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FeaturesRestaurantRetail

Now that the Dust is Settling – The Future of Retail in a Post-Pandemic World

by Jeff Shaw

By Carlos Lopez, Executive Vice President, Hanley Investment Group Real Estate Advisors The fears from the COVID-19 pandemic and the accompanying government-mandated shutdowns and social distancing measures transformed the way Americans, lived, worked, shopped, ate, exercised and watched movies. In many ways, the habits formed during the shutdowns have opened up opportunities to radically change many aspects of life. For the retail industry, the impact of COVID-19 in 2020 was profoundly devastating. For small businesses and restaurants forced to shut down for extended periods of time or quickly modify their business model to accommodate the mandated closures, they were unable to operate and many were forced to close permanently. On the chain retail front, already struggling from the changing consumer preferences and the forces of e-commerce, the lockdowns and mandated closures by governmental agencies was the final nail in the coffin for many. In 2020 alone, an unprecedented number of retailers declared bankruptcy and by November of 2020, nearly 49 chain and national retailers had declared bankruptcy. The amount was greater than retail bankruptcies occurring in 2009 during the financial crisis. Some of the popular retailers and household names of these retailers included: JC Penney, Neiman Marcus, GNC, Brooks Brothers, Sur la …

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YOUnion @ Ann Arbor
FeaturesMultifamilyStudent Housing

Rethinking Student Housing Design in Response to COVID-19

by Katie Sloan

When the world shut down over a year ago, architects, designers and developers took a collective pause to assess what needed to change in the built environment. A particularly scrutinous eye was paid to off-campus student housing, a sector whose successful model was based on bringing students together, not keeping them a safe distance apart. Some sweeping changes were recommended at the onset — many operational in nature, based on the latest guidance from health officials. As courses moved online and on-campus residence halls closed, off-campus communities emerged as a safe haven for students who did not want to — or were unable to — return home. The resilience of the sector, as evidenced last fall by pre-leasing rates and rents that were only slightly below 2019 levels, suggested the temporary tweaks made out of necessity in 2020 worked. The real question was whether those modifications would carry through to newly developed and renovated communities post-pandemic, and if so, what form they might take. Our firm took the time to reflect on how design must evolve to meet the changing needs and expectations of students, parents, operators and developers — all of which have different priorities. At the top of …

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Disney-Grand-Californian-Hotel-Spa-Anaheim-CA
CaliforniaCompany NewsHospitalityRetailWestern

Disneyland to Reopen California Amusement Parks on April 30

by Amy Works

ANAHEIM, CALIF. — Disneyland Resort will reopen its theme parks Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park on April 30, with limited capacity and more than 10,000 cast members. Additionally, Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa will welcome guests starting on April 29, as part of Hotels of the Disneyland Resort’s phased reopening. To comply with government requirements and promote physical distancing, various new measures are in place at the park, with the Disneyland Resort managing attendance through a new theme park reservation system that requires all guests to obtain a reservation for park entry in advance. Theme park reservations will be limited and subject to availability, and until further notice, only California residents may visit the parks. Groups must be no larger than three households, in line with current state guidelines. Disneyland’s phased reopening includes: Downtown Disney District – currently open Disney’s Grand California Hotel & Spa — April 29 Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park — April 30 Disneyland Hotel and Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel — to be determined Disneyland Resort will reopen and operate updated sanitization and distancing protocols, including enhanced cleaning and housekeeping modifications, plus operational changes for physical distancing and reduced contact. Guests planning …

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Broadstone-Watch-City-Waltham-Massachusetts
Affordable HousingFeaturesMultifamily

COVID-19 Changed the Way We Calculate Affordable Housing Property Taxes

by Jeff Shaw

By Carlos Suarez, Popp Hutcheson After a pandemic year that decimated rental incomes, owners of affordable housing properties should prepare to protest property tax assessments that overstate their liability. As stay-at-home orders in 2020 forced businesses across the county to change their operations, a large portion of the labor force began to work from home. But many renters, including a large contingent of affordable housing residents, found themselves without jobs and struggling to pay rent. Job losses and other issues related to COVID-19 adversely affected tenants and property owners alike, straining rental income while adding the cost of new safety procedures and equipment to landlords’ operating costs. To reduce property tax liabilities and limit financial losses from the pandemic, it is now crucial for owners of affordable housing to correctly navigate procedures across jurisdictions and weigh all relevant valuation considerations for their properties. Here are key areas for affordable housing owners to consider in arguing for a lower assessment. Procedures have changed The global pandemic transformed interactions between appraisal districts and property owners throughout the 2020 tax year. Many appraisal districts across Texas closed their doors to the public and shifted formal and informal meetings to a virtual setting to …

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Olshonsky receivership NAI
Content PartnerFeaturesHospitalityMidwestNAINortheastOfficeSoutheastTexasWestern

Evaluating the Volume of Distressed Properties in the Wake of COVID

by Sarah Daniels

Many in commercial real estate expected a tsunami of COVID-related distressed properties in 2020 and 2021. So far, the wave hasn’t materialized, says Jay Olshonsky, president and CEO of NAI Global. Businesses have been sustained by exogenous factors that may or may not keep them from foreclosure or receivership in the long term. In many cases, lender forbearances or flexible plans have simply extended the window in which distressed properties may eventually revert to receivership. Olshonsky spoke to REBusinessOnline about receivership activity and what the industry expects over the next 12 months. Delays: Lessons from the Global Financial Crisis, Plus Current Factors As court-appointed receivers, NAI’s representatives act as the owner and operator of properties in foreclosure on behalf of the court. A receivership needs to have the capability to lease the property, pay taxes and handle accounting — basically, taking over all aspects of managing a property and keeping it functioning, Olshonsky says. Much of how NAI Global has chosen to approach the current receivership landscape originated in the lessons of the 2007-2008 financial crisis. During the early stages of the pandemic, NAI knew there would be fallout that would force some businesses into foreclosure, servicing, note sales or similar …

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Experiential
FeaturesRetail

Experiential Retail Adjusts for a Post-COVID Comeback

by Katie Sloan

Shopping center owners thought the solution to combat online shopping was so crystal clear. Give them experiences. Provide social spaces. Make interaction the focal point. And this worked…for a while.  Entertainment and food and beverage operators soon absorbed the spaces left behind by traditional retailers. Old Sears locations became luxury movie theaters. Vacant in-line spaces could be taken over by Instagrammable pop-up experiences. Mall kiosks that once sold tchotchkes could now be occupied by virtual reality pods. Even mall food courts were redesigned as food halls, a cooler, sleeker older cousin.  Centers that created the right formula of fun, fashion and food were packed. It was all going so well until 2020. “All of us in the experiential business thought we were recession-proof,” says Bryan Severance, CEO of Fallout Zones, a family entertainment consulting and design firm in Las Vegas. “Even when the economy was down in 2008, people wanted to get out and have fun. The whole industry was building parks and experiences and making money. When the government tells you to shut down, though, it’s a totally different story. Turns out we’re not pandemic-proof.” Just as the experiential retail industry rode the high highs together, it is now …

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Grandmarc
FeaturesStudent Housing

Student Housing Rounds COVID-19’s Twists and Turns, Light Shines at End of Tunnel

by Katie Sloan

By Kevin Larimer and Brandon Buell, Berkadia Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, confidence fluctuated around the performance and resilience of student housing properties. Understandably, commercial real estate investors pressed pause at the beginning of last year, as there was no way to know what this global pandemic meant for property performance. However, with steady collections for student housing throughout the year, confidence quickly regained.  Towards the end of last year, occupancy was just shy of 90 percent and nimble investors who took notice started to pursue the available menu of opportunities. While data will show that COVID-19 had a clear impact on student housing operations, the level of disruption was limited. In fact, according to Berkadia research, sales during the fourth quarter accounted for more than half of 2020’s total transactions and dollar volume for student housing — further proving the overall resiliency of the industry.  Strong Out of the Gate in 2021 In addition to ending 2020 on a strong note, only a few months into 2021, we have already seen the student housing market show greater strength. In fact, in the first few weeks of January alone, our student housing-specialized team at Berkadia completed nearly $250 million in the …

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IllinoisMidwest

Take Me Out to the Ball Game: Chicago Stadiums to be at 20 Percent Capacity on Opening Day

by Kristin Harlow

CHICAGO — Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced plans to open Guaranteed Rate Field and Wrigley Field to White Sox and Cubs fans on each team’s Opening Day in April as part of the city’s “Open Chicago” efforts. The ballparks will be open at 20 percent capacity. Lightfoot evaluated capacity and restrictions in partnership with the Chicago Department of Public Health and the Major League Baseball Association. Last week, the mayor increased indoor capacity at bars, restaurants and other businesses to 50 percent, citing sustained progress in reopening metrics. Guranteed Rate Field, home to the Chicago White Sox on the South Side, normally seats just over 40,000 guests. The reopening capacity will be limited to 8,122 fans with at least six feet between parties. White Sox Opening Day is Thursday, April 8. Wrigley Field, home to the storied Chicago Cubs, has a normal capacity of 41,374 fans. It will be limited to 8,274 guests per game. Opening Day is scheduled for Thursday, April 1. According to the city, there is potential to increase capacity at the ballparks as vaccination and recovery efforts continue. In the same vein, a spike in COVID-19 cases could result in ballparks, bars, restaurants and businesses closing …

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CaliforniaRetailWestern

Fry’s Electronics Permanently Closes Business Operations, Shuttering 31 Stores, Online Presence

by Amy Works

SAN JOSE, CALIF. — San Jose-based Fry’s Electronics has decided to shut down its operations and close business permanently as a result of changes in the retail industry and challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic. After nearly 36 years as a one-stop shop and online resource for high-tech consumers, Fry’s says it will implement a shutdown of its 31 stores across nine states through a wind-down process that will be in the best interests of the company, its creditors and other stakeholders. Fry’s ceased regular operations and began the closing process today. The intentions of the wind-down process are to reduce costs, avoid additional liabilities, minimize the impact to customers, vendors, landlords and associates, as well as maximize the value of the company’s assets for its creditors and stakeholders. Currently, Fry’s is in the process of reaching out to its customers with repairs and consignment vendors to help them understand the closing process and the proposed next steps.

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Marriott
Company NewsHospitalityMarylandSoutheast

Marriott Posts First Annual Loss Since 2009 as COVID-19 Loomed Large in 2020

by Julia Sanders

BETHESDA, MD. — Marriott International (NASDAQ: MAR) posted a net income loss of $267 million for 2020, which The Wall Street Journal reports is the hotel giant’s first annual loss since 2009. The company posted a net loss of $164 million in fourth-quarter 2020, which is a significant drop from its net income of $279 million in fourth-quarter 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic materially changed global traffic patterns for both leisure and business travelers in 2020, and Marriott’s hotels bore the brunt of the subdued demand for hotel rooms, as well as conventions and conferences. “With the global pandemic, 2020 was the most challenging year in our 93-year history,” says Stephanie Linnartz, Marriott’s group president of consumer operations, technology and emerging businesses. Linnartz, along with Tony Capuano, are overseeing Marriott’s day-to-day operations of corporate matters in the wake of president and CEO Arne Sorenson’s passing earlier this week. On April 14, 2020, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) reported its lowest travel volume of only 87,500 passengers throughout all TSA checkpoints nationwide, representing just 4 percent of passenger volume recorded on the same weekday in 2019. Average travel volume per day between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve, which is typically TSA’s busiest …

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