There has been much anecdotal discussion lately of Californians fleeing high-cost, high-density, high-traffic living for greener pastures, especially as COVID-19 made working from home a possibility for California’s high-tech workforce. This trend is not just a rumor for the residents of Idaho. Idaho is the second-fastest growing state in the nation[1], and Californians make up nearly 46 percent[2] of a new population influx that the state has experienced over the past five years. What is driving so many people from the Golden State to the Gem State, and what does this mean for commercial real estate prospects in Idaho? REBusiness sat down with Matt Mahoney, managing principal, Lee & Associates Idaho, to answer those questions. Remote Work and Booming Growth COVID-19-related remote work is driving people to areas where there is a high quality of life, natural beauty and an abundance of outdoor activities. Matt Mahoney notes that because Idaho’s population is lower to start with, the state can easily find itself at the top of lists of fast-growing states. Still, there is real growth in Idaho’s population (increasing 17.4 percent since the 2010 census[3]). However, Mahoney believes there is a lag between the exploding population and the commercial real estate …
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Ares Management to Acquire Black Creek Group, Creating Company with $29B in Assets Under Management
by Amy Works
LOS ANGELES AND DENVER — A subsidiary of Los Angeles-based Ares Management has agreed to acquire 100 percent of Denver-based Black Creek Group’s U.S. real estate investment advisory and distribution business. Black Creek Group had approximately $11.6 billion assets under management as of March 31 in core/core-plus real estate strategies across two non-traded REITs and various institutional fund vehicles and spanning industrial, multifamily, office and retail property types. Additionally, the firm’s senior management team has an average of 25 years of experience in sourcing, acquiring, operating and developing properties in the United States. The transaction is expected to expand the Ares Real Estate Capital’s existing capabilities and product offerings. The buyers says the deal will also broaden its real estate platform with vehicles that complement the firm’s existing real estate debt and U.S. and European value-add and opportunistic funds. The combined real estate group will have approximately $29 billion assets under management and the transaction will boost Ares’ non-traded REIT capital by $5.1 billion. Upon closing, key members of the Black Creek leadership team will remain in place and become part of the Ares Real Estate Group, which Bill Benjamin leads. “[This transaction] further scales our real estate business, expands …
CBRE Global Purchases 320-Unit Fletcher Southlands Apartment Community in Aurora, Colorado
by Amy Works
AURORA, COLO. — CBRE Global Investors, on behalf of a separate account client, has acquired Fletcher Southlands, a garden-style multifamily property in Aurora. Terms of the transaction were not released. Fletcher Southlands features 320 units in a mix of one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom layouts with nine-foot ceiling heights, stainless steel appliances, private outdoor patios, in-unit washers/dryers, walk-in closets and fireplaces in select units. Community amenities include a heated outdoor pool, lounge area, dog park, dog wash, sun deck, picnic areas, renovated fitness center, basketball court, outdoor grills, fire pit, playground, indoor game room and package lockers. With this investment, CBRE Global Investors has a portfolio of nearly 900 multifamily units representing more than $260 million assets under management in the Denver metro area.
FLAGSTAFF, ARIZ. — Walker & Dunlop has arranged debt and equity financing for the purchase of The Bungalows on Pine Cliff, a build-for-rent housing developing in Flagstaff. The structured transaction includes $37.6 million in bridge financing as part of a joint venture partnership. St. Clair Holdings is the borrower. Heather McClure of Walker & Dunlop’s Build-for-Rent (BFR) team advised the borrower and identified New York City-based Dome Equities as a capital partner for the project. Dave Hendrickson and Pat Modig of Walker & Dunlop’s Capital Markets group identified the opportunity and collaborated with the firm’s BFR and structured finance teams to provide the full capital solution. Developed in 2020, Bungalows on Pine Cliff features detached one-, two- and three-bedroom rental homes averaging 1,097 square feet. Community amenities include a leasing center, clubhouse, modern kitchen, fitness center, dog washing station, gas fire pits with seating areas, bocce ball court, dog park, barbecues and two electric car charging stations.
DENVER — Capstone has arranged the purchase of The Arboretum, a newly built apartment community located at 2049 S. Columbine St. in Denver’s University Park neighborhood. An undisclosed buyer acquired the property from Denver-based Red T for $17.5 million. The 58,2138-square-foot community features 45 apartments in a mix of 12 one-bedroom/one-bath and 33 two-bedroom/two-bath units. Residences offer Nest thermostats and ceiling fans. Community amenities include a dry-cleaning closet, Amazon parcel lockers, security cameras, video access control of entry door from within each unit, digital keypads for unit access, gas grills, firepit and dog run. Adam Riddle and Jason Koch of Capstone represented the buyer in the deal.
Berkadia Secures $50.2M HUD Refinancing for Seniors Housing Community in Portland, Oregon
by Amy Works
PORTLAND, ORE. — Berkadia Seniors Housing & Healthcare has arranged a $50.2 million HUD 232/223(a)(7) refinancing for a 253-unit independent living, assisted living and memory care community in Portland. “Historically, the property has maintained an occupancy percentage in the low 90s and ended 2020 with an occupancy of 88 percent, showing impressive resilience throughout the pandemic,” says Ed Williams of Berkadia, who led the refinancing. “The HUD refinance will allow the borrower to save on debt service and MIP payments through the combination of a lower rate and an extension of the loan term to 40 years, which was the term of the original loan.” The name of the community and borrower were not disclosed.
By Tory Glossip, Managing Director, Colliers Puget Sound has 553,566 square feet of retail under construction, comprising 0.4 percent of existing inventory. The market dynamic will keep retail property values in the Pacific Northwest higher than most U.S. markets that are overbuilt. Puget Sound’s retail market posts rents 30 percent above the national average at $20.71 per square foot. Pricing is traditionally a function of supply and demand. In the retail world, that demand relies partially on income. The most expensive markets to lease retail space also happen to have the highest incomes…by far. Despite ideas in some circles that retail is dead, physical footprints will continue to be an important part of the retail landscape, although less so in downtown areas until workers return to the office. Most consumers have retreated to submarkets, leaving retailers to explore alternative options to use their property more effectively. Brands are expanding their reach with small-format stores and cross-promoting their products and services in showrooms. Many are leveraging smaller footprints into touch-and-feel locations that seamlessly blend online browsing and in-store purchasing. The shopping mall as we know it will have a different look and feel post-COVID. With big box retail reallocating existing space into localized …
LOS ANGELES — San Francisco-based SteelWave has purchased The Switchyard, a Class A creative office campus in the Arts District of Los Angeles. Los Angeles-based CEG Construction sold the property for $80 million. The Switchyard consists of two low-rise office buildings, offering a total of 150,451 square feet, located at 500 and 540 S. Santa Fe Ave. Constructed in 2019, the 500 property consists of a newly constructed five-story creative office building totaling 100,000 square feet and offering ground-floor retail space and a penthouse with an open deck. The 540 property consists of a two-story, 50,888-square-foot building, which was built in 2012. Both buildings feature secured parking and gated and secured entry. SteelWave plans to implement a capital improvements program at the campus, including updating the buildings’ exteriors and improving on-site amenities. Mike Condon Jr., Steve Marcussen, Erica Finck and Bailey Dawson of Cushman & Wakefield represented the buyer and seller in the deal. Cushman & Wakfield’s Peter Collins, Brittany Winn, Scott Menkus and Alexa Delahooke provided market leasing advisory, while Rob Rubano, Brian Share, Joseph Lieske, Ernesto Sanchez, Keith Padien and Greg Napper of Cushman & Wakefield assisted the buyer with financing.
Regency Centers Sells 92,110 SF Gateway 101 Retail Center in East Palo Alto, California
by Amy Works
EAST PALO ALTO, CALIF. — Regency Centers has completed the sale of Gateway 101, a shopping center located at 1771 E. Bayshore Road in East Palo Alto. A private foreign investor acquired the property for $53.2 million. Built in 2000 and renovated in 2017, Gateway 101 features 92,110 square feet of retail space. At the time of sale, the property was fully occupied by Target and Nordstrom Rack. The asset is a part of a larger 430,000-square-foot retail property. Bryan Ley, Eric Kathrein and Tony Ensbury of JLL Capital Markets represented the seller in the deal.
Parkview Financing Provides $42M Construction Loan for Waterfront Residential Project in Washington
by Amy Works
CAMAS, WASH. — Parkview Financial has provided a $42 million construction loan to Kirkland Development for the construction of The Ledges at Columbia Palisades, a multifamily community located at 19801 E. Ascension Loop in Camas. Slated for completion in 2022, the project is entitled for 90 apartments and 51 condominiums. Situated on 1.3 acres, the 192,701-square-foot, two-building development will consist of five stories and two partially subterranean parking levels with 231 parking spaces. The apartment component will offer 18 studio, 51 one-bedroom and 21 two-bedroom units with an average size of 715 square feet. The condominium portion will consist of 42 two-bedroom units averaging 1,226 square feet and nine three-bedroom units averaging 2,102 square feet. Community amenities will include a lobby, lounge, mail room, bike room, fitness center, two pools, a roof deck, dog washing station and car washing station.