IRVINE, CALIF. — WNC, an investor focused on affordable real estate including seniors housing, has named 35-year industry veteran Howard Heitner to its advisory board. Heitner began his career in 1976 with the Federal Reserve Board in Washington, D.C. He has also served as president and member of the investment committee of JRK Residential America; as chief operating officer of SunAmerica Affordable Housing Partners; and spent nearly two decades as a partner with O’Melveny & Myers LLP. Heitner earned a bachelor’s degree from Bucknell University, as well as an M.B.A. and juris doctorate from the University of Chicago. He has served as chairman of the board of The Los Angeles Conservancy, and as a member of the Hollywood Community Housing Board, Shelter Partnership Board, Menorah Housing Foundation Board, Curtis School Board and Adobe Community Board’s finance committee. Heitner joins other WNC advisory board members Jim Ashby, CEO of CareMeridian; Denise Kiley, a low-income housing tax credits (LIHTC) specialist; and Michael Novogradac, managing partner in the San Francisco office of Novogradac & Company LLP.
EUGENE, ORE. — CBRE National Senior Housing has arranged construction financing for The Springs at Greer Gardens, a 216-unit independent living, assisted living and memory care community in Eugene. The borrower is a joint venture between developer and owner/operator The Springs Living and institutional equity partner Harrison Street. The community will consist of 30 independent living cottages, 79 independent living apartments, 75 assisted living units and 32 memory care units. The 256,100-square-foot, three-story main building will house the apartments, while the 30 cottages will be located directly adjacent. The entire development is situated on a 13.4-acre parcel. CBRE secured a five-year, floating-rate loan with 48 months of interest-only payments. The loan was placed through a national bank with a regional bank participant. Aron Will, executive vice president of CBRE National Senior Housing, arranged the loan.
STANTON, CALIF. — A joint venture between Heslin Holdings Inc., a privately owned commercial real estate investment and development firm, and San Diego-based Becker Properties has completed the disposition of a retail property located at 7910 Katella Ave. in Stanton. Safeco purchased the 81,000-square-foot property for $18.5 million. Food 4 Less fully occupies the building on a long-term lease through 2026. Steve Frey at Sperry Commercial and Chris Sands of Sands Investment Group represented Heslin Holdings in the transaction.
SAN DIEGO — TCA Architects has unveiled its design for Millennium Mission Valley, a mixed-use community located in San Diego’s Mission Valley. Situated on 5.3 acres, the property will feature 291 apartment homes, 14 live-work units and more than 9,000 square feet of retail space. The retail component includes two single-story retail structures and the 14 live-work units, which feature storefronts and retail awnings. The residential component is situated behind the retail space and a public paseo. Developed by The Dinerstein Companies, the project is scheduled for completion in fall 2017.
RENO, NEV. — Sundt Construction Inc. has completed construction of the new Peavine Hall residential community at the University of Nevada, Reno. The $35 million project, led by Sundt as the construction manager at risk, included demolition of multiple existing buildings and the construction of the 117,000-square-foot, five-story steel and concrete residence hall. Collaborative Design Studio designed the hall and LEED Gold certification is pending. The building features a brick veneer, suite-style housing for 400 students, common lounge spaces and state-of-the-art building systems. Located within the campus’ residential hall district, the new building complements the rest of the university’s campus architecture.
LAKE FOREST, CALIF. —Summit Healthcare REIT Inc. has named Suzanne Koenig to its board of directors after an election at the annual meeting of stockholders. Koenig is president and founder of SAK Management Services LLC, a long-term care management and healthcare consulting services company. With over 20 years of experience as an owner and operator, Koenig offers skills in operations improvement, staff development and quality assurance, with particular expertise in marketing, census development and operations enhancement for the whole spectrum of senior housing. Koenig is a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator and a Licensed Social Worker in multiple states. In addition, she has served in an advisory and consulting capacity for numerous client engagements involving bankruptcy proceedings as well as in turnaround management situations. Koenig also serves as an officer and director for several of the states’ long-term care provider associations. She is the former co-chair of the American Bankruptcy Institute’s (ABI) Health Care Committee, a co-chair for the Steering Committee of the Midwest Turnaround Management Association (TMA) Chapter, and was recently elected to the Global Turnaround Management Association Board of Trustees. She is on the board of directors for the School of Social Work at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana. …
SAN DIEGO — The Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians has opened a new $50 million hotel tower at the Viejas Casino and Resort in the eastern San Diego County submarket of Alpine. The 109-room tower includes a top-floor technology suite, as well as an additional gaming floor, specialty bar, ballroom, meeting and board rooms, resort-style pool, and extensive multi-use grounds. Construction on the tower began in June 2014. An existing administration building was demolished and the site was reconfigured prior to construction commencing. Swinerton Builders built the four-star resort project, which JCJ Architecture designed. Xpera CM managed the design and construction.
DENVER — A joint venture between the Bascom Group and funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management have purchased the 336-unit Axis at Nine Mile Station for $50 million. The community is located at 3257 S. Park Road. The property was built in 1980. It is situated adjacent to the Blue Line Light Rail, which will provide access to the Denver Tech Center Business Corridor, downtown Denver and Denver International Airport once it opens next spring. CBRE’s Brian Eisendrath and Annie Rice sourced the debt financing, which was provided by Mesa West Capital. Terrance Hunt and Jeff Hawks of ARA Newmark represented the seller.
LOS ANGELES — Est4te Four has purchased a 44,547-square-foot office building in Los Angeles for $21.6 million. The building is located at 929 East 2nd St. The acquisition includes additional land for development. Est4te Four plans to add more floors on top of the existing structure so it can redevelop the space into a hub with a retail component for the creative industry. The redevelopment is scheduled to commence next year.
CERRITOS, CALIF. — A private buyer has purchased Carmenita Corporate Plaza, a 68,779-square-foot office building in Cerritos, for $19.7 million. The property is located at 13340 E. 183rd St. It is fully leased to Infinity Property & Casualty Corp. Ryan Swanson and Chris Conway of Lee & Associates Irvine represented the buyer. CBRE’s Kevin Shannon, Paul Jones and Blake Bokosky represented the seller, Cohen Asset Management Inc..