The city of Huntsville, Alabama, is no stranger to threats of economic disaster, so overcoming it is a matter of pulling together a team of commercial brokers and economic development professionals who will see office and industrial buildings half-full, rather than half-empty. In 1948, the U.S. Army hung a ‘For Sale’ sign on Redstone Arsenal, only to remove it for a team of rocket scientists. In the 1970s, Huntsville’s space industry packed its bags after the last Apollo launch, leaving the city like a bad divorce, before the hands of fate reached out in the form of missile defense. In 2005, the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) initiative set Huntsville on a fast track to economic growth and commercial prosperity. Three hard years of unprecedented national financial crashes played havoc with the market, but what remains is a handful of proverbial optimists. The North Alabama Commercial Brokers Association (NALCOM) meeting in February entertained a loyal group of survivors who at this point are unlikely to fail. They believe an increase in inquiries is a positive sign, even if they aren’t at 2007 levels. Rather than analyzing high vacancy rates and crying over companies who left two years ago, they shifted …
Southeast
MABLETON, DULUTH, AUBURN & AUSTELL, GA. — Welsh Property Trust has acquired seven industrial buildings totaling approximately 1.36 million square feet in Georgia for $64.95 million. Two of the properties are located in Mableton, two are in Duluth, one is in Auburn and two are in Austell. The portfolio is 100 percent leased. Colliers International's Atlanta office has been selected to manage the properties.
MIAMI — TIC Properties has sold a 103,250-square-foot US Postal Service Building, located at 7499 NW 31st St. in Miami, has sold for $6.05 million. Kristopher Wagner and John Crotty of Colliers International's South Florida office represented the seller in the transaction.
SAINT JOHNS, FLA. — Marcus & Millichap has brokered the $5.21 million sale of a 14,560-square-foot Walgreens located at 390 State Rd. 13 in Saint Johns. The sale included the assumption of an existing first mortgage loan. Patrick Whitney of the firm's Jacksonville, Fla., office represented the seller and Brad Nathanson of the firm's Philadelphia office procured the buyer, an individual trust.
ATLANTA — The General Services Administration (GSA) on behalf of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), has renewed its lease with Highwoods Properties for 137,000 square feet at 2635 Century Center Pkwy. in Atlanta. The GSA currently leases 663,000 square feet at Century Center for a number of federal agencies including the FBI, CDC and the Department of Veteran Affairs. Raleigh, N.C.-based Highwoods Properties' 17-building Century Center portfolio encompasses 1.7 million square feet and is 93.4 percent occupied.
MORROW, GA. — Education Realty Trust Inc. (EDR), a developer, owner and manger of collegiate housing, has completed the sale of Clayton Place for $20.5 million. The 854-bed apartment community serves Clayton College and State University in Morrow. CSU Foundation Real Estate II, LLC acquired the property from EDR under a lease-purchase agreement after leasing the property from EDR since February.
TAMPA, FLA. — Marcus & Millichap has arranged the $1.45 million sale of the 24-unit Bay Villa Apartments, located at 1402 South Bay Villa Pl. in Tampa. Casey Babb and Luis Baez of the firm's Tampa office represented the seller, a Tampa-based private investor, and procured the buyer, a Tampa-based partnership.
HANOVER, MD. — Oceaneering International has signed a 67,791-square-foot lease to expand its current warehouse space at Preston Gateway Corporate Park, located at 6090 Dorsey Rd. in Hanover, to a total of 114,478 square feet. Michael Elardo and Brian Kruger of Cushman & Wakefield's Industrial Services Group's Baltimore office represented Prudential Real Estate Investors, the landlord, in the transaction.
LAKELAND, FLA. — Atlanta-based Heery International has finished a 27,000-square-foot expansion at the Lakeland Regional Cancer Center in Lakeland. The project included additional physician offices, 26 new exam rooms, a special procedures center, light-filled lobby and waiting areas, a state-of-the-art high-dose radiation suite, two cystology rooms, urodynamics room, resource library, boutique, healing gardens and a cafe. Heery served as architectural, engineering, interior design and environmental consultant for the expansion.
NORFOLK, VA. — PF Norfolk d/b/a/ Planet Fitness has signed a 10-year, 16,900-square-foot lease at East Beach Marketplace, located at 4245 E. Little Creek Rd. in Norfolk. George Fox and Denbeigh Marchant of Virginia Beach, Va.-based Wheeler Real Estate Co. represented Little Creek Investment Corp., the landlord, in the transaction.