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IndustrialMarket ReportsTexasTexas Market Reports

Texas Industrial Owners Adopt Short-Term Solutions for COVID-19

by Taylor Williams

In response to the outbreak of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, industrial landlords in Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) are demonstrating greater flexibility on short-term lease structures in order to keep deals moving forward. With most of the nation sheltering in place to stem the spread of the virus, e-commerce activity is accelerating, leading to greater demand for distribution and logistics services. In addition, supply chain operators that service essential industries  — such as grocery, healthcare, construction and infrastructure — are working overtime to store and ship the necessary product to end users.  In addition, many of these suppliers are also carrying more inventory. This is because are at interest rates are at historic lows, making it cheaper to stockpile goods and equipment, and because the global healthcare crisis has caused demand for certain foods, household products and consumer goods to skyrocket. All of this activity translates to short-term disruption in industrial real estate. Some deals are on hold, and the market is now seeing more unforeseen requirements from firms that need additional space for inventory storage, as well as from distribution and logistics users that are hiring more workers and shipping more product. “Several larger distribution companies are still …

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CaliforniaCompany NewsGeorgiaRestaurantSoutheastTop StoriesWestern

Roark Capital Invests $200M in The Cheesecake Factory Amid Pandemic-Related Closures

by John Nelson

ATLANTA AND CALABASAS HILLS, CALIF. — Roark Capital Group, a private equity firm based in Atlanta, has invested $200 million in The Cheesecake Factory Inc. (Nasdaq: CAKE), owner and operator of the chain of restaurants of the same name. The Calabasas Hills-based company also owns and operates the North Italia chain, as well as a collection of restaurants within the Fox Restaurant Concepts subsidiary. The funds will be used to immediately help The Cheesecake Factory navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, in which its dine-in service has been closed. The company, which has been handling takeout orders and deliveries through the DoorDash app, preliminarily reported its off-premise sales in first-quarter 2020 increased by 85 percent from the previous quarter. Specific details of Roark Capital’s capital infusion were not disclosed, but David Overton, chairman and CEO of The Cheesecake Factory, says the investment will improve the company’s liquidity. “This transaction not only gets our affected staff members back to work as soon as practicable, but also importantly solidifies our ability to manage the business for the long-term for all of our stakeholders once we emerge on the other side of this crisis,” says Overton. “Moreover, Roark’s investment underscores the strength of our brands, …

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ArkansasCompany NewsRetailSoutheast

Walmart Reaches Goal to Hire 150,000 Associates, Pledges to Hire 50,000 More Amid COVID-19 Crisis

by Alex Tostado

BENTONVILLE, ARK. — Amid the COVID-19 crisis sweeping the nation, Walmart set a goal in mid-March of hiring 150,000 associates before May 1. Since then, the Bentonville-based retailer has hired an average of 5,000 people per day, surpassing its goal. Now Walmart has its sights set on hiring another 50,000 people. In a statement, the company said most of the new hires will be temporary who will support current associates and customers in locations with specific needs. Additionally, 85 percent of the 150,000 new associates are temporary or part-time workers. Walmart said it worked with more than 70 companies that furloughed workers to hire the associates. In stores, Walmart will hire cashiers, stockers and personal shoppers. In distribution centers and fulfillment centers, it will hire additional fillers and pickers. Walmart also plans to add more drivers to its fleet. Walmart is considered an essential business, so its doors remain open and its e-commerce operations are still running as well.

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IndustrialMidwestSouth Dakota

Smithfield Foods Closes Pork Processing Plant in South Dakota Indefinitely as COVID-19 Cases Rise

by Kristin Harlow

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Smithfield Foods Inc. has closed its pork processing plant in Sioux Falls until further notice. Nearly 250 workers tested positive for the coronavirus, more than half of the active coronavirus cases in the state of South Dakota, according to Gov. Kristi Noem. The Smithfield plant is one of the largest pork processing facilities in the U.S., representing 4 to 5 percent of U.S. pork production. It supplies nearly 130 million servings of food per week, or about 18 million servings per day. Smithfield employs 3,700 workers at the facility and more than 550 independent family farmers supply the plant. “The closure of this facility, combined with a growing list of other protein plants that have shuttered across our country, is pushing our country perilously close to the edge in terms of our meat supply,” says Kenneth Sullivan, president and CEO of Smithfield. “It is impossible to keep our grocery stores stocked if our plants are not running.” Virginia-based Smithfield will resume operations in Sioux Falls once local, state and federal officials give further direction. The company will continue to compensate its employees for the next two weeks.

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MassachusettsNortheast

Diversified Healthcare Trust Reduces Quarterly Common Share Dividend to Preserve Capital

by Alex Patton

NEWTON, MASS. — Diversified Healthcare Trust (DHC), a metro Boston-based REIT focused on healthcare and life sciences, will reduce its regular quarterly cash dividend on shares of common stock from 15 cents per share in the fourth quarter of 2019 to 1 cent per share in the first quarter of 2020. The capital-saving move comes in response to the operating challenges and uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and market disruptions, and is estimated to conserve approximately $33.3 million in cash per quarter. The REIT will reassess its position on a quarterly basis. DHC also expects to conserve capital by deferring certain nonessential capital investments that are expected to save up to $150 million in 2020. DHC’s medical office and life science portfolio includes approximately 12 million square feet across more than 420 properties located in 39 states and Washington, D.C.  

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DevelopmentIllinoisIndustrialMidwest

Meridian Design Build Completes Construction of 84,000 SF Meat Processing Facility in Chicago

by Kristin Harlow

CHICAGO — Meridian Design Build has completed construction of an 84,000-square-foot USDA meat processing facility for Amylu Foods within Chicago’s Stockyards Industrial Park at 1400 W. 44th St. Amylu has relocated from its West Loop plant, where it operated for more than 95 years. The new sausage processing plant includes 56,000 square feet of production and cold storage space, a freezer, a 16,500-square-foot office space, a test kitchen and laboratory space. Meridian also installed an expandable ammonia refrigeration plant for cooling and production loads. Harris Architects and Kimley-Horn made up the project team.

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AlabamaDevelopmentMultifamilySoutheast

Dobbins Group Breaks Ground on 204-Unit Multifamily Community Near Birmingham

by Alex Tostado

GARDENDALE, ALA. — Dobbins Group LLC has broken ground on a yet-to-be-named multifamily community in Gardendale. The Birmingham, Ala.-based developer says the 204-unit community will offer one-, two- and three-bedroom floor plans averaging 977 square feet and expects rent to range from $1,175 to $1,800 per month. All units will have nine-foot ceilings, granite countertops, oversized soaking tubs, walk-in closets in every bedroom, custom cabinetry and appliances. Communal amenities will include a saltwater pool, fitness center, fire pits, multiple grilling stations, walking trail and a dog park. Capstone Building Corp. is the general contractor, and Williams Blackstock Architects is the architect. Synovus Financial is financing the project, which has a budget of more than $30 million. Dobbins Group expects to complete the complex by the end of 2021.

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Company NewsMarylandSoutheastTop Stories

Under Armour to Furlough 6,600 Workers Beginning April 12

by Taylor Williams

BALTIMORE — In response to the spread of COVID-19, Under Armour Inc. (NYSE: UA) will temporarily lay off some 6,000 employees at its outlet stores around the country and approximately 600 workers at its U.S. distribution centers, effective Sunday, April 12. The Baltimore-based sports apparel retailer also said it would extend current store closures until further notice. In addition, the company’s board of directors and executive vice presidents will be taking 25 percent pay cuts during the public health crisis. Under Armour workers at distribution centers that continue to work will be paid premium bonuses. The company will cover full health benefits for employees for approximately two months during the layoff period. “In these unprecedented and challenging times, the majority of stores where Under Armour is available remain closed, contributing to a significant decline in revenue,” says Patrik Frisk, the company’s president and CEO. “While we’re thankful for the meaningful balance sheet improvements we’ve driven over the past two years and are seeing some early signs of recovery in our Asian-Pacific region, this unanticipated shock to our business has been acute, forcing us to make difficult decisions to ensure that Under Armour is positioned to participate in the eventual recovery of demand.” Prior to …

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NIC-Quote
FeaturesMultifamilySeniors Housing

Wide-Ranging Financial Fallout Expected as Seniors Housing Industry Confronts Pandemic, Says Economist

by Alex Patton

Great uncertainties cloud the immediate outlook for the U.S. economy and the seniors housing industry in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. But one thing is certain: Unlike other industries that have been forced to shut down, senior living communities are open and continue to serve residents. With that framework in mind, a March 26 webinar sponsored by the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care (NIC) addressed the ongoing financial implications of the COVID-19 pandemic for operators, developers and capital providers. The webinar is the first in a series of NIC-hosted webinars to address industry challenges related to the pandemic. Webinar participants included Beth Mace, NIC chief economist; Jim Costello, senior vice president, Real Capital Analytics; Kurt Read, principal, RSF Partners; Matthew Ruark, senior vice president, head of commercial and healthcare mortgage production, KeyBank Real Estate Capital; and Kevin McMeen, president, real estate, MidCap Financial Services. Early impact The immediate financial repercussions of the pandemic include a stall in transactions, a rise in lender caution, confusion over valuations, and a search for clarity on how the disease will impact occupancies going forward. The most startling data point was noted by Mace at the outset. Weekly jobless claims March …

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Craig Hagglund, Lee & Associates
Content PartnerFeaturesIndustrialLee & AssociatesNortheast Feature ArchiveRetailWestern Feature Archive

Free Returns: How Reverse Logistics Impacts Industrial Real Estate

by Sarah Daniels

The industrial sector has been the preferred asset class of commercial real estate in recent years. “The rate of return for industrial real estate has been higher than that of any other class for nearly half a decade,” says Jeff Rinkov, CEO of Lee & Associates. These rates of return are the result of permanent changes in consumer behavior and preferences — and recent events are driving more rapid changes in consumers’ e-commerce shopping. Though it remains to be seen how the economic impact of the coronavirus will influence various sectors of real estate, the pandemic has meant a sudden uptick in reliance upon industrial real estate as consumers turn to online shopping in the face of in-store shortages and shelter-at-home orders or social distancing practices. As brick-and-mortar stores close temporarily, retail companies and logistics professionals grapple with the increased volume of both online orders and e-commerce returns. What do facilities for e-commerce look like as customer expectations for e-commerce grow? How do companies process returns in an efficient and cost-effective manner, a critical element of success for e-commerce companies? Consumers increasingly prefer to shop online instead of going to brick and mortar stores. E-commerce sales accounted for more than …

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