ATLANTA — On behalf of its investors, Hunt Capital Partners (HCP) has transferred ownership of Ashford Parkside Senior Residences to a nonprofit affiliate of the Housing Authority of DeKalb County. Located in Atlanta, Ashford Parkside is a mid-rise, mixed-income seniors housing community built in 2007. Following the end of 15-year recapture period in 2022, a collaborative effort ensued between the nonprofit and HCP to reach a mutually beneficial outcome regarding the property’s future. The decision provides the Housing Authority of Dekalb County greater capital flexibility surrounding all aspects of property operations and repair projects as it shapes its long-term housing plan. Ashford Parkside offers a mix of one- and two-bedroom apartments. Of the 151 total units, 134 are dedicated to seniors with incomes ranging from 30 percent to 60 percent of the area median income (AMI). Additionally, two of the units are reserved for property management while the remainder are rented at market rates.
Southeast
SRS Brokers $3.7M Sale of Gas Station, Convenience Store in Central Florida Ground Leased to Wawa
by John Nelson
OCALA, FLA. — SRS Real Estate Partners has brokered the $3.7 million sale of a 6,119-square-foot gas station and convenience store situated on 2.3 acres at 8300 S.W. 100th St. in Ocala, a city in Central Florida. The newly constructed property has a 20-year, corporate-guaranteed ground lease in place with Wawa. Patrick Nutt and William Wamble of SRS represented the seller, an unnamed development firm based in Florida, in the transaction. The undisclosed, privately held buyer is based in Arizona and purchased the property in a 1031 exchange.
Songy Highroads, Matthews Southwest to Develop 400-Room Savannah Convention Center Hotel
by John Nelson
SAVANNAH, GA. — The Savannah Georgia Convention Center Authority has selected a joint venture between Songy Highroads and Matthews Southwest Hospitality to develop a 400-room hotel at The Savannah Convention Center. The authority also named Atlanta-based Cooper Carry as the lead architect for the project. Songy Highroads is starting a one-year design, engineering and pricing period for the hotel’s development, and will assist the Savannah Georgia Convention Center Authority with the financing for the hotel. The Savannah Convention Center is undergoing a $271 million expansion that will double the current exhibit hall space to 200,000 square feet, add a 40,000-square-foot ballroom and create 15 new meeting rooms. The new hotel is a direct result of the expansion and will double the number of hotel rooms at the Savannah Convention Center.
Concord Hospitality to Open 348-Room Westin Atlanta Gwinnett Hotel at Gas South District
by John Nelson
DULUTH, GA. — Concord Hospitality plans to open The Westin Atlanta Gwinnett, a 348-room hotel in the Atlanta suburb of Duluth, on Thursday, March 21. The hotel will serve as the flagship lodging option for Gas South District, a 118-acre multipurpose campus off Sugarloaf Parkway that is anchored by the Gas South Convention Center and Arena (formerly known as Infinite Energy Center). The Westin Atlanta Gwinnett features 27,000 square feet of meeting space with 16 event facilities, as well as a signature restaurant, SweetSong Kitchen & Bar, and a rooftop bar known as Overstory. The hotel also offers a presidential suite featuring a private terrace, two hospitality suites with outdoor terraces and four executive level and six standard suites. In July 2022, ACRES Capital Corp. originated a $74.8 million construction loan for Raleigh-based Concord Hospitality.
MCLEAN, VA. — Hilton plans to acquire Graduate Hotels, a hospitality brand with hotels in college towns such as Ann Arbor, Mich., and Chapel Hill, N.C. The brand was founded in 2014 and has grown to include hotels across the country, as well as in Oxford and Cambridge, United Kingdom. Hilton will pay $210 million to acquire all rights to the Graduate brand worldwide, enter into franchise agreements for all existing and signed pipeline Graduate Hotels, and become responsible for the brand’s future development and growth. Adventurous Journey Capital Partners (AJ Capital) will remain the owner of the more than 35 operating and pipeline Graduate properties, each of which will be operated under long-term Hilton franchise agreements. Hilton expects the deal to close in the second quarter, subject to customary closing conditions.
Berkadia Arranges $21.2M Acquisition Loan for Two Multifamily Communities in Jacksonville
by John Nelson
JACKSONVILLE, FLA. — Berkadia has arranged a $21.2 million acquisition loan for two garden-style apartment communities in Jacksonville. The properties, which total 328 units combined, include Colonial Forest at 5928 Firestone Road and Northwood Apartments at 1601 Dunn Ave. Matthew Robbins, Wesley Moczul, Mitch Sinberg, Scott Wadler and Brad Williamson of Berkadia arranged the bridge loan through The Bancorp on behalf of the borrower, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based Southeast Property Group. The fixed-rate, three-year loan includes $9.6 million for future capital expenditures. The seller of Colonial Forest and Northwood Apartments was not disclosed.
CHATTANOOGA, TENN. — Marcus & Millichap has brokered the $3.6 million sale of Brainerd Market Center, a 44,800-square-foot retail center located at 480 Greenway Drive in Chattanooga. The property was 80 percent leased at the time of sale to a mix of national, regional and local tenants, with the average tenant tenure being 14 years. Situated two miles from Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport, Brainerd Market Center is shadow-anchored by a Walmart Supercenter and is adjacent to East Gate Town Center. Zach Taylor of Marcus & Millichap’s Atlanta office represented the seller, an undisclosed Tennessee-based developer, in the transaction. Jody McKibben, Marcus & Millichap’s broker of record in Tennessee, assisted in closing the transaction.
MIDLOTHIAN, VA. — A joint venture between HHHunt Cos. and GrayCo will soon develop The Aire at Westchester, a 334-acre master-planned community located at the intersection of the Midlothian Turnpike and State Route 288 in suburban Richmond’s Chesterfield County. The property will house 2,200 residential units and 180,000 square feet of commercial space upon completion. David Smith of Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer represented GrayCo, which is the landowner, in the joint venture arrangement. HHHunt is the managing partner of the ownership group. HHHunt and GrayCo plan to break ground on Phase I of The Aire at Westchester in the spring.
MIAMI — JLL has arranged a $73.6 million acquisition loan for a four-property industrial portfolio. The assets are located in Fremont, Calif.; Houston; Gouldsboro, Pa.; and Tampa, Fla. Melissa Rose, Michael DiCosimo and Nicole Barba of JLL’s Miami office, along with JLL colleagues Colby Mueck (Houston), Michael Pagniucci (Philadelphia) and Taylor Gimian (San Francisco), arranged the financing on behalf of the borrower, a fund of Houston-based Hines. The four properties were fully leased to 10 tenants at the time of financing, including Coca-Cola, Tesla, Sysco, Costco and Americold.
Kolter Multifamily Begins Leasing 300-Unit Alton Serenoa Apartments in Clermont, Florida
by John Nelson
CLERMONT, FLA. — Kolter Multifamily LLC, an affiliate of Delray Beach, Fla.-based The Kolter Group, has begun leasing Alton Serenoa, a 300-unit apartment community in Clermont. The property sits about 26 miles west of Orlando and serves as a multifamily component of Serenoa, a master-planned community. Alton Serenoa will feature a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom floor plans, as well as a one-story clubhouse and a resort-style swimming pool. Monthly rental rates range from $1,535 to $2,305, according to the property website.