alone, according to the sellers. The JV implemented a series of interior and exterior improvements to the apartment community during its ownership. This included upgrading unit interiors, constructing additional carports, and enhancing the property’s exterior and community amenities.
Harbert Management Corp. Acquires Ownership Stake in 628,000 SF Mixed-Use Development in Phoenix
by Katie Sloan
PHOENIX — Harbert Management Corp. has acquired an ownership stake in High Street, a 628,000-square-foot mixed-use development located in Phoenix. Although the sales price was not disclosed, the buyer received a $93.5 million acquisition loan to fund the transaction. The property occupies 24.9 acres at 5100-5450 E. High St. along Loop 101 in northeast Phoenix, and features 88 multifamily units; 174,705 square feet of retail, dining and entertainment; and 330,369 square feet of office space. Tenants at the 83.7 percent leased center include Sprouts, Kona Grill, La Bocca, Pinspiration, Mellow Mushroom, Blue Martini, Ocean Prime and Modern Margarita. City North Associates LLC, a joint venture between ScanlanKemperBard Cos. and a private investment fund managed by Wayzata Investment Partners LLC, previously owned the property. Harbert Management has replaced Wayzata Investment Partners, now owning the property in partnership with ScanlanKemperBard. Ryan Gallagher, CJ Osbrink, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Clark Cashion of HFF worked on behalf of the original joint venture owner to procure the buyer in the transaction. Jeremy Womack and Tom Wilson of HFF worked on behalf of the new ownership to secure the acquisition loan through TPG RE Finance Trust. ScanlanKemperBard Cos. is a real estate merchant banking firm that acquires, develops …
PHOENIX — Rivendell Global Real Estate has acquired the 208-unit San Paulo apartment complex in Phoenix for $32.5 million. The complex is located at 14625 S. Mountain Parkway. It was built in 1996. Community features include a swimming pool, 24-hour fitness center and resident clubhouse. CBRE’s Sean Cunningham, Tyler Anderson, Asher Gunter and Matt Pesch represented the seller, PrivatePortfolio Group, in this transaction.