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Market ReportsTexasTexas Market Reports

Borrowers Scramble to Lock In Rates

by Taylor Williams

The Federal Reserve met during the second week of June, and as expected, the nation’s central bank opted to raise short-term interest rates for the second time this year. In short order, this means that borrowing costs for banks are going up, which means that increased borrowing costs for consumers will follow close behind. At least one more rate hike is anticipated to occur before year’s end as part of the Fed’s stated goal of increasing the federal funds rate from its current range of 1.75 percent to 2 percent to 2.5 percent by year’s end. In addition, the Fed has pledged to continue its rate hikes through 2019 and potentially into 2020 as it pursues a tighter monetary policy. The capital markets behind commercial real estate in Texas have long seen these rate hikes coming — necessary measures to choke off inflation brought on by tax cuts, a ballooning stock market, an 18-year low unemployment rate and near-3-percent annual growth in GDP (2.9 percent in the first quarter). Some borrowers have been able to refinance existing debt and lock in favorable rates in advance of the Fed’s hikes. Those who didn’t, perhaps because their loans were too far removed …

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Mule-Alley-Fort-Worth-Stockyards
Leasing ActivityOfficeTexas

JLL Secures 77,000 SF Office Lease in Fort Worth for Advertising Firm

by Taylor Williams

FORT WORTH, TEXAS — JLL has secured a 77,000-square-foot office lease for local advertising firm Simpli.fi in Fort Worth. The space is situated within the historic Fort Worth Stockyards, which is currently being renovated by Stockyards Heritage Development Co., a partnership between California-based Majestic Realty Co. and Fort Worth-based The Hickman Cos. Simpli.fi is planning to bring more than 450 employees to its new offices. Ryan Matthews and Matt Montague of JLL represented the tenant in the lease negotiations. Seth Koschak and Tyler Maner of Stream Realty Partners represented Stockyards Heritage Development.

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IowaMarket ReportsMidwestMidwest Market Reports

Development Activity in Cedar Rapids Abounds Across Property Sectors

by Kristin Harlow

In a series of citywide events on June 13, the city of Cedar Rapids celebrated the recovery efforts from the historic flood of 2008 that crested that day 10 years ago. The events also remembered those that lost so much in the residential and business community. Many are still impacted by this natural disaster. As I have previously noted in past articles, the city’s recovery efforts have been nationally recognized, including: • All-America City Award in 2014 from the National Civic League, which recognizes communities where citizens work to identify and overcome citywide challenges and achieve uncommon results. • Phoenix Award in 2018 from the American Planning Association for outstanding achievement and innovation relating to environmental and community issues in the NewBo District redevelopment after the 2008 flood. • In July, Cedar Rapids ranked No. 13 on WalletHub’s list of the “Best-Run Cities in America.” The study compared the operating efficiency of 150 of the largest U.S. cities. But more than the above recognition, Cedar Rapids city government, businesses and citizens joined together to use temporary flood projection of earthen berms and sand filled defensive (Hesco) barriers to hold back a major flood event in September 2016, limiting damage to …

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Company NewsIllinoisMidwest

Cushman & Wakefield Announces IPO Pricing

by Kristin Harlow

CHICAGO — Cushman & Wakefield has announced the pricing of its initial public offering (IPO) of 45 million of its ordinary shares at a price to the public of $17 per share. The shares will be listed on the New York Stock Exchange and will trade under the symbol “CWK” beginning today. In addition, Cushman & Wakefield has granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 6.75 million ordinary shares at the public offering price less underwriting discounts and commissions. The Chicago-based real estate firm expects to use the net proceeds from the ordinary shares to reduce outstanding indebtedness. In particular, the firm plans to repay its second-lien loan, to pay the outstanding amount of the deferred payment obligation related to its acquisition of Cassidy Turley and any remaining net proceeds for general corporate purposes. Cushman & Wakefield filed for its IPO in June. Underwriters include a group of banks led by Morgan Stanley, J.P. Morgan, Goldman Sachs and UBS Investment Bank.

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AcquisitionsCaliforniaCompany NewsFloridaHealthcareSouth CarolinaSoutheastTop StoriesWestern

HCP Forms $605M Medical Office Joint Venture With Morgan Stanley

by Camren Skelton

IRVINE, CALIF. — Irvine-based real estate investment trust HCP (NYSE: HCP) has entered into a definitive agreement to form a new $605 million joint venture with Morgan Stanley Real Estate Investment (MSREI) on a 2 million-square-foot medical office building portfolio. MSREI will provide cash to the joint venture for a 49 percent stake, while HCP will contribute nine wholly owned medical office buildings valued at approximately $320 million. These assets, located primarily in Texas and Florida, comprise 1.2 million square feet of leasable space and are 80 percent occupied. The joint venture will use the cash contributed by MSREI to fund the $285 million acquisition of a medical office portfolio in Greenville, S.C. Healthcare Trust of America Inc. (NYSE: HTA) has agreed to sell the Greenville portfolio, which includes 16 medical office buildings totaling approximately 856,000 square feet. HTA originally acquired the portfolio in 2009 for $163 million as part of a sale-leaseback transaction. HCP and MSREI will immediately market for sale three of the smaller assets within the Greenville portfolio, leaving the venture with a combined 832,000 square feet of leasable space. Greenville Health System, the largest health system in South Carolina, occupies 94 percent of the portfolio’s square …

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Top Stories

Brookfield to Acquire Forest City in $11.4B All-Cash Merger

by Taylor Williams

CLEVELAND — Toronto-based Brookfield Asset Management Inc. (NYSE: BAM) has agreed to acquire Cleveland-based Forest City Realty Trust Inc. (NYSE: FCEA) in an all-cash transaction valued at $11.4 billion. The price includes Forest City’s consolidated and unconsolidated debt, which totals approximately $4.6 billion. The transaction is expected to close during the fourth quarter of 2018. Under the terms of the agreement, Brookfield will acquire Forest City for $25.35 per share. This figure represents a 26 percent premium over Forest City’s closing stock price of $20.03 per share on June 15, the day reports of the merger surfaced, as well as a 9 percent increase over the closing price of $22.99 per share on July 30. Forest City’s portfolio is mostly comprised of assets in gateway markets. The company’s holdings by property type span 6.3 million square feet of office space, 2.2 million square feet of retail space and 18,500 multifamily units. Flagship properties include the 52-story New York Times building in Manhattan and Pacific Park, a massive mixed-use development surrounding Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Additional components of the portfolio include 2.3 million square feet of life science properties, mostly located in Cambridge, Mass. Forest City also has five large-scale projects …

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DevelopmentGeorgiaLoansMarylandMixed-UseSoutheastTop Stories

Armada Hoffler Announces Two Mixed-Use Developments in Baltimore, Atlanta

by John Nelson

BALTIMORE AND ATLANTA — Armada Hoffler Properties Inc. (NYSE: AHH), a commercial real estate developer and investor based in Virginia Beach, is participating in two new mixed-use projects in Baltimore and Atlanta. The REIT’s wholly owned subsidiary, Armada Hoffler Construction Co., will serve as general contractor for both developments. In Baltimore’s Inner Harbor East district, Armada Hoffler is developing Wills Wharf, a 12-story mixed-use building that will anchor the 27-acre Harbor Point development. Armada Hoffler co-developed the other components of Harbor Point with Beatty Development Group, including the 500,000-square-foot Exelon mixed-use tower, the 260,000-square-foot Thames Street Wharf office building and Point Street Apartments. Situated on the waterfront of the Inner Harbor, the $117 million Wills Wharf project will span 325,000 square feet of office and retail space and will feature a 156-room Canopy by Hilton hotel on the top four floors. Armada Hoffler expects to deliver the building in the first quarter of 2020. “Wills Wharf represents the latest evolution of a relationship with the principals of Beatty Development Group that has spanned over two decades,” says Louis Haddad, president and CEO of Armada Hoffler Properties. “We are excited to continue our relationship with Beatty Development Group in leading Baltimore’s …

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Supervalu Distribution Center
AcquisitionsIndustrialMidwestMinnesotaTop Stories

Foodservice Distributor UNFI to Acquire Grocery Retailer Supervalu for $2.9B

by David Cohen

PROVIDENCE, R.I. AND MINNEAPOLIS — Natural and organic products distributor United Natural Foods Inc. (NASDAQ: UNFI) has agreed to acquire grocery retailer Supervalu Inc. (NYSE: SVU) for $2.9 billion. UNFI, which distributes to Whole Foods Market and other grocery chains, will pay $32.50 per share in cash for Supervalu, according to a joint statement. The deal includes the assumption of outstanding debt and liabilities. Steve Spinner, UNFI’s current CEO, will lead the combined entity. Sean Griffin, UNFI chief operating officer, will head the Supervalu integration efforts and lead an integration committee comprised of executives from both companies. Reasons cited for the acquisition were a diversified customer base, more cross-selling opportunities, larger market reach and scale. and an estimated $175 million in efficiency savings over the first three years. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Supervalu is one of the largest grocery wholesalers and retailers in the U.S., distributing to 3,437 stores. Supervalu operates 29 distribution centers serving 48 states and 114 grocery stores. Fiscal-year 2018 annual sales were approximately $14 billion. UNFI specializes in “healthier food options” and distributes more than 110,000 products to 43,000 customer locations including natural product superstores, independent retailers, conventional supermarket chains, ecommerce retailers and food service customers. “We have been executing an ambitious strategic transformation for over two …

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Company NewsTexas

Two Texas Community Banks to Merge in $1B Deal

by Taylor Williams

DALLAS AND HOUSTON — Dallas-based Veritex Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: VBTX), the parent company of Veritex Community Bank, and Houston-based Green Bancorp (NASDAQ: GNBC) have entered into an agreement that will merge Green and its subsidiaries with the Veritex brand. The transaction, which is valued at approximately $1 billion, will create a new lending institution with $7.5 billion in assets that will operate 43 branches across the state. The deal calls for Green’s shareholders to receive 0.79 shares of Veritex common stock for each share of Green common stock. The stocks are currently trading at about $32.77 per share for Veritex and $25.89 per share for Green. Closing is expected to occur during the first quarter of 2019.

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ConnecticutMarket ReportsMultifamilyNortheastNortheast Market Reports

Rent Growth, Higher Demand Lead to Improved Outlook for Connecticut Multifamily Market

by David Cohen

More apartments are being rented in Southern Connecticut, which is benefiting multifamily properties in the Fairfield County/New Haven region in several important ways. For New Haven, this means the return of rent growth. In Fairfield County, the added demand for rentals continues to support new development. An improved outlook for both markets has also positively influenced investment activity. In 2017, multifamily operators in the New Haven metropolitan area had one of their best years since the recession, thanks to improvements on multiple fronts. Appeal for apartments has generated the second-highest net absorption level so far this decade. Demand increased in the city itself, where Yale University and Yale New Haven Hospital offer numerous employment opportunities, as well as in the surrounding greater New Haven suburbs. Absorption of rental units surpassed that of deliveries by a multiple of three, facilitating a major drop in vacancy. The metro’s overall vacancy rate at the end of the first quarter was 4.7 percent, 270 basis points below where it was just two years ago. Equally important, healthier demand has also aided rent values. Monthly effective rates started to rise in 2017 after retreating in 2015 and 2016, with rent growth nearing 6 percent year over …

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